Vice Admiral Jonathan's office felt smaller than usual with so many people crammed inside.
Admiral Sengoku sat behind the desk, his presence filling the room like a gathering storm. Chief of Staff Tsuru occupied one end of the sofa below, while Finn, Gion, Sakazuki, and Jonathan lined the remaining seats. The afternoon light filtering through the windows seemed dimmer than it should be, as if even the sun hesitated to witness what was about to unfold.
After the Battle of Spring Queen Island, these officers had chosen to gather at G-8 to discuss and assess the situation. No one spoke. The silence carried weight.
Sengoku held a document in his hand, his knuckles white from gripping it. His jaw was set, and the muscles around his eyes were tight. When he finally spoke, the words came out sharp and clipped.
"Twenty-one thousand, six hundred and twenty-three."
The number hung in the air.
Then Sengoku slammed the document onto the desk with enough force to make everyone except Tsuru flinch. His voice rose to a roar. "During the entire Spring Queen Island incident, our Marines sacrificed thousands of sailors! Twenty-seven warships were sunk! Spring Queen Island, the primary strategic barrier connecting the G-8 and G-7 bases in the northern and southern Calm Belts, was completely destroyed!"
He wasn't finished.
"The massive tsunami brought catastrophic damage to the surrounding islands: Water 7, Gourmet Island, Long Ring Island. Indirect casualties exceed thousand, with economic losses in the billions of berries!" Sengoku's fist came down on the desk again. "Tell me, aren't you ashamed?!"
Finn, Gion, Sakazuki, and Jonathan all lowered their heads under the verbal barrage. There was nothing to say. No defense to mount.
As Marines, you couldn't always claim victories. Sometimes you had to accept responsibility for defeats.
And this incident was indeed a major defeat for the Marine. More than a defeat, it was a rout that had triggered a catastrophic chain of events.
Sometimes the tides of war shifted with brutal, unexpected speed.
At first, everyone, including Finn, had believed the situation was straightforward: Douglas Bullet and Crocodile were fighting on Spring Queen Island. Nothing unusual about that. The two had been bitter rivals for years, clashing from the first half of the Grand Line all the way into the New World and back again. Their vendetta was well-documented.
The problem was that Douglas Bullet had begun to lose his sanity, making his threat level exponentially higher.
So when intelligence confirmed the situation, Admiral Sengoku had immediately ordered the formation of a Buster Call fleet. All Marine forces near Spring Queen Island were directed to cooperate in implementing the Buster Call protocol and eliminate Douglas Bullet permanently.
Standard procedure. Textbook response.
Until Finn and his forces landed on the island, there had been no mistakes in execution.
But then one person appeared, someone who seemed almost insignificant at the time, and that single individual caused the subsequent large-scale Marine retreat. That retreat naturally evolved into a catastrophic defeat.
That person was the pineapple-headed Marco.
His arrival had instantly transformed a controllable situation into an uncontrollable disaster.
As expected, Whitebeard's fleet appeared shortly afterward. Edward Newgate himself, the world's strongest man who should have been dominating the New World, materialized on Spring Queen Island like a force of nature.
His presence had fully demonstrated the destructive power and influence wielded by a top-tier pirate.
Even though he hadn't targeted the Marine deployment specifically, even though he'd only fought a fierce battle with Finn alone, the collateral damage had been staggering.
That was the power and influence of a top-tier pirate. And the battle at Spring Queen Island hadn't even been close to Whitebeard's full strength. He'd been holding back.
For someone like him, every move could genuinely influence the fate of the entire world.
This time, looked at optimistically, the damage had only affected a few islands near Spring Queen waters.
Viewed on a global scale, looked at pessimistically, it was almost insignificant.
But as Admiral Sengoku had just articulated, as Marines, they had failed to protect the nation and its people. Instead, they had brought disaster upon them. These senior officers, sitting here alive while so many were dead, didn't they feel ashamed? Were they worthy of the sacrifices made by their subordinates and those innocent civilians?
The silence stretched.
Then Sengoku raised his hand to cover his eyes, his voice dropping to something pained. "But you shouldn't be the ones ashamed. You were just following my orders. It's me, Sengoku, who should bear the shame. I am the one most responsible for this defeat."
He paused, hand still covering his face.
