Luffy subconsciously touched his cheek, which had just stopped swelling, and silently nodded.
Seeing this, Nami beamed, quickly crawling out of his arms. She grabbed Koala's hand and pulled her along excitedly.
"Come on, accompany me to practice Armament Haki. I need to master it as soon as possible!"
Koala, ever the generous mentor, agreed without hesitation and decided to act as Nami's temporary teacher.
Robin, watching the two figures disappear toward the training grounds, hesitated for a moment before standing up to follow them.
As one of the few in the crew who hadn't yet developed a strong sense of Haki, she couldn't shake the feeling of urgency creeping into her heart.
Meanwhile, the rest of the crew also lost interest in leisure and left in small groups, each setting off for their own training or preparations.
Luffy thought for a moment, then called for Hancock, deciding it was time to seek inspiration in strengthening his Conqueror's Haki alongside her.
Marine Headquarters – Fleet Admiral's Office
Upon receiving Luffy's request for assistance, Fleet Admiral Sengoku wasted no time in making the necessary arrangements.
His first move was to contact Vice Admiral Gion, instructing her to set sail for Wano Country immediately.
At the same time, he sent a message to Admiral Akainu, who was currently stationed at Sabaody Archipelago, clearing out pirates from the 27th district. He ordered him to travel to the Marine G-14 Branch, to stand by for further orders.
Additionally, he issued a directive to Admiral Kizaru, who was still on standby at Punk Hazard, to remain ready for deployment in case an emergency arose in Wano.
As for Garp, Sengoku didn't even bother making arrangements for him.
There was no need.
Regardless of orders, if Luffy ever found himself in grave danger, Garp would personally step in without hesitation. That much was certain.
Sengoku exhaled heavily and crossed his arms, surveying the officers gathered before him.
"With this level of combat power, it should be enough.
As much as Kaido may not accept the fact that Wano Country has been taken from him, breaking through our encirclement won't be easy.
And as reckless as he can be, Charlotte Linlin isn't the type to throw herself into a losing battle for no reason."
Chief of Staff Tsuru nodded in agreement. She sat calmly at the table, her words clear and methodical.
"If things go as predicted, Kaido may try to resist, but Linlin will be much more cautious.
That hesitation will give us the perfect opportunity to eliminate Kaido and correct the failure of our last encounter."
Fleet Admiral Sengoku and the three Vice Admirals—Comil, Yamakaji, and Doberman—listened carefully. Each one nodded thoughtfully at Tsuru's analysis.
However, Sengoku was still cautious.
"Tsuru, your analysis is solid, but let's not forget—we're dealing with pirates.
And pirates rarely follow logic or rules.
Wano Country isn't just any territory—it's a strategic location for the government, a primary production base for Seastone.
Under no circumstances can we afford to lose control of it.
That's why we need to take every precaution, no matter how small."
Sengoku turned his sharp gaze toward the three Vice Admirals. He reached for a document on his desk and handed it to them.
"To further support the G-66 Branch, I'm sending you three to Wano in person.
Your mission is to deliver the supplies listed here to Vice Admiral Luffy and ensure they reach him safely.
Additionally, you'll be retrieving the latest batch of Seastone products from Wano's mines.
Once the extraction is complete, you'll transport the goods on this list to Sabaody Archipelago."
The three Vice Admirals studied the document carefully.
Comil and Yamakaji, both seasoned and disciplined masrines, accepted their orders without question. They simply nodded, ready to carry out their mission.
But Doberman, the scar-faced Vice Admiral known for his blunt nature, furrowed his brows. He clutched the list tightly in his hands, his expression darkening as he read further.
Something caught his attention.
His gaze landed on an item that didn't quite belong—a computer shipment bound for Sabaody.
Doberman hesitated before speaking up, unable to suppress his doubt.
"Fleet Admiral, the Marines are a military force responsible for securing the seas, not some delivery service for merchants.
Why are we using our warships to transport goods that have no direct strategic value?"
At his words, a heavy silence filled the room.
Comil and Yamakaji exchanged quick, nervous glances.
'He actually said it out loud…?'
Even Tsuru, who had remained composed thus far, blinked in mild surprise.
'This idiot really doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut.'
Slowly, she turned her head toward Sengoku.
As expected, the Fleet Admiral's expression darkened immediately.
A vein pulsed at his temple as his fingers tightened into a fist. His entire demeanor became icy cold, his rage barely contained.
Then, with a furious motion, Sengoku reached into his desk, pulled out the Marine's latest military budget report, and slammed it onto the table.
The impact echoed through the office.
"Do you think I want to be a goddamn delivery man?!" Sengoku's voice boomed across the room, filled with unrestrained fury.
The room went dead silent.
"You know why we're in this mess?! Kizaru let Vegapunk escape! That one blunder infuriated the Five Elders, and they slashed our military budget!
Do you have any idea how much funding we lost because of that incident?!"
Doberman's face paled slightly, but Sengoku wasn't finished.
"If it weren't for Vice Admiral Luffy, who recognized our financial crisis and secured this supply deal for us, we'd be completely screwed!
Forget about chasing pirates—we wouldn't even have the money to pay your damn salary!
So tell me, Doberman, do you want to continue sailing in rusty old warships with weapons that barely function?
Do you want to send underpaid, demoralized Marines to fight against Emperors and massive pirate crews?!
Or…" Sengoku narrowed his eyes, his voice lowering dangerously, "would you rather temporarily act as a transporter and use the funds we secure to maintain the Marines' current strength?"
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Marvel : The God Of Punishment System
I Am Raditz
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