Retreat Order!

"What? What could Fleet Admiral Kong possibly want at a time like this?"

Sengoku grumbled, shrinking his golden Buddha form back to normal before picking up the Den Den Mushi and asking in confusion, "Fleet Admiral, this is Sengoku. We are currently pursuing Mirai Uchiha. What is it?"

"Sengoku, abort this mission and withdraw the troops!" An elderly voice came from the other end of the Den Den Mushi. It belonged to Steel Bone Kong, the Fleet Admiral currently stationed at Marine Headquarters and the man who would later become the Commander-in-Chief of the World Government!

"What? Fleet Admiral, we've already sacrificed quite a few soldiers. If we retreat like this, how am I supposed to answer to the fallen? How are we supposed to uphold the justice of the Marines?" Sengoku immediately grew anxious and hurriedly argued back. Although they had been at a disadvantage so far, the battle had not become completely one-sided. If they handled things properly, victory was not necessarily impossible.

"Sengoku, this is the Five Elders' decision. They already know about your operation and are watching closely. I don't know what they're planning, but they have issued an order for all of you to withdraw! You should understand that if it's them, even I cannot defy this order!" Steel Bone Kong's tone carried a trace of frustration as well. Since the founding of the Marines, there had never been a precedent of retreat in any large-scale battle against pirates. Generally speaking, no matter how powerful the pirates were, once they encountered a large fleet of warships, they would flee first. Even Gol D. Roger, the Pirate King of old, had been no exception. Yet this time... Who knew what madness the Five Elders were up to?

The stronger a person was and the higher they