Anthony picked up the newspaper and read it over several times.
He frowned. "There doesn't seem to be anything unusual in here."
"Besides the date when the Chris Pirates will launch their attack, it's just rumors about them."
"Most of those rumors aren't worth considering."
"Other than that, I can't see why anything unexpected would happen today."
Pascal and the others spread their hands. None of them could make sense of it.
In the end, they turned back to Ben Beckman.
Ben Beckman smiled. "Have you noticed what the Marines have been doing?"
"The Marines were the ones who set the Chris Pirates on Pudora Kingdom."
"But for the past few days, they haven't made a move."
"Even today, with the Chris Pirates about to attack, there's been no sign of contact between the two."
"All of that suggests the Marines have plans of their own."
Before Ben Beckman left for Pudora Kingdom, Shanks had specifically told him to keep an eye on the Marines.
And after arriving, Beckman had sensed that something about them was off.
Longhair Jamal frowned. "Didn't the Marines send the Chris Pirates against Pudora Kingdom to keep them in check?"
"They wanted to use Pudora Kingdom's strength to wear down the Chris Pirates."
"That would make it easier for the World Government to control Chris."
"So isn't it normal for them to stay out of it?"
Balam nodded. "Besides, Kizaru Borsalino is leading the Marines."
"That man is famously lazy."
"It's perfectly normal that they haven't done anything."
But Ben Beckman shook his head. "Nothing about this makes sense."
"Even if the Marines intend to wear down the Chris Pirates,"
"they should at least send a few people to make a show of standing with them."
"They don't have to fight, but they should have