Vegapunk wanted a living heart.
Thus, to satisfy Vegapunk's needs, Sengoku directly dispatched three vice admirals to capture the members of the Heart Pirates alive...
The goal was to guarantee a one-hundred-percent success rate.
Once the mission was complete, they only needed to spread the news, and there was a high chance of drawing out Trafalgar Luo, whose whereabouts were unknown.
And this was only the first step.
The lives of these pirates could be used to force Luo to hand over a sufficient number of living hearts, and they could also serve as an important bargaining chip in a private transaction.
In short, as long as it could satisfy Vegapunk's needs, the Marines were even willing to do business with pirates.
Onigumo and the others knew nothing of the hidden circumstances, so they naturally found it baffling.
Aokiji's arrival only deepened their confusion.
"How should I put it..."
Aokiji gave a contemplative hum before explaining:
"Headquarters needs Trafalgar Luo's ability to accomplish certain things, which is why you were sent to capture the members of the Heart Pirates alive. After all, this is the quickest way to draw Trafalgar Luo out, and it is also an important bargaining chip with which to threaten him."
"It's worth going to such lengths..."
Onigumo's eyes grew slightly solemn as he said in a deep voice, "It seems this is something very important."
"Ah, the specific details are something I don't really understand either."
Aokiji scratched the back of his head and said lazily, "It's just that the Shichibukai system is currently on the verge of collapse, so we urgently need a new source of military power... And this mission may well be the crucial first step."
"A military force to replace the Shichibukai system? Admiral Aokiji, are you saying..."
Dalmatian's eyes widened