Marine Headquarters — Marineford.
Fleet Admiral Sengoku studied the report in his hands. A rare expression of satisfaction crossed his face.
"G-5 Base Commander Vergo… finally someone willing to work."
Vice Admiral Tsuru asked calmly:
"What is he volunteering for this time?"
Sengoku replied, "He wants to participate in the mission to apprehend Zephyr."
The room fell silent.
Present were Sengoku, Tsuru, Garp, and Aokiji — all of whom had personal ties to Zephyr: former comrades, former students.
Garp clenched his fist, visibly upset.
"The World Government is unbelievable. How could they appoint Edward Weevil as a Shichibukai? They didn't consider Zephyr's feelings at all!"
Aokiji nodded slightly.
"Teacher Zephyr's status in the Marines is unparalleled. The Government doing this… won't it chill the hearts of every Marine under its command?"
The root of Zephyr's defection was obvious to everyone in the room:
—The World Government.
—The Five Elders.
They had deliberately recruited Zephyr's greatest enemy.
Sengoku had already argued with the Five Elders about it, but the defection was irreversible. All he could do was move forward.
He sighed.
"What's done is done. We can only issue the capture order. If Zephyr destroys all three Endpoints, the entire world will be in danger."
He looked at the three veterans.
"I originally intended to send an admiral. But the movements of Kaido, Whitebeard, and Shanks have made the New World unstable. Headquarters cannot afford to weaken its main battle strength."
"Since Base Commander Vergo volunteered, let him go."
"And Aokiji — the Smoker you recommended is one of Zephyr's old students. He might be able to persuade Zephyr to turn back."
Garp, Tsuru, and Aokiji exchanged glances and accepted the decision.
There simply wasn't a better option.
New World — G-5 Base
Vergo received the official reply from Marine Headquarters, along with all newly gathered intelligence regarding Zephyr's movements.
Pleased, he immediately mobilized G-5.
Every available warship was prepared for deployment.
Smoker was summoned as well.
Upon hearing the mission was to capture his former instructor, Smoker's expression froze. He wanted to speak up — but ultimately stayed silent.
For one, Vergo was the kind of commander who dismissed objections outright.
For another…
Zephyr really had defected, and his objective threatened the entire world.
Smoker didn't know how to even begin pleading for him.
Three warships departed G-5 in formation, led personally by Vergo.
Tashigi watched Smoker's stiff expression and asked gently:
"Commodore Smoker… are you still upset about yesterday? About what happened with Commander Vergo?"
Yesterday, in front of hundreds of G-5 Marines, Smoker had been defeated instantly.
Anyone would feel humiliated — especially someone as prideful as him.
Smoker shook his head.
"The weak obey the strong. I lost. Nothing more to say. I came to the New World to improve myself."
Tashigi hesitated.
"Then… are you troubled because of—"
Smoker interrupted her.
"Tashigi, who taught you swordsmanship?"
Tashigi lowered her gaze to her prized blade, Shigure.
"An elder in the Marines. One of the senior instructors."
Smoker nodded.
"Right. Most of what we know — our skills, our discipline — all came from our seniors."
He stared across the sea, fists tightening.
"And then one day, the people above us ignore those seniors' feelings completely… and bring in their enemies as allies. Tell me, Tashigi — is that not absurd?"
Tashigi's eyes widened.
"Why… why would our superiors do that?"
"Because the Government is full of bastards!"
Smoker slammed the railing, voice low with anger.
"That's the justice we serve… the justice of the World Government!"
Tashigi trembled.
Her worldview — simple and idealistic — was cracking.
She had always believed Marines stood for justice, pirates for evil.
Yet the Government's behavior sounded more reprehensible than anything pirates had ever done.
Meanwhile, Vergo had already contacted Roxing privately.
Upon receiving the news, Roxing also set out from Wano.
This time, he did not conceal his appearance — nor did he make a show of himself.
Few in the outside world had seen his real face anyway.
And after training in the Time-Gravity Chamber, his Haki and physical ability had risen significantly.
Unless two or more Yonko-level opponents ambushed him at once, Roxing could disengage at will.
He also had a new escort:
A towering, hulking figure over ten meters tall — Drought Jack.
Roxing had not brought Jack to Skypiea, to Dressrosa, nor to Thriller Bark.
But as the young master of the Beasts Pirates, he could not neglect his major officers.
Jack was ecstatic.
Finally allowed to act as vanguard again, he seemed filled with energy.
Roxing smirked.
"Your opponent this time is a former Marine Admiral. Even after evolving your Zoan into a Mythical model with a Dragon-Class Monster Cell, you may not win easily."
Jack grunted with zero hesitation.
"Let's get close and start fighting. I'll deal with him head-on."
To be fair—
In pure close-quarters combat, aside from Kaido himself, neither King nor Queen could match Jack anymore.
The Dragon-Class Monster Cell had pushed Jack's defense to absurd levels — to the point he could bathe in Akainu's magma and walk out alive.
Magma was among the deadliest forces in the world.
The fact that Jack could endure it, even briefly, was monstrous.
And even if someone managed to injure him, the regenerative power of a Mythical Zoan would rapidly heal him.
In simple terms:
Jack had become a high-defense, high-endurance tank.
Even if he couldn't overpower an enemy directly, he could wear them down until they fell.
Former Admiral Zephyr was strong — but aging.
Against Jack in a drawn-out battle, defeat was only a matter of time.
And Vergo's Marines would be present as well.
Roxing wasn't worried.
He didn't even plan to fight.
He was, after all, "just a scientist" — actual combat should be handled by those assigned to it.
One day later.
Roxing and Drought Jack arrived at a peculiar island — an expanse of jagged red rock.
The battlefield ahead.
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