Marineford, Marine Headquarters.
Apart from the Three Admirals, all sixteen vice Vice Admiral of the headquarters were present at once, which is quite rare. It should be noted that the Headquarters Vice Admiral are already high-end forces capable of suppressing the sea, and they are not easily mobilized.
Fortunately, most of them were just there to attend the meeting; otherwise, if they had stayed to have a meal or a party, the sea area they were guarding would probably have been in chaos.
"As you all probably know, this is why I've gathered you all here. Ever since that bastard Roger tricked us before he died, using his life to start the Great Pirate Era, these scum of the sea have become increasingly rampant, and today they've reached their peak." Sengoku spoke in a heavy tone.
"A group of rookie pirates dared to be so arrogant as to directly attack a secret Marine base. They were targeted by a notorious force with a bounty of 300 million before even entering the Grand Line, and they even managed to defeat the pursuit of the Shichibukai. Their existence has seriously affected the Navy's prestige on the seas. Countless new pirates idolize them. If they are allowed to continue their activities, it will undoubtedly make the current situation even worse."
"Therefore, our goal this time is to completely eliminate the remaining forces of the Phantom Sword Pirates, restore the Navy's prestige and reputation on the sea, and use their destruction to warn other pirates and make this crazy era a little more sober."
In Sengoku's view, the harm caused by Roy's banner was even greater than the threat posed by his own potential.
After all, a restless person like Roy would definitely challenge the supreme emperor's position once he arrived in the New World.
However, while countless pirates arrive in the New World each year, only four truly reign supreme in the latter half of the Grand Line. Only a few, like Gecko Moria, manage to escape the New World alive. Therefore, despite Roy's great potential, Sengoku considered him nothing more than a minor nuisance.
What truly gave Sengoku a headache was Roy's pirate banner, because his exploits were so legendary and widely celebrated that they attracted countless young men with dreams to the sea. According to incomplete statistics from the Marine Headquarters, in just the six months since Roy set sail, the number of pirates inspired by his exploits had increased by 30%.
The Navy was already overwhelmed by the grim situation at sea, and if the situation was allowed to deteriorate further, he suspected that the Navy would lose its dominance at sea. Therefore, Roy had long been on the Navy's kill list.
"We have received reliable intelligence that the Phantom Sword Pirates have landed on Drum Island. It is highly likely that their leader, Roy, was seriously injured in his fierce battle with Doflamingo and has come to this medical superpower for treatment. They should stay on Drum Island for a while, and we should take advantage of their inability to escape to launch a general offensive and annihilate the enemy in one fell swoop." Sengoku slammed his fist on the table and said fiercely, even his goatee trembled.
Actually, it wasn't that the Navy didn't want to go to the entrance of the Grand Line to block it in advance; the main problem was that they hadn't considered the possibility that Doflamingo would fail. By the time they received the news, Roy had already entered the Grand Line, and it was too late to block the entrance.
Moreover, there are seven routes in the Grand Line. If Roy's sailing route cannot be determined, it will be difficult to make specific arrangements. After all, even the Marine Headquarters has to look at the Log Pose to determine the direction.
Based on Roy's demonstrated combat prowess, at least a Vice Admiral- level high-ranking officer would be needed for a successful capture. While the Marine Headquarters possesses a large number of high-ranking officers, it's impossible for them to cramm two or three Vice Admiral onto every shipping lane just for Roy. Do they Headquarters Vice Admiral are as common as cabbages?
"No need to be too careful. He's just a cunning brat. If Doflamingo hadn't been so careless, he would never have been defeated by that pirate kid," Doberman said, tilting his head. In his opinion, deploying such a large force to deal with a mere kid was making a mountain out of a molehill.
With the navy's intelligence system, they had naturally already figured out the general course of the battle that day and knew that Roy was not as powerful as they had imagined.
"Just let me and Doberman handle it. They're no match for the Navy." Onigumo was also quite annoyed by this kind of behavior that boosted the morale of the pirates.
"Don't be careless. Remember, Doflamingo was defeated because he underestimated his opponent. Moreover, in our investigation, he is a very well-hidden person. No one knows whether he has already used all his trump cards in the previous battles." Mole offered a different opinion, believing that caution is the best policy.
"No matter what, he has a record of defeating Shichibukai, so he shouldn't be underestimated," Strawberry said expressionlessly with his eyes half-closed.
"We only have one chance. If we let him escape this time, given the special weather of the Grand Line, as long as they hide in the sea and keep changing course, it will be very difficult for us to catch them a second time. Therefore, we must finish this in one battle," Dalmatian said resolutely.
"Actually, my original idea was to send an Admiral, but in the New World, the Four Emperors started a new round of fighting, and the Navy was under too much pressure, so I had to send Aokiji and Akainu to maintain order. And then, something happened in Sabaody, so Kizaru went to clean up the mess for the Celestial Dragons... cough cough, to clean up their mess." Celestial Dragons almost swore in Sengoku frustration and excitement.
"Therefore, my idea is to launch the Buster Call!"
"What? The Buster Call!"
Upon hearing this, the previously quiet conference room suddenly became noisy. Even the Marine Headquarters faces considerable pressure when issuing Buster Call, and the last Buster Call was fifteen years ago.
"I disagree. What will happen to the people of Drum Island if we launch Buster Call? This is too chaotic." Garp, who had been watching the show and eating senbei, couldn't help but object. He knew that Buster Call a devastating attack that would indiscriminately target the area that sent the signal, and was intended to completely eliminate anything and anyone in an area that posed a threat to the World Government's rule.
It's safe to say that if the Buster Call is activated, the people of Drum Island will basically have to die with the Phantom Sword Pirates, something he absolutely cannot accept.
"Garp, you need to understand that everything requires making choices. Once the Phantom Sword Pirates grow too powerful, the harm they cause will be far greater than what a Buster Call can do today."
"I can accept the Buster Call from fifteen years ago, but the residents of Drum Island were completely unaware of it, and they were even victims themselves. Why should they pay the price?"
"Then what do you suggest we do, Garp?" Sengoku's words cornered Garp, making him realize that if he wanted Sengoku to abandon the idea of launching the Buster Call, he would have to "sacrifice" himself today.
"I will personally capture the Phantom Sword Pirates."
Seeing the smile on Sengoku's lips, Garp knew that he had been tricked by this treacherous old friend. He had been dug a pit for him to fall into, and he had no choice but to jump in. He could only curse inwardly, "Old cunning bastard."
"Ahem, that would be perfect. You, along with Onigumo Doberman, will lead five warships to annihilate the Phantom Sword Pirates. I'll be waiting here for your good news."
"In the name of the Navy's Absolute Justice, meeting adjourned." Garp Sengoku settle scores later, scurried away, leaving the group of people standing there dumbfounded, staring at each other.