Sengoku nodded and spoke in a low voice. "I understand. Gather the vice admirals stationed at headquarters and lead the troops to the New World. Mobilize every warship we can use. As for the mission… Once you arrive, follow Sakazuki's assignments."
Though confused, the soldier still shouted, "Yes!"
He ran out to relay the orders.
Sengoku clasped his hands together and closed his eyes in thought. The piercing alarms outside felt as if they could not reach this place at all.
Yet his mind kept replaying the call he had with Sakazuki two days ago.
* * *
Two days earlier. Late at night.
Sengoku stood by the fortress wall, a Den Den Mushi resting in his hand.
Sakazuki's voice came through, explaining something. Then he said, "That's roughly the plan. You only need to send troops and put on a show. Make the whole world think a major war is about to happen."
Sengoku frowned deeply. "If things spiral out of control, the entire New World could be dragged into war. This plan involves too many people. Just the Emperor alone pulls in three of them. Knox's business even involves people in the highest levels of the government, Sakazuki."
Sakazuki's voice replied calmly, "So what. Those who die will do so with honor. You are too soft, Sengoku. The sky won't fall. As long as the world itself is not destroyed, there is nothing we cannot do. As for the government… if they have objections, let them come to the New World and find me."
Click.
The sound of the Den Den Mushi disconnecting echoed.
Sengoku did not feel angry at Sakazuki's sharp words. He gazed at the distant sea and recalled the experiences of so many years.
Always thinking from the larger picture. Weighing what could be gained and what could be lost.
After a long time, he let out a soft sigh and turned back toward the Fleet Admiral's office.
Sometimes, thinking too much only slows things down. A clean cut can be better.
No matter how much benefit there is, people will die in the end.
* * *
Back to the present.
New World. G-11 Branch.
The island where Borsalino was stationed. It guarded the direction facing the Beasts Pirates.
Inside the branch office.
All the officers were gathered, waiting for Borsalino's orders.
He looked at the intelligence report in his hand. "Interesting~ Why did it suddenly turn into a fight? It does fit Sakazuki's style. But it's still too sudden~"
The G-11 base commander, Vice Admiral Walkerly, looked excited. "Should we mobilize troops now, Admiral Borsalino."
Borsalino scratched his chin. "Hmmm~"
After a moment of thought, he stood and walked to the window.
"Mobilize forces and stay alert~ I'll go take a look first~ Enel is at Tas Port, right~?"
Walkerly replied, "Yes. According to reports from half an hour ago, Vice Admiral Enel is fighting King the Wildfire of the Beasts Pirates at Tas Port."
Borsalino nodded and pushed the window open.
Light began to scatter from his body as he looked toward Tas Port.
"How strange~"
Whoosh!
He vanished.
Aside from a few core members, only Sengoku knew Sakazuki's true plan.
So even as a fellow admiral, Borsalino was kept in the dark and felt deeply puzzled by this sudden conflict.
* * *
New World. G-14 Branch.
Sakazuki sat at the desk, studying the map. He looked completely calm.
Beside him, the G-14 base commander, Vice Admiral Doll, paced back and forth in clear agitation.
It was only natural. She had been running the base just fine, then a superior suddenly dropped in.
That alone would be bad enough. But this superior launched a war the moment he arrived, with her base as the battlefield. How could she not be anxious?
She looked at Sakazuki's calm expression and finally spoke. "Admiral Sakazuki. Knox and Kaido have already gathered their forces and are heading here. Red-Haired Shanks is also on the move. Aren't we going to prepare something?"
He glanced at her. "What preparation do you think would be useful against people like that? Spears, cannons, or are you saying you can take on two of them by yourself, maybe even three."
Doll rubbed her forehead. "But we can't just sit here. Even changing the battlefield would help. There are still so many soldiers on this island."
He swept her with a glance again. "You're just worried about the base."
Veins throbbed on her forehead. She took several deep breaths. "It's all the same. I have to take responsibility for this base and for the soldiers here."
Crash!
Glass shattered as Bullet burst in, dragging an ice sculpture with him.
"Hm. Responsibility. What responsibility?"
Sakazuki stood up and walked over to the frozen figure.
"So it's done."
Cold spread outward from the ice.
Bullet was covered in bruises. Blue and purple marks were visible all over his body. He nodded.
"Yeah. It was pretty troublesome. I went to find Kuzan and had him reinforce it. This guy's talent and Haki, combined with that fruit. Pure hand to hand combat is basically useless."
He paused for a moment. "Still, he made a good target."
With his speed multiplied, Bullet was already unbeatable. The real problem was the Twinkle-Twinkle Fruit paired with thick Armament Haki.
Even if two more Garps showed up, they still wouldn't break that defense. Diamond was simply too hard.
Of course, setting defense aside, Garp could still deal with Black quickly. Without a Devil Fruit, stirring the seas was nothing special.
Just drag him into the water and it would be over.
But Bullet had eaten a fruit himself. He could not exactly jump into the sea holding him and die together.
Knocking him into the ocean was not an option either.
For a fighter at that level, the chance of falling into the water was extremely small. Even one centimeter from the surface, he could burst out with Haki and escape.
That was why Bullet had to exploit the Twinkle-Twinkle Fruit's weakness to fire and ice. Hence those special meteor hammers.
Sakazuki looked at Vice Admiral Doll, who had been completely ignored.
"Go get a video Den Den Mushi."
She looked dead inside and walked out helplessly.
"Yeah, yeah."
After all that talking, it was all wasted in one interruption.
Once she left, Sakazuki pulled out a Devil Fruit recovery device. Coating it with Haki, he stabbed it straight into the back of Bin Black's ice sculpture.
Bullet stepped forward in sync. One hand pressed down on the device to hide it, the other held the frozen figure by the shoulder.
Sakazuki took out a video Den Den Mushi and dialed.
Knox's image appeared. He froze for a moment, then stared fixedly at the fiery red figure.
"Sakazuki."
Sakazuki placed his hand on the ice sculpture's neck. "It's been over twenty years, Knox. I heard your business finally recovered to how it was back then. Congratulations."
Knox suppressed his rage. "Release Black. Say what you want."
Sakazuki gave a soft laugh. "What do I want?"
Just then, Doll returned with the video Den Den Mushi.
"I got it."
Sakazuki turned his head. "Turn it on."
She did not understand but pressed the button.
He looked back at Knox on the screen. "I want him… Dead."
Crack.
The frozen head flew off.
At the same time, Bullet swiftly retrieved the Devil Fruit recovery device.
* * *
On the other end of the call.
Seeing the head fly, Knox's eyes split wide.
The Den Den Mushi in his hand could not withstand the pressure. Its eyes rolled back. The image flickered.
Yet Sakazuki's calm voice could still be faintly heard.
"Did you record it all."
Bang!
The Den Den Mushi exploded into a mist of blood.
"Sa. Ka. Zu. Ki!!!"
The sea churned in unrest. Dark clouds rolled across the sky. Unrestrained Conqueror's Haki, filled with fury, swept outward.
**
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