"On the contrary, Finn remained calm under pressure. Tsuru executed a swift rescue operation. Jonathan managed excellent tactical arrangements. Sakazuki displayed fearlessness during the Buster Call deployment. All of you deserve credit for your actions."
The words caught everyone off guard.
Finn and the others immediately responded in unison. "Admiral, it was our mistake!"
"Shut up!" Sengoku's hand slammed down on the table again, his eyes blazing as he glared at them. "Wrong is wrong! The deaths of thousands of sailors and thousands of civilians are Sengoku's responsibility! Do you think I can't bear it?!"
The fury in his voice silenced them instantly.
But in that moment when Sengoku looked up, Finn caught something. The Admiral's eyes were slightly moist, the shine of barely-contained emotion visible despite his anger.
He was heartbroken.
To be honest, Finn hadn't felt much at first. Even on that day, when they'd escaped across the tsunami, he'd still been in the mood to express admiration for Newgate's strength to Vice Admiral Jonathan. The scale of the casualties had been abstract, distant.
But now, seeing the furious and grieving Sengoku before him, Finn suddenly seemed to understand something deeper.
It wasn't something that could be easily explained or understood through words alone. It was a realization that settled in his bones.
Sengoku's gaze focused on Finn and Sakazuki specifically, his voice turning deadly serious. "Finn, Sakazuki, you two must remember today's events. Never forget them. I also hope that you both can understand the true meaning behind this."
Both younger officers froze, then their expressions shifted subtly, as if something fundamental had just clicked into place.
Finn had no idea what Sakazuki was feeling in that moment.
But he understood now, with sudden clarity, that the power and status he'd been pursuing, the ranks of Admiral and Fleet Admiral, carried more than just the authority of "commanding the world's forces with millions under his command."
They carried the crushing weight of thousands upon thousands of lives depending on his judgment.
Just like Admiral Sengoku. A man who had lived gloriously and achieved tremendous military success, but if he made a single mistake, thousands of sailors could die.
Not numbers on a report. Lives.
Finn and Sakazuki both felt the weight of that realization, but neither spoke.
At that moment, Chief of Staff Tsuru finally broke her silence. "The primary responsibility for this deployment error lies with me. As the head of the Intelligence Department, I failed to even notice that the Whitebeard Pirates had left the New World. I should bear full responsibility."
Sengoku wasn't polite, despite his close relationship with Tsuru. Despite the rumors that had circulated among Marine officers for years about their past connection.
This time, Sengoku didn't waste words. His voice was cold, official.
"Tsuru, your mistake is undeniable. You will be punished accordingly. Your Vice Admiral rank will be suspended for two years. Your position as Chief of Staff is hereby revoked. The Intelligence Department will be subjected to a full investigation to identify the source of this failure. You and your subordinates will face court-martial proceedings. The trial will commence at Enies Lobby in two weeks, and Fleet Admiral Kong will personally oversee the verdict."
The pronouncement was devastating.
With all of that, Chief of Staff Tsuru was essentially being reduced to a hollow position. She would lose her Chief of Staff title, receive no Vice Admiral benefits or salary for two years, and retain only the empty rank.
Her reputation as Chief of Staff was shattered. It was brutal.
Worse still was the court-martial.
While Tsuru herself might not face execution given her rank and service record, there would definitely be officers from the Intelligence Department brought before the military tribunal and put to death. Scapegoats would be found. Blood would be spilled to satisfy justice.
After all, although ultimate responsibility lay with Admiral Sengoku, if examined carefully, his strategic judgment hadn't actually been flawed.
He'd made reasonable decisions based on faulty intelligence provided by the Intelligence Department.
From a macro perspective, Sengoku's arrangements had all been sound.
Therefore, the one who had truly made the critical error was Vice Admiral Tsuru.
Gion's body tensed, clearly about to speak up in Tsuru's defense. But before she could open her mouth, Finn's hand shot out and grabbed her wrist. His grip was firm, his expression serious and solemn.
"Stand down," he said quietly.
Gion froze, staring at him in shock. "But..."
"Do you think you're the only one here who has a good relationship with the Chief of Staff?" Finn's tone was sharp, his eyes boring into hers.
Gion's protest died in her throat. She paused, understanding dawning, then finally sighed and said nothing more.
Because Finn was right.
