Reactions from All Sides, Celebration in the West Blue

Grand Line,

Marine Headquarters, Marineford.

In the clean and tidy office, the sea breeze gently stirred the curtains.

A burly man with every strand of hair standing on end sat behind his desk. His bulging muscles nearly stretched open his tailored Marine uniform.

Yet at this moment, he was gradually being buried beneath the mountain of documents piled on the desk.

Knock, knock, knock!

A knock sounded at the door.

"Come in!"

Sengoku, dressed in a white suit with an afro and frog-eyed glasses, hurried in from outside.

"Fleet Admiral Kong, there's an urgent situation in the West Blue that requires your decision."

"The West Blue?"

Kong rubbed his somewhat stiff neck and raised his head. His brows furrowed deeply, and a trace of irritation flashed through his eyes.

"Has Chinjao made another move?"

He picked up his cup and took a sip of tea.

He had only just approved the hostage exchange a few days ago. Had Chinjao captured more people already?

What a complete mess!

Couldn't they be as peaceful as the East Blue?

Sengoku looked at the exhausted Kong, his gaze sweeping over the piles of documents on the desk. The Fleet Admiral must have been up all night reviewing documents again.

Ever since Roger had shouted those world-shaking words, the number of pirates had surged across the world.

Aside from the Marines on the front lines, the first to suffer was the Fleet Admiral's sleep schedule.

It looked as though he was about to lose his temper.

"It isn't Chinjao. It's the Capone Family's proposal for peace talks."

Kong raised an eyebrow.

"Peace talks... the Capone Family?"

How had those two words ended up together?

He took the document and read it for a few moments, his expression gradually turning strange.

After a while, he handed the document back to Sengoku.

"Tell Stainless to agree to the Capone Family's terms."

Sengoku was startled.

"Agree to all of them?"

Kong nodded, rubbing his face as though he had merely handled some trivial matter.

"What the Marines need most right now is stability. Understand?"

"Also, notify the Criminal Investigation Bureau and the West Blue branch. Thoroughly investigate those parasites.

"Anyone who dared leak a Marine Rear Admiral's contact information—don't let a single one of them get away!"

"As for Stainless... once the peace talks are over, have him return to the Grand Line."

"This place is about to get lively."

Sengoku felt that the Fleet Admiral seemed to have overlooked something.

"Capone Bege also requested that Stainless help kill someone named Jogo..."

Before he could finish, Kong waved a hand and cut him off.

"I know."

"Let Stainless handle such a minor matter himself."

"The Grand Line is what the Marines should be focusing on now."

"You are the next Fleet Admiral. Always remember not to let unimportant people and matters distract you."

Sengoku nodded. "Understood."

Thus, not long afterward, Rear Admiral Stainless received Headquarters' reply aboard a warship somewhere in the West Blue.

—Do everything possible to facilitate the peace talks and secure benefits for the Marines. Handle all other matters at your own discretion.

There was another suggestion appended below.

Admiral Sengoku: "You can use taking action as a bargaining chip."

Stainless, whose forehead bore a large swollen bump, fell into thought.

Meanwhile, the Happo Navy.

Aboard a pirate ship.

Cables extended from a Den Den Mushi's shell and connected to the shell of a specialized large relay Den Den Mushi.

A series of different voices came from the Den Den Mushi.

(Female voice): "Has the Capone Family lost their minds? They actually dared to say they'd stand with us in the next war!"

(Hoarse male voice): "Maybe that kid who just took office doesn't know what war is yet. Hehehe~ But... isn't that a good thing?"

(Clear male voice): "Having such a foolish ally is not a good thing. The Flower Country's enemies are other affiliated nations. Unless the Capone Family has already abandoned its future, they will definitely go back on their word."

(Female voice): "Hehehe~ Who cares? Get him aboard this ship first. After that, he won't be getting off."

(Clear male voice): "What worries me is that he specifically asked for Pillar Chinjao to go."

(Hoarse male voice): "I know about that. They said they want to kill some guy named Jogo, and that this guy was the reason Sai got captured by the Marines. Hahaha~"

Several voices followed over the call, some mocking and some coldly amused.

(Female voice): "Who would fall for such a childish trick?"

