Zephyr's confusion was evident after hearing Finn's answer.
"You're going to attack Katakuri?" His frown deepened.
"At this stage, I believe he's the most suitable target." Finn nodded.
Though uncertain of his exact strength, Finn had a rough sense of his limits. He could never defeat powerhouses like Whitebeard or Golden Lion. Even Charlotte Linlin and Kaido were probably beyond him. These were veteran pirates, former executives from Rocks' crew. Finn still had a long way to go before rivaling them.
As for ordinary pirates, he somewhat looked down on them. After all, within the Marines, his sparring partners had always been monsters like Kuzan, Sakazuki, and Borsalino. It made no sense to lower his standards just because his opponent was a pirate.
Therefore, he'd set his sights on powerful pirates roughly his own age, those who could be considered his contemporaries. For example, Kaido's right hand, King the Wildfire. Or Charlotte Katakuri.
The Beasts Pirates had been hiding in the New World and Wano Country. Leading Marines there would inevitably attract Kaido's attention, which wasn't feasible. So the Beasts Pirates were off the table for now.
When Katakuri's intelligence fell into his hands, Finn had naturally focused on him.
Zephyr remained silent for a long moment before speaking. "It's commendable that you want to temper yourself, but Finn, the situation is very complicated right now. This isn't the time to attack the Big Mom Pirates..."
The seas were in chaos. Marine attention remained focused on the Roger Pirates. Since Roger had reached the summit, he'd inevitably stimulated other New World pirates like Big Mom to accelerate their own ambitions. Currently, Marine strategy was to wait for pirates to fight amongst themselves, then look for opportunities.
If they suddenly attacked the Big Mom Pirates, it could trigger a chain reaction, further muddying already chaotic waters. This wasn't in Marine interests.
Therefore, after the Intelligence Department received this news, Marine Headquarters had decided not to take action against Katakuri. So naturally, Zephyr felt concerned about Finn's plan.
After hearing Zephyr's response, Finn smiled. "Instructor, I know now isn't the time to attack the Big Mom Pirates. I'm not planning to do anything extreme to Katakuri or force the Big Mom Pirates into a corner. I just want to fight him."
"This is reckless. Do you even understand what the fallout could be?" Zephyr's face went grave.
Finn nodded. "Of course. If I lose, you'll naturally provide support..."
Before he could finish, Zephyr interrupted. "What if you win? Are you planning to capture Katakuri and then release him? What would that say about our Marines?"
Finn fell silent. Zephyr's point was valid. If he lost, that was one thing. But if he won, he couldn't just let Katakuri go. What would that mean for Marine credibility?
"Actually, win or lose, I intend to capture Katakuri in this plan." Finn's voice grew more serious.
"I've already said this isn't the time to take action against the Big Mom Pirates. If you want to do this, you need a suitable justification to convince me." Zephyr's tone brooked no argument.
Finn grinned. "I do have an idea, though it's still rough. I'd appreciate your critique, Instructor."
Zephyr blinked in surprise, studied Finn for a moment, then said, "You're a clever one. Let's hear it."
"The Kingdom of Vilix in the New World. Does Teacher have any knowledge of it?" Finn asked.
"Of course. It's one of the World Government's member nations. However, two years ago, it secretly aligned itself with the Big Mom Pirates. In the New World, it's considered under Big Mom's protection. In exchange, they pay annual tribute with their country's specialty, chocolate wafer cakes. Charlotte Linlin apparently loves those desserts." Zephyr answered immediately.
He was indeed a Marine Admiral, thoroughly informed on such matters. As for allied nations seeking pirate protection in the New World, that was already commonplace. As long as the annual Heavenly Tribute was paid to the World Government, they didn't bother with such distant complications.
"You're exactly right, Teacher. However, two months ago, a large-scale fire broke out in the Kingdom of Vilix. This year's tribute of chocolate wafer cakes for Charlotte Linlin burned completely. The production workshop was also damaged and can no longer support this year's tribute." Finn's voice grew quieter. "So, Instructor, you should know very well what they'll face next."
Worry flashed in Zephyr's eyes. "If what you say is true, Charlotte Linlin will destroy that country."
"Yes. The Vilix royal family has already requested asylum from the World Government regarding this matter, hoping they can help resolve this crisis. In reality, the World Government is likely powerless to deal with it. The royal family could probably seek refuge in Mary Geoise, but..." Finn looked at Zephyr with utmost seriousness. "If they can escape, can those ordinary citizens?"
Zephyr pondered for a moment, then met Finn's eyes directly. "So, in this plan, you intend to capture Katakuri and use him as a bargaining chip to save the Kingdom of Vilix?"
"Yes. That's my proposal." Finn smiled.
Due to the fire, the Kingdom of Vilix wouldn't be able to pay tribute to Charlotte Linlin this year. According to the Big Mom Pirates' established pattern, that country was doomed. Finn's idea was to capture Katakuri, an important Big Mom Pirates commander, beforehand, then use him as leverage to force the Big Mom Pirates to abandon destroying the Kingdom of Vilix.
