As time passed, the atmosphere at Marine Headquarters grew increasingly tense and solemn. Elite troops had arrived from all over the world, none ranked lower than a field officer.
A hundred thousand elite troops, perhaps even more, were now gathered in Marineford, filling the world's greatest fortress with a grim, martial air day and night.
Military strength on this scale was no longer something a mere individual could influence.
Along with it came all manner of unbelievable rumors. Quite a few concerned River.
There were even rumors about Garp.
For instance, Fire Fist Ace was the grandson of the heroic Vice Admiral Garp, and Garp might turn against the Marines in this war to save his grandson.
Of course, the first half of that rumor was no fabrication, but a fact. The latter half, however, was nothing more than speculation.
Then there were the rumors about River. The most widespread claimed that he would join Whitebeard in defecting from the Marines during the war, and that he had already secretly raised a private army.
Others claimed that once the war ended, the World Government would settle its twenty-year-old score with him, sending its strongest forces to take him down.
Over the past few days, these tangled rumors had spread everywhere, causing endless uproar. As Fleet Admiral, Sengoku found himself caught in the chaos almost every day.
"Don't believe rumors, don't spread rumors, don't choose rumors!"
Sengoku was constantly taking steps to debunk them.
Just imagine a hundred thousand troops packed into the vast expanse of Marineford, with people from every faction and group among them. How chaotic would that be?
"With rumors flying everywhere, you still went to Impel Down to see your grandson."
"You're certainly brave, Vice Admiral Garp."
River sighed with a smile.
Things had been tense lately,