章 78: Chapter 78: Sengoku’s Pride – Zephyr Joins the Battle, Four Admirals Unite
Marine Headquarters.
"They've appeared?"
Sengoku shot to his feet, eyes wide with excitement as he listened to the marine officer delivering the report.
He asked for confirmation several times, his heart pounding with a mix of anticipation and fear—afraid that it might all be for nothing, or just another false alarm.
"Confirmed! The Radiant Eclipse has been spotted at the Sabaody Archipelago, and Kuke himself has made an appearance. Admirals Kuzan and Borsalino, along with Vice-Admiral Sakazuki, have already made their move."
It was a certainty.
"Hahaha! Finally! Finally, they've come out!"
Sengoku couldn't contain his laughter, his joy reverberating through the room.
All this time, he had waited, meticulously laying his plans. And now, it had finally paid off.
"Tell them to make sure Kuke doesn't escape. I don't care if he lives or dies, but he must never leave the Sabaody Archipelago."
"Yes, sir!"
"Just a month ago, the Sun Pirates were wiped out, Fisher Tiger is dead, and now the Sun and Moon Pirates are approaching their end. The Holy Land incident can finally be put behind us."
Sengoku collapsed back into his chair, relieved.
For years, he had clawed his way up from the bottom ranks of the Marines, eventually becoming Fleet Admiral. It had been a long and arduous journey, but with it came a string of unfortunate events that had almost broken him.
The Holy Land invasion was a disaster unseen in centuries, and Kuke had been the bane of his existence ever since.
His hair had gone half-white, and he spent his days being berated and pressured by the Five Elders. There were moments when Sengoku had seriously considered giving up on everything.
But now, success was within reach.
The elaborate plan he had devised was finally about to bear fruit.
"Today's grand encirclement—this is my plan, executed to perfection."
Sengoku's face lit up with a smile full of pride.
The plan had evolved from Akainu's earlier suggestion of blocking the Radiant Eclipse at the entrance to the Grand Line. Sengoku had refined the idea, choosing to lure Kuke to the Sabaody Archipelago instead—an island pirates had to pass through to enter the New World.
To ensure Kuke would take the bait, the Navy had spent months feeding false information through the World Government's newspapers. They painted a picture of Admirals scattered across the world, making it seem as though Marine Headquarters was stretched thin.
The articles were all true, in a way.
Yes, Kizaru had gone to the North Blue, and Akainu had been in the New World. But the timing was deliberately misleading—the events had happened long before the news was printed. It was all designed to create the illusion that the Navy was focused on the formation of the Shichibukai, too preoccupied to deal with Kuke.
In reality, Admirals Kuzan, Akainu, and Kizaru had been stationed on Sabaody for weeks, waiting in secret for the perfect moment.
With spies planted across every island of the archipelago, watching the seas daily, the net was set. The moment Kuke appeared, they would close in.
"With Kuzan and the others working together, even if Kuke had three heads and six arms, there's no way he can escape," one officer boasted.
"That's right. Even with Gion's help, the Sun and Moon Pirates are no match for three admirals. Aside from Gion, none of them are even worth considering."
"Even if Kuke's defense is strong, it won't matter. Between Borsalino's speed, Kuzan's ice, and Sakazuki's power, they'll wear him down. He'll be trapped."
"Not to mention, even if they try to flee on their ship, Kuzan can freeze the sea endlessly. No ship is fast enough to outrun Kizaru."
In the meeting room, the Marine higher-ups all smiled with confidence.
Every possible scenario had been accounted for. They were certain of victory.
There was no chance of failure. None at all.
Kuke was either going to die or be captured—there was no third option.
Garp scratched his head and shook it slowly. He shared the same thoughts.
If he were in Kuke's shoes right now, he knew his fate would be sealed as well.
"Sengoku, you're really pulling out all the stops for this one," Garp said, somewhat amazed. Even in the days of Roger and Rocks, the Navy had never gone to such lengths.
There was no way out for Kuke. Not a single shred of hope.
Sengoku raised his head slightly, a smug look of satisfaction spreading across his face.
"When the Navy truly decides to eliminate someone, it doesn't matter who they are—the outcome is inevitable..."
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku! There's bad news!"
Suddenly, a marine rushed into the room, causing Sengoku's heart to sink.
It couldn't be, could it? Had Kuke already escaped?
No, it wasn't possible. There was no way he could escape—not when the sky, the sea, and every exit were sealed.
Kuzan could freeze the seas, and Kizaru's speed was unmatched in the sky.