(Clear male voice): "The Capone Family gave us the information that the Marines had an ambush. While there really was an ambush, Sai was captured too. It's hard to say that the Capone Family didn't do it deliberately."

"I think this isn't a peace talk at all. They want to provoke an even greater conflict between us and the Marines."

(Hoarse male voice): "Just so. It would also help the Capone Family get rid of their trouble with the Marines."

(Female voice): "So what do we say? Are we going to these peace talks or not? Let's vote!"

"Not going." "Not going." "Not going"...

(Female voice): "Unanimously opposed. Then..."

Before she could finish, a deep, powerful voice cut into the conversation.

"We're going!"

The voices on the call all froze.

"Pillar?"

Chinjao's tone allowed no doubt.

"Ashi, you're the only one who has learned Armament Haki, and you're closest to Golden Chrysanthemum Island. You go first. I'll be there soon!"

The call immediately erupted in alarm.

"Pillar, the Capone Family has ill intentions!"

"Forget about the weapons last time—this time, it's definitely a trap!"

"Crab Claw Orchid Island is still confronting the Marines. If you leave, the rest of us definitely won't be able to defeat them."

Chinjao spoke again.

"Shut up, all of you. This decision will not change!"

(Clear male voice): "At least tell us why, Pillar?"

Chinjao: "..."

Several minutes later, amid a strange atmosphere, the exchange ended.

Chinjao hung up the call. His green Flower Country Marine uniform was stretched across his round, powerful shoulders and back like a cape, casting a huge shadow beneath the lantern.

He raised his shadowed eyes and stared at the cell before him.

Inside the cell, a familiar long-haired figure with an axe on his back hugged his knees and curled up in the darkness of the corner.

Five days earlier, the Marines had exchanged Rear Admiral Stainless, whom he had captured in a single move, for his grandson Abu and the condition that he would "not disclose certain information to the outside world."

Thus, he learned everything that had happened aboard the ship that day.

But he did not dare tell the other members of the Happo Navy. He did not even dare announce that Abu had been exchanged back.

"You actually dared to do such a thing!"

Chinjao gritted his teeth and spoke each word slowly, staring at the burly body in the darkness that seemed to tremble slightly.

A trace of reluctance flashed through his eyes, but it was swiftly buried beneath anger.

"I'll deal with you when I get back!"

He turned and walked out of the prison.

Not long afterward, Chinjao's deep voice rang out from afar.

"Find me the fastest ship!"

"I'm going to kill that Jogo!"

With the release of the latest issue of the West Blue Times, news that the Marines would soon hold peace talks with the Happo Navy rapidly spread throughout the West Blue.

For a time, the entire West Blue celebrated.

The kings breathed sighs of relief, grateful that the conflict had stopped before it grew any larger and dragged them in.

Merchants and commoners were ecstatic—an armistice meant the reopening of those important sea routes, and the economy would improve again!

The reporters were even more overjoyed.

Amazing! This was huge news!

They had to get an interview!

Even pirates and gangsters were moved to tears with gratitude.

The former had not even dared set sail lately, afraid they might run into Marines drunk on killing and be hacked to death. Now, everyone could finally head out to sea and happily rob people again!

As for the latter, they suddenly discovered that the gangs belonging to the Capone Family had, for some reason, abruptly contracted their influence and given up vast territories.

They feasted for a while.

Only Bo Fei of Iris Island was somewhat panicked.

The words Jogo had said to him when he left a day earlier replayed in his mind.

"I really hate gangsters, but I repay favors and avenge grudges."

"You helped save me some trouble, more or less, so I'll point you toward a path. Hasn't the Capone Family been having a lot of trouble lately?"

"I don't need to say more, do I? How much meat you can eat depends on how much courage you have."

He had followed Jogo's advice, and the Thrips Gang had already begun aggressively seizing the Capone Family's businesses across various islands.

Without leaving them any room to breathe!

But now... the Marines and the Happo Navy were going to hold peace talks!

From what he had heard, it even seemed that the Capone Family had arranged them!

Didn't that mean the Capone Family was about to recover?

Sweat broke out on Bo Fei's forehead.

Had he chosen the wrong side?!

Was it still too late to regret it?

And so, amid the complicated thoughts of every faction, the second day on Golden Chrysanthemum Island arrived.