At Marine Headquarters, Marineford, in the press conference venue.
By the time Sengoku, Tsuru, and Garp arrived, the press conference had already been underway for some time.
Marine Commodore Brannew, with his green curly hair and sunglasses, was serving as the main spokesperson and was in the middle of a Q&A session with reporters.
"Excuse me, has Luo Chen been brought back to Marineford? What are the Marines' subsequent plans for his disposition? Direct execution, or temporary imprisonment in Impel Down?" a reporter asked.
Brannew smiled politely. "The person has been captured and is being personally brought back to Marineford by Admiral Kuzan. After the trial is complete, he will be imprisoned in Impel Down to await final execution."
Hearing this, Garp's eye twitched slightly.
'The person has not been captured. Admiral Kuzan is on his way to capture him...' That would be a more accurate statement.
While he was sending someone up to have Brannew end the press conference, another reporter asked a question.
"I heard that in Alabasta, Luo Chen defeated Vice Admiral Onigumo and one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, Crocodile, and that both were seriously injured. Is this true?"
Brannew's expression turned slightly grim. He nodded in tacit agreement.
The reporters were in an uproar.
Someone couldn't help but ask loudly, "Defeating a Vice Admiral and a Warlord... if a new bounty were to be issued for Luo Chen, how much would the Marines set it at?"
Brannew's expression was firm and cold. "Luo Chen has already been brought to justice. The Marines have punished this lawless, arrogant villain. His wanted poster will be revoked soon and will never be issued again."
In the audience, Garp picked his nose.
Sengoku's and Tsuru's faces were very grim.
'Wanted poster?'
It would be one thing if Aokiji could catch him quickly.
If he couldn't, not only would the wanted poster not be revoked, but the bounty would surely have to be increased.
The reporters wanted to ask more questions, but a Marine hurriedly ran onto the stage and had Brannew pause the press conference.
At that moment, the special Den Den Mushi that Sengoku carried with him rang.
He glanced at it, and his expression changed slightly. It was a call from the Five Elders.
With only Tsuru and Garp beside him, Sengoku did not leave and answered directly.
"Sengoku, didn't you say you had captured Luo Chen?! What happened on Star Island!" an old and annoyed voice rang out.
Sengoku was stunned. 'Star Island?'
'Isn't that an island located at the edge of the Calm Belt, where the Marine G-7 branch base is established? What does that have to do with Luo Chen...' Sengoku's face changed, and a bad premonition arose.
Could it be that Luo Chen had appeared on Star Island?
And had made a move on the Marine base?
Sengoku explained, "Saint Saturn, the capture of Luo Chen failed. We were deceived by him using unknown means and failed to capture the man himself."
"I have not yet received any news from Star Island. I will have Aokiji head there immediately to capture Luo Chen."
"Enough! How are you the Fleet Admiral, and you still don't know about such a major incident on Star Island?!"
From the Den Den Mushi, Saint Saturn's furious voice came through.
This made Garp prick up his ears.
'The Five Elders are furious. That's even rarer. And it's also related to Luo Chen.'
'How can this pirate brat be so troublesome? Even the Five Elders, the highest authority in the World Government, are enraged.'
"Saint Lorenzo was killed by Luo Chen on Star Island, and the Heavenly Tribute was stolen. Luo Chen and Nico Robin got away clean."
Saint Saturn's cold yet furious voice came through.
Garp's eyes widened, and he stared at the Den Den Mushi.
'A Celestial Dragon was killed?!'
'The Heavenly Tribute was stolen too?'
The severity of this incident was no less than the emergence of another Yonko-level great pirate on the seas!
Tsuru's expression also changed.
The hand Sengoku was holding the Den Den Mushi with trembled, and his face turned slightly pale.
Not only had they failed to capture Luo Chen, but he had also committed such a heinous crime.
His lips trembled, but for a moment, he couldn't speak.
Even for the Fleet Admiral Sengoku, this series of blows was hard to bear. He felt as if the sky were falling.
A Celestial Dragon had been killed at a Marine base.
The Heavenly Tribute had been stolen.
And the criminal was the very Luo Chen he had proclaimed had already been captured.
Sengoku felt as if each incident were a knife stabbing into his heart, the pain unbearable.