At best, Gion might be able to fly away, but Kuke and the rest had no chance.
"Fleet Admiral, the former First Mate of the Roger Pirates, Silvers Rayleigh, has appeared. He's helping Kuke!"
"Silvers Rayleigh?!"
Sengoku's face paled.
"Damn it, Rayleigh! Why is he here? Why would he help Kuke?!"
Panic started to set in.
Rayleigh, the Dark King—gone from the scene for nearly a decade, but still a force to be reckoned with. No one doubted his ability to hold off an admiral.
With him there, the Navy would be left with only two admirals to face Kuke.
That wouldn't be enough. Sengoku feared they wouldn't be able to stop the Sun and Moon Pirates.
"We've invested too much and waited too long. We can't afford to fail now," Sengoku snarled, his face twisted with frustration.
If they failed today, Kuke would slip into the New World. They would never get another chance like this.
"So what if it's Rayleigh? Send more reinforcements!" Sengoku ordered, looking around the room.
The Navy still had more powerful fighters. And if needed, the World Government did too. Today, no matter what, Kuke had to die.
Sengoku turned his gaze toward Garp.
"Garp, Rayleigh was your old rival. Go deal with him."
Garp clutched his stomach suddenly, wincing in exaggerated pain.
"Oh no, I think I ate something bad yesterday. My stomach hurts..."
Garp's performance was far from convincing, and Sengoku's expression twisted in exasperation.
"Fine. Just stay here," Sengoku said, waving Garp off. He didn't expect Garp to be useful. If Garp just played along and didn't interfere, that would be enough.
Seeing that he wasn't being sent out, Garp grinned, the "stomach pain" mysteriously vanishing.
He had no interest in joining the operation to take down Kuke, but he wasn't going to stop the Navy either. He was content to sit back and watch.
Sengoku then turned to another trusted ally: Vice Admiral Tsuru, the strategic genius.
But before he could even ask, he shook his head, dismissing the idea. Tsuru was strong, but not on the level of an admiral. And given her connection to Gion, Sengoku feared she might hold back.
"Will I have to go myself?" Sengoku's face darkened at the thought.
He was the Fleet Admiral, and already had three admirals in the field. Did he really need to personally intervene?
"Let me go," a voice interrupted.
Zephyr stood up.
Once a great admiral of the previous era, Zephyr's eyes burned with resolve.
"He was once a recruit under my command, but he's strayed far from the path. Though I never really believed he was worthy to be my student, I'll go now as the head instructor of the Navy's training camp and send him off personally. I'll also use this opportunity to teach the current recruits an important lesson."
Sengoku looked at Zephyr, seeing the determination in his eyes—the firm resolve to destroy Kuke.
"Good. I'll leave it to you, Zephyr."
Zephyr was mobilized.
The rest of the Marines couldn't help but feel a shiver down their spines.
This was terrifying.
Four admirals, united in battle. In all their years, none of them had ever seen such a display of power.
"He's doomed," one officer murmured in awe, his voice tinged with excitement.
"The monsters of the New World, like the Red-Haired Pirates, are being closely monitored. Make sure they don't interfere with the battle on Sabaody," Sengoku ordered loudly.
Marine Headquarters was always keeping a close eye on the movements of pirates, especially today.
They couldn't risk anyone coming to Kuke's aid.
"The Whitebeard Pirates, Kaido's Beasts, and Big Mom's crew are all in their territories. Red-Haired Shanks entered the New World a month ago and hasn't shown any signs of leaving. The Revolutionary Army has appeared in the four seas."
"Good."
Sengoku's voice boomed in satisfaction.
All the monsters they needed to watch out for were in their places.
Even if they found out what was happening, there was no way they could reach Sabaody in time.
From Sengoku's perspective, the only ones capable of saving Kuke weren't anywhere near Sabaody.
And even if they were, why would they want to help him?
"Kuke, this is what happens when you defy the World Government. I'll make sure your corpse is displayed on Sabaody for all to see—a warning to anyone who dares to follow in your footsteps."
Sengoku could hardly contain his anticipation. He reached for a transponder snail, preparing to report to the Five Elders.
Unseen to them, he was already gloating, ready to tell the Elders:
See? The Marines aren't weak. When we truly move, victory is assured.
"Well done, Sengoku," one of the Five Elders responded approvingly.
Tears welled up in Sengoku's eyes.
After a year of relentless pressure, he had finally earned the praise of the Five Elders instead of their constant reprimands.
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P/S: If you are interested, you can read up to chapter 95+ at patreon.com/Emik01.
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