"Sengoku, what exactly are you trying to do? Why would you make news like that public?"
Vice Admiral Tsuru's face was grave as she looked at the colleague before her. He had changed so much.
Sengoku acted as though he hadn't heard. He merely lowered his head and ate the Rice Crackers in his hand, crunching away.
At some point, Masira had appeared beside him. Seeing Sengoku eating Rice Crackers, he cried out impatiently.
Hearing him, Sengoku handed over the bag of Rice Crackers.
"Inspector General, don't you think you owe me an explanation?"
Sengoku gave an awkward laugh.
"Tsuru, don't worry about it. We're only going to watch the fight. What does it matter how many others show up?"
Vice Admiral Tsuru frowned.
"Are you trying to make the Thunder Swordsman famous? Why would you help a Shichibukai?"
Tsuru was sharp enough to have guessed most of Sengoku's intentions. She just couldn't understand why.
"The Thunder Swordsman is different from other pirates. How should I put it? I've never met anyone with a blurrier sense of good and evil."
Sengoku's words deepened her frown.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Tsuru, you sent those children I entrusted to you back to their hometowns, didn't you?"
Tsuru nodded.
"There was some resistance, but given our standing in the Marines, anyone who objected could only put up with it."
"The Thunder Swordsman gave me those children."
Sengoku yawned, apparently ready to find somewhere to sleep.
Tsuru froze at his words.
"Is that so? But don't forget how many people he killed at the Summit War. Is it really wise to work with a madman like him?"
Sengoku climbed onto Masira's back, and they headed toward Marine Headquarters.
"Who knows? How many of the strong people on the seas are normal anyway?"