He suddenly spat out a large mouthful of blood, his vision went black, and his thoughts were in a complete jumble.
"Sengoku!" Garp called out in a low voice, quickly supporting the swaying Sengoku.
"Garp, Tsuru, send a message to Aokiji. Tell him to go to Star Island. Capture... he must capture Luo Chen!" Sengoku's mouth was full of blood, and the beard on his chin was also stained red.
His face was as pale as gold paper as he gripped Tsuru's and Garp's hands tightly.
Garp could clearly see a look of pleading and nervousness in Sengoku's eyes as he looked at Tsuru, a look he had never seen before.
This was something he had never witnessed.
Sengoku had never shown such weakness.
It was as if he were worried that Tsuru would not help him.
Garp was puzzled, but then he heard Sengoku say, "Garp, you go first. Quick."
"Alright," Garp said, suppressing his doubts and quickly leaving to contact Aokiji.
Backstage, Tsuru glanced at Garp's retreating back, her face filled with anger. "Sengoku, things are now completely out of control!"
Sengoku coughed up the congested blood in his throat and gave a miserable smile.
"Tsuru, I know you're not happy about the pursuit of Luo Chen, but there's no turning back now. Even if the matter in the East Blue is clarified, the World Government will not forgive him... he... he killed a Celestial Dragon."
Tsuru said angrily, "If you had followed my advice that day and had Onigumo return to Headquarters and froze Luo Chen's bounty, how would things have come to this?!"
Sengoku was silent for a moment, then asked, "Is there a necessary connection between killing a Celestial Dragon and the Marine pursuit?"
He said, "Luo Chen did this of his own volition. Our pursuit, on the contrary, made him reveal his rebellious heart against the Celestial Dragons and the World Government ahead of time."
"If not for the incident in the East Blue, and he had continued to rise through the ranks of the Marines, and then in the future assassinated a Celestial Dragon and rebelled against the World Government, the losses would have been even greater."
"Looking at the results alone, I was right."
Tsuru laughed in anger. "Right? Sengoku, you're just engaging in sophistry! You're reversing cause and effect!"
'Using an outcome that has only just happened to forcibly whitewash a past mistake.'
'Sengoku has lost all face.'
As if seeing her old friend of many years for the first time, her eyes were filled with both disappointment and indignation.
Sengoku adjusted his reflective glasses and said, "Luo Chen has killed a Celestial Dragon. Whether the reason for his wanted poster was just or not is no longer meaningful."
"He must pay the price for his evil deeds and arrogance."
Tsuru said coldly, "I will not help you with the Luo Chen matter."
Sengoku said slowly, "There's no need. With Aokiji, Kizaru, and the others, Luo Chen has nowhere to run."
Tsuru sneered. "I have a feeling you're going to take a big fall over Luo Chen. He escaped from Kuzan once, you know."
She turned to leave. "Sengoku, Luo Chen once said that you and Onigumo would regret it. That day is not far off. Also, from this day forward, you and I... our bond is severed."
Sengoku watched Tsuru's resolute back, his body trembling violently.
'Regret? He did have some regrets.'
'But so what?'
'Luo Chen might have been able to escape from an Admiral once, but there was no way he could escape a second time. Luo Chen would not have the chance to make him regret it. Not only Aokiji, but Sengoku was also going to recall Kizaru to join the pursuit of Luo Chen. With two Admirals, Luo Chen would have no path to heaven and no gate to earth. Sengoku wasn't worried at all.'
What truly made his heart feel as if it were being torn apart was Tsuru's declaration of severing their bond.
The two had fought side by side in the Marines since they were young and had been through life and death together many times.
Their feelings were deep. They were not husband and wife, but they cherished each other far more than any married couple.
Now, Tsuru had chosen to part ways with him because of Luo Chen.
Sengoku closed his eyes in pain.
'Luo Chen... because of you, I have lost my closest friend of many years.'
'Because of you, the prestige of the Marines has been hit again and again.'
'Because of you, I have made a choice that goes against the justice in my heart.'
'If I don't kill you, I cannot quell the hatred in my heart!'
[Reviews - Power St0nes - Comments are highly appreciated to keep me going.....(+50 chapters) patre0n.c0m/talecrafter]