"One Piece:The True Codex"Chapter 286: Shackles
A grotesque-looking middle-aged man with an enormous protruding belly approached Gecko Moria, stooping with visible difficulty to retrieve the newspaper from the floor. This was Hogback, the brilliant surgeon whose medical expertise formed the backbone of Moria's zombie army.
In his characteristic high-pitched, nasal voice, Hogback inquired, "The Marines wouldn't actually execute him, would they?"
"What difference does it make?" Moria replied with cold indifference. "Being locked away in Impel Down is merely a prolonged death anyway. He might as well die outright and contribute something useful to my cause."
Marine Headquarters, Marineford
Fleet Admiral Sengoku set down the newspaper with a heavy sigh. He removed his glasses and gently massaged his temples, momentarily closing his eyes.
The widespread coverage of Morgan William's capture—which had generated even more publicity than Golden Lion Shiki's defeat—was no coincidence. Marine Headquarters had deliberately orchestrated this media blitz.
"You were right, Tsuru," Sengoku acknowledged gravely.
Seated on a sofa across from Sengoku's desk was an elderly woman with dry, wrinkled skin and a remarkably thin frame. Her full head of white hair framed a face that appeared toothless, lips pressed tightly together. The standard Marine officer's coat draped over her shoulders seemed comically oversized, accentuating her diminutive stature. To the uninitiated, this frail old woman might seem insignificant—yet she was none other than Vice Admiral Tsuru, the legendary tactician of Marine Headquarters. A contemporary of both Sengoku and Garp, she remained celebrated for her razor-sharp intellect despite her advanced age, earning her the title "Great Staff Officer of the Navy."
Tsuru knew precisely what Sengoku meant. From the very beginning, she had predicted that William's ultimate goal was likely to secure a position among the Seven Warlords of the Sea. She had recommended gradually feeding him information about this possibility to keep him complacent while systematically dismantling his vigilance.
"He's too reminiscent of Doflamingo—both ambitious men determined to expand their power bases. Becoming a Warlord provides them perfect cover," Tsuru remarked slowly, giving Sengoku a pointed look. Her tone carried a subtle warning. "For men like them, the Warlord title is merely a stepping stone to greater ambitions."
Sengoku remained silent, and Tsuru chose not to belabor the point.
With their combined wisdom and decades of experience confronting the most cunning and ruthless pirates, both Sengoku and Tsuru could easily see through individuals like Doflamingo. They understood perfectly that his motives for becoming a Warlord were far from pure.
Unfortunately, the Warlord system wasn't entirely under the Marines' control. The institution had become heavily politicized, with many appointments influenced by factors beyond combat prowess or dedication to suppressing piracy.
For instance, Jinbe, the fish-man, had been invited to join the Warlords by the Five Elders primarily as a gesture to promote racial harmony and establish a precedent for other non-human races—not primarily for his fighting abilities.
Similarly, Doflamingo's status as a former Celestial Dragon afforded him numerous privileges. His inclusion among the Warlords stemmed largely from political considerations rather than merit alone.
Such matters lay beyond Sengoku's authority to control.
This was precisely why Sengoku was determined to prevent another Doflamingo from rising to power. The more intelligence he gathered about William, the more convinced he became that William might pose an even greater threat than Doflamingo had.
The New World earned its name because it functioned fundamentally differently from other seas, including the Grand Line. Its inhabitants had lived under pirate rule for generations, rendering the authority of the Marines and World Government nearly meaningless in their eyes. The populace had not only accepted but embraced pirate governance as their norm. To them, defying the Marines and World Government wasn't nearly as unthinkable as it was to people from other regions.
Additionally, the exceptional pirates who survived the countless trials required to reach the New World were typically fearless and extraordinarily capable. Only in such an environment could truly legendary pirates rise to dominance.
William's activities in the East Blue—collaborating with Marine officials, usurping legitimate governments, and manipulating other pirate crews—showed alarming signs of transforming the East Blue into another New World. He was conditioning its people to accept governance outside the established order, gradually shifting their allegiance from the World Government to Morgan William himself.
Furthermore, Sengoku agreed with Doflamingo's assessment that William's defeat of Golden Lion Shiki represented a watershed moment in the Great Pirate Era—the first significant victory by the new generation. He couldn't allow this event to pass without consequence, permitting William to accumulate fame throughout the world and reverence in the East Blue that would inevitably translate into tangible power.
This was why Sengoku had deployed Garp and disseminated misleading information to lull William into complacency. His objective was to capture William and publicly execute him before the world—especially before the people of the East Blue.
His reasoning paralleled his insistence on executing Ace in the original timeline, even at the cost of war with Whitebeard. His ultimate goal was to reassert the Marines' authority in an era where pirate influence had expanded unchecked and public confidence in the Marines had diminished.
The Marines were fundamentally an institution of force, and only through demonstrable force could their position be maintained. Whether executing William—a symbol of the new era's potential—or confronting Whitebeard, Sengoku sought to demonstrate the Marines' overwhelming power at a time when their dominance was increasingly questioned.
Sengoku wanted the world to understand that while William might be hailed as the "hero" of the East Blue and the rising star who defeated Golden Lion Shiki, before Marine Headquarters he was nothing—just another prisoner in chains.
The East Blue populace might react with outrage initially. But once they witnessed the execution of a man they had believed invincible, they would comprehend the Marines' overwhelming might and the futility of opposing the World Government. No matter how formidable a criminal might appear, they would ultimately fall before Marine justice.
Sengoku recognized this approach wasn't ideal. Truly eradicating William's influence would require coordinated efforts from not only the Marines but also the World Government and its hundred-plus member nations. As Fleet Admiral, Sengoku lacked the authority to dictate the actions of the Five Elders or the policies of countless sovereign states.
Thus, he resorted to this blunt yet effective method to suppress the ripples caused by William's rise in the East Blue.
To this end, Vice Admiral Doberman's warship carried rare broadcasting equipment and Den Den Mushi specially configured for live transmission—technology seldom seen in the East Blue.
"Executing Morgan William will secure at least another decade of peace for the East Blue," Sengoku murmured to himself.
Meanwhile, in a prison cell in the East Blue, William sat on the floor, watching as a young jailer carefully wrapped cloth around his metal shackles to prevent them from chafing his ankles.
"You needn't trouble yourself with this," William said calmly.
The Marines were shorthanded, most being deployed to hunt down the remaining key members of William's organization throughout the city. This shortage had necessitated drafting local prison guards to assist with William's detention, though Marine personnel from Headquarters still maintained primary responsibility. When they returned from their shift change, they would undoubtedly remove the cloth padding—rendering the young jailer's efforts futile.
"I know, Lord William," the young jailer replied, his expression a complex mixture of emotions. "I just feel such shame. You saved the East Blue, yet this is how fate rewards you. I dare not defy the Government or the Marines, but this small gesture is the least I can offer."
"You have nothing to be ashamed of," William responded with a faint smile, struggling slightly to lift his leg. "Thank you for your kindness."