Soon, the news that thousands of civilians had entered Marineford, the Marine Headquarters was reported up the chain of command.
At first, a rear admiral handled the matter, but the situation quickly grew beyond his control.
Uneasy, the major general under his command immediately passed the report to his superior Vice Admiral Garp's colleague, Vice Admiral Gumir.
"Thousands of civilians… entered Marineford?"
Upon hearing this, Gumir shot up from his seat, staring at the officer in disbelief.
"Yes, Vice Admiral Gumir."
The major general looked ready to cry under the weight of his superior's gaze. But facts were facts, this was happening right now.
"However… it has been confirmed. They are all civilians."
The major general spoke cautiously, as though each word carried the weight of judgment.
"If they weren't civilians, I'd already have them sent to Enies Lobby for trial."
Gumir's expression was cold and unreadable as he said this.
"..."
The major general dared not breathe too loudly, let alone argue.
"Go to Fleet Admiral Sengoku and report this immediately. I'll go take a look myself...just in case."
Even if their identities were confirmed, something about this didn't sit right. Thousands of people slipping into Marineford at once?
It was impossible for such a thing to be without problems. If anything went wrong here, the fallout would be catastrophic.
"Yes, sir!"
The major general saluted and rushed toward Sengoku's office as fast as his legs would carry him.
"Tch…"
Gumir let out a long sigh, then picked up his twin swords and strode out.
---
Marineford — Border Between the Open Zone and the Restricted Military Area
The Marines stationed at the junction tensed instantly. Before them, a massive crowd of civilians thousands strong was steadily approaching.
"Requesting support! We've got thousands of people advancing toward us...purpose unknown!"
The commodore in charge wasted no time reporting the situation.
"Calm yourselves. There won't be any problems."
A firm voice cut through the tension. Vice Admiral Gumir stepped forward, his presence immediately steadying the troops.
"Vice Admiral Gumir!"
The commodore let out a sigh of relief at the sight of him.
"Don't panic. Stay sharp, but don't rush things," Gumir ordered calmly. Then his eyes narrowed as he turned toward the sea of civilians gathering before them.
A wave of Haki spread out from him, sweeping across the crowd. Gumir's expression softened slightly, there was no hostility in their aura.
Ordinary civilians, through and through.
Except… his gaze fixed on the young woman at the front. Her strength wasn't trivial...comparable to a Marine lieutenant at best.
But compared to the power gathered here in Marineford, that was hardly enough to pose a threat.
"So they really are civilians?"
Gumir frowned, doubt lingering in his eyes. But why would thousands of civilians show up here of all places? To enlist? To stage some kind of protest?
While Gumir pondered, Fleet Admiral Sengoku had already received the report. Wary of any surprises, he dispatched Admiral Kuzan to the scene.
With his Devil Fruit powers, Kuzan could freeze and control the entire situation in an instant if necessary.
As extra insurance, Sengoku also sent word to Admiral Borsalino. If things escalated, two Admirals on site would guarantee order.
Even if Whitebeard himself tried to slip in among the crowd, they could still lock him away in Impel Down.
Hidden within the throng, a reporter from the World Economic News nervously clutched a mini transponder snail, secretly broadcasting the unfolding scene from multiple angles.
"This is a military restricted zone," Gumir announced sternly, his voice carrying over the crowd of nearly five thousand.
"If you're here for sightseeing, you'll need to return to the open area."
Inside, Gumir felt like chewing out the officers who had verified the civilians' identities. Seriously? You confirm five thousand strangers and don't think there's a problem?
At that moment, a familiar voice rang out from the front of the crowd.
"We're not here for sightseeing. We came to speak with the Admirals of the Marines."
The speaker was Bell-mère, a former Marine. Standing tall at the front, she fixed Gumir with a firm, unwavering stare.
As a veteran herself, she immediately recognized him as a Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral.
But in her mind, this matter was far beyond his authority. Only an Admiral or even the Fleet Admiral himself could give a proper answer this time.
"...You want to meet the Admirals of the Marines?" Gumir's eyes narrowed slightly.
His heart tightened, but on the surface his face remained calm.
"Everyone, I am Vice Admiral Gumir of Marine Headquarters. Whatever grievances you have, you may speak with me directly."
But his words were drowned out almost instantly.
"What about an Admiral? Or even the Fleet Admiral himself? Please, let them meet with us!"
"Listen to us! Please hear our suffering!!"
"Our village...ever since five years ago has been blackmailed by the Marines at Naval Base 147! Every month they extort us, calling it a 'protection fee'!"
"Vice Admiral, our town was completely slaughtered by pirates drawn in by Naval Base 78—because we couldn't keep paying them!"
"Fleet Admiral! Please help us! The girls of our village were taken away three years ago by Marines, and they've never returned! When will they be freed?!"
"High Lords of the Navy…!!"
One voice rose after another, thousands of throats crying out in unison.
The combined roar of nearly 10 thousand civilians surged like a tidal wave, echoing across all of Marineford.
"...Tch!"
Gumir's face darkened, and even Kuzan who had just arrived showed a rare change in expression.
"You can't just throw accusations like this," Gumir demanded sharply, fixing his gaze on Bell-mère at the front.
"Do you have any evidence?!"
If such claims spread unchecked, it would be catastrophic for the Marines.
Bell-mère stepped forward without flinching.
"Every single person here came because they have proof. And no one without it would dare risk setting foot in Marineford."
"...!"
Gumir sucked in a sharp breath. Nearly 10 thousand people, all with evidence?
His face turned grim. If that's true… then the sky above the Marines is about to collapse.
Closing his eyes, Gumir clenched his fists. This was far too big. A mere Vice Admiral couldn't possibly handle it.
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