Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
Sakazuki and Carol had already boarded the ship.
Crack—
A bolt of lightning struck the deck.
Enel, with the rank of Rear Admiral, landed on the ship, wearing a Justice cape and carrying a package.
Sakazuki showed a hint of a smile:
"Good."
Enel chuckled.
Carol, standing nearby, cast an admiring glance, then waved his hand, and the warship slowly set sail.
Sakazuki looked at the smug Enel and shook his head with a smile:
"Alright, stop showing off."
"Did you bring the items?"
Enel nodded:
"Heh heh, I did."
He then opened a corner of the package, revealing the magnetic field bomb that could block communications.
"Oh, right."
"This is the rank and cape Marshal Kong asked me to deliver to him."
"But for Big Brother Barrett's strength and contributions, why only a Rear Admiral?"
"Polsalino and Kuzan were both promoted to Vice Admiral."
Sakazuki took the package and looked at it before handing it to Carol:
"Put it away."
Then he said to Enel:
"That doesn't matter."
"This large-scale promotion was intended to deter the seas."
"It's like an advance payment."
"Barrett requested it himself, a promotion to Rear Admiral is enough."
"After all, a lieutenant can command a ship alone."
"If he were promoted to Vice Admiral, he would have to leave."
"Strictly speaking, my warship is already over capacity."
"You, Carol, and Barrett."
"In terms of rank and strength,"
"You can all handle yourselves, but if you want to stay on this ship, your rank cannot exceed mine."
"Headquarters would never allow a Vice Admiral to serve under another Vice Admiral."
"So, after I'm promoted to Admiral, Barrett can be promoted to Vice Admiral."
"He'll take over this ship."
"A perfect transition."
Enel nodded:
"I see."
"By the way, Uncle, where are we going now?"
Sakazuki said:
"To pick up Barrett."
"There's a Devil Fruit user causing trouble in Barrett's country."
"He went back to deal with it, and it's already handled."
Enel became interested:
"A Devil Fruit user capable of causing chaos in a country?"
"What kind of Devil Fruit ability is it?"
Sakazuki chuckled:
"It's said to be a fusion ability user."
"Capable of transforming into a fusion giant dozens of meters tall."
"For most countries in the Grand Line and the Four Seas, this is indeed quite troublesome."
"But he's already been apprehended by Barrett."
This fruit, which in the original story Barrett accidentally ate on the battlefield at thirteen,
Had fallen into someone else's mouth because Barrett was taken away by Sakazuki at twelve.
Unfortunately, this person lacked Barrett's talent and physique.
After years of development, he could only synthesize a giant dozens of meters tall.
Although he could sweep through countries and cause chaos,
He was no match for the current Barrett within a few rounds.
-------------------
The Grand Line, near the sea of Reiga.
Boom—Boom boom—
A series of cannonballs exploded near a wooden ship.
Warships in the distance continuously reloaded and fired, pursuing this wooden ship.
Amidst the rain of shells.
Boom!
Finally, a cannonball directly hit the ship.
The central keel of the wooden ship snapped, as if broken.
On the warship.
Sauro, a Vice Admiral, angrily shouted at his subordinates:
"Stop it!"
"Cease firing!"
"Just capture them!"
"They aren't brutal pirates!"
"Are you useless fools who can't even capture a few scholars!"
"Destroying a historical exploration ship."
"But I truly don't understand, why must they die!!!"
Boom!
He angrily slammed the deck, causing the warship to shake violently.
"Is this truly Justice..."
The soldiers on his subordinate looked at each other, unsure how to respond.
But the order from above was to leave no one alive.
Silence…
Half a year later.
Sauro, increasingly lost in thought, sat on the deck gazing at the sea.
This should be the last one…
Unable to disobey the government's orders, Sauro couldn't bear to watch.
After a barrage of cannon fire.
"Report!"
"Vice Admiral Sauro, we've captured one survivor this time."
Sauro spun around abruptly:
"What!"
