Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
Admiral's Office.
The air seemed to have stopped moving. The atmosphere was still and suffocating.
The only sound in the room came from the rustling of intelligence reports being quickly flipped through by the gathered Marine high command.
Everyone wore grim expressions.
"Finished reading? Then let's hear your thoughts."
Sengoku closed the file in his hands and looked up, his face clouded with tension.
"I've just contacted Fleet Admiral Kong at the Holy Land. During his term, he cannot leave the World Government, so for now, all military and governmental affairs at headquarters will be under my direct control."
He had just finished speaking when an impatient voice burst out.
"What's there to discuss? We need to send troops immediately!"
Garp stood from his seat, eyes locked on Sengoku.
"I agree with Vice Admiral Garp!"
Sakazuki stepped forward, exuding a steadily growing aura of killing intent.
"The Beasts Pirates, Big Mom Pirates, and Roger Pirates have already clashed once. It's likely they've all taken losses... In this situation, now is the perfect time for the Marines to strike."
"With proper deployment, we might even be able to wipe out all three crews!"
Sengoku didn't object to either of their points. He simply nodded.
"Of course I know this is the best time to deploy..."
"Then what the hell are you waiting for!?"
Garp interrupted, eyes wide.
"If we wait any longer, that bastard Roger will slip away again!"
"Dammit, Garp! Can you let me finish a damn sentence!?"
Sengoku slammed his palm on the table, beard bristling, and glared.
"Yes, Kaidou, Big Mom, and Roger are fighting, but don't forget—the Whitebeard Pirates have also moved, and their motives are still unknown!"
"Do you know what they're trying to do?"
"To mediate? To intervene? Or are they a third party trying to seize the Poneglyph?"
"If they want to mediate, would Kaidou and Big Mom even listen? Would Roger?"
"And if they're joining the fight, which side would they pick?"
"Or do you think you alone can take on all of them!?"
Seeing Sengoku—normally the calm and composed admiral—explode in anger, the room of generals fell silent.
Garp stood awkwardly, face stiff.
Sengoku shook his head in frustration.
That damn Garp. Every time Roger's name comes up, he goes mad. What a headache.
Time to hear from someone else...
His gaze swept across the room.
Most of the generals instinctively lowered their heads, avoiding his eyes, afraid they'd be called on.
It was plain to see that the impending war in the New World could reshape not just that region—but the history of the entire sea.
With something this huge, who dared to offer an opinion?
Even if they had a smart plan, few had the authority or power to act on it.
Sengoku sighed inwardly, then shifted his gaze toward another group.
He looked at Sakazuki, whose face was practically radiating bloodlust. Frowning, he looked away.
He looked at Borsalino, who was spacing out like his mind was elsewhere. Sengoku twitched slightly, then turned away again.
He looked at Kuzan, who was practically bouncing with excitement. Sengoku's temple throbbed, and he kept looking.
"Daren... What's your take?"
Pursing his lips, Sengoku finally resigned himself and turned to Daren.
As he spoke, every general in the room lifted their heads in perfect unison.
All eyes turned toward Daren, glowing with expectation.
At this moment, their stares practically said:
"Vice Admiral Daren definitely has a plan."
Sengoku couldn't help but grumble inwardly:
"Why does it feel like Daren's standing in headquarters is higher than mine, and I'm the Admiral here..."
All those eyes felt like they carried weight as they turned toward Daren—yet he remained perfectly composed.
He paused briefly, then calmly began analyzing the situation:
"Deploying troops is a given—that's the foundation we're working from. Big Mom and Kaidou may act erratic on the surface, but in truth, they're calculating and far more cunning than Roger or Whitebeard."
"They would never risk going after the Roger Pirates without a clear advantage or pressing reason. After all, they've been defeated by Roger before—they know just how powerful his crew really is."
"But now they've made a move. Worse yet, they've set aside their egos and formed an alliance. That can only mean one thing... Roger's crew has likely gathered all the Poneglyphs and is about to reach that legendary island."
"If Kaidou and Big Mom don't act now, they'll be forced to sit back and watch Roger complete his journey."
The room fell completely silent.
Many of them had long doubted whether that so-called "final island" even existed.
But none of them could afford to bet on it not being real.
What if it was?
"...So if we accept that deploying is necessary, the rest becomes relatively straightforward."
Daren seemed to instantly clear the fog in everyone's minds, speaking in a steady, organized tone:
"As things stand, this operation breaks down into two major fronts. The first is the main battlefield—where Roger faces off against the Big Mom–Kaidou alliance. The second is wherever the Whitebeard Pirates are beginning to stir."
Sengoku frowned.
"So, Daren... do you think Whitebeard might actually get involved?"
Daren shook his head slightly.
"Admiral Sengoku, there's certainly a possibility. The real question is—whose side would he take?"
At that moment, Staff Officer Tsuru quietly added:
"Rumor has it Whitebeard and Roger were on good terms."
Everyone immediately turned to look at Garp.
Among all the Marines present, the one who knew Roger best—was Vice Admiral Garp.
Caught off guard, Garp scratched his head awkwardly and gave a sheepish laugh.
"...Yeah, I think that was the case? I'm not really sure though."
All the generals: "..."
Seriously!?
You've been chasing Roger across the seas all this time, and you don't even know that!?
The whole room silently screamed in exasperation, and Sengoku along with Tsuru couldn't stop the corners of their mouths from twitching.
"...But don't forget—Whitebeard once shared a ship with Kaidou and Big Mom. Back in the days of the Rocks Pirates."
At that moment, Zephyr, who had been sitting quietly in a corner puffing on a cigar, finally spoke up.
He normally stayed out of headquarters' politics and operations, but the urgency and scale of this situation had led Sengoku to call him in.
The moment his words landed, everyone in the room felt a jolt.
Of course!
The Rocks Pirates!
Whitebeard, Kaidou, Big Mom, and even Shiki the Golden Lion—whom Vice Admiral Daren had previously defeated—
They had all once served under Rocks!
And with that, Whitebeard's intentions...
Became murkier than ever.