The execution of Ace was set to take place at the Navy Headquarters in Marineford, just as in the original story. However, due to the influence of the Ninja Guild, the military forces deployed this time were far stronger than in the original plot. The World Government had spared no effort, not only mobilizing numerous previously hidden military assets but also preparing to unleash a slew of powerful weapons developed by Dr. Vegapunk.
At that moment, in the Marshal's office at Navy Headquarters, Sengoku sat with a grave expression, studying the latest intelligence reports. It was a sensitive time, and aside from making thorough preparations, he was constantly monitoring the movements of major powers. So far, the key players—Red Hair, Kaido of the Beasts, and Big Mom, among other emperors of the sea—had shown no significant activity. But the main target of this operation, the captain of the Whitebeard Pirates, Whitebeard himself, had suddenly vanished without a trace.
"What is Whitebeard up to?" Sengoku muttered, unease creeping into his heart. He instinctively glanced to his side, wanting to ask for Vice Admiral Tsuru's opinion, only to remember that she was still recovering from her injuries.
During the war at the Sabaody Archipelago, Vice Admiral Tsuru had been tasked with activating Vegapunk's freezing device to encase the islands in ice. Unfortunately, she had been caught in the ice herself. Sengoku had acted quickly to have her rescued and treated, saving her life, but the ordeal had taken a toll on the aging vice admiral. She had been resting in Marineford ever since. In truth, Sengoku and Garp had also sustained injuries during that battle, though they were less severe and had mostly recovered by now.
Recalling the war at Sabaody, Sengoku still felt a lingering frustration, but he quickly pushed those thoughts aside. There were more pressing matters at hand. Aside from Whitebeard's disappearance, several other pieces of intelligence had caught his attention.
First, one of the Seven Warlords, Doflamingo, had gone missing. After fleeing early from the Sabaody conflict, the Navy had completely lost track of him.
Second, reports indicated that the Revolutionary Army had recently been spotted entering the Sabaody Archipelago. Unlike Whitebeard, who had slipped into the archipelago secretly via an underwater route, the Revolutionaries made no effort to conceal their movements. They weren't afraid of being linked to the Ninja Guild, and their presence had been noticed by soldiers stationed near Sabaody. Sengoku wasn't surprised by this—after all, the Revolutionaries had previously interfered when the Navy attempted to disrupt live broadcasts. He had no doubt the two groups were connected. But what were the Revolutionaries doing in Sabaody at such a critical time? That question gnawed at him.
The final piece of intelligence came from Impel Down, and it made Sengoku frown. A few days ago, unidentified individuals had been spotted moving covertly within the prison, their identities still unconfirmed. Additionally, two intruders had attempted to break in and rescue "Fire Fist" Ace. Fortunately, the prison warden had preemptively transferred Portgas D. Ace, thwarting the rescue attempt.
"What a mess," Sengoku grumbled, tossing a handful of rice crackers into his mouth as he vented his frustration.
The World Government's greatest concern was the Ninja Guild's movements, but they had no actionable intelligence. Wary of the guild's strange and formidable abilities, the Navy didn't dare venture too close to Sabaody, maintaining surveillance from over two hundred nautical miles away. Despite the Ninja Guild's apparent inactivity, Sengoku couldn't shake his growing unease.
As he mulled over how to probe for more information about the guild, a new report finally arrived. A messenger soldier hurried into his office, saluted, and said, "Marshal, reports are coming in from various naval bases. They've spotted members of the Ninja Guild in their jurisdictions!"
Sengoku shot to his feet, a mix of shock and anger in his voice. "What's going on? Weren't we monitoring the waters around Sabaody? How did the Ninja Guild slip out without anyone noticing?"
The soldier hesitated before responding, "Marshal, we did station forces to monitor Sabaody, but the sea is vast, and our troops are positioned too far out. With limited manpower, it's impossible to catch every movement, so…"
Sengoku fell silent, unable to argue. The truth was, while they had sent forces to watch Sabaody, they were cautious not to provoke the Ninja Guild, fearing another attack like the one on the Holy Land of Mariejois. As a result, they hadn't deployed many troops and kept their distance, staying over a hundred nautical miles from the archipelago. He also recalled that the Ninja Guild's members had bizarre abilities, including the capability to run across the sea without ships. In such conditions, it was no wonder the Navy's surveillance had missed them.
Resigned, Sengoku asked, "Did the reports say what the Ninja Guild members are doing?"
The soldier's expression turned strange as he replied, "They say the Ninja Guild members are… maintaining world peace."
"What?!" Sengoku's jaw dropped, wondering if his ears had betrayed him or if the soldier had lost his mind. How could such an absurd report be true?
The soldier, anticipating his reaction, quickly clarified, "According to the reports, some of the Ninja Guild members spotted around the world are just sightseeing, but most of them are actively hunting down pirates. When asked why, they claimed they're doing it to maintain world peace!"
Sengoku was speechless. The Ninja Guild, hunting pirates to maintain world peace? He didn't buy it for a second. There had to be some kind of scheme at play. The pressure from the guild was overwhelming, and after careful consideration, Sengoku decided to escalate the matter to his superior, Commander-in-Chief Kong, and seek the opinion of the Five Elders.
Kong and the Five Elders were already in a meeting, discussing Ace's execution and the plan to crush the Whitebeard Pirates. When they heard Sengoku's report, they were just as stunned.
What were those Ninja Guild folks up to now?
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T/N:
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