"Maybe… what if Captain Rodin has the ability to copy others? Like, copy their abilities or even the people themselves?"
A Vice Admiral's wild suggestion broke the silence.
"You mean… he could copy a Warlord of the Sea?"
"But if he can copy a Devil Fruit, why would he copy an entire person… and turn them into a woman?" Another officer asked, a strange expression on his face.
"That's not the point. We'll figure out his abilities once we've caught him," someone else interjected.
"Indeed. The Rodin Pirates' crew is growing rapidly, and every member seems to have the strength of a Warlord. It would be incredibly dangerous to let them continue to develop," another Vice-Admiral added.
The room, filled with high-ranking Marine officers, buzzed with theories and concerns. Kizaru, perched at the table, nodded occasionally, adding his own thoughts.
"Alright!" Sengoku slammed his hand on the table, and the chaotic conference room fell silent.
"This isn't about his abilities! The focus is on Rodin's next move!"
"There's no doubt that his target is another Warlord of the Sea," Tsuru responded calmly.
"I've already figured that out, so…" The main event was coming. Everyone leaned forward, waiting for the Fleet Admiral's decisive words.
Sengoku, however, took a leisurely sip of his tea, making everyone wait with bated breath.
"It's better to turn passive into active," he declared, clearing his throat. His tone was firm and unwavering. "We will forcibly recruit all of the Seven Warlords of the Sea!"
You want to tear down the system? Fine. Let's see you try and fight all of them at once!
"Forcibly recruiting them all just to deal with a single pirate crew? No one has ever received this kind of attention before, have they?" a Vice Admiral muttered. The Warlords were considered the third great power of the Grand Line. If they were to unite, their power would be immense.
"But… will they even come?" another officer questioned.
"Hmph. This is about their own interests," Akainu growled, interrupting before anyone could finish. "If they don't come, then we'll just clean them up one by one!"
This was Akainu's terrifying brand of justice.
"Sengoku," Tsuru said, "What about the Holy Land?"
"I'll discuss it with them," Sengoku replied with a nod. "This isn't just the World Government's resolve; it's the determination of the entire Marine force!"
Two Warlords were already gone. If this continued, things would only get worse. Not only would the public become worried, but even within the Marine ranks, there would be turmoil.
"Dispatch all Marine branches in the first half of the Grand Line and increase the search! The Cipher Pol will also provide maximum cooperation. As long as he's here, we will find him sooner or later!" Sengoku's tone was absolute. "We must be ready for battle at any time and deploy our forces in advance."
"Do we really need to send so many people for them?" Aokiji asked, crossing his legs casually. "Rodin's own strength is still unclear, isn't it?"
"It stands to reason that with a crew like that, the captain can't be weak," a Vice Admiral countered.
"I can't agree," another said. "Have you ever considered that his ability is only auxiliary, and that he's actually weak himself?"
The room fell silent as everyone's hearts trembled. A weak man?
That would explain why he was rarely seen fighting. It would explain why he relied on his crew. Everyone suddenly had a new, plausible theory.
"Admiral Kizaru," Sengoku said, turning to him, "you got closest to him. What do you think of his strength?"
"This, old man…" Kizaru pouted. "I didn't see him make a move either."
He seemed reluctant to answer.
Suddenly, a loud snore filled the room.
"Garp!" Sengoku yelled, jolting the sleeping hero awake. "What do you think?!"
"Crackers?" Garp asked, confused. "Sengoku, did you steal them again?!"
The room fell silent once more. It wasn't until Tsuru reminded him of the topic that Garp finally understood.
"Oh, that kid," Garp said, picking his nose with a bored expression. "He's worth about one punch. But he has Conqueror's Haki, so maybe he just hasn't grown up yet."
"Compared to his personal strength," Kizaru said, tapping the table with his bandaged finger. "His whereabouts will be difficult to determine. His pirate ship is suspected to have the ability to fly. It'll be hard to find them. He might even head to the New World, so we can't be sure."
Suddenly, a Vice Admiral with a large sword on his back burst into the room. "Fleet Admiral Sengoku! There's an important report from Water 7!"
"What happened?" Sengoku demanded.
"Ro… Rodin's crew! They've… they've gone to Water 7!" the Vice Admiral stammered, swallowing nervously.
Kizaru's face darkened instantly.
"What!" Sengoku stood up abruptly, ignoring Kizaru. "Why would he go to that place?!"
"We don't know yet."
"You don't know?! Hurry! Quickly mobilize the Warlords!" Sengoku's face was grim. "Also prepare the warships, ready to be dispatched at any time!"
He looked at the three Admirals, a silent question in his eyes. While all three couldn't leave the headquarters at once, sending one or two was definitely an option.
"We still need to discuss who to send," Tsuru reminded him. "If we scare the snake, it will be extremely disadvantageous."
Water 7 was an important shipbuilding hub. If Rodin were to threaten the lives of the citizens or important figures there, a full-scale assault would be impossible.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku!" another Marine rushed in.
"Now what?!" Sengoku groaned, feeling the weight of his position.
"In the New World… the Yonko Kaido has made a move!"
"What did you say? At a time like this?!"
Everyone was speechless. A vein popped out on Sengoku's forehead. Kaido. The man who seemed to seek death every few months, forcing them to divert their forces to deal with him. What a pain!
"Ignore it for now! We'll deal with that after the Warlords arrive! And make sure someone is supervising the situation in Water 7!"