Sengoku's Response: Capture the Straw Hat Pirates!

"How dare he? How dare he!"

Adelain watched Feng Lei refuse the Five Elders' summons again and again, his face filled with shock and disbelief.

As far as he knew, no one dared refuse the Five Elders.

What an unparalleled honor it was to be summoned by the Five Elders!

And yet Feng Lei was completely uninterested?

Was he normal?

"Can you get lost now?"

Zephyr was delighted to see the look on Adelain's face.

He had never liked the people from Cipher Pol, so he was naturally pleased to see Feng Lei leave one of them so humiliated.

"Regardless, that Feng Lei must obey us, the Five Elders!"

At that moment.

On the other end of the Den Den Mushi, the Five Elders hung up after saying those words.

Adelain was secretly delighted.

He had heard the anger in the Five Elders' voice. There was no way Feng Lei would escape now.

"Let's go!"

As Adelain and his men left, Zephyr clenched his fists.

"Are they still going to forcibly conscript him to save face? Aren't they afraid Feng Lei will quit the Marines?"

"Fools who only care about themselves, as always!"

A trace of anger welled up in Zephyr, and he immediately turned and left the training ground.

No matter what.

Feng Lei had limitless potential. Such a talent absolutely could not be allowed to leave the Marines. He still needed to discuss the matter with Fleet Admiral Sengoku.

Besides, he worked so hard to train talent for the Marines so that more, stronger people could fight pirates, not so they could become the Celestial Dragons' lapdogs.

Meanwhile.

In the Fleet Admiral's Office.

Sengoku's face was also full of anger.

The Five Elders had acted first and informed him afterward.

They had arranged for people from Cipher Pol to take Feng Lei away from the Marine Academy. It seemed things had not gone so smoothly, so only then had they called Sengoku and ordered him to send Feng Lei to Mary Geoise.

Bang!

The door opened.

Zephyr walked in with a grim expression.

"I was just about to look for you. How's Feng Lei?"

When Sengoku saw Zephyr's expression, his heart sank.

Had Cipher Pol taken Feng Lei away?

Zephyr told him how Feng Lei had refused the Five Elders' summons and proposed leaving the Marines.

Sengoku was stunned for a moment.

He had never expected Feng Lei to be so unyielding that he would choose to leave the Marines rather than obey the Five Elders.

Did Feng Lei have a prejudice against the Celestial Dragons?

Or had Garp told Feng Lei about the Celestial Dragons' dirty dealings?

Was that why Feng Lei had defied the Five Elders' summons?

"What are you going to do now? Are you really going to stand by and watch such a promising recruit leave the Marines?"

Zephyr stared at Sengoku, worried that he might still send Feng Lei to Mary Geoise.

If so, he, the Marines' chief instructor, might have to quit the Marines too!

After all, he had long been disappointed in the Marines and the World Government.

Seeing Zephyr's expression, Sengoku realized how serious the situation was. He immediately said, "I had intended to let Feng Lei train under you until he'd fully mastered Haki, but it looks like the Five Elders won't give up..."

"And..."

"Given Feng Lei's personality, he can't possibly let them manipulate him. Sooner or later, another conflict will erupt, and it won't end as easily as it did today."

Zephyr clenched his fists, a fierce look on his face. "So you're going to compromise?"

He knew full well what those Five Elders were like.

If they couldn't have Feng Lei, there was a strong chance they would move against him to eliminate a potential threat.

"Let me finish."

Seeing that Zephyr was about to erupt, Sengoku hurriedly said, "Didn't he leave with Garp? In that case, have him stay away from Marine Headquarters and send him to the front lines!"

"That way, the Five Elders won't be stupid enough to pressure Feng Lei again!"

Hearing that.

Zephyr's eyes lit up. Sengoku truly deserved his reputation as a brilliant strategist.

What a clever use of delay.

"That's a good idea. Where are you planning to send him?" Zephyr asked.

"Let me think..."

Sengoku pondered.

Somewhere too dangerous, and Feng Lei could easily die young; somewhere too safe, and his fighting spirit would be worn down. He needed to arrange a place suited to training and growth.

Aboard the Dog-Head Warship.

Garp looked at Feng Lei with a sense of vindication.

"Ahahaha!"

"Brat, you really did something satisfying today!"

Even Garp had been a little surprised that Feng Lei had refused the Five Elders' summons.

After all, for an ordinary person, taking orders directly from the Five Elders was an honor, and their standing and status would rise tremendously.

Take Adelain, for example.

A small fry like him could invoke the Five Elders' authority and show no regard at all for Zephyr, the Marines' chief instructor.

Garp had even worried that Feng Lei might lose himself because of it.

Now it seemed.

He had been overthinking it.

His disciple was far more resolute and stronger than he had imagined!

Feng Lei's emotions did not stir at Garp's praise.

To him.

The Five Elders and all the Celestial Dragons were a bunch of fools.

Take orders from a bunch of pigs?

How could he?

Feng Lei then changed the subject and asked Garp, "Teacher Garp, what's our mission this time?"

"Go to Water 7 and capture a group of pirates called the Straw Hat Pirates!"

A fierce glint appeared in Garp's eyes.

The Straw Hat Pirates?

Feng Lei was slightly taken aback.

He hadn't expected that to be the mission.

But judging by the timing, Luffy and the others should have caused a huge commotion at Enies Lobby, drawing the attention of the higher-ups.

"Isn't that your grandson? Are you really going to capture him?"

Feng Lei asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Huh? I didn't expect you to know even that!"

Garp hadn't expected Feng Lei to know that Luffy was his grandson. He had never mentioned it to Feng Lei.

But he didn't care.

Plenty of people in the Marines knew about it anyway.

"Forget it!"

"Since you know, I won't hide it from you. That brat Luffy is indeed my grandson!"

"I brought you along this time because I wanted you to meet that brat and get acquainted."

At this point.

Garp glanced at Feng Lei and, after hesitating for a moment, continued.

"Of course, if you can capture them, that's fine too. That way, they won't fall into someone else's hands one day and possibly lose their lives."

"Besides, although you're a [Special Recruit] now, with a status equal to an Admiral Candidate, you have no real authority. If you want a promotion, you need military merit. As the saying goes, keep the benefits in the family."

"If you can capture them all in one fell swoop, it would be a major achievement for you, enough to earn you a military rank with real authority!"

Hearing that.

Feng Lei reassessed the old man before him.

So he was using his own grandson to pave the way for him?

Was he putting righteousness before family?

"Really?"

Feng Lei asked tentatively.

"Of course!" Garp said to Feng Lei with a broad smile. "If you can capture them, it only proves they weren't capable enough. When the time comes, don't worry too much. Do whatever needs to be done!"

In Garp's view.

If Luffy was captured, Garp could properly educate him to keep him from going astray.

His disciple could also earn military merit in the process.

The best of both worlds!

Seeing that Garp didn't seem to be offering empty courtesies, Feng Lei's interest was piqued.

He also wanted to see what kind of chain reaction would follow if Luffy, the protagonist, were captured.