A few days later, at the Marine Headquarters, Marineford, a meeting was held.
The senior officials who stayed at the Marine Headquarters gathered in the conference room.
At this moment, everyone kept silent, their faces solemn, so that the only sound in the entire conference room was the sound of flipping through documents.
Sengoku sat in the main seat, looking at the intelligence just sent by the CP organization and the transfer order from the World Government while frowning: "Has this day finally come?"
"I knew that Shiki was not a peaceful person. He was good at making the sea a mess."
"But his legs had already been cut off by him when he escaped from prison, and there was a ship's rudder on his head that had penetrated deep into his skull. But he still had the fighting power to easily suppress White Knight Gawain?"
"No. Should I say that it is White Knight Gawain who has the fighting power to escape unscathed from him?!"
You have to know that when the name Gawain appeared in Sengoku's sight half a year ago, he was still a pirate with a bounty of only 200 million.
Any of the high-ranking marine officers present here can easily defeat him.
But in just half a year, he first killed the former warlord and then defeated the former admiral, Zephyr, head-on.
If Sengoku could still understand this, then the strength he had to fight Golden Lion head-on was already outrageous.
"There are probably only a few people in the Marines who are capable of suppressing White Knight Gawain. This growth rate..."
For the first time, Sengoku began to doubt whether he had made the right decision to allow White Knight Gawain to join the Warlord system.
But he knew even more clearly that given Zephyr's popularity within the Marines, under such circumstances, neither the Marines nor the World Government would have any choice.
"Maybe in a year or two, this guy will be able to compete with the four emperors."
After saying this, Sengoku couldn't help but shake his head, feeling that his idea was a little unrealistic.
However, the solemn expressions on the faces of the senior marine officers in the conference room and the increasingly solemn atmosphere around them kept reminding him that such a thing was definitely not impossible.
"Haaa…"
Sengoku took a deep breath and lowered his voice: "What do you think about this matter?"
"Given Shiki's danger, we must not let him go."
Akainu's face was cold and hard, and the cigar in his mouth was burning. The whole conference room became hot the moment he opened his mouth: "More than decades ago, that guy almost destroyed half of the Marine Headquarters."
"In terms of strategic threat to the Marines alone, the Float-Float Fruit is comparable to Whitebeard's Quake-Quake Fruit!"
"I think everyone here has not forgotten it, right?"
"When we faced the Golden Lion Pirate's fleet and were beaten and fled in panic?"
"That's a disgrace to the Marines!"
After these words were spoken, everyone's brows furrowed even more tightly.
Most of those who can step by step sit in the position of Vice-Admiral of the Marines. They have experienced the era of Golden Lion Pirates, and they know better how much pressure that man brings to the Marines.
"Admiral Akainu is right. The threat posed by Golden Lion must be eliminated as soon as possible."
"White Knight Gawain, Crocodile, and Golden Lion, the three forces gathered in Alabasta, it is definitely not just a coincidence; there must be a conspiracy!"
"Yes, that country is part of the affiliated country and one of the twenty countries that created the World Government, but everyone here should know that that country is absolutely an outlier."
"Maybe there is some ulterior motive behind it."
The discussions of the crowd gradually rose, and the conference room suddenly became noisy, but the next moment, it was interrupted by a sudden voice.
"I'll go take a look at this matter."
"I just happen to have something I want to ask White Knight Gawain."
The moment this voice appeared, the entire conference room fell silent.
Even Kizaru, who was looking lazy, sat up straight and looked towards a corner of the meeting room.
Zephyr was at the intersection of everyone's eyes, but there was no discomfort on his face, only an indescribable indifference.
He has removed the Battle Smasher from his right arm and replaced it with a lighter prosthesis.
He no longer had the courage and bravery he had before, but the domineering aura that he unintentionally exuded made those present feel indescribably frightened.
This man had been through so much; he was already depressed, old, and had lost everything.
But because he was captured by White Knight Gawain, his faith was enriched, and his spirit was renewed.
What kind of magic power does that man have?
At this moment, not only the senior officers present but also Sengoku had such questions in their hearts.
After a brief silence, everyone's attention was focused on Sengoku, causing him to suddenly clench the documents in his hand.
Since Zephyr was captured by Gawain last time, his attitude towards the Marines and pirates has changed dramatically.
He no longer avoided the struggle for power with Sengoku and even put forward many opinions that were contrary to his.
His whole body seemed to be more sharp, as if he was living a second life.
Sengoku didn't know whether it was a good thing or a bad thing, but the emergence of a second voice within the Marines would inevitably lead to a decline in cohesion.
As a result, the control over the four seas and the paradise will decline rapidly.
Without waiting for Sengoku to speak, Zephyr continued: "Sengoku, I told you that the orders of the World Government are not necessarily correct, nor do they necessarily represent justice."
"To truly understand what justice is, we must first understand what evil is."
"Is it the pirates who created this era, or is it this era that created the pirates? What is it that caused countless civilians to die—"
Bang!
The document in Sengoku's hand fell on the table, interrupting Zephyr's speech. Then his eyes revealed a bit of undisguised anger: "Zephyr, do you know what you are talking about?"
Zephyr did not back down and stood up directly: "Then what are you afraid of?"
Sengoku's breath was choked, and his face looked extremely ugly, but it was not because of Zephyr's defiance.
He knew Zephyr's past, and he knew what this man had sacrificed for the Marines and for justice.
But precisely because of this understanding, he hesitated again and again in dealing with Zephyr's problem.
But what Zephyr blurted out today was already shaking the Marines's roots, which he could not tolerate.
How could he not know the problems that Zephyr already knew and the dark side of the World Government?
But there is no absolute justice in this world!
A direct confrontation with the World Government will ultimately drag the world back into the quagmire of war.
The number of people who died because of this would be astronomical. Compared with this, the little sacrifice now is so insignificant!
Maintaining the balance of the overall situation and reducing the number of civilians sacrificed as much as possible is the only way out!
When thinking of this, Sengoku's eyes turned red, and two cold words came out of his mouth: "Go out!"
"Sengoku!"
Zephyr suddenly spoke, but it was still a step too late. Then, he turned around and left without any hesitation.
Squeak!
The office door opened, and the dazzling sunlight shone in, hitting Zephyr and casting a tall shadow on everyone in the conference room.
Sengoku looked at this scene and felt indescribable guilt in his heart, but he became firm in the next moment.
This is for justice!
The Marines' righteousness!
"The meeting continues now!"
As soon as Sengoku finished speaking, Aokiji stood up. He raised his hand and scratched his head, his voice still as lazy as before: "Ahh…"
"I'll go look after Mr. Zephyr, so he won't do anything impulsive."
Sengoku nodded indifferently.
Seeing this, Aokiji did not stop and turned around to chase after Zephyr's back.
Bang!
The door to the conference room closed.
The dim light fell on everyone's faces, illuminating faces with different expressions.
Sengoku took a deep breath, suppressed his complicated emotions, and said coldly,
"Borsalino, go and take care of Alabasta's affairs."
"The Glint-Glint Fruit has the ability to fly and suppress a large area of the battlefield. It was originally prepared to deal with people with special abilities like Golden Lion."
"Now is the time to use it."
Kizaru nodded and said weakly: "Understood."
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