The Navy's Biggest Headache, Surpassing Even Zephyr

The Grand Line, the New World, Marineford, Marine Headquarters.

Sengoku and Garp sat facing each other, speechless.

Upon learning that Ace had fallen into the hands of the World Government, the Sengoku knew that it would inevitably escalate into a major incident, so he immediately summoned the world's elite naval forces.

Thanks to his foresight, navies around the world had a full month to mobilize, summoning all their renowned officers from around the world, forming an elite force of over 100,000 men.

In the Pirate World, this is an extremely exaggerated number.

Because very few islands are large enough to support such a large military force.

However, in order to confront the Whitebeard Pirates, the undisputed largest and strongest pirate crew, the Marine Headquarters had to deploy its full strength and even request support from the World Government's Science Unit.

Meanwhile, in the harbor of Marineford, a large number of sailors, under the command of scientists, were building a specially designed Main Gate.

The Sengoku had absolutely exhausted all its resources in preparation for the impending war.

Therefore, the World Government and the Five Elders of the Celestial Dragons were finally satisfied, regained the Navy's trust, and assumed all the costs of the war.

The World Government also granted passage to the Red Line and made all the technology for navigation in the Calm Belt available, facilitating naval troop deployments.

Garp began, "Could you—"

Before he could finish speaking, Sengoku replied, "No! I... am powerless to help."

Garp's eyes widened. "I only have two grandsons!"

Sengoku took off his glasses. "I only have one adopted son!"

Garp gasped for breath. "Why is this happening?"

Sengoku wiped his glasses clean and put them back on. "After all these years, can't you understand?"

"Of course it's because we're not strong enough."

"Our generation is too late; we can only hope that the next generation can break the deadlock and unlock the shackles of this world."

"We're actually just like Whitebeard, old-timers from the previous era."

"Garp, don't bury the hope of saving the world because of a moment of impulse."

Garp stood up, walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, looked at the port under construction, and after a long while said softly, "I understand."

The old man's voice had a strong nasal tone.

Sengoku also stood up, walked to Garp's side, put his right arm around his shoulder, deliberately avoiding looking at his old friend's face, and softly comforted him, "Cry, cry your fill here, but don't cry anymore once we're out."

Garp, tears streaming down his face, sobbed uncontrollably, "I... I didn't... I didn't cry. I am... I am Garp, a Marine the Superstar, bleeding—"

No tears----"

After a long while, Garp finally composed himself, took a deep breath, and returned to normal.

Then he noticed that his old friend Sengoku looked solemn, staring intently at the port.

Garp turned his head and was equally surprised.

A fleet flying naval flags sailed at high speed into the port, cutting through the waves, and docked precisely at the pier under renovation.

He recognized the flag—no, he should say he was very familiar with the naval ensign; it was the flag of the 77th Branch East Blue Division, the fleet that patrolled the four seas.

This flag does not represent this fleet, but rather the fleet's commander, Brigadier General Shazo.

Commodore Shazo may not be widely known, but he is a prominent figure among the Navy's top brass. In recent years, he has even replaced former Admiral Zephyr as the most troublesome figure within the Navy.

Because his achievements were so great and his battle record so outstanding, he was willing to humble himself and stay in the East Blue, diligently patrolling and eliminating pirates.

Even when the naval superiors suppressed Shazo, he remained silent, as if he were a punching bag.

But this thing is completely unrestrained in its actions, doing whatever it wants and going wherever it wants.

He seemed to be anticipating punishment from headquarters, leaving the Navy as the perfect victim.

Shazo's attitude was too obvious. Whether it was the wise Fleet Admiral Sengoku, Vice Admiral Tsuru, or the rough Vice Admiral Garp, all the high-ranking officers of the Navy could see it.

But no one went along with Shazo's wishes, not even the most violent of Akainu's Admiral, Sakazuki. They gritted their teeth and let him run wild without intending to fire him.

He, or arrest him.

That guy was clearly trying to scam someone!

Although it was unclear why Shazo insisted on having the Navy high command expel him, the more he did so, the less the Navy high command dared to comply, and they desperately covered for him, preventing the World Government from knowing of his existence.

For example, the 77th Branch received a phone call from Admiral Aokiji seven days ago, and they've arrived now.

They came all the way from the East Blue!

Fleet Admiral Sengoku's forehead veins throbbed. "That bastard Shazo, he's courting death again!"

