"Hey!"
Sengoku, somewhat agitated, grabbed the Den Den Mushi. In his hand was a list of potential Shichibukai recruits. He had grown tired of the task of gathering the Seven Warlords.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, this is Bastille. East Blue Navy requests support, requests support. The Xuanwu Navy has completely blockaded the East Blue and is currently cornering us."
From the Den Den Mushi, Bastille's anxious voice immediately came through.
Upon hearing this, Sengoku stood up abruptly. "What did you say? The Xuanwu Navy attacked you?" His voice was so loud that high-ranking Navy officials working outside heard his words and stopped their tasks.
Anything that could shock Sengoku so greatly was certainly not a minor matter.
Sengoku quickly said, "I permit you to resist and counterattack with all your might. I will immediately mobilize forces to provide support."
On the other end of the phone, Bastille, desperately fleeing aboard a warship, had despair etched on his face. "Fleet Admiral Sengoku, the Xuanwu Navy possesses a great deal of secret intelligence. Many individuals with past records, who had not been exposed before, along with World Government intelligence officers, used this information to spread it throughout the East Blue. Many of them, for personal gain, betrayed their superiors or comrades. The soldiers' faith has been shaken, and they no longer trust those around them easily. We cannot organize a strong resistance. Vice Admiral Kaku was seriously injured and captured after a fierce battle with Xuanwu Navy Admiral Kenjiro. The East Blue Navy has suffered heavy losses."
*Thud!*
Bastille hung up the Den Den Mushi and gave up his escape. Xuanwu Navy warships appeared on the side, surrounding them. Faced with the Xuanwu Navy, the soldiers on the warships surrendered without waiting for his command. Those few who did not surrender were immediately killed.
He had never imagined that the East Blue Navy was so corrupt. Not only were there World Government intelligence officers among them, but also close personal guards who had secretly committed countless atrocities for profit. The non-commissioned officers who should have been trusted by him and had secured numerous military merits had instead colluded with certain pirates and local powers. Their so-called merits were merely exchanges of favors and framing of the innocent.
Sengoku's face turned ashen. As the Den Den Mushi was hung up, Sengoku knew clearly the dire state of affairs in the East Blue.
"Take action. Mobilize all units that can approach the East Blue and converge on the East Blue."
*Boom!*
The door to Sengoku's office was violently kicked open. Sengoku, radiating fury, strode out and roared at everyone, then quickly headed towards the Marshal's office.
Garp, looking drowsy, walked out of his own office. Seeing the furious Sengoku, he was about to ask something when he saw Vice Admiral Tsuru next to him and asked, "What's wrong?"
Vice Admiral Tsuru wore a pensive expression. "Something must have happened in the East Blue."
Hearing this, Garp became alert. Regardless of anything, the East Blue was his homeland. Moreover, at that very moment, Garp realized that this incident must be related to the Xuanwu Navy.
Approximately a few minutes later, Sengoku emerged from the Marshal's office and looked at Garp and Tsuru, who were standing outside the door. "Garp, Tsuru, we must go to the East Blue immediately."
"What happened?" Vice Admiral Tsuru inquired.
"The Xuanwu Navy has blockaded the East Blue and is carrying out large-scale arrests of the East Blue Navy. Vice Admiral Kaku has been captured," Sengoku stated with a heavy tone.
Garp gazed at Sengoku's expression, pondering, "The situation is likely more complicated than that. The strength of the East Blue Navy is considerable. Even with the Xuanwu Navy's actions, they would have been detected and some counterattack organized immediately. Judging by your appearance, it's as if the East Blue Navy base has been occupied."
Sengoku turned to look at his old comrade and after a pause, said with some helplessness, "The East Blue Navy base has indeed been occupied."
"What?" This time, Garp and Tsuru were truly shocked. Occupying a Navy base was tantamount to declaring complete severance from the World Government and an official declaration of war against their Navy, wasn't it?
"Kaku's clearance work was not thorough enough. The East Blue Navy base, and its various sub-branches, still contained a large number of rotten apples. The Xuanwu Navy conducted extensive investigations in secret, obtained sufficient evidence, and disseminated it before their operation. The East Blue Navy's internal structure was dismantled, making effective resistance impossible. Currently, the base has fallen."
Garp and Tsuru's mouths gaped open, their eyes filled with disbelief.
"How long?" Tsuru, realizing something, quickly asked.
"One day," Sengoku replied, his face dark and his teeth gritted.
"These damned rotten apples!" Garp fumed, clenching his fist and nearly punching Sengoku in the face. Sengoku glanced at Garp, with a hint of ferocity, as if to say, "My old friend, are you serious?"
Vice Admiral Tsuru immediately used her abilities to clean up the two of them. Once they calmed down, she said, "It's too late to organize forces to go there now." It would take at least ten days to half a month to travel from their location to the East Blue; they wouldn't make it in time.
"We'll go directly through the Calm Belt," Sengoku stated coldly and in a low voice. Sengoku knew very well that if this matter was not handled properly, its severity would be no less than any previous incident. For a nation, it was like a vast territory being snatched away, a great humiliation. The same applied to Marine Headquarters and the World Government at this time. This could not be allowed.
Garp and Tsuru exchanged glances, then fell silent. With the Marshal Kong's approval, the entire Marine Headquarters became busy. As orders were issued, various military branches around the East Blue immediately mobilized. Even some of the World Government's hidden forces began to move in secret. Sengoku, Garp, Tsuru, and other high-ranking officials departed Marine Headquarters aboard three special warships, heading for the Calm Belt, crossing the sea, and making their way to the East Blue at the fastest possible speed.
What happened in the East Blue naturally spread across the seas, its magnitude shocking everyone. After being suppressed by the World Government and Marine Headquarters, the Xuanwu Navy had finally bared its fangs. And while most eyes were focused on the East Blue, on Gourmet Island in the New World, a state of emergency military combat had also been declared. War God Lu Bu and the island master, Da Tengu Seifū, were also alerted and involved in the fighting.