Tap... Tap... Tap...
Click...
Just as Tsuru announced the start of the meeting, footsteps came from the corridor outside the door, getting closer and closer. Then, with a click, Fleet Admiral Sengoku and Garp the Hero walked in together.
"Hmm... it seems everyone's here. Welcome, you scum of the sea!!"
After Sengoku walked in, he looked around and then greeted all the Shichibukai present with a barrage of insults.
"Hmph... You flatter me too much, Fleet Admiral Sengoku. It is a great honor to receive praise from the Buddha like yourself!"
When Sengoku called them trash, Doflamingo, a pirate and Doffy of the Shichibukai, did not feel humiliated. Instead, he smiled and replied.
For pirates, terms like "scum" and "trash" are extremely complimentary, so they don't think Sengoku's words are wrong.
"Sit down, Doffy. Although the Pirate Empress is still absent, I don't think that woman will obediently follow the Navy's orders. Let's begin now, and she can let us know later."
Sengoku and Garp took their seats at the head of the table and addressed the six people opposite them.
"Hahahaha, is that so? I thought I'd be lucky enough to witness the face of the most beautiful woman in the ocean, but it seems I won't have that chance!!"
Teach burst out laughing.
"There will be that opportunity. All of you Shichibukai will be arranged in the same place to greet the Whitebeard Pirates on the front lines, and that woman will be no exception, as long as you don't miss it."
Sengoku glanced at him and then spoke, his tone seemingly implying something. He stared at him for a while with a scrutinizing gaze, making Teach wonder if his purpose had been discovered. But when he saw Teach look away, he breathed a sigh of relief, secretly pleased that he hadn't been exposed.
" Sengoku, hurry up and tell them. Judging from their expressions, they don't seem to want to continue this stalemate with us. The sooner we get things clear, the sooner we can relax."
The carefree Garp sat down next to Sengoku and offered a straightforward reminder.
"Yes, Fleet Admiral Sengoku, you'd better explain yourself to us quickly. I don't want to sit here any longer with these people, especially these two weak and treacherous fellows..."
Luo Chen sat opposite Garp, pointed directly at Doffy and Moria without giving them any face, and said with an extremely disgusted expression.
"Weak?"
"Insidious?"
Moria and Doffy were taken aback by Luo Chen's assessment of them, and then their expressions differed.
"You arrogant bastard, don't think you can underestimate me just because you fought Hawk-Eye and Doflamingo. Watch out, or I'll cut your shadow off and turn you into a zombie..."
"Fufufufu, that's a very apt metaphor. I'm honored to receive such high praise from you..."
Compared to Moria's furious and volatile attitude, Doffy knew that Luo Chen's comment about weakness did not refer to him; rather, the latter assessment resonated with him, and he gladly accepted Luo Chen's evaluation.
"Okay, stop fooling around. I'll tell you where you're supposed to be now. Just stand in your designated spots. As for what I'm about to say, you probably won't listen. Just hold off one captain-level fighter each once the battle starts, and the rest is up to you..."
As he spoke, Sengoku took out a battlefield layout map from his person, which clearly marked the positions where the Shichibukai should stand. It was a very obvious map.
"Alright, here are the blueprints. Any questions? If so, speak up now. Otherwise, the meeting is adjourned!"
Sengoku coldly addressed the crowd.
"Hehehehe, I'm fine with it, I'll just do as it says here..."
Teach was the first to say that he was fine, even if the Navy wanted him to face Whitebeard's wrath, he wouldn't mind, since he wouldn't be there anyway.
"Really? And you guys? Do you have any other questions?"
Sengoku glanced at him and then turned to the others, asking them questions.
"I have a question, Fleet Admiral Sengoku. What if we accidentally wound your navy on the battlefield? Will we be held accountable afterwards?"
Doffy voiced his question to him, a question many others present wanted to ask as well. All eyes turned to him, eager to see his answer.
"If it was truly an accidental incident, the Navy will not hold you responsible, but please try your best to minimize our naval casualties."
Sengoku paused for a moment before speaking. He knew that if these people really got his permission, they would become even more unscrupulous and disregard their own side, after all, they were just a group of profit-driven pirates.
" Fleet Admiral Sengoku, I also have a question for you. How many top-tier combatants did your navy deploy this time? Do you know that I'm referring to those at the Vice Admiral and above? And will you two legendary figures actually make a move?"
After Doffy greeted him, Luo Chen continued with his question.
"This time, the World Government has agreed to let our Navy use all its strength to suppress the Whitebeard Pirates with Thunderbolt force, demonstrating the Navy's prestige. Therefore, in addition to the fifteen resident vice Vice Admiral of the headquarters, Three Admirals will also be recalled, as well as two reserve Admiral, Momousagi and Chaton, to suppress the rebellion. As for us... we'll decide based on the situation."
Sengoku didn't want to tell them the answer to this question, but because of his status and the current situation, in order to avoid them suspecting the navy, he explained the approximate combat strength to them. However, he didn't say how to arrange things or when to make a move. Luo Chen wouldn't make a fool of himself by asking him these impossible questions.
"Heh, I didn't expect even they would be dispatched this time. It seems the Navy has really gone all out this time. I wonder how you will react to Whitebeard's predicament? Faced with a battle where defeat is inevitable, will you still rush in like a moth to a flame without hesitation?"
Upon hearing about the fighting force that Sengoku had dispatched from his headquarters, even Luo Chen was deeply moved. Even a young Whitebeard wouldn't have been able to escape such a scene, let alone someone as old, weak, and plagued by illness as he was now.
"Alright, are there any more questions?"
After answering Luo Chen's question, Sengoku asked another question.
"Hmm...?! That's all? Then let's adjourn the meeting..."
After looking around and seeing that no one else had any questions, Sengoku announced the end of the meeting and led Tsuru and Garp out.
"Really, it's over already? There's still some time before the execution, so I'll go explore the island and see the other places I didn't get to visit last time."
Wow...
After Luo Chen finished speaking, two huge wings sprouted from his back, and he jumped out of the open window, soaring into the sky.
"Hmph... That's really rude of him. I need to have a serious talk with him about how to respect his seniors and learn proper manners after this is all over!"
Doffy watched Luo Chen rush out and said with a sinister smile.
Wow...
At this moment, Luo Chen was unaware of Doffy's teasing and comments about him after he left. Even if he knew, he wouldn't react much. At worst, he could fight again. With his current strength, he was no match for Doffy. Even if he couldn't truly defeat him, escaping unscathed would be no problem at all.
Turning our attention back to Impel Down, Snake Princess, accompanied by Marine Vice Admiral Mole and prison staff Domino and Hannyabal, headed towards the warden's office on the fourth floor.
Meanwhile, Rayleigh and Luffy, who had been following them all along, finally arrived at the gate. Because of the need to guard against Whitebeard attack, more than a dozen warships were anchored near Impel Down, ready to strike at any time. This made Rayleigh very troubled, and he dared not show his face on the surface. He could only drag Luffy into the sea to see if they could find another shortcut to infiltrate Impel Down.