After the meeting, Sengoku returned alone to his somewhat spartan Marshal's office and sank wearily into his chair. Looking at the chair beside him, where Garp used to sit cracking melon seeds, he could not lift his spirits.
Just as he was lost in thought, a Den Den Mushi rang.
"Hello? This is Sengoku," he said tiredly.
"Sengoku, don't you think you owe me an explanation?" a slightly aged voice demanded.
"Lord Ethanbaron, this is an internal Navy matter!" Sengoku forced himself to rally.
"Sengoku, the repercussions of this incident concern the World Government's eight hundred years of prestige! Your little Navy cannot bear that responsibility!" Ethanbaron demanded, his voice heavy with accusation.
"This enemy is far beyond anything we imagined. If the World Government decides to launch an all-out war, the Navy will give it our full support!" Suddenly, Sengoku stopped caring and tossed the problem back to the Five Elders.
"Sengoku, that is utterly irresponsible of you!" Ethanbaron paused briefly, then snapped in anger.
"What else can the Navy do? Ignore all the unrest on the seas and commit everything to war with the Evil Cult? Do you even know what kind of enemy we faced?" Unable to contain his anger any longer, Sengoku shouted at Ethanbaron.
On the other end of the Den Den Mushi, Ethanbaron of the Five Elders froze. He had never imagined Sengoku would take such an attitude.
When he recovered, an inexplicable fury flared in his chest. "Sengoku, remember who you are speaking to!"
"It's the truth! If the enemy slaughters our sailors like chicks, what do you expect us to do?" Sengoku held nothing back now, laying out the Navy's predicament. As the Holy Church gradually released the captured sailors, Navy Headquarters had finally gained a complete understanding of the enemy's strength.