Marine Headquarters, the Fleet Admiral's Office.
After discussing it late into the night, Zephyr and Loa drafted a proposal and handed it to Sengoku first thing the next morning.
At first, Sengoku thought Zephyr had come to discuss Loa's upcoming appointment ceremony, so he chatted with him in a relaxed tone.
Then he saw the proposal, and an almost uncontrollable urge surged through him.
Bam!
Sengoku slammed a palm onto his desk and asked sternly, "Who else knows about this plan?"
This... this was far too bold!
Did this master and disciple have any idea how serious this was?
The first priority, though, was finding out how far the news had spread. If word of such open defiance of the World Government reached the higher-ups, Zephyr's and Loa's fates were easy to imagine.
"Relax, relax. Only Loa and I know about it. Oh, right—you too. That makes three of us." Zephyr drew on his Cigar to stay alert. "Well? What do you think of the plan?"
"It's bold, but it might work!" Sengoku frowned and gently stroked the Goat beside his feet. Setting their positions aside, even he had to admit the plan could be effective.
If Loa followed the proposal step by step, he could eliminate the Shichibukai without shedding a drop of blood in less than ten years—no, even sooner. And the formidable force that replaced it would be firmly on the Navy's side!
"But Zephyr, have you considered what happens if anything goes wrong?"
"What happens?" Zephyr raised his eyes toward the window.
From the Fleet Admiral's Office, most of Marineford was visible.
He did not answer Sengoku. Instead, he spoke of something that seemed unrelated. "You know, Sengoku, from the day my wife and son left me, I thought about killing myself more than once."
"What?!"