The same events weren't confined to just G-10; they were unfolding across various other branches as well. Orders from the Aircraft Force high command demanded unwavering cooperation from all branches.
In no time, rumors swept through the entirety of the Grand Line's first half, making everyone wary.
Even with all his strategic prowess, Dragon couldn't fathom why the Marines would suddenly target him this time.
Above the azure sky, within the confines of a warship's command room...
"Report!"
"Admiral, a total of three thousand nine hundred aircraft have reached their designated positions, communication links are stable, awaiting your orders!"
A messenger entered the room, gave a brief salute to Akainu and the others, and then approached Rowen to deliver the situation report.
Though Tsuru was the overall commander of this operation, her authority wasn't absolute.
The privilege to mobilize Aircraft Forces from other branches still belonged solely to Rowen. Even Sengoku only had the authority to command the branch bases, leaving the dispatch and coordination of aircraft support to each respective branch.
The Marines weren't a single-minded entity; they were more like a forest.
Different regions had different lords, with Sengoku merely being the king of this forest.
"Understood. Inform all aircraft to proceed towards the designated signals, be cautious of islands along the way, and prioritize stealth at all times."
Despite his words, Rowen knew that whether deploying the Battleship Force or the soaring Aircraft Force, they couldn't evade the Revolutionary Army's watchful eyes.
Their objective was simply to create a gap in information, a timing disparity.
"Yes, sir!"
As the messenger left, Rowen stood before the sand table, using a pointer to move the aircraft models, saying, "This is our current deployment. As you can see, even with the speed of the aircraft, it will take us a week to reach Baltigo."
Pointing at the aircraft models representing their forces on the sand table, Rowen asked, "The vanguard forces will arrive in at most three days. How should we allocate the remaining time?"
Naturally, the instinct was to charge ahead and seize the ports and coastlines.
Akainu remained calm, silently contemplating. However, dealing with the cunning Revolutionary Army, experts in countering pirates, posed significant challenges to such straightforward tactics.
Thus, he kept his thoughts to himself.
"Have them remain on standby, prioritize patrol, and monitor the seas."
As the overall commander of the operation, Tsuru asserted, "Dragon hails from the Marines, possessing submarine technology. We lack the capability to block the seas beneath."
"He's as cunning as a fox, and stirring him up recklessly won't do us any good."
Hence, Dragon was indeed the Marines' greatest adversary.
As the saying goes, "Knowing The Self, Knowing The Enemy, and you will win a Hundred Battles," he lived up to it.
He never resorted to extreme measures; even after so many years of the Revolutionary Army's existence, they only operated in gray areas until they were formally recognized as a threat in the Levely discussions of 1518.
"Shouldn't we try to force his hand?" Rowen asked tentatively. "Dragon isn't the type to leave his subordinates to fend for themselves. He'll undoubtedly stay behind to oversee operations until the major forces have been relocated."
"It's a tempting idea, but we don't know what awaits us in Baltigo," Tsuru shook her head. "If it's just a secretive base, and we startle them, they'll scatter, and we'll be left with nothing."
"Our intelligence on the enemy is limited; we haven't fully grasped their capabilities."
Fair enough.
Rowen nodded in understanding.
"It's suspected to be the headquarters of the Revolutionary Army," but without solid evidence.
Before being certain of the enemy's identity, Tsuru naturally chose the most prudent course of action.
After all... Rowen couldn't just outright tell her that it was indeed the headquarters of the Revolutionary Army, could he?
...
Grand Line, Baltigo.
Dragon had been in a good mood lately. Robin ultimately didn't agree to join the Revolutionary Army, but she promised to help them decipher information, thus repaying the debt of gratitude for saving her.
It was a mutually beneficial arrangement.
But even in a "transaction," there existed a kind of camaraderie that Dragon feared losing.
Establishing trust through this collaboration laid the groundwork for future endeavors in persuading Robin.
Moreover, with Koala around, one of his right-hand individuals, Sabo's childhood friend, surprisingly found common ground with Robin.
Having once been a slave to the Celestial Dragons, Koala used to tremble in fear, kneeling to scrub the floors every time she made a mistake, hoping to avoid a beating.
The psychological scars she carried ran deep, and her hatred for the Celestial Dragons was equally profound.