Did Gion think she was the only one present who shared a close bond with Tsuru, as close as sisters?
Hadn't Finn also been raised and mentored by the Chief of Staff?
Didn't Admiral Sengoku himself possibly have an even deeper connection to her, if the old rumors held any truth?
So why weren't they speaking up to plead for mercy?
It wasn't just because of the seriousness of the matter. Speaking now would be an insult to Tsuru herself, as if they were implying she couldn't take responsibility for her own actions.
"Yes," Tsuru responded softly, her voice steady despite the weight of the judgment.
After she spoke, something seemed to lift from her shoulders. The self-blame that had been crushing her appeared to ease slightly, though she also looked noticeably older than she had moments before.
Afterward, Admiral Sengoku didn't announce what punishment he himself would face, nor did he pursue any disciplinary action against Finn and the others.
Finn and his group were actually blameless. Their individual performances had been quite good under impossible circumstances.
But Admiral Sengoku would definitely suffer consequences. Not from Enies Lobby's tribunal, but from the pressure exerted by the World Government itself. He simply wasn't saying it aloud.
Finn and the others wouldn't ask such tactless questions. After all, they weren't that bastard Garp, blundering through sensitive situations without care.
"Let's move past that for now," Sengoku said after taking a moment to compose himself. His voice regained some of its usual authoritative tone. "The most pressing issue is managing the fallout from this incident. Fortunately, you've captured Douglas Bullet, so our Marines won't be left completely without some foothold in this failure."
No one among Finn's group spoke up. No one dared claim credit for that capture.
"As for Crocodile, his whereabouts remain unknown and he could not be captured. We cannot rule out the possibility that he died there, though intelligence suggests he's likely still alive. That man is too cunning to die so easily. However, he's not a priority target, so we don't need to focus on him for now." Sengoku's gaze shifted to Finn. "Finn."
"Yes!" Finn responded immediately, straightening in his seat.
"The strategic advantages of Spring Queen Island's location are obvious, and our deployment doctrine cannot be changed easily. You will be responsible for relocating a suitable landmass to that position. We need to rebuild Spring Queen Island. Can you handle it?"
"No problem!" Finn nodded without hesitation.
It was just a bit of effort using his gravity powers. Really not an issue.
Sengoku nodded, then turned his attention to Jonathan. "Vice Admiral Jonathan, from now on, your G-8 and Finn's G-7 will work together on this matter to rebuild the Marine base on Spring Queen Island. After that, I'll be appointing Dalmatian as the base commander of the new G-6 base. You two will assist him in establishing G-6's infrastructure."
Vice Admiral Jonathan's expression didn't change. "Understood, Admiral."
Finn naturally had no objections either. This was simply what needed to be done.
Afterward, Admiral Sengoku issued instructions for numerous follow-up arrangements, concluding the emergency strategic meeting.
As everyone stood to leave, Sengoku spoke again. "Finn, please stay. I need to speak with you privately."
Though confused, Finn settled back onto the sofa as the others filed out. The door closed behind them with a soft click.
Soon, Sengoku set down the documents he'd been holding and looked directly at Finn. "What do you think, after fighting against that bastard Whitebeard?"
Finn scratched his head briefly, considering the question. Then he said, "At least at this stage, he should be genuinely invincible, right?"
"That's correct." Sengoku's voice was quiet, almost contemplative. Then his expression hardened. "I just received intelligence that Fishman Island has officially placed itself under the protection of the Whitebeard Pirates. As one of the critical hubs connecting the first and second halves of the Grand Line, if Fishman Island is controlled by the Whitebeard Pirates, you should understand what kind of impact this will have."
Finn's eyes narrowed slightly as he processed the implications. "The Whitebeard Pirates will become progressively stronger. They'll have the power to select and filter the first wave of capable rookies entering the New World. They can essentially choose who gets through and who doesn't."
"Exactly right." Sengoku nodded, then asked, "Do you have any strategic ideas for countering this development?"
Finn was silent for a long moment, his mind racing through possibilities and scenarios. Political pressure on Fishman Island? Military intervention? Alternative routes?
Finally, he shook his head. "No. Nothing viable."
Sengoku studied him for several seconds after hearing this response, his expression unreadable. Then he waved his hand in dismissal. "Alright. I just wanted to speak with you for a few moments. Go and get busy."
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