He jumped up, the warship jolting, and then looked at the white-haired woman being escorted by several soldiers.
"You killed so many people, it's unforgivable."
The woman shouted at him furiously.
Sauro took a deep breath and slowly asked the question buried in his heart:
"Are you... really trying to awaken the weapon?"
He only wanted to know the answer to this question now…
The white-haired woman seemed to hear a joke, tears welling up in her eyes as she cried:
"How foolish."
"You come to punish us without even having your own thoughts."
"Blindly trusting the law."
"And using preventing the weapon's awakening as an excuse."
"You're all just afraid of an unknown past!"
The woman's words echoed in Sauro's mind.
He was stunned, frozen in place.
By the time he came to his senses, dusk had fallen, and the woman had already been taken away.
Sauro clenched his fist, as if he had made a decision.
Several days later.
Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
Marshal Kong hung up the phone and summoned Sengoku.
A moment later, a knock sounded.
Marshal Kong called out:
"Enter."
He then extinguished his cigar and threw it into the ashtador.
Sengoku entered the office to see a smoke-filled room and Marshal Kong with a blank expression.
"What is it?"
Marshal Kong gestured for Sengoku to sit down:
"You know about those historical explorers, right?"
Sengoku thought for a moment:
"You mean that group who suddenly appeared six years ago researching forbidden knowledge?"
Marshal Kong nodded:
"That's right."
"According to the data found on the last ship they destroyed,"
"It's been identified as people from Ohara."
Sengoku understood:
"That archaeological holy land... no wonder there were so many scholars."
Marshal Kong closed his eyes and rubbed his temples:
"The order has come from above, launch a Buster Call."
"Destroy Ohara."
Sengoku frowned:
"Isn't that a bit excessive?"
Marshal Kong sighed:
"There's no other way, they crossed the line."
"They touched the bottom line of the World Government."
"If it hadn't been discovered, it would be one thing, but now that it has, it's irreversible."
"Activate the Golden Den Den Mushi in your possession."
"Mobilize 10 Imperial warships and five Vice Admirals."
"As for the personnel, you decide."
Sengoku nodded, and a thought suddenly struck him, regarding the Vice Admirals…
"How about Sakazuki leading the team?"
Marshal Kong's brow furrowed slightly:
"Is that necessary? It's overkill."
Sengoku said:
"Isn't Sakazuki in need of merit for his promotion to Admiral?"
"After this, if it's publicized, it will not only deter the world,"
"But Sakazuki can also be promoted to Admiral as a matter of course."
Marshal Kong mused for a few seconds:
"That's true."
"In that case, go and prepare."
"Remember, assemble them secretly."
"Do not expose this."
"Go."
Sengoku stood up and nodded:
"Understood."
Swish—
He slid the door open and left.
Sengoku's sudden suggestion to have Sakazuki lead the team was an impulse.
Over the years, Sakazuki's prestige had grown steadily.
His cruelty towards pirates, his leniency towards civilians, and his obedience to the government were all impeccable, appearing perfectly flawless.
But that was precisely what made it so outrageous…
The launch of a Buster Call would inevitably result in many innocent deaths. How would you choose, Sakazuki?
Sengoku, in his youth, was still a staunch loyalist of the government.
He was not the Marshal Sengoku of later years, who, in order to cover up the government's increasing darkness, gradually let go.
Considering the bigger picture, Sengoku was conducting one last test of Sakazuki…
-------------
The Grand Line, first half.
Standing on the deck, Sakazuki watched his soldiers sweep through a pirate crew when he suddenly received a secret report.
Looking at the secret report handed to him by Carol,
He slowly opened the folded envelope, and a few seconds later.
Bang—
The envelope instantly turned into a fireball, accompanied by magma from his palm falling to the ground.
He let out a light "tsk," Sengoku…
Sakazuki flicked his hand and said indifferently:
"Clean up the battlefield."
"Turn the ship around, head for the West Blue."