Garp sat off to the side, chewing on a doughnut as he mumbled through a mouthful.
"Why worry about it? Just send someone to keep an eye on them. I'll go with Sengoku. It's been a while since we stretched our muscles anyways. Bwahahaha!"
Kong's forehead bulged with veins as he roared, "Don't talk with your mouth full! You idiot!"
He rubbed his temples, then turned to Sengoku. "What do you think?"
The admiral nodded. "Alright. Let me and Garp handle it. We'll take a few young Marines along too. It'll be good experience for them."
Kong's eyes lit up and a faint smile crossed his face.
"Not a bad idea. We've had a burst of talent in recent years. They're the backbone of the Marines' future. This will be a great chance for them to see the world's most dangerous pirates with their own eyes, and to chip away at their arrogance."
Sengoku also smiled. "Exactly what I was thinking."
The fleet admiral asked, "How many battleships do you need? I'll have them prepared right away."
After a brief pause, Sengoku replied, "Hmm… two should be enough. One for me, one for Garp, as this is just surveillance. We're not going in to fight, and I don't think they'll start a war. Pirates only care about profit, so a direct clash between two Emperors? Highly unlikely. I suspect they're trying to clear the New World.
"Ever since the term 'Three Emperors' came up, the fighting in the New World has gotten worse. Even though Knox and Big Mom have strong strength, they can't be everywhere at once.
"Countless pirates are aiming for that third Emperor seat, and stepping over the old ones is the fastest way up. Their territories have been attacked nonstop these past few years, so they must be getting fed up. Looks like they've decided to team up and clean house. Make a statement in blood."
Kong thought for a moment. "That does sound likely. Then keep your distance and monitor them, and let's find out what they're really up to. Go."
With a nod, Sengoku got up and dragged the sleeping Garp out the door.
Vice Admiral Tsuru rose and said, "I'll go carry out my other assignments then."
Kong responded, "Go."
The Fleet Admiral's office quickly fell into silence. Then, Kong glanced over at the sofa to his right, where Morris was still lounging.
"Why are you still here?"
The man lay on the couch. "Sigh. You called me all the way here, didn't let me say a word, then told me to go back. My dear grandson's been sent off by a certain someone too. What am I going to do, go back to that empty house?"
Kong's eyes twitched. "Hey now. Enel went with Sakazuki on his own. This mission was Sakazuki's idea. What does that have to do with me?"
Morris gave him a side glance. "Sigh~ You're the one who gave the order."
Staring at the shameless man, Kong took a deep breath. "Alright, just say it. What caught your eye this time?"
Morris leaned back into the sofa and spoke slowly, "I heard the government's been handing out a special batch of tea to some of the higher-ups...not sure if..."
Kong let out a snort of laughter, half amused, half exasperated.
"You got a damn dog's nose or what? Always sniffing out news like that. That tea is a special supply, you know. The whole Tea Island only produces about ten kilograms a year. I barely get one, and you've got the nerve to ask for it!"
Morris was sprawled out on the sofa like a lazy cat. "Aiya, my head hurts. Aiya, my legs too. Aiya, my arms..."
Kong simply looked down and opened a drawer. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Morris sit up, eyes gleaming with anticipation.
Grunting, he said, "Here."
He pulled out a small packet of tea and tossed it over.
Morris's arm flashed, and the tea was already in his hand before it reached him. He gave it a little bounce.
"Wait a sec. This isn't one kilo. More like… two hundred grams, tops."
Kong rolled his eyes. "Be grateful. Most people don't even get a whiff of this stuff."
Morris stood up and grinned. "Alright then, I'll leave you be."
Kong chuckled, watching him go. "Good. The sooner you leave, the better."
As Morris disappeared from view, his mind wandered. He remembered the man's once stern and solemn face, and how he used to be all business. But ever since he had a grandkid, he'd gotten goofier by the year.
'The power of family, huh…'
"Heh." Kong smiled faintly and shook his head.
Most of the time, family just didn't mix with the burdens a Marine had to carry, so the best choice was not to start one at all. If you got greedy and wanted both, it was always the family that paid the price.
There were too many pirates out on these seas, and too many enemies the Marines had made. That was why more and more high-ranking officers stopped building families.
But… adopting kids, that might not be such a bad idea.
Kong suddenly thought of Sengoku, whose personality had changed too.
* * *
Evening. Marine Headquarters, at the harbor.
Sengoku stood at the base of a warship, looking at the officers gathered before him.
He opened a register in his hands and began calling names.
"Borsalino."
"Here~"
"Kuzan."
"Here."
"Tokikake."
"Here!"
"Gion."
"Here!"
"Doberman."
"Here!"
"Momonga."
"Here!"
…
…
After two full minutes of roll call, nearly all of the Marine' future core officers had assembled.
With one command from Sengoku, they boarded the ship. The warship then slowly pulled away from the harbor, heading straight for the Red Line.
* * *
The New World.
Viewed from the sky, the Steam Pirates' fleet was heading toward the territory that had been assigned to the rookie pirates.
At the same time, the Charlotte Family's fleet had set sail from Whole Cake Island, also closing in on the same region.
Their goal was obvious.
Like Sengoku had said, they were done being patient. They were emperors, yet their authority was constantly being challenged. Every day, pests popped up, taking shots at their forces.
Their nerves were frayed, and it was time to reassert what it meant to be an emperor. Only blood could restore that kind of dominance.
They'd already forgotten how they once scoffed at the government for pushing the term "Emperor" in the first place.
Now, without realizing it, they were already neck-deep in the pursuit of fame and power.
**
**
**
Thank you for reading! If you'd like access to extra chapters and want to support my work, you can visit my P@treon:
P@treon/SilverShark769
Vote with Power Stones for Bonus Chapters!
Your support means a lot, thank you!