Deal Reached

As Zhu Mang surveyed the Marine Fleet Admiral's office, Sengoku was pulled aside by Tsuru for a whispered conversation.

The primary focus was to explain the ins and outs of the two tremors that had recently occurred at Marineford, while also describing the immense power of this young man who was currently peering around the office like a curious child.

Finally, they discussed the trade deal proposed by Zhu Mang.

The content of this deal was of great significance, and ultimately, it had to be decided by Sengoku, the nominal supreme commander of the Marines.

"What?!! You say this young man's strength is even more terrifying than Kuzan and the others?!!" Sengoku's low growl erupted, his voice filled with shock and disbelief.

If it hadn't been his most trusted Tsuru saying this, he would have used his fist to hammer the man's head into the shape of the Buddha phantom's crown that appeared when he fully manifested his Human-Human Fruit, Model: Buddha.

A head full of bumps!

"Do you think I would lie to you?" Tsuru asked, her tone carrying a hint of dissatisfaction.

"Of course not, Tsuru," Sengoku's tone softened immediately, "it's just that this is so hard to believe..."

"I find it hard to believe as well, but the facts are as they are. You must have felt those two tremors earlier, and I, for one, felt them at close range," Tsuru sighed, her tone becoming incredibly serious.

Sengoku nodded silently.

The first tremor had been manageable, merely a slight vibration, so he hadn't reacted much to it.

But the second tremor had been quite terrifying.

Even from such a distance, he had sensed the power within it; it was absolutely formidable.

However, it was precisely because of the distance that he had misjudged the magnitude of that power.

Now, with Tsuru's reminder, he finally realized the truth.

"So, you should really consider the deal he proposed," Tsuru said.

Sengoku nodded slightly, his grave expression tinged with a hint of... joy?

The Devil Fruit he possessed granted him more than just combat power; it also provided wisdom.

That was why, in addition to "Sengoku the Buddha," he was also dubbed "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 this moment, he used the power of his fruit to simulate the outcome of the deal with Zhu Mang against the current situation, attempting to deduce the results in his mind.

If they went through with the trade, they would have to part with the Six Powers Training Method and the Armament and Observation Haki Training Method that they already possessed.

The risk they would have to bear was that these two training methods might leak out into the sea, causing even greater turmoil.

And what would be their gain?

First, according to Tsuru, this was an existence more powerful than the three Admirals, with an unknown upper limit. Judging by his relaxed demeanor, it was highly likely he had already touched upon a higher level of strength.

The one-time assistance he promised meant that the Marines would gain a top-tier powerhouse!

To be honest, although the Marines had gathered one hundred thousand elite soldiers, intelligence reports suggested that the Whitebeard Pirates had also gathered about one hundred thousand pirates from the New World.

However, in reality, both Sengoku and Whitebeard knew that what truly determined the course of the war would always be the small handful of top-tier combatants!

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

Conversely, if the pirates killed the three Admirals or even Sengoku himself, the Marines would fall into a dire situation!

In this context, adding this one super-top-tier powerhouse became especially crucial!

It would directly influence the direction of the war!

This would hold true whether the Marines were at a disadvantage or an advantage!

If they were at a disadvantage, he could be used to turn defeat into victory.

If they were at an advantage, he could be used to press the attack, wiping out as many of the New World pirates led by the Whitebeard Pirates as possible, thereby greatly weakening the pirates' vital strength.

Taking it a step further, he could then push forward with his previous plans.

He could drive the main force of the Marines into the New World to clear out the pirates, restore peace to the seas, and let justice reign supreme!

This had always been Sengoku's ambition.

It was also the conviction that had supported him every step of the way to this day!

And what if they didn't go through with the deal?

First, they might anger an existence with combat power greater than an Admiral.

The enemy of an enemy is a friend.

By then, he might even turn around and help the Whitebeard Pirates fight against the Marines!

Second, judging by Doflamingo's near-sycophantic attitude toward him, it was highly likely that this would cause Doflamingo to leave, slack off, or even defect.

Although, under normal circumstances, a mere Heavenly Yaksha wouldn't matter even if he did defect.

But at a time like this, a backstab from a Shichibukai could shake the morale of the entire army!

Furthermore, the things he wanted were already possessed to some degree by the true powers of the sea.

It was just that the Marines' versions were more complete and systematic!

In other words, even if he didn't get them from the Marines, given his strength, he could easily obtain them from elsewhere in the future.

He might even just take them from the Marines by force!

If a pirate more terrifying than the Admirals or the Four Emperors were to emerge on the high seas...

The consequences of that would be far more catastrophic than the leaking of two cultivation methods!

Viewed in this light, the benefits of trading with him were absolutely higher than the benefits of refusing him.

Furthermore, the risks brought about by trading with him were far lower than the risks of rejecting him.

For such a low-risk, high-reward transaction, there was no reason for anyone with a sound mind to refuse.

Having made up his mind, Sengoku displayed the decisive, swift-acting side of him that befitted a Fleet Admiral.

He made a phone call.

Before long, a Marine came jogging over, delivering two thick books.

Clearly, these were the "martial arts manuals."

Zhu Mang took the books and flipped through them casually.

It was evident that these two "martial arts manuals" actually had quite a few authors.

They had surely been refined by generations within the Marines, and would continue to be improved upon in the future.

"Zephyr, who is in charge of the Elite Training Camp, is not at Marine Headquarters at the moment. If you are interested, you can stay at Marine Headquarters for a while after this war ends and let Zephyr explain the contents to you personally. He is the best at teaching; Kuzan, Sakazuki, Borsalino—the current three Admirals of the Marines—as well as many Vice Admirals and Rear Admirals, were all trained by him," Sengoku said.

The underlying meaning of his words was much the same as what Tsuru had implied earlier.

He was trying to see if he could keep Zhu Mang within the Marines.

At the very least, he wanted to ensure Zhu Mang held some goodwill toward the Marines, so that he would not end up on the opposite side of them, or worse, become a pirate.

"Black Arm Zephyr? Is he still in the Marines?" Zhu Mang asked casually while flipping through the pages.

"Hm? What do you mean by 'still in the Marines'?" Sengoku was taken aback.