The hurried figure shattered the joyful mood in an instant.
The tension that had just begun to ease snapped taut again.
Tsuru, a contemporary of Sengoku and Garp, wasn't just a Vice Admiral—she was the Chief of Naval Staff, the nerve center of Marine intelligence.
If even someone like her looked shaken, this couldn't be anything ordinary.
Luoyu furrowed his brow, thoughts racing. One possibility loomed largest.
"Tsuru, what happened? Even you look rattled. Don't tell me the Five Elders are already here to demand answers?"
Sengoku's face darkened. He spoke quickly.
He hadn't expected those flimsy excuses to fool the Five Elders.
He was already prepared to take the fall.
Everything he'd done was to keep Zephyr from defecting—and to keep CP0 from exploiting the chaos.
Now, all eyes turned to Tsuru.
She glanced at the intel in her hand, then spoke:
"No. Even if the Five Elders are coming, they wouldn't arrive this fast."
"Just now, Rose received a transmission from Blackbeard—Marshall D. Teach. He wants to make a deal with Marine HQ. He's offering to replace Crocodile as the new Warlord of the Sea."
A new Warlord?
Faces shifted. A strange silence fell.
Then, almost in unison, everyone glanced at the stretcher-bound Weevil.
—
In the past, every new Warlord candidate would send shockwaves through the Navy.
But now, after Weevil?
The title had lost some of its shine.
—
If Blackbeard knew what had just happened here, would he still be so eager to claim the title?
—
"Tsuru, you're saying Blackbeard wants to replace Crocodile?" Sengoku asked, pushing aside his unease.
"Didn't he just assassinate Whitebeard's Fourth Division Commander, Thatch? Isn't he being hunted by the Whitebeard Pirates? What gives him the confidence to propose a deal now?"
—
Many officers had heard of the incident.
Blackbeard's madness had shocked even them.
But they were just as curious—what leverage did he have?
—
"Is he offering Fire Fist Ace as a bargaining chip?" Luoyu said quietly.
—
He remembered the scene on Whitebeard's ship just weeks ago.
The gears of the era were turning again.
—
"Fire Fist Ace?" Sengoku's expression changed. "You mean the one who refused the Warlord offer and became Whitebeard's Second Division Commander?"
"He lost to Blackbeard? We underestimated him."
"If Blackbeard really captured Ace, the Five Elders will agree to the deal without hesitation."
"Tsuru, is it true? Does Blackbeard have Ace?"
—
Tsuru glanced at Luoyu, surprised by his accuracy, then nodded.
"Just as Admiral Luoyu guessed—Blackbeard's bargaining chip is Fire Fist Ace."
"But he added a twist. He claims Ace carries a secret that could shatter the era itself."
"He's certain we won't be able to resist the temptation—and that we'll accept his terms."
—
Her face turned grave.
"Sengoku, I don't know what this secret is. But this was an internal Whitebeard matter. If we intervene, we must be ready for retaliation."
"If we accept the deal, we'll need to send someone to meet Blackbeard in the Chelsean Sea in five days."
—
Ace?
—
In the crowd, Garp's face turned ashen.
His fists clenched, palms slick with sweat.
—
Ever since Ace and Luffy had gone to sea, this was the news he'd dreaded most.
He would rather they vanished into the ocean—
Than face them again as enemies.
—
This… this was worse than death.
—
But there was nothing he could do now.
He could only grit his teeth and listen.
—
Luoyu took a sip of liquor, quietly watching Garp's reaction.
But he wasn't a bleeding heart.
He'd already repaid Garp's past kindness with that warning aboard Whitebeard's ship.
He wasn't about to wade into this mess for free.
—
As the room fell silent, Sengoku weighed the situation.
He couldn't guess what Blackbeard's "secret" was.
But Ace alone was enough.
—
After a moment's thought, he said:
"Tsuru, inform Blackbeard that Marine HQ accepts the deal."
"And issue orders—every Marine base is to enter combat readiness. Prepare for a possible Whitebeard retaliation."
"This… is a major event."
—
Garp fell silent.
He'd expected this decision.
But hearing it aloud still felt like a gut punch.
—
"Understood, Fleet Admiral. I'll handle it immediately," Tsuru replied.
"But Blackbeard is the kind of man who'd kill his own crew. I don't trust him."
"We'll need an Admiral to handle the exchange personally."
—
An Admiral?
—
The officers stirred.
No one objected.
But when it came to Warlord negotiations—
All eyes turned to one man.
—
Luoyu nearly choked on his drink.
Was he the Navy's official Warlord Liaison now?
—
Sengoku looked at him.
Luoyu took another swig and chuckled.
—
Sengoku's face twitched.
Through gritted teeth, he said:
"Fine. I get it. You want a bonus. You don't have to say it."
—
"Heh. Old man Sengoku, this is a premium service. Of course there's a surcharge," Luoyu said with a dry laugh.
"But don't worry. I'll bring them back alive."
—
Everyone had expected Luoyu to say something like that.
But still, Sengoku felt a headache coming on.
—
He glanced at Weevil on the stretcher, then glared at Luoyu.
"Not just bring them back alive—bring back the living version of them."
"Otherwise, I'll have a hard time explaining this to the Five Elders."
—