Chapter 392 – Message Delivery!
The moment the Den Den Mushi line went dead, Zephyr expression turned thoughtful.
"Teacher, could this be a conspiracy by the Dragon Hunter Pirates?"
Ain, standing beside him, had heard every word from Ryuunosuke.
Though it was impossible to tell whether the message was true, trusting a pirate blindly was always questionable.
But Ain's voice was steady.
"Captain Ryuunosuke wouldn't joke about something like this. Remember—when they struck at Mary Geoise, they released the captured marines instead of killing them. Many of our new navy soldiers survived thanks to that. If the Dragon Hunters truly had such a deep plan against us, they wouldn't have done that in the first place."
Zephyr shook his head slowly, his decision made.
"I choose to believe him."
Ain bit her lip but nodded. As much as she hated the Dragon Hunters, their actions had proven difficult to dismiss. In the absence of reliable intelligence, sometimes the choice was simply whether to believe—or to ignore. And ignoring might be the greater danger.
"Notify everyone. Prepare to move. Since this incident happened at Navy Headquarters, we'll go there ourselves."
"Yes, teacher."
Ain bowed and left swiftly to make arrangements.
Zephyr remained still for a moment, before pulling out a Den Den Mushi that hadn't rung in years. The little snail had grown fat from inactivity, its shell collecting dust. Once, it had been busy every day. Now, it was almost forgotten.
"Beru… beru… beru…"
Finally, the line connected.
"You old fool. Why aren't you minding your New Navy business and instead calling me, a retired man?"
Garp's impatient voice came through, crunching between bites of senbei. The sound of chewing was unmistakable.
Zephyr reply was curt.
"Old bastard, this isn't a call to reminisce. The World Government is preparing to move against the Navy."
"…What?"
The sound of crunching stopped. Then, another voice joined in—calm, sharp, unmistakable.
"Is the intelligence reliable?" It was Tsuru.
So the two of them were together.
"It came from Ryuunosuke," Zefa admitted. His tone carried a hint of reluctance, but he pressed on. "We're heading to Headquarters now. I don't believe the Dragon Hunters would fabricate this kind of information against us."
There was silence on the other end before Zephyr finally exhaled. His shoulders eased, his spirit seemed lighter.
Enough. Sitting still no longer suited him. If there was ever a time to act, it was now.
---
Meanwhile, at Navy Headquarters…
"Why didn't Ryuunosuke deliver the message directly to Garp?"
Sengoku frowned as he looked at his old comrade.
Tsuru answered before Garp could speak.
"Because he thinks Garp is unreliable. If this matter spreads without control, the damage to the Navy's reputation could be severe. That boy even considered that much?"
Her tone was calm, but firm. "I don't doubt the authenticity of this information."
The words stung Garp, who clenched his fists. Tsuru was right. Ryuunosuke had deliberately avoided him. That truth was harder to swallow than senbei.
Sengoku broke the silence.
"First, we should inform Sakazuki. He's the current Fleet Admiral. Regardless of my own preferences, that position deserves respect."
Tsuru nodded. "I agree. Besides, if even Zephyr knows, then Sakazuki surely has received word as well. Ryuunosuke will have ensured it reached him—by means more credible than a personal whisper."
"Then let's see what Sakazuki intends to do."
At last, Garp spoke, his voice low and heavy.
"But know this. If he tries to turn the Navy into nothing more than a tool for the World Government… don't bother persuading me. I'll walk away."
For Garp, the Navy's worth lay in its autonomy. If it became a puppet, bound to the Celestial Dragons' strings, then there was no reason for him to stay.
"Let's go—" Sengoku began.
But before they could move, a summons officer appeared at the courtyard.
"Advisors Sengoku, Tsuru, Garp. Fleet Admiral Sakazuki requests your presence."
The three exchanged looks.
"…So, he already knows." Sengoku muttered.
"Then let's hear his decision."
---
At the same time…
All officers above the rank of Rear Admiral at Headquarters—excluding those planted by the World Government—were summoned.
"What's Sakazuki planning now?"
A rear admiral sneered, lounging with a woman draped over his arm and a drink in hand. His subordinates had just informed him of the sudden assembly, but no summons had reached him.
He scoffed.
"So he calls for others but not me? That's looking down on me, isn't it?"
"No one knows, sir," one lackey muttered. "Perhaps it's about the failure to abolish the Seven Warlords. Maybe they're looking for someone to blame. But since you were placed here by the World Government, Sakazuki doesn't dare target you!"
The rear admiral chuckled smugly at the flattery.
"Exactly. Let them worry about it. We'll drink instead."
Around him, other government-backed officers laughed and raised their cups. To them, Sakazuki's constant fury was nothing but background noise.
---
Soon after…
The great conference room of Marineford filled with the highest-ranking officers of the Navy. Even officials from the World Government arrived, demanding to attend.
Sakazuki didn't stop them. He allowed them in—calmly, coldly.
The air inside the room grew tense.
Everyone knew something monumental was about to unfold.
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