"Where's Vice Admiral Garp? Why haven't we seen him?"
"And what about Admiral Sakazuki? Isn't he here?"
Many Marines murmured amongst themselves, a growing sense of unease creeping into their hearts.
But none dared to voice their worst fears aloud.
Meanwhile, Marshal Sengoku had summoned Aokiji and Kizaru to his office.
In the entire Marine Headquarters, only Sengoku and Vice Admiral Tsuru had been privy to the grim outcome of the battle beforehand.
"What happened? How did it come to this?"
"Three Admirals teamed up… and Garp… How did you lose so miserably?"
Sengoku's expression was dark and distorted. If one looked closely, they could see his shoulders trembling.
He already knew the casualty report. Not only had Admiral Akainu been killed, but even Garp had perished.
Garp had been his comrade-in-arms and brother for decades, their bond deeper than mere friendship.
When Sengoku learned that Garp's life card had burned to ashes, he was almost driven mad.
Using his last shred of rationality, he suppressed the overwhelming anger and sorrow within him.
Now, he needed answers.
Aokiji and Kizaru exchanged glances, neither knowing how to start.
After a long silence, Aokiji finally sighed and said, "There's only one thing to say: Lucifer is too strong. We stood no chance."
"Too strong?"
"That's right, too strong," Kizaru echoed.
Admitting the enemy's overwhelming strength in front of three Admirals and Marine legends felt like a bitter joke.
But at this moment, it was the undeniable truth.
Lucifer was simply too strong.
In battle, Lucifer used neither strategy nor deception.
He relied solely on his fists and raw power.
Unmatched strength, overwhelming combat ability—it felt as though a father was disciplining his children when he fought the Admirals.
Lucifer single-handedly killed Admiral Akainu and Vice Admiral Garp, crushing fifty thousand elite Marines.
The dignity of the Marine hero and the Marine Admirals had been shattered by him.
Recalling Lucifer's terrifying power, Aokiji and Kizaru's hearts pounded, their breath catching as though they were suffocating.
"Is Lucifer truly that strong?"
Sengoku sank into his chair, muttering in disbelief.
"Yes. He is that strong," Aokiji replied.
"If I'm not mistaken, he has already achieved mastery of the Armament Haki Domain."
"Sakazuki was utterly crushed by him. He didn't last a single move."
"Only Vice Admiral Garp, who had also mastered the Armament Haki Domain, could stand against him. But in the end, even Garp lost."
"Garp… you really are getting old," Vice Admiral Tsuru said softly, breaking the silence.
She understood that Garp's defeat stemmed from his age. His declining physical strength and weakened Haki meant he couldn't match the younger Lucifer.
Sengoku looked as though he had aged decades, his energy drained in an instant.
The Armament Haki Domain… It was a realm that only the most powerful could reach.
In the old days, only those at the very pinnacle of strength could step into this domain.
Both pirates and Marines had their champions in that era—giants who could stand against one another.
But in this new age, no one among the Marines had reached this level.
What had once given Sengoku a shred of solace was that no pirate had stepped into the Domain either, maintaining a delicate balance of power.
But Lucifer shattered that balance, and with it, Marine morale.
In a single war, the Marines lost two pillars: Admiral Akainu and Vice Admiral Garp.
Their greatest combat strength was halved, leaving Marine Headquarters in an unprecedented state of vulnerability.
Sengoku turned to Aokiji and Kizaru, his voice firm: "You two are to remain at Marine Headquarters. Do not leave under any circumstances."
"Additionally, begin a worldwide recruitment to replenish our ranks. We must prevent Lucifer from posing an immediate threat to Headquarters."
"Understood," the two Admirals replied, bowing before retreating.
"Are you afraid Lucifer might directly invade Marine Headquarters?" Tsuru asked, her tone calm.
"It's not fear; it's precaution. We can't afford to take chances," Sengoku replied, shaking his head. A deep sadness glimmered in his eyes.
"Tsuru, issue a bounty for Lucifer. We can't hide what happened this time."
"You'll also handle the fallout: public outcry and internal turmoil within the Headquarters."
"As for me, I'm going to the Holy Land."
Sengoku's eyes were icy, filled with cold resolve and murderous intent.
"Understood," Tsuru said quietly, her voice tinged with sorrow.
Without needing further words, Tsuru understood Sengoku's plan.