Honestly, if Finn hadn't set his sights on Katakuri, he wouldn't care whether the Kingdom of Vilix lived or died. But now that he'd targeted Katakuri, and given that the current situation prevented Marine action against the Big Mom Pirates, he needed a legitimate justification to convince Zephyr and the Marine leadership.
The Kingdom of Vilix served that purpose perfectly. If Finn could achieve his goal, he didn't mind saving this unfortunate kingdom as a bonus.
"It's not convenient for the Marines to negotiate directly with pirates, so you'll need to involve the CP agencies in this matter. According to your plan, after capturing Katakuri, we'll hand him over to CP for negotiations with the Big Mom Pirates. That's the best solution." Zephyr spoke after careful consideration.
As the righteous force on the seas, the Marines generally didn't negotiate with pirates. Regardless of whether private transactions occurred behind the scenes, and Finn could state clearly that they did, the Marines publicly maintained that stance.
Of course, such matters often required a "middleman," and that middleman was the CP agencies. Generally speaking, to maintain its image, the Marines didn't do dirty work. The CP agencies handled that.
However, such matters typically required World Government coordination. Since this plan involved saving a member nation, Finn felt confident that if properly reported, the World Government would approve it.
Today he'd come to test the waters with Instructor Zephyr. If Zephyr had shot him down immediately, he would have abandoned the plan. But seeing that Zephyr had given ground, Finn knew the matter was nearly settled.
At minimum, this proved that in the eyes of Zephyr, an experienced Marine veteran, this plan wasn't unreasonable. It had genuine feasibility.
Next, Finn would draft a formal report and submit it to the Fleet Admiral, who would then report to the World Government. Once the World Government approved the proposal, Finn would take action against Katakuri.
"Yes, Instructor." Finn replied with a smile.
Zephyr sighed softly. "Finn, logically, I probably shouldn't be teaching you this... But it seems you've already mastered this set of rules on your own..." He paused, his expression growing more serious. "If you encounter similar situations in the future, you must maintain this approach. No matter what you want to do, first and foremost, you cannot endanger the Marines' overall interests. Simultaneously, you must limit what you want to do to within the scope of established rules, and use those rules to accomplish it. Do you understand?"
"I understand, Instructor." Finn nodded.
It was obvious his motives in this matter were somewhat selfish. If he hadn't found a reasonable justification like "saving the Kingdom of Vilix," Marine Headquarters would never have approved his action against Katakuri.
Once he had legitimate reasons and could minimize potential conflict, having some personal motivations wasn't a serious issue. After all, Marines were human beings, not saints. Everyone had selfish desires. As long as it remained within the rules, everything was acceptable.
Whether Admiral Sengoku or Instructor Zephyr, as Marine Admirals, they'd certainly mastered this principle long ago and used these "rules" more than once. Even Chief of Staff Tsuru was the same.
This was a major reason she'd used to persuade Admiral Sengoku and the Fleet Admiral to approve the Intelligence Department's plan to establish a "non-existent organization." It was this organization that could bring considerable wealth to the Marines invisibly.
Generally speaking, Marine military expenditures were provided annually by the World Government, giving them the reins and shackles to control the Marines. However, as situations at sea grew increasingly tense, military budgets never proved sufficient. Unfortunately, due to various laws and treaties, the Marines couldn't raise funds independently.
At this point, the plan proposed by Chief of Staff Tsuru provided a method for the Marines to secretly generate income within established rules. Therefore, Admiral Sengoku and Fleet Admiral Kong had agreed without hesitation.
Even if issues arose in the future, the Marines would claim it was for intelligence purposes, not profit, allowing them to avoid considerable responsibility and punishment.
Politics always had its grey areas. Those involved in it inevitably had complicated methods.
"Good." Zephyr nodded slowly. "At least you understand the principle. Many young officers believe strength alone is sufficient. They don't realize that at higher levels, understanding how to operate within the system becomes just as important as combat ability."
He paused, studying Finn carefully. "You have both the strength and the intelligence. That's rare. But remember, Finn, the rules exist for reasons. Using them cleverly is one thing. Breaking them entirely is another. Don't cross that line."
"I won't, Instructor." Finn's voice carried conviction.
"I believe you." Zephyr smiled slightly. "Now then, draft your report. Make it convincing. The Fleet Admiral needs to present this to the Five Elders, so it must be airtight. Emphasize the humanitarian aspect, the member nation's plight, and the strategic value of demonstrating Marine capability without escalating into full conflict with the Big Mom Pirates."
"Understood." Finn's mind was already working through the report's structure.
"One more thing." Zephyr's expression grew serious again. "When you face Katakuri, fight with everything you have. Don't hold back out of some misguided sense of fairness or honor. You're testing your limits, yes, but you're also representing the Marines. Win decisively if you can. If you can't, survive and learn. Understand?"
"Yes, Teacher."
Zephyr nodded, satisfied. "Good. Now finish this game properly. You're three moves from checkmate, but you might find a way out if you focus."
Finn looked down at the board, his attention fully returning to the game. Zephyr was right. He'd been distracted by the conversation about Katakuri.
But as he studied the pieces, a small smile touched his lips. Perhaps there was a way out after all.
Just like with Katakuri. He'd find his opening, exploit it, and achieve his goal.
All within the rules, of course.
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