A trace of doubt flickered in everyone's eyes, and their brows furrowed tightly.
"...With Whitebeard's motives and allegiance still unknown, I believe the battlefield must be divided."
Daren's voice broke the silence. Calm and composed, he spoke with clarity.
"Divide the battlefield?"
Sengoku mulled it over. Slowly, his eyes began to shine with understanding.
"You mean—intercept?"
Daren nodded and smiled slightly.
"Exactly. Even putting aside his unclear position, just allowing him to appear on the main battlefield could create a scenario we Marines can't control."
"The Gura Gura no Mi can trigger seaquakes—and from there, tsunamis. That kind of force would pose an overwhelming threat to our fleets."
At those words, the generals all nodded solemnly.
Many of them had witnessed firsthand the power of the "strongest man in the world." With the Gura Gura no Mi, Whitebeard could effortlessly summon tsunamis a thousand meters high.
That kind of natural disaster-level destruction... wasn't something any human force could resist.
Even with the world's most elite and powerful naval fleet, the Marines wouldn't stand a chance against a force of nature like that.
A single misstep could lead to total annihilation beneath the fury of the sea.
"Only by splitting the battlefield and keeping the Whitebeard Pirates completely out of the main front... can the Marines handle the Roger Pirates, the Beasts Pirates, and the Big Mom Pirates more effectively."
Daren's words came swiftly, but each syllable was clear, his tone brimming with confidence.
"At that point, whether we wait for the three crews to tear each other apart and strike when they're weakened—or launch a sudden offensive—we'll have the flexibility to act on our terms."
Hearing Daren's sound logic, the generals nodded one after another.
"He really is the rival I acknowledge... What a meticulous tactical mind!"
Kuzan stared at Daren with burning admiration.
From the corner, Tokikake muttered in annoyance,
"Tch... What's the big deal..."
Sengoku, meanwhile, looked more and more impressed.
Daren's analysis had sliced clean through the fog, giving them clarity at last.
"Indeed... that makes sense."
"Daren, you and I are clearly on the same page."
Sengoku straightened up, his voice full of praise.
Beside him, Staff Officer Tsuru quietly turned her face to the side.
"Dividing the battlefield really is the key."
Sengoku pretended not to notice her reaction, cleared his throat lightly, and continued, calm as ever,
"Then that makes our next step quite simple."
"We'll split our forces. One contingent will move to intercept the Whitebeard Pirates and divide the battlefield completely."
"The rest of our strength will head to the main front and prepare to launch strikes against the three pirate crews at any time."
He paused, then glanced over at Garp—who was staring at him expectantly—and said with clear irritation,
"Roger's crew is yours, Garp... Don't screw it up this time."
Garp burst into laughter.
"Relax! I've got this!"
He pounded his chest with a grin.
"As for who will command each front... I and Vice Admiral Daren will lead them respectively."
Sengoku ignored Garp's usual antics and turned his eyes back to Daren.
"Daren, I'll have you take charge of the main battlefield—"
"No."
Before Sengoku could finish, Daren shook his head and cut him off.
"Admiral Sengoku, I'd like to volunteer to intercept the Whitebeard Pirates."
Sengoku blinked, caught off guard.
"You're sure?"
Whitebeard's fearsome power was no secret—he stood at the very pinnacle of the seas.
Yes, the main battlefield meant the chance of facing Kaidou and Big Mom, but even combined, the threat they posed didn't compare to the weight of Whitebeard's presence.
That fact was obvious even from their bounties.
"Big Mom" Charlotte Linlin—3.36 billion Belly.
"Kaidou of the Beasts"—3.089 billion Belly.
But Roger and Whitebeard...
Each held an unprecedented bounty of 4.5 billion Belly.
And that was only part of it.
With the Gura Gura no Mi—Whitebeard was "invincible at sea."
Combined with the overwhelming strength of his division commanders,
The Whitebeard Pirates were arguably even more dangerous than the combined threat of the Big Mom and Beasts Pirates alliance.
Daren smiled.
"Yes, Admiral Sengoku."
"Your strength is certainly greater than mine, but intercepting the Whitebeard Pirates isn't just about brute force."