Decades ago, Garp would have instantly known what Sengoku was thinking. But now, Garp was gone.
The trio of Sengoku, Garp, and Tsuru had weathered countless battles together.
Now, with Garp's death, not only Sengoku but also Tsuru felt a deep, aching sadness.
As Tsuru left, the tears Sengoku had been holding back finally escaped, streaming down his face.
"Garp… rest assured. I'll avenge you."
"No matter the cost, I'll send Lucifer to the grave!"
With a burst of Conqueror's Haki, the walls of the Marshal's office cracked and crumbled.
Spiderweb-like fissures spread outwards, evidence of Sengoku's raw, suppressed power.
Everything was said without words. Sengoku didn't need to speak; Tsuru already knew what he was planning.
It's just that Garp, who once understood Sengoku's mind completely, was now gone.
Garp, Sengoku, and Tsuru had fought side by side since their youth, enduring decades of hardships together.
With Garp's death, not only did Sengoku grieve, but Vice Admiral Tsuru was also deeply saddened.
After Tsuru left, the tears Sengoku had been holding back finally spilled over, rolling down his face.
"Garp, don't worry. I'll avenge you!"
"Whatever it takes, I'll make sure Lucifer is buried with you!"
Boom!
A burst of Conqueror's Haki shattered the walls of the Marshal's office.
Countless cracks spread out, covering the walls like a spider's web!
Indeed, Sengoku was also a Conqueror's Haki user, and his power was immense—strong enough to cause substantial damage to the surrounding area!
Mariejois, the Pangu Palace
Boom!
The golden tea table shattered into pieces as the curly-haired Five Elders' fists, now blackened, emanated an overwhelming murderous aura.
Like him, the other four Elders also radiated an intense aura of killing intent.
The entire palace was enveloped in a suffocating aura of death, and the temperature dropped to freezing levels.
Even the guards stationed outside Pangu City could feel the killing intent, causing them to fall to their knees, trembling in fear.
"That bastard Lucifer… did it really happen?"
"Yes, both Sakazuki and Garp are dead!"
In front of the Five Elders stood a CP agent, wrapped in a coat with a mask covering his face.
Despite the murderous aura surrounding the Five Elders, the agent remained unfazed, his voice flat and emotionless.
He was known as the Ghost, the highest-ranking officer of the CP organization.
Whether CP9 or CP0, every CP agent followed his orders.
He was also the government's most powerful killing machine, a true Admiral-level force.
"Have you fought him to confirm he has reached that level?" asked the blond-haired Five Elder in a deep voice.
"It's undeniable," the Ghost replied. "I can only say that his strength far surpasses that of an Admiral. I'm no match for him."
"If it weren't for my awakened Spatial Fruit, I wouldn't have been able to save anyone from him!"
"The government must be ready. Lucifer's killing spree won't stop, and his ambitions will only grow. Sooner or later, he will come for us and claim the world!"
"He can't possibly think he can succeed!"
"Arrogance!"
"No one can take the world!"
"The World Government has stood for 800 years. The foundation cannot be shaken by a mere pirate."
"A brat like him will be crushed into dust sooner or later!"
The Five Elders roared in fury, their voices filled with rage.
But their trembling fists and shoulders betrayed the fear that lurked beneath their anger.
The report from the Ghost had been too shocking, and they had truly felt the oppressive force Lucifer wielded.
The higher a person's status and power, the more they fear death.
These Five Elders were no different; they could not bear to lose their power and wealth.
Lucifer's terrifying strength had made them anxious, and the fear was now palpable.
Just then, a Marine rushed in to report, "Lord Five Elders, Marshal Sengoku is here."
"Let him in."
Sengoku quickly entered the palace, immediately sensing the anger of the Five Elders, and the underlying fear hidden beneath it.
"Sengoku, how do you Marines manage things? How could you let it get this serious?"
"How are you going to explain this to the World Government?"
"If you, Marshal, no longer want to continue, we can replace you at any time!"
The curly-haired Five Elder saw Sengoku and immediately cursed at him, venting all the blame and frustration on the Marshal.
"Who do you intend to replace me with?" Sengoku asked coldly, his expression indifferent.
"If you can find someone suitable, I'll step down immediately!"
"What?"
The Five Elders froze, and the other four paused for a moment, caught off guard.
They never expected Sengoku, who had always been calm and composed, to respond with such anger today.
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