The journey from the East Blue to Marineford took seven days, naturally taking us through the Calm Belt.

But!

The Seastone warship technology publicly disclosed by the World Government has not yet been deployed to the East Blue!

Clearly, Shazo himself had mastered the technology to pass through the Calm Belt!

This is a blatant provocation against the World Government and a challenge to the Five Elders of the Celestial Dragons!

After a good cry, Garp was in such a good mood that he could laugh out loud, "Haha, as expected of Shazo Zuo, he's got some nerve!"

What do you plan to do Sengoku?

"What do we do?" The Sengoku, Sengoku, the Roar, veins bulging on his forehead, "What can I do with him?"

"With a major battle imminent, how could I possibly manage to appoint the loyal, courageous, and fearless naval fleet commander who was the first to arrive at the battlefield?"

"Even if I just put him in solitary confinement, it would be a major blow to the morale of the navy!"

"But he just sailed into the bay so brazenly, seen by so many scientists and marines. The Five Elders must know, and they must be able to deduce that he can lead a fleet through the Calm Belt."

"Screw him!!!"

Sengoku was panting heavily, unable to calm himself down for a long time.

Finally, he chuckled wryly and said, "Garp, I suddenly find you, this old rascal—handsome-looking, actually quite well-behaved—"

Garp:

Damn, I was still too obedient!

Before Fleet Admiral Sengoku could say anything more, he saw the 77th Branch weigh anchor and set sail.

Just then, Vice Admiral Tsuru open the door and walked into the Fleet Admiral's Office, saying bluntly, "The 77th Branch Fleet is too conspicuous. I've ordered them to temporarily relocate to the outer harbor anchorage."

Sengoku nodded. "Well done, Crane."

Lieutenant General Tsuru sighed, "This is all I can do, Sengoku. We can't keep Brigadier General Natsuzu."

The Sengoku also sighed, "Alas, despite hiding him away, we still couldn't protect him in the end."

"If I had known this would happen, I would have just openly reported his achievements and followed the normal promotion process, making Shazo a candidate for Admiral."

Even if the Five Elders are wary of him, they won't publicly punish the Vice Admiral unless absolutely necessary, and they won't push things to the point of no return.

Vice Admiral Tsuru asked, "If we give Shazo an emergency commendation now, adding two ranks to his tally and making him a promotion winner, is it still too late?"

Sengoku slowly shook his head, while Garp laughed heartily, "Tsuru, even you can get so anxious you lose your temper!"

"Rear Admiral is one thing, but can our Vice Admiral decide on the promotion of a vice admiral?"

Vice Admiral Tsuru completely ignored Garp, staring intently at Fleet Admiral Sengoku until Garp shook his head again, at which point Tsuru was utterly disappointed.

She sighed, "So even the Fleet Admiral's privileges don't work!"

"Then there's no other way. Let Shazo and Zephyr meet them."

Garp's eyes bulged out. "Tsuru, Zephyr is no joke!"

Sengoku was also quite surprised. "Is this really alright?"

Vice Admiral Tsuru said helplessly, "I don't know, but I don't want to lose Zephyr, at least I don't want him to die at the hands of our navy. We can only try fighting fire with fire."

"Anyway, we can't save Shazo, so this is the extent of our loss."

Sengoku hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded and said, "Then let's give it a try."

"Just like you said, at most we'll lose both Shazo and Zephyr at the same time; it can't get any worse for the Navy."

Twenty days later, the temporary anchorage at Marindo was filled with sailing warships, and all sorts of flags were flying at the top of the masts.

The majority of the ships were from the headquarters and branches with the prefix "G," while ships from all over the world were extremely rare.

At this moment, the entire anchorage was as quiet as a ghost town. There were only a minimal number of guards on the warships, and all the combatants had gathered in the dock square of Marineford.

If there are ten thousand people, it's boundless and limitless!

With over 100,000 people, the sky and the earth are intertwined!

One hundred thousand elite naval troops gathered in the center of the square, occupying the originally vast space of the Marine Headquarters. The sea of people was so dense that it seemed impossible to count them.

The sight of such a large crowd left the native navy soldiers stunned and bewildered, their hearts filled with a mixture of confusion and excitement, unsure of how to express their feelings.

These militant naval soldiers, lacking cultural refinement, felt that any words could only pale and powerless in their description.

