As the battle between Red-Haired Shanks and Yun Lie concluded, the latest issue of the newspaper, like a bombshell, once again ignited the entire ocean.
The clash between a Four Emperors and a Shichibukai had already drawn attention from all sides, but who could have imagined that the Shichibukai would emerge unscathed!
Not only that, but the Shichibukai even caused the Four Emperors to exhibit a strange, unknown condition; Red Hair's iconic Red Hair had actually turned green!
Each piece of news was like a heavy hammer, striking at everyone's perception.
Was this a distortion of human nature, or a decline of morality?
Every word in the news reported Red-Haired Shanks's defeat in this battle.
Seven Water City, this legendary city, was now turned upside down by the Red Hair Pirates.
They frantically searched the city for traces of Yun Lie and his group, as if they wanted to overturn the entire city.
But Yun Lie and the others seemed to have vanished into thin air, leaving no trace.
Ultimately, under the dual pressure from the World Government and the restless, increasingly chaotic pirates of the New World, the Red Hair Pirates had no choice but to swallow their pride, give up the search, and, filled with resentment, sail towards the New World.
After all, the unrest in the New World had already begun, and those pirates who had long coveted the Red Hair Pirates' position felt their opportunity had come, eagerly preparing for action; they had to return to suppress the situation.
At the same time, at Marineford, the Marine Headquarters, the place symbolizing the highest authority of the Marine.
Fleet Admiral Sengoku sat in the main seat of the conference room, his face so grim it looked like it could drip water.
Below him sat a room full of high-ranking Marine officers, all generals or higher from Marineford; almost all who weren't on missions were gathered here.
"Regarding this matter, tell me your thoughts," Sengoku waved his hand, his voice low, tinged with a hint of fatigue.
A Marine immediately stepped forward and distributed the latest newspapers to the generals present, one by one.
Although many had already heard about it, seeing the content of the newspaper again still felt unbelievable.
Shichibukai, in everyone's previous understanding, weren't they just used to suppress those weaker pirates? How could they now rival a Four Emperors and even escape unscathed?
Many Marine generals initially refused to believe it, but the newspaper, with its detailed text and irrefutable evidence, forced them to accept the fact.
"A Shichibukai who can rival a Four Emperors might be a major force for our Marine; we could try to recruit him to join the Marine," Vice Admiral Yamakaji said slowly, biting on his cigar.
He had previously investigated Shichibukai Yun Lie and knew that Yun Lie had never committed evil, and as a bounty hunter, he had killed many pirates for the Marine. For these two points alone, he had a good impression of Yun Lie.
"It's impossible for a Shichibukai to submit to the Marine, and this fellow also possesses Conqueror's Haki; his ambition is definitely not small. I suggest we take advantage of his weakness and mobilize the entire Marine's strength to nip this potential threat in the bud!"
Vice Admiral Onigumo's expression was fierce, his tone cold, every word seemingly wrapped in frost.
Other generals also spoke up, expressing their diverse opinions. Some wanted to recruit Yun Lie and leverage his power; some suggested cooperating with him to jointly maintain order at sea; others advocated for directly arresting him to eliminate the hidden danger. Various ideas were put forward, leading to endless debate.
Watching this chaotic scene, Sengoku felt his head buzzing; with each Marine holding a different sense of justice, disagreements were naturally abundant.
Facing the current tricky problem, it was even harder to unify everyone's thoughts.
"Alright, quiet…"
"Buruburu~~"
Just as Sengoku was about to stop the chaotic discussion, the Den Den Mushi in his drawer suddenly rang.
This Den Den Mushi was no ordinary one; it was the exclusive Den Den Mushi of the World Government's highest authority!
Sengoku's expression shifted slightly, and he quickly picked up the Den Den Mushi, walking briskly towards the soundproof room nearby.
The generals watched Sengoku's hurried departure and all fell silent; no matter how many opinions they still held, they chose to remain quiet at this moment.
Only the high-ranking figures of the World Government could command such serious treatment from Fleet Admiral Sengoku, the highest authority of the Marine.
Not long after, Sengoku returned to the conference room, his face looking rather displeased.
He sat back in the main seat, looked at his eagerly awaiting generals, and finally spoke slowly: "Find Shichibukai Yun Lie's whereabouts with all your might, but do not use force. If necessary, ensure his safety."
As soon as these words were uttered, the conference room erupted.
The Marine protecting a Shichibukai—this was simply unheard of!
The faces of some Marine generals instantly turned extremely grim, almost to the point of openly questioning Fleet Admiral Sengoku on the spot.
"This is an order from the World Government. The meeting is adjourned here, and this topic is not to be brought up again. Dismissed!" Sengoku's voice rose a few octaves, carrying an undeniable authority.
Even if the generals were unconvinced, they dared not defy an order from the World Government.
Admiral Kizaru, in particular, maintained his usual detached demeanor and was the first to leave the conference room.
Soon, almost all the generals in the conference room had left, leaving only Sengoku, Vice Admiral Tsuru, and Garp, who was still leisurely eating senbei.
"Hahaha, Sengoku, what's wrong? Let me treat you to some senbei!"
Garp was still his carefree self, laughing heartily, not forgetting to comfort his good brother, and offering him his favorite senbei.
Sengoku was already annoyed, and seeing Garp like this made him even more frustrated; he wanted to get angry and swat away Garp's senbei.
But the familiar scent of senbei wafted into his nose, and despite his anger, he snatched the senbei from Garp's hand and poured it directly into his mouth.
"Hey, hey, hey, I only said I'd give you a bite, you can't eat it all!" Garp froze instantly, then reacted, reaching out to grab it back.
"Hmph, don't think I don't know, this senbei is what you swiped from my office!"
Sengoku finished the senbei in one bite, glaring fiercely at Garp as he spoke.
He could tell if it was the senbei from his office just by tasting it!
"Sengoku, what is the World Government's stance?" Vice Admiral Tsuru looked at the two men, who were acting like old children, and shook her head helplessly, then asked.
At crucial moments, it was up to her, the chief strategist, to manage the situation.