Transaction Reached

As Zhu Mang looked around the Fleet Admiral's office, Tsuru pulled Sengoku aside and began speaking to him in hushed tones.

She mainly explained the full story behind the two tremors that had appeared at Marineford earlier, while also describing the strength of the young man wandering around the office and looking everywhere like a curious child.

Finally, she discussed the transaction Zhu Mang had proposed with Sengoku.

The contents of this transaction were of great importance, so the final decision naturally had to be made by Sengoku, the nominal supreme commander of the Marines.

"What?! You're saying this young man is even more terrifying than Kuzan and the others?!" Sengoku growled, his voice filled with shock and disbelief.

If the one saying this had not been Little Tsuru, the person he trusted most, he would have smashed that person's head with his fist until it looked like the top of the Daibutsu phantom above his head when his Human-Human Fruit, Model: Buddha was fully manifested.

Covered in lumps!

"Do you think I'm trying to deceive you?" Tsuru asked, her tone carrying a trace of displeasure.

"Of course not, Little Tsuru," Sengoku quickly softened his tone. "It's just... this is too unbelievable..."

"I find it unbelievable too, but that is the truth. You must have felt those two tremors earlier as well, and I experienced them at close range," Tsuru sighed, her tone becoming extremely serious.

Sengoku silently nodded.

The first tremor had been fine, only a slight vibration, so he had not reacted much.

But the second tremor had been quite terrifying.

Even from such a distance, he had felt the power within it. It was absolutely frightening.

But precisely because he had been so far away, he had misjudged that power somewhat.

With Tsuru's reminder, he finally realized it.

"So you should carefully consider the transaction he mentioned," Tsuru said.

Sengoku nodded slightly. There was even a trace of... joy in his solemn gaze?

His Devil Fruit gave him far more than combat power. It also gave him wisdom.

Thus, besides "Sengoku the Buddha," he also bore the nickname "The Buddha of Wisdom," much like Garp's "Fist" and "Hero of the Marines," or Zephyr's "Black Arm" and "The Non-Killing Admiral."

At that moment, he used his Fruit's abilities to place the terms of the transaction with Zhu Mang into the current situation and began running deductions in his mind.

If they made the deal, what they had to offer were the Six Powers training methods and the <Armament Haki and Observation Haki training methods> that they already possessed.

The risk they had to bear was that these two training methods might spread across the seas and cause even greater turmoil.

And what would they gain?

First, according to Little Tsuru, this was someone even stronger than the Three Admirals, with an unknown upper limit. Judging from how effortlessly he had handled himself, he had likely already touched upon an even higher realm.

Then the one intervention he promised meant that the Marines would gain another super top-tier combatant!

To be honest, although the Marines had gathered one hundred thousand elite Marines, intelligence indicated that the Whitebeard Pirates had also gathered roughly one hundred thousand pirates from the New World.

Yet in truth, both Sengoku and Whitebeard knew that those who truly determined the course of the war would always be the small group at the very pinnacle of strength!

In other words, if the Marines killed Whitebeard, the Whitebeard Pirates would quickly collapse.

Conversely, if the pirates killed the Three Admirals on their side, or even Sengoku himself, the Marines would also be plunged into a difficult situation!

At such a time, the addition of this super top-tier combatant was especially important!

It would directly affect the course of the war!

Whether the Marines were at a disadvantage or held the advantage, it would matter all the same!

If they were at a disadvantage, he could use him to turn defeat into victory.

If they held the advantage, they could press their victory and eliminate as many of the New World pirates led by the Whitebeard Pirates as possible here, greatly weakening the pirates' active forces.

Going one step further, he could advance the plans he had made before.

He would send the Marines' main forces into the New World, purge the pirates there, restore clear skies over the seas, and let justice rule the world!

This had always been Sengoku's ambition.

It was also the conviction that had supported him step by step until this day!

And what if they refused the transaction?

First, they might anger a being with combat power greater than an Admiral's.

The enemy of one's enemy was a friend.

When the time came, he might even turn around and help the Whitebeard Pirates fight the Marines!

Second, judging by Doflamingo's almost fawning attitude toward him, it was very likely that Doflamingo would leave, refuse to put in any real effort, or even defect.

Normally, a mere Heavenly Yaksha would not matter even if he truly defected.

But at a time like this, a betrayal from a Shichibukai could shake morale!

Besides, the things Zhu Mang wanted were, to some extent, already held by every true power on the seas.

The Marines' versions were simply more complete and systematic!

In other words, even if he could not obtain them from the Marines, with his strength, he could easily acquire them elsewhere in the future.

He could even snatch them directly from the Marines.

If the seas gained a pirate even more terrifying than an Admiral or one of the Four Emperors...

The consequences would be far more frightening than the leakage of two training methods!

Looking at it this way, the benefits of trading with him were absolutely greater than the benefits of refusing him.

And the risks of trading with him were far lower than the risks brought by refusing him.

No sane person had any reason to refuse such a low-risk, high-return transaction.

After making up his mind, Sengoku displayed the decisiveness of a Fleet Admiral.

He made a call.

Not long after, a Marine soldier jogged over and delivered two thick books.

Clearly, these were the "martial arts manuals."

Zhu Mang took the books and casually flipped through them.

It was clear that these two "martial arts manuals" had actually been written by quite a few people.

They had likely been refined through generations within the Marines, and would continue to be refined in the future.

"Zephyr, who oversees the Elite Training Camp, is not at Marine Headquarters at the moment. If you are interested, you may stay at Marine Headquarters for a while after this war ends and let Zephyr explain the contents to you personally. He is the best when it comes to teaching. Kuzan, Sakazuki, Borsalino—the current Three Admirals—as well as many vice admirals and rear admirals, were all taught by him," Sengoku said.

The implication behind his words was actually similar to what Tsuru had said earlier.

He wanted to try to keep Zhu Mang with the Marines.

At the very least, he wanted Zhu Mang to have a favorable impression of the Marines, so that he would not stand against them or even become a pirate.

"Black Arm Zephyr? He's still with the Marines?" Zhu Mang said casually as he continued flipping through the pages.

"Hm? What do you mean, 'still with the Marines'?" Sengoku was stunned as well.