Hearing that Aokiji had arrived, Sig felt reassured once again—everything was going according to plan.
Back in the Kingdom of Goa, Sig easily found a reason to "have to lash out," especially since... it even involved the slave trade— the Kingdom of Goa's royal family was also involved in the East Blue slave trade, not for profit, but to curry favor with the Celestial Dragons!
Therefore, only 30% of Sig's reaction was feigned, while the other 70% was genuine!
If he hadn't pretended, Sig would have killed them anyway, but he would have made their deaths unclear and ambiguous, instead of so openly pinning the blame on "Shiryu."
After securing the charges under the guise of "Shiryu," Sig deliberately allowed himself to be captured—the apparent reason being partly to avoid implicating Momousagi, and partly to force Sengoku to make a direct choice, thus compelling "Justice" to act.
From Shiryu's perspective, Sengoku also fully understood this apparent intention!
The fact that Aokiji came to "welcome" Sig's warship at this time is the best proof.
Upon seeing Aokiji, Momousagi directly inquired about his purpose. Sensing Aokiji's underlying wariness, Momousagi said helplessly, "Calm down, calm down... I was on leave when I received orders to come Aokiji work overtime... just to help you send prisoners to Impel Down."
"Go straight to Impel Down?" Momousagi's eyes lit up at the suggestion.
"Okay, let's head straight to Impel Down and go full speed ahead." Aokiji didn't say anything more.
With a tacit understanding, Momousagi immediately ordered them to enter the Calm Belt and sail directly to Impel Down...
By bypassing Enies Lobby and even the Marine Headquarters, Sengoku had already expressed Sengoku attitude—he wasn't prepared to give other departments the opportunity to "assist" or "offer guidance," and was swiftly and decisively Shiryu in the sixth level of Impel Down!
This was the lightest possible verdict that the Sengoku could achieve.
Although being imprisoned in Impel Down, especially in Level 6, doesn't sound like a good outcome, there has to be a comparison. Considering the mess Shiryu made, this is the best possible result, Shiryu was originally the Vice Warden of Impel Down.
Moreover, unlike in the original work, Shiryu still holds considerable prestige in Impel Down, so keeping him there is tantamount to a form of "Impel Down arrest."
Otherwise, if opinions from higher levels intervened, Shiryu wouldn't even have the chance to go to Impel Down.
Even Aokiji came in person for this reason—if it were just to give an order, he could have used Den Den Mushi; Momousagi had already contacted headquarters using an emergency Den Den Mushi.
Momousagi understood that the reason Aokiji had come in person and hinted that he should "go full speed ahead" was probably because he wasn't the only one on his way!
Aokiji's presence here represents the will of the Sengoku, to "escort" Shiryu to Impel Down.
If he is imprisoned, Sengoku will be able to withstand the pressure and bring the matter to a close. If CP0 takes him away, Sengoku will not be able to protect him.
Momousagi's warships were moving at full speed, but after a day and a night, they still encountered resistance!
Suddenly, Aokiji stood up from the Sun lounger on the deck, picked up his bicycle, and before Momousagi could ask, Aokiji said, "A colleague is passing by, I'm going to say hello." With that, he waved and rode his bicycle off the deck.
After landing on the sea, it continued riding steadily, leaving a long, frozen tire track in the view from behind.
The man with the big nose climbed up the ladder net and used binoculars from the lookout tower to look in the direction Admiral Aokiji had left. He then hurriedly shouted, "Vice Admiral! A naval flagship is approaching from the southeast... it should be... the Admiral's flagship!"
Navy personnel are not pirates. Admirals with warships do not display personal insignia on their vessels. Therefore, one can only roughly determine the rank of an admiral from the warship's designation, and cannot identify whose warship it is.
However, Aokiji already knew the other party's identity, and the other party was already waiting for him on the deck.
The newcomer was dressed in a distinctive red military uniform, and was standing with a stern face and arms crossed, watching Aokiji slowly ride over.
Sakazuki!
Akainu, also Admiral, had obviously received orders at this time as well...
However, the difference is that Akainu received orders from the Five Elders, and even more so... theoretically, only Akainu received orders from the Five Elders; Sengoku neither stopped him nor gave orders to Aokiji!
As Aokiji said, theoretically he is still on vacation. Sengoku only asked him to come in a private capacity. Before Shiryu actually imprisoned in Impel Down, it is not advisable for Sengoku to directly oppose the Five Elders.
"It's rare to see you voluntarily 'work overtime'," Akainu said casually.
"Not exactly proactive, are you going to invite me up for a seat?" Aokiji said, looking up from below the warship.
Meanwhile, the surrounding sea had begun to freeze, forcing the warship to a stop.
"I'm busy, I have military duties," Akainu replied directly.
"Seriously... I also find this super troublesome..." Aokiji said, as ice pillars rose from beneath his feet, "lifting" him onto the deck.
"I told you... I have military duties!" Akainu glared at Aokiji, veins throbbing on his forehead. Then, as if no one else was around, he took a picnic mat from his bag and spread it out on his deck.
"Don't say that, it's been so long since we last met," Aokiji said lazily.
"We met in Marineford just two weeks ago."
"Do you remember the last time we did something together? Back then..."
A surge of heat rose from Akainu's body. Although he hadn't yet Elementalization, Akainu skin already had a strange and dazzling sheen.
Seeing this, Aokiji could no longer pretend to be ignorant, so he said bluntly, "Attack the king of Affiliated Nation and be imprisoned in Impel Down, that's fine too."
"No, not only did he attack the king of Affiliated Nation, but he also attacked the Celestial Dragons' fleet... That's not so bad. The important thing is that his existence has already affected the Justice!" Akainu.
Akainu doesn't care about the Celestial Dragons, or even the World Government. However, the "authority and legitimacy of the World Government" is the softest spot in his heart and the pillar of Absolute Justice in his eyes.
"[Although the World Government and the Celestial Dragons have flaws, only with the World Government maintaining rule can ordinary people have a stable life! The depravity of the World Government and the Celestial Dragons is negligible compared to the even more chaotic sea that has lost its 'Absolute Justice'!]...?"
Sig, in his cell, placed the shadows of a dog and a chicken in the southeast corner, pondering Akainu's thoughts with a playful smile on his lips—a smile that seemed both mocking and self-deprecating.
Then Sig used shadows to draw a "0" and placed it in the far northwest direction...