The Meeting [Seeking Collection]

Brrrring, brrrring~

The Den Den Mushi stuck out its tongue a few times before the call connected on the other end.

"Hey, Corazon, what's the matter?"

At this time, Sengoku had already confirmed he would succeed the position of Fleet Admiral, though he hadn't officially taken office yet.

So, to ensure a smooth transition, Fleet Admiral Kong had been grooming Sengoku over the years, and Sengoku basically handled all sorts of affairs in the Fleet Admiral's office.

Of course, it could also be that Fleet Admiral Kong was just looking to slack off, conveniently calling it "training" instead~

"Admiral Sengoku, Doffy somehow got wind that the World Government is about to establish the Shichibukai. He's planning to hijack the Celestial Gold when the nations offer their tribute to force his way in, but there's no accurate intel on which country or which year."

When Sengoku heard the information relayed over the phone, his face gradually darkened.

After hanging up, Sengoku's face turned livid as he roared, "Damn it, who!! Leaked the Shichibukai plan before it's even been implemented?!

That bastard Doflamingo intends to hijack the Celestial Gold as leverage to secure a spot as a Shichibukai."

With that, Sengoku slammed his fist onto the desk in fury, cracking the surface.

"Hahaha, Sengoku, don't get so worked up. Since it's already happened, you'd better think about what to do next." Garp said carelessly, utterly unbothered.

Faced with Sengoku's rage, only Garp—his peer with that same laid-back attitude—could casually toss out his "two cents" without a care.

After a moment of thought, the young Tsuru spoke up: "The Shichibukai plan was just approved. If it wasn't one of us, then it's someone from the World Government's side.

It seems that even after losing his status as a Celestial Dragon and becoming a pirate, the ties between them remain unbroken."

"And the World Government, cowed by his identity as a Celestial Dragon, can't move against him. But they can't stop the nations from offering the Celestial Gold either. I suspect the government has already tacitly accepted his position as a Shichibukai.

After all, even if he's become a pirate, the fact that his bloodline is that of a Celestial Dragon is undeniable."

It had to be said, Tsuru truly lived up to her reputation as the Navy's great strategist—she laid the whole situation out clearly in just a few sentences.

Of course, Sengoku could figure that out too; he was just too furious at the moment.

After all, with a dangerous character like Doflamingo becoming a Shichibukai, it'd be a ticking time bomb. You'd never guess what he'd do when he snapped.

A madman like that was far too dangerous. If he got an official protective layer on top of that, who knew when he'd stir up something huge.

Keep in mind, aside from being subject to the World Government's mandatory summons, a Shichibukai was otherwise completely free from government interference.

And once someone became a "Shichibukai," their bounty would be revoked, and the World Government would no longer pursue any past crimes.

In other words, they were pirates the government and Navy wouldn't touch. As long as they didn't actively provoke the government or Navy, they could plunder anyone they met at sea with impunity.

This kind of privateering was tacitly approved by the World Government, and even if caught, they'd only need to hand over a portion of the spoils.

More importantly, the World Government would agree to their "individual requests" to maintain the "cooperative relationship" with the Shichibukai.

And the reason for Sengoku's fury lay in those "individual requests." He had no idea what demands a dangerously twisted mind like Doflamingo might make, or what he'd do behind the scenes.

But his other identity—a Celestial Dragon—was his natural shield.

If he became a Shichibukai, whether or not whatever he planned succeeded, it'd be a headache either way.

If he succeeded, no need to mention it—it definitely wouldn't be anything good. If he failed, his identity would prevent any real consequences, and the Five Elders would surely step in to clean up his mess.

So from the start, the Navy was at a disadvantage. For Sengoku, that was unacceptable.

"I'm going to the Five Elders right now to demand an explanation!!" Sengoku's face darkened, and the sound of his fist hitting the desk echoed through the Fleet Admiral's office once more.

But after the call with the Five Elders ended, Sengoku's grim expression didn't improve in the slightest. In fact, it grew even worse.

"Hmph, those Five Elders! They called it nonsense. I bet they knew all along, just waiting for Doflamingo to pull this off so they could legitimately grant him the Shichibukai position," Sengoku gritted out angrily.

He'd called to protest, but instead, the Five Elders had already framed the matter as settled.

"Alright, cool your jets. How about I go and give that kid a beating to vent for you?" Garp said, taking a bite of his favorite donut, completely nonchalant.

But that offhand remark made Sengoku's eyes light up. "Garp, you bastard, you actually say something useful once in a while."

"Huh??" Garp stuffed another donut in his mouth, looking utterly clueless.

Though Garp didn't get it, Tsuru understood: "You're thinking of sending someone to give him a warning when they appoint him as a Shichibukai? Since he's going to hijack the Celestial Gold to achieve his goal, it wouldn't hurt to teach him a lesson at the same time."

"Then before he hijacks the Celestial Gold, I'll take charge of hunting him down. Even if he's been pre-selected as a Shichibukai, I won't let him have it easy until he actually becomes one. If I can drag it out for a few years, keep him too busy to settle into the role, even better."

Tsuru truly lived up to her reputation as someone even the "Tactician" Sengoku occasionally consulted. In an instant, she formulated a plan within the bounds of the established facts.

Hearing this, Sengoku's eyes lit up. "Then I'll leave it to you, Tsuru. Make sure that bastard is run ragged, and buy us as much time as possible."

After a moment's pause, Sengoku said seriously, "Aokiji, if it really comes to appointing a Shichibukai, you'll be the one to deliver the notice. And give him a lesson while you're at it."

"Ara ara, what a hassle." Aokiji, lounging in a chair nearby, let out a lazy yawn, but Sengoku clearly didn't mind.

Sengoku's arrangement had a purpose. First, Kizaru was too lackadaisical; even if he taught the guy a lesson, his attitude would make it come off more as a personal warning than an official Navy one.

After all, Kizaru's demeanor was, in a way, pretty "nasty"—the type to look at you like he didn't like you, then mess with you with a mix of mockery and indifference.

As for Akainu, with his hatred of evil, sending him would more likely result in an assassination than a notification.

Someone like Doflamingo wouldn't make Akainu hesitate just because of his Celestial Dragon status. If he caused trouble, they'd have to clean it up afterward.

So under these circumstances, Aokiji was undoubtedly the best choice.

[In 1495, Sengoku was 52, and Doflamingo was 19 (his birthday in October hadn't passed yet). Corazon was taken in by Sengoku after killing their father at age 10, so this scenario is still possible. If my math is off, don't nitpick, lore nerds. If you think it's impossible, just assume it's some spy. I used a calculator and Word to figure out these timelines, and it gave me a headache...]

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