The young strategist standing across instinctively straightened his back.
"Report, Fleet Admiral. None of the deployed intelligence teams have returned any eyewitness reports yet."
"But rest assured," he continued briskly, stepping forward and pointing to several marked spots on the battle map.
"Islands around Whiskey Peak such as Drum Island, Thor Island, and Gaya Island have all been secured. Additionally..."
His finger moved toward the location of the Alabasta Kingdom.
"Considering they most likely obtained a permanent compass from Crocodile, we have stationed surveillance personnel at several key ports along the Santora River."
"If there's any news from anywhere, we will report it to you immediately!"
Sengoku stared at those red marks on the map, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper.
The deployments looked like an all-encompassing net, but that sly kid seemed to have vanished without a trace. Could it be...?
His gaze shifted downward to a small, inconspicuous island on the side of Whiskey Peak.
"Have we sent scouts to Little Garden?"
"That place?"
The strategist was stunned.
"No ships dare pass there normally—not to mention the threat of the Fishman of Food Island. Just the magnetic field alone requires a whole year to fully document, so we have..."
Brrrr-brrr-brrr
The Den Den Mushi on the desk suddenly emitted an urgent ringing, interrupting the strategist.
"Hello? This is Sengoku speaking."
Sengoku's expression changed sharply after listening for a moment.
"Really? Are you sure?"
"It's absolutely true, no mistake, Fleet Admiral!"
An excited voice came through the receiver.
"We have been staking out for three full days and only half an hour ago saw the Enders Pirates' ship dock at Thor Island!"
"Where are they now?" Sengoku asked immediately.
"They went straight into town, hitting every entertainment spot hard. Looks like they plan to indulge themselves here for a few days! If the headquarters sends people now, it's still not too late, Fleet Admiral!"
The air in the room instantly froze.
Sengoku slowly stood, his voice grave as he issued the order:
"Notify the three Admirals. Have them come to my office immediately."
"Yes, sir!"
The young strategist saluted eagerly and hurried off.
Within ten minutes, the three strongest forces of the Marine Headquarters arrived one by one in the Fleet Admiral's office.
Aokiji lazily leaned against the door frame, his eye patch crooked, clearly just woken from sleep.
"Arahara... so late and still making us work overtime?"
"No choice~~"
Kizaru sat cross-legged on the sofa, trimming his nails leisurely.
"That newcomer's momentum is just terrifying. Freshly set sail and already took down both Spider and the Seven Warlords..."
He dragged out his words, smiling faintly.
"If I were the Fleet Admiral, I wouldn't be able to sleep well either, letting a guy like that run wild unchecked."
"Shut up, Borsalino."
Sengoku shot him a glare.
"Get to the point. You know the situation. The news of Crocodile's death won't stay quiet for long. We must arrest this group before public opinion swells!"
"The others' fates matter little. The swordmaster Shano and the traitor hunter Smoker—capture those two alive if possible. Under that condition, who's willing to go?"
"Arahara..."
Aokiji yawned and lazily raised his hand.
"Then I'll go. I've been on leave for a while and haven't moved much."
"No, I'll go."
Before Aokiji could finish, a deep voice abruptly interrupted him.
Both Aokiji and Kizaru turned, surprised, toward the one who had entered silently and hadn't spoken yet—
Akainu stepped out from the shadows, eyes cold beneath his hat brim.
"If I'm not mistaken, Kuzan, you have a good relationship with Smoker. I can't trust you to completely sever ties with an old friend..."
"What do you mean by that?" Aokiji frowned.
"Exactly what I said."
Akainu's expression was flat.
"This kind of notorious scum who harms justice should be wiped out completely. I don't want anyone holding back for personal reasons and letting a trapped rat escape."
"Personal feelings?" Aokiji raised an eyebrow, scoffing.
"You mean your eagerness to avenge Spider?"
"Spider was one of our comrades who died protecting justice. Shouldn't we avenge him?"
The two stared coldly at each other, tension thick in the air.
"This atmosphere..." Kizaru blew nail clippings off his hand and shuffled back into the corner of the sofa.
"So scary~"
"Sakazuki!"
Sengoku's stern voice cut through the tension.
"Did you forget what I just said? If you want to go, you must try to capture them alive. That's an order. Understood?"
"…Understood."
After a moment's silence, Akainu nodded and headed for the door.
"But Fleet Admiral, the battlefield situation changes rapidly. If necessary, don't expect me to show mercy to traitors."
He left those words behind and strode out.
"…"
Aokiji narrowed his eyes slightly.
In the end, he said nothing and followed—though in a different direction.
Sengoku looked after their departing figures, then glanced at Kizaru still casually trimming his nails, sighed, and sat back behind his mountain of documents...
——————
At dawn, the morning mist over Little Garden hadn't yet lifted.
Shano stood on a clearing encircled by giant bones, stretching his sore shoulders and neck.
Last night's feast was overindulgent. He had thrown back drinks with two giants, consuming dozens of kilograms of strong liquor, and his temples still throbbed faintly.
He looked up at the sky. The sun had just peeked above the horizon, and the air still carried the lingering scent of last night's campfire embers.
"Huh, Shano-kun, you're up early!"
A thunderous voice suddenly came from behind, shaking the ground slightly.
Dorry carried his massive ten-meter-long sword, grinning as he walked over. Brogy followed quietly, using the flat of his axe as a mirror to comb his wild beard.
When he noticed Shano's gaze, Brogy hurriedly put away his axe and casually hummed a tune.
"Ready to go?"
Dorry grinned, showing a mouth full of white teeth.
"Training from Elbaf doesn't go easy on anyone."
"Couldn't ask for more."
Shano twisted his neck, excitement flashing in his eyes.
"Come on, you two old guys, bring it on!"
"Haha, then let's start..."
Dorry suddenly raised his giant sword and swung it down without warning.
Whoosh!
The screech of the blade tearing the air pierced Shano's eardrums. Without hesitation, he activated Razor and dodged swiftly to the left.
"Hahaha, here you are!"
Before landing, Brogy already anticipated Shano's position, swinging his axe horizontally with a laugh.
Startled, Shano instinctively leaned backward so far his upper body nearly touched the ground, narrowly avoiding the axe's edge.
Whoosh!
The axe barely grazed his scalp, the gust blowing his skin and making his pupils shrink in shock, but it also heightened his excitement.
Is it going to be this intense right from the start?
Compared to watching yesterday, feeling this terrifying wind pressure up close made him understand the true strength of these two legendary giants.
Not only were their powers incredible, but their speed and agility far exceeded what their huge bodies suggested.
Most importantly, their teamwork was outstanding. Their combined attacks were far more than the sum of two—bringing unprecedented pressure.
Perfect!
This is exactly what I wanted!
His gaze sharpened, fixated on Dorry's descending giant sword—
If things continue like this, it won't take long. Maybe by nightfall, I'll master Observation Haki!
"Warm-up's over, Shano-kun!"
Dorry's voice rang out just then.
"Be careful! Brogy and I are going all out now!"
In the next instant, a chilling sense of crisis surged, making his entire back break out in goosebumps—
"Elbaf Spear, Viking King!!"