It would be best to collect any other resources worth taking as soon as possible.
Besides Cheng Yaojin's abilities, his Golden Finger, he also had a hidden Golden Finger: his advantage in knowing the plot.
With it, he could obtain things others could never get, such as the Pluton blueprints, the location of the Pluton Battleship, and Sea King.
With those advantages, success would be inevitable.
He ran through the possibilities.
Since the Straw Hat Pirates had already been imprisoned in Impel Down, the Sky Island incident would not happen again. Enel should not be heading to the moon anytime soon, and the gold on Sky Island would be safe.
He could retrieve it whenever he wanted in the future.
Next, he would quietly obtain the Pluton blueprints, then head to the G-8 branch in the New World to meet Vice Admiral Dalmatian.
Before leaving Marineford, Marine Headquarters had ordered him to report to the G-8 branch and hand over duties with Dalmatian.
After that, he would be responsible for guarding the G-8 branch.
In other words, he did not have much time to waste.
He also needed to capture as many pirates as possible, build his reputation, and cultivate his public image.
If the opportunity arose, he would save Fish-Man Island and take Sea King under his control while he was at it.
If his strength permitted it, he would wait for the Summit War to arrive. If it did not, he would intercept Blackbeard and imprison Fire Fist Ace, delaying the Summit War by a year or two.
If he wanted to stand on equal footing with Monkey D. Garp as a vice admiral, neither his strength nor his achievements were sufficient yet.
Meanwhile.
Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
Inside the Fleet Admiral's office, Sengoku and Tsuru were reading reports concerning Spiders Cafe Town, their expressions shifting unpredictably.
"Conqueror's Haki."
"This truly was unexpected."
Sengoku pushed up his frog-shaped glasses, his brow furrowing as he fell into thought. The cause and outcome of the Spiders Cafe Town incident had been sent back in nearly exhaustive detail.
That was the strength of Marine Headquarters.
No matter what happened on the seas, he could always receive the most detailed intelligence immediately. In this chaotic, lawless world, firsthand information was critical.
Especially for a massive organization.
"It really was unexpected. This is going to be troublesome. After all, his idol is you."
Tsuru raised her head, shaking it slightly with a smile.
After meeting Wilton at headquarters, she had called Dalmatian specifically to learn more about him.
Dalmatian had said that Wilton idolized Sengoku, and that Wilton had become a Marine because of Sengoku's influence.
Furthermore, under the dream section of Wilton's profile, he had written that he wanted to become a great man like Fleet Admiral Sengoku.
He wanted justice to reign over the world.
Sengoku said nothing, but his gaze burned brightly.
From his perspective, if the Future of the Marines produced another Fleet Admiral with Conqueror's Haki, then the Marines would certainly reach new heights.
However, it was far too difficult for a Conqueror's Haki user to become Fleet Admiral. He would have to show Mary Geoise absolute loyalty.
To Mary Geoise, it did not matter whether the Fleet Admiral possessed Conqueror's Haki. What mattered was loyalty: unwavering support for the Celestial Dragons and the World Government.
When Tsuru had told him that Wilton idolized him and had even joined the Marines because of his influence, he had felt delighted inside.
"For now, Wilton's sense of justice appears flawless. Like Sakazuki, he hates evil deeply, but he possesses an additional measure of compassion."
"Even against a Shichibukai, he dared to strike. Afterward, he even wiped out every pirate in Spiders Cafe Town. Magellan will have plenty to deal with this time."
Tsuru did not dwell on the future, because whether Wilton could become an admiral or even Fleet Admiral was not something she could decide with a slap of the gavel.
It required orders from Mary Geoise and the Five Elders.
For now, she admired Wilton greatly. That man was pure-hearted and genuinely wanted the light of justice to shine across the seas.
He also had zero tolerance for evil.
Although, like Sakazuki, he hated evil and could not tolerate even the slightest stain, none of his battles had harmed innocents.
That was important.
It showed that he differed somewhat from Sakazuki. He knew to evacuate civilians before a battle and only target the true culprits, such as pirates.
"He definitely needs further observation, but I underestimated Wilton's strength. He actually forced Doflamingo to retreat voluntarily."
Sengoku chose to continue watching as well.
Once again, Wilton had reshaped his understanding of him.
First there had been the World's Most Evil Man, Fire Fist Ace, and Crocodile. Now there was Doflamingo. Every opponent had been a high-level foe, yet Wilton had not died in any of those fights.
However, that man's fighting style was far too aggressive and extreme. He simply did not treat his own life as something precious.
"Perhaps Wilton is somewhat lacking in strength, but his righteous will to face death without fear is undoubtedly something the Marines lack."
As Fleet Admiral, Sengoku had more to consider.
The Marines were becoming increasingly corrupt. As Fleet Admiral, there was no way he could be unaware of it, but sometimes he was powerless to change it.
There were not none like Wilton, those willing to destroy evil and uphold justice even at the cost of their lives, but there were far too few.
Only passionate young people who had just joined the Marines and still embraced their dreams possessed such conviction. Yet after experiencing all kinds of temptations of profit and choices between life and death, their initial pure beliefs began to change.
Five years.
This was Wilton's fifth year in the Marines. Sengoku had never seen anyone who, after five whole years in the Marines, still retained such a firm will to sacrifice everything for justice.
Wilton could be called bullheaded, stubborn, and incapable of adapting, but in the eyes of those in power, the more subordinates like that, the better.
They were easy to control.
They would risk their lives.
And it was easy to know what they were thinking.
Most importantly, he admired him.
How could a Marine who idolized him possibly be lacking?
"The Marines need a new atmosphere."
After a moment of silence, Tsuru looked at Sengoku.
She was equally aware of the Marines' current problems.
Perhaps that was one of the reasons the Summit War would occur.
The Marines needed to change, whether in atmosphere or through an infusion of fresh blood.
"You're right. The Marines need a new atmosphere, and they need to restore some balance as well. It depends on whether Wilton can endure it."
Sengoku's gaze sharpened as he continued decisively, "Release the Spiders Cafe Town incident to the public. Conceal Wilton's King's Qualification slightly."
"Also, notify the Shichibukai to come to Marineford for a meeting to settle Crocodile's matter. It is time to put those people in order."
"They are probably all worried that Wilton received my orders to target them. I believe more than one or two Shichibukai will attend this meeting."
Sengoku snorted coldly. He had never thought much of the Shichibukai.
At the same time, he prepared to intensify Wilton's training.
"Alright."
Tsuru nodded. From the Shichibukai's perspective, Wilton had first taken down Crocodile, then fought fiercely against Doflamingo in Spiders Cafe Town. It was difficult not to suspect that Marine Headquarters intended to move against them.
And indeed.
After learning of the Spiders Cafe Town incident one after another, the other Shichibukai were all suspicious.
At the same time.
Wilton's file appeared on the Five Elders' desk in Mary Geoise, but it did not cause much of a stir.
As the highest-ranking rulers at the very top of this sea, what they wanted was balance between the various forces and loyalty from every department.
As for a Marine possessing King's Qualification, that was already a common occurrence. If he proved disobedient during observation, he would be erased.
If he obeyed, then naturally, he could rise swiftly through the ranks.
As always, there were too many people across the world who possessed King's Qualification. It was not unusual for them to die young, and only a small handful could make it to the end.
And all of them remained under the Five Elders' control.
Before you continue