Out of sisterly concern, Robin felt deeply for Koala, finding it incredible how innocent and pure she seemed now, their interactions fostering a bond akin to sisters.
"Oh? Trafalgar has accepted the position of Shichibukai already?"
In the desolate wasteland within Baltigo's interior, stood an inconspicuous, dilapidated city fortress.
Judging solely by its rundown appearance, no one would ever think this place was the renowned headquarters of the Revolutionary Army.
The heart within the heart!
At this moment, Dragon sat in his office, perusing the latest batch of gathered intelligence.
Looking at the information collected by the Intelligence Department, he was slightly surprised, lamenting, "I understand this little guy. He has irreconcilable conflicts with the government... It's a pity he's thrown his lot in with the Soryu; otherwise, we could have persuaded him."
"Leader, this Surgeon of Death is an Operation-Operation Fruit user. I believe attempting to persuade him would bring more harm than good."
The head of the Intelligence Department sighed inwardly, knowing the Leader had grown accustomed to hardship and tended to seek out talent for recruitment. "Legend has it that the ultimate ability of the Operation-Operation Fruit, 'Perennial Youth Operation,' can grant eternal youth. Even though no one cares about him now, once his fruit awakens, he'll have plenty of people seeking trouble with him."
The cost of using the Perennial Youth Operation is not to be taken lightly.
The prerequisites for its use are extremely stringent!
Until the fruit is awakened, the Operation-Operation Fruit is at most considered a peculiar Paramecia with combat capabilities, and no one pays it much attention.
What's more important is that nobody wants to incur his wrath.
Otherwise, he could simply manipulate and sabotage you, leaving you to perish on the operating table!
Such a crucial figure, even Marine's Soryu dares not reveal.
Rowen's recruitment of Law was deduced by the Revolutionary Army through many undisclosed channels.
If the Revolutionary Army were to emulate Rowen's recruitment of Law, the consequences...
Would be far more severe than when they stole government data last time!
The Revolutionary Army would face joint sanctions from all ambitious factions in the sea, making any progress nearly impossible.
"I understand. When recruiting talent, one must also consider the cost." Dragon chuckled awkwardly as he spoke.
This world was just so unreasonable.
A powerful Devil Fruit alone could elevate you to an invincible position, making all sides wary.
"Oh, by the way, taking Robin away this time might anger Soryu. Do you know if he's planning anything?" Dragon continued his inquiry after a moment of thought.
"Not at the moment. I heard he had a falling out with some troublemakers from the Nibelung Family, so he's probably confined to Headquarters now. Sengoku isn't keen on making him a political scapegoat," The Intelligence Department head replied.
"That Ridiculous political maneuvering again," Dragon shook his head.
If he had a Monster like Soryu on his side, there wouldn't even be time to recruit him. But just for the sake of some imagined power, the Nibelung Family was willing to abandon even Soryu.
"However, Marine's recent movements are a bit strange," The Intelligence Department head said, twirling his pen. "Our scouts have observed a large-scale mobilization of the Aircraft Force, but there's been no sign of reinforcements in the New World, and we don't know where they've gone."
The Aircraft Force?
Dragon's heart skipped a beat. "How many have been deployed?"
As the overall commander of the Aircraft Force, Soryu could tell whether he was involved based on the number mobilized.
"So far, signs of aircraft mobilization have been spotted only in G-8, G-9, and G-10. There should be a few hundred."
The number was delicate, just at the limit of what Sengoku could mobilize even without Rowen's involvement.
"Keep investigating. We must find out where these aircraft have gone!"
"Yes, sir!"
With his orders given, Dragon lost interest in further investigation. Having been away from Marines for many years, he wasn't very familiar with this emerging force, and the mobility and firepower advantages of aircraft had always been a concern for him.
Several hundred war aircraft could easily overturn a Large-Scale kingdom like Alabasta! With enough resources, they could execute quests across the seas. At the moment, it was like searching for a needle in a haystack; there were no leads to follow.
"Sengoku wouldn't be so heartless as to throw Rowen to the wolves at this time," Dragon silently contemplated.
"Without a monumental achievement to his name, he could easily sink for the trouble he caused with the Celestial Dragons!"
(End of this chapter)
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