Tsuru took her place at the table as the meeting officially began.
"I've heard everything about what you did at Mariejois," Sengoku stated, his sharp gaze fixed on Carl.
Akainu, his usual stern expression in place, allowed a rare smirk to surface. His gaze met Carl's with an almost inexplicable sense of approval.
"Well done. You can't afford to show those pirates any leniency."
Then, without hesitation, he continued, "How about it? Do you want to come under my command? Your way of handling things fits perfectly with my approach."
Garp had mentioned before that Carl showed no mercy toward pirates. At the time, Akainu had only considered it in passing. Now, after hearing the full account of Carl's actions, he was convinced that the young Marine shared his ideals.
"???" Carl was dumbfounded.
No way—how did I end up being the perfect fit for Akainu?!
Hurriedly, he waved his hands. "No, no, I'm fine under Mr. Kizaru's command."
Akainu's expression remained unchanged, as if he had already anticipated the refusal. He gave a small nod and simply said, "It doesn't matter. As long as you keep cutting down pirates, it's all the same." A glimmer of admiration flickered in his eyes.
"Pfft—hahaha!" Garp, munching on a senbei, burst into laughter. "I heard about it too, brat! You did well!"
Carl's eye twitched, utterly disinclined to entertain Garp's antics.
Sengoku cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention back. His demeanor turned serious.
"Alright, now that everyone is here, let's get down to business."
A heavy silence fell over the room.
"I just received news…" Sengoku's tone grew grave. "The Red-Haired Pirates had a direct confrontation with Kaido in the New World."
"Oh~ the clash of two Yonko… how terrifying~" Kizaru mused, his signature drawl making it difficult to tell whether he was impressed or indifferent. "But in this case, Whitebeard will be standing alone~"
"That's right." Sengoku nodded. "With the Red-Haired Pirates keeping Kaido occupied, the threat to Marineford is reduced significantly."
"But don't let your guard down," he warned. "Edward Newgate is still Whitebeard, the strongest man in the world."
This was Marine's greatest fear—a possible alliance between the Four Emperors.
If only one Yonko attacked, Marine's top brass could handle the situation. But if the Emperors ever joined forces, it would be catastrophic. Even if the Marines won in the end, their forces would be crippled, leaving the world in utter chaos.
"Hmph!" Akainu scoffed, his voice firm. "Even if they joined forces, there's nothing to fear. We'll simply eradicate them all at once."
Carl's eye twitched again. This guy's answer to everything is 'kill them all'—is there even a plan in there?
Sengoku ignored him and continued, "That said, Whitebeard's strength cannot be underestimated. If we can find a way to weaken him before the battle begins, our chances of victory will improve drastically."
He tapped his fingers against the table. "We've found someone… a pirate under Whitebeard's banner. His name is Scuardo. He might be useful."
Tsuru furrowed her brows. "Scuardo… I recall he was defeated by Roger."
"Yes," Sengoku confirmed. "His crew was destroyed by Gol D. Roger, so he harbors deep hatred toward him." He paused. "And Ace… is Roger's son."
The implication was obvious.
"This isn't the kind of tactic Marine should be using," Aokiji muttered, clearly displeased.
Akainu's expression remained impassive. "This isn't about what's appropriate, Kuzan."
"To handle pirates, you don't need to bother with morals. If people want to criticize, let them. I'll bear all the consequences." His gaze sharpened. "I will handle this."
"…Sakazuki."
Silence filled the room.
Finally, after a long pause, Sengoku exhaled and nodded. "Fine. You will take care of it."
Afterward, he went over the entire battle strategy in meticulous detail.
By the time the meeting ended, Carl felt drained.
Why did they even make me sit through this? I'm just a Colonel. At this rate, I'll look like an Admiral before the war even starts.
Stepping out onto the balcony, he lit a cigar and scanned the Marineford grounds below.
Countless Marines were training, evacuating families, or preparing for battle. But not a single one of them smiled.
The tension was suffocating.
The sun was shining, but the sky felt dark.
Carl exhaled a stream of smoke and muttered, "The storm is coming…"
He shook his head. "Well, I'll just do my part when the time comes."
A battlefield of this scale would be absolute chaos. He could easily slip under the radar and conserve his strength.
He had originally planned to mimic Dracule Mihawk—pick a decently strong opponent, fight at his own pace, and avoid unnecessary risks.
But now… maybe it wouldn't hurt to put in a little effort.
As long as he avoided Whitebeard, there shouldn't be any real danger.
The Next Morning – 24 Hours Until Ace's Execution
Outside Marineford's harbor, massive warships were stationed across the sea.
On the plaza, a black mass of Marine forces was assembling. Every soldier here was an elite, with at least the rank of Colonel in a Marine branch or Ensign from headquarters.
The sheer scale was staggering.
One hundred thousand Marines.
Hearing the number was one thing. Seeing it was another. The sheer weight of their presence pressed against the soul.
Carl's Kenbunshoku Haki spread out over the entire Marineford.
The energy he sensed was overwhelming. It was as if a vast wildfire was consuming everything.
Marineford Plaza
Smoker stood with his arms crossed, two cigars clenched between his teeth. He glanced at Tashigi beside him and spoke in a rare, serious tone.
"Tashigi, remember what I told you. This isn't like before. One slip-up, and you're dead."
Tashigi nodded firmly. "I understand, Mr. Smoker!"
Smoker exhaled a thick cloud of smoke. "I've never seen anything like this before…" His gaze swept across the plaza. "One hundred thousand elite Marines. This is the largest force Marineford has ever assembled."
"Instead of being impressed, focus on cutting down a few pirates when the time comes."
A voice interrupted them—Hina, striding over with Fullbody and Jango at her side.
"Hina, long time no see," Tashigi greeted.
"Tashigi," Hina replied with a small smile. "Want to switch over to my unit?"
"Enough with that," Smoker muttered. "Where's Carl?"
Hina glanced around. "No idea. Probably still inside."
Just then—
Thud. Thud. Thud.
Heavy footsteps shook the plaza.
All Marine soldiers turned to look.
A group of figures, radiating pure menace, strolled into the square.
The Shichibukai had arrived.
Doflamingo led the way, hands in his pockets, his signature grin in place.
Behind him—Boa Hancock, Moonlight Moria, and Hawkeye Mihawk.
Only four, but their presence alone sent shivers down spines.
"…Pirates," Smoker growled. "Even this trash is going to fight?"
Hina lit a cigarette. "They were recruited by the World Government. Right now, they're our allies."
"Tch." Smoker scoffed. "I don't expect much from them."
At that moment, the ground trembled again.
The Giant Vice Admirals had arrived.
One by one, other Vice Admirals appeared—Onigumo, Momonga, Doberman, Yamakaji…
The strongest force Marineford had ever gathered was now assembled.
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