Chapter 321: Navy Secretary-General!
"Yakos launched an attack on the Dragon Hunter Pirates... if Ryuunosuke gets involved," Sengoku said gravely, "he'll be dead."
Garp let out a dismissive grunt.
Though Garp and Yakos shared a strained past, the friction between them was more than just professional—Yakos hadn't returned to Marineford for years, largely because of Garp's presence. Their relationship had long since soured.
Still, Yakos was a Vice Admiral of the Marine Headquarters. His strength was no joke—comparable to a full-fledged Admiral.
If someone like him were to fall at the hands of the Dragon Hunter Pirates, the consequences for the Navy would be severe.
"He's a grown man," Garp said with a frown. "Shouldn't he be responsible for his own reckless decisions?"
He crossed his arms and scoffed.
"What, you expect me to tell Ryuunosuke, 'Hey, don't kill that lunatic, he's one of ours'? Tch. That guy's always been nuts."
Sengoku stayed silent. He knew Garp wasn't exaggerating.
This wasn't just about rivalries or grudges. Yakos had always been difficult—abrasive, impulsive, and obsessed with a decades-old feud over something as petty as a name. A man like that inevitably invites disaster.
Still, if Yakos provoked the Dragon Hunter Pirates, then the blame—and the consequences—were his alone to bear.
"You're right," Sengoku finally muttered. "No matter how we look at it, it's not worth reigniting a war with the Dragon Hunters over one man's ego. Especially not now."
Garp nodded solemnly.
"The last time, we were lucky. They showed restraint. But if we push them again—don't expect mercy."
Favors, after all, were a two-way street. If you didn't offer respect, how could you expect any in return?
Sengoku turned to a nearby marine.
"Inform Sakazuki. Let him decide how to respond to this mess."
Just then, a communications officer arrived, standing at attention in Garp's yard.
"Advisors Garp and Sengoku—your presence is requested at a Navy Headquarters meeting."
"A meeting?" Garp raised an eyebrow. "Now?"
It had been a long time since the Navy convened its top brass. The last major assembly was during the war with the Dragon Hunter Pirates.
Since then, everyone had been licking their wounds—recovering from injuries, reorganizing ranks, and handling the internal fractures that had spread like cracks across the Navy's foundation.
For a meeting to be called now… something big was happening.
"Understood. We'll head there immediately," Sengoku replied.
Minutes later, the two elder marines stepped into the main conference hall.
They weren't alone.
Vice Admiral Tsuru, Rear Admiral Gion, Onigumo, and numerous high-ranking officers were already present. Even the three Admirals—Fujitora, Ryokugyu, and Borsalino—were in attendance.
Garp and Sengoku were the last to arrive.
But what caught everyone's attention wasn't them—it was the empty seat to Sakazuki's left.
Normally, Borsalino sat there. Now, he had shifted to the right, making space for someone else.
Someone important.
"All present," Sakazuki said flatly. "Wendis, let's hear it."
The air tensed immediately.
Everyone turned toward the source of the voice that hadn't yet spoken.
And then, he appeared.
A man in a dark government uniform stepped forward from seemingly nowhere and took the vacant seat.
Behind him stood a familiar face—Blueno from CP0, the user of the Door-Door Fruit. Clearly, they'd been waiting in an adjacent dimensional space all along.
"I bring orders from the World Government," Wendis announced with a calm, diplomatic smile. "Effective immediately, the Seven Warlords of the Sea are hereby abolished."
Gasps rippled through the room.
"All privileges and protections extended to the Shichibukai are revoked. They are now considered enemies of justice and will be pursued accordingly."
That alone would have been enough to send shockwaves through the room.
But Wendis wasn't done.
"To aid this transition, the World Government will be deploying a support force of 500 Pacifistas under Admiral Borsalino's command. Furthermore, world conscription will resume immediately. And finally…"
He paused with a smirk.
"…all top-tier warships and upgraded naval armaments will be allocated to your disposal."
Sengoku's jaw tightened. Garp scowled.
The room fell into a heavy silence.
It wasn't that this announcement came out of nowhere. The warning signs had been there.
During the war at Mary Geoise, the World Government had summoned the Seven Warlords. Not one had answered.
Weevil had already been killed. Buggy vanished—wise enough to avoid clashing with the Dragon Hunters. Hancock, Mihawk, and Doflamingo outright ignored the order. Law refused, stating he had his own mission.
And with Doflamingo now backed by Ryuunosuke, the balance of power had shifted even further.
The Warlord system had become obsolete—a relic of the past.
Now, the World Government wanted to clean house. And while they claimed this was about justice, everyone in that room knew the truth.
This was about power.
A desperate attempt to reassert authority after the humiliation at Mary Geoise. A move to silence the growing doubts among allied nations, and to reinforce the Heavenly Tribute system that was already crumbling.
Vice Admiral Tsuru was the first to speak.
"So… this meeting wasn't a discussion at all. It's a delivery."
Wendis didn't even blink.
"You could say that. The Navy's logistics, strategy, and deployments are all ready. The new ships have improved speed, combat potential, and defense systems. World conscription protocols are already in place. You've done it before—you know how it works."
As he spoke, Tsuru's eyes narrowed.
This wasn't just oversight.
It was control.
Never before had the World Government directly embedded a representative within the Navy chain of command to this degree. This Wendis… he wasn't going anywhere.
She glanced at Sakazuki.
Sure enough, the Fleet Admiral kept his expression unreadable, but his silence said it all.
He knew.
He allowed this.
And now, the Navy's independence was hanging by a thread.
Wendis clasped his hands behind his back.
"Oh, one more thing," he added with a smile. "I'm not just a messenger. As of today, I'm officially a member of the Navy. My position is 'Secretary-General of Marine Headquarters.' I'll be coordinating operations directly with Fleet Admiral Sakazuki."
He bowed slightly.
"I look forward to your cooperation."
Crane looked back toward Sakazuki, eyes cold with understanding.
So this was it.
A permanent government agent embedded within the Navy's core leadership. The title "Secretary-General" was just window dressing.
The leash had finally been clipped to the collar.
She wanted to say something. So did Sengoku. But they said nothing.
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