Even the naval officers who considered themselves cultured couldn't think of suitable words; after all, they weren't genius poets. Seeing such a scene for the first time, they were simply awestruck.

Shazo was equally captivated; he wasn't just deeply shocked, but also deeply moved.

He felt as if he had returned to a past life, back to that National Day holiday, back to the moment he entered the Forbidden City.

Hehe, I kind of miss it.

Shazo grinned and shouted to his subordinates, "Wow, it's so crowded!"

His men nodded like chickens pecking at rice, but they couldn't utter a word. They could only gasp for breath, like fish out of air.

It wasn't that there was a real lack of oxygen in the air, but rather that the tense atmosphere of war created a false sense of oxygen deprivation for the naval officers and soldiers.

The navy wasn't originally arranged this way. Fleet Admiral Sengoku wasn't a fool; why would he display all his forces before the enemy even appeared?

Unfortunately, Marineford has yet to discover Whitebeard's fleet and cannot ascertain its exact movements, Whitebeard they don't know from which direction or in what manner the enemy will launch their attack.

The unknown is the most terrifying.

Because people scare themselves.

Fleet Admiral Sengoku sensed the decline in the navy's morale and could only resort to the most rudimentary method: deploying troops in Sifang to revitalize the navy's spirit.

Sure enough, when the naval soldiers saw so many of their comrades, their morale was restored amidst their shock, even soaring to new heights.

That's how ordinary people are; their emotional perception outweighs their rational analysis.

The naval soldiers knew they had 100,000 troops, but how could that simple number compare to the sheer number of people thronging the battlefield?

Only when they truly see the throngs of people can the navy truly realize the extent of its power.

Our numbers are so vast that we cannot see the end, therefore our strength is inexhaustible, therefore the navy will surely prevail!

After the morale of the generals was restored, the Fleet Admiral Sengoku simply ordered a full-scale alert.

Fifty giant warships surrounding Crescent Island and Full Moon Harbor made their appearance, while the heavy coastal defense cannons on the shore removed their covers, loaded shells, and were ready to open fire immediately upon spotting the Whitebeard Pirates ' fleet.

In addition to these conventional combat forces, the Fleet Admiral Sengoku also showcased his high-end combat capabilities.

At the edge of the harbor, in front of all the marines, the five Shichibukai!

Hawkeye - Jora Mihawk!

Tyrant - Bartholomew Bear!

Donquixote Doflamingo, Donquixote Heavenly Yaksha Demon!

Empress – Boa Hancock!

The Shadow Lord – Moonlight Moria!

Behind the plaza, behind the 100,000-strong navy, the Giant Vice Admiral stood on the left and right, guarding the execution platform in the middle, achieving both protection and display without any compromise.

Below the execution platform were three High-backed Chair, each belonging to one of the three Admiral: "Akainu" Sakazuki!

Kuzan, the "Aokiji"!

"Kizaru" Borsalino!

Above the three Admiral ' seats and below the execution platform stood Fleet Admiral Sengoku and naval the Superstar "Iron Fist" Garp.

Five Admiral -level naval personnel—anyone who saw them would feel despair.

It's fair to say that the Navy has concentrated all available resources to deal with the Whitebeard Pirates, the leader of the Four Emperors.

No, they're here to take down "the World's Strongest Man," Edward Newgate!

At this moment, the sea area within a radius of hundreds of kilometers around Marineford is under complete martial law, and all ships except naval patrol vessels are prohibited from passing.

Fleet Admiral Sengoku has issued an order that during the public executions, any ships approaching the Marine Headquarters should be sunk by the Patrol Ship without prior notification!

Even if they are ships of the World Government, even if they are naval warships, sink them all!

From the outer Patrol Ship, to the stepping stone of the Shichibukai, to 100,000 elite naval officers and soldiers, the Giant Vice Admiral, Three Admirals, they were finally passed on to the execution platform.

Fleet Admiral Sengoku clearly sensed the overwhelming morale of the navy. He opened his eyes and said, "The navy is ready for battle. Whitebeard Edward Newgate, bring your filthy pirate crew and come to our trap!"

The Fleet Admiral's voice resounded through the sky, clearly reaching the ears of every naval officer and soldier.

The sailors, their morale soaring, raised their weapons, saluted their Fleet Admiral, and roared in celebration of victory, "Victory!"

"Victory!"

"Victory!!"