"Honestly, if you were to lead the operation yourself, I think the mission would likely fail—and could even lead to massive casualties."
"Compared to you, I have a particular advantage."
Sengoku frowned, clearly unconvinced.
"What advantage?"
He didn't believe for a second this kid could handle the job better than him.
Daren smiled calmly. "I can fly."
Sengoku: …
He fell silent for a moment.
"…Very well. I was only testing you. The task of intercepting the Whitebeard Pirates and splitting the battlefield is yours, Vice Admiral Daren."
His tone turned serious.
Everyone: …
There was really no arguing against Daren's logic.
The most frustrating part was, not only could that brat fly himself—he could take others with him!
Still, Sengoku wasn't entirely at ease with sending Daren alone to face the Whitebeard Pirates. Better send some reinforcements just in case…
After a moment of thought, Sengoku spoke slowly.
"In that case… the rest of you, decide for yourselves."
"Those willing to follow me in taking down the other three great pirate crews, come to my side."
"Those willing to assist Vice Admiral Daren in intercepting and defeating the Whitebeard Pirates, go to—"
He didn't even finish before a whirlwind suddenly tore through the office.
Sengoku blinked, stunned, his mind buzzing.
Sakazuki, Kuzan, Borsalino, Onigumo, Gion, Doberman, Yamakaji… almost all the top brass of HQ had rushed to Daren's side.
They even used techniques like Soru just to snatch a spot!
"Wait—Garp, you bastard!! You're supposed to be on the main battlefield! Why the hell are you running over to Daren's side!?"
Sengoku suddenly realized and roared in fury, his face turning red.
"Bwahaha! Sorry, sorry—guess I got swept up seeing everyone else head this way…"
Garp scratched his head and laughed heartily.
Sengoku: …
"I appreciate it, everyone."
Looking at Sengoku standing all alone, Daren couldn't help but feel a bit guilty. He smiled.
"But I really don't need this much manpower. You should all head to the main battlefield and follow Admiral Sengoku's orders."
"The Whitebeard Pirates… I can handle them alone."
Sengoku was instantly relieved.
But right then—
Sakazuki narrowed his eyes at Daren and said coldly, "You sure about that? We're talking about the 'strongest man in the world'..."
Sengoku: Hey, hey! I've got to face Kaidou and Big Mom over here!
Kuzan frowned, his whole body radiating discontent. "I was looking forward to fighting alongside you, you know!"
Sengoku: ???
What about fighting alongside me!?
Borsalino sighed helplessly. "Another mission with Admiral Sengoku again, huh…"
Sengoku: …
Aren't you my adjutant!?
Seeing Sengoku looking utterly defeated, Staff Officer Tsuru patted him gently on the shoulder.
"It's alright. I'm still on your side."
Sengoku gave her a weak glance.
"You're not even going into battle."
Tsuru smiled.
"Exactly. That's why I can say that."
Sengoku: …
I'm done. Let the world burn.
He sighed and turned back to Daren.
"Daren, are you really sure you can do this alone?"
Daren gave a knowing smile.
"The Marines' strength… doesn't end with those in this room."
...
Banquet hall.
The six Shichibukai stood or sat in silence, each wearing a different expression.
The atmosphere was tense, the kind that could snap at any moment. The six eyed each other warily, as if a fight could break out at any second.
Suddenly—
The heavy door was kicked open with a loud bang, shattering the oppressive mood.
Daren strode in, exuding a fierce, overwhelming aura. A cigar clenched between his teeth, hands in his pockets.
Wind rushed through the open doorway, whipping the Vice Admiral's cloak into a flurry.
His sharp gaze swept across the room, locking onto each face.
Then he grinned savagely.
"Ready?"
"The first compulsory summons since the Shichibukai system was established… begins now!"
"Our target… the strongest man in the world—Whitebeard!!"
The six Shichibukai froze for a beat, then all burst out laughing—loud and wild.
Unrestrained fighting spirit exploded from the seven of them, surging toward the heavens.
...
(100 Chapters Ahead)
p@treon com / PinkSnake