"Garp, you sure know how to joke. You left last year chasing after that, Roger, and never bothered to return. Look at Sengoku here; he always makes sure to report back frequently." Zephyr teased Garp in a lighthearted banter, the three of them were thick friends, along with Tsuru.
"Say, Sengoku, have you got any good premium teas for me to taste? I've missed those novel snacks that you bring back," Garp continued, wanting to tease Sengoku, who seemed to look serious, but Garp knew this was him trying to portray himself as serious.
"Garp, you bastard, don't you dare touch my things! The last time you left for the sea, you emptied the entire warehouse of my favorite snacks," Sengoku fumed with righteous anger.
I tried to make sense of the situation. Three Admiral-level figures were discussing snacks. I couldn't help but sigh.
Zephyr, who was catching up with the others, noticed my gaze and turned towards me. "So, Garp, is this the new kid that you have taken under your wing? Sengoku here said that you threatened him with a death match for wanting to snatch the kid," he questioned curiously, as my prowess had reached the ears of most of the Marine higher-ups.
"Haha, you're right. This is the brat. Don't be fooled by how polite he looks; he's one cunning fellow. But his talent is undeniable. I've never come across such talent in my life," Garp boasted about my prowess in front of his friends, but I remained calm, showing little reaction.
"Well, at least he has good manners, unlike you, Garp. Are you sure you don't want me to take over as his sensei? I'm even ready to adopt him if the child wants," Sengoku offered, trying to rile up Garp, while I couldn't help but roll my eyes, and Garp simply scoffed.
"The kid's quite good, Garp. He hasn't let his guard down since he got off the warship, even though he's in Marineford," Zephyr remarked, probing me since my arrival on Marineford, but I kept my Observation Haki active, not giving him any loopholes.
"Zephyr, it seems like you've found yourself a protege too? Who's the new kid? Seems like he's a good seedling," Garp noted, having noticed Vergo earlier and having a rough estimate of his talent by probing him, as the kid also used Observation Haki all this while, making him a top-level talent even among the elites.
"This is my son, Vergo. Like you said, Garp, he's a diamond in the rough. Probably, he will carry on my legacy in the future," Zephyr explained, and the rest immediately understood what Zephyr meant by a son. Zephyr had only been married for about four years now, and his son should be three this year, so Vergo must be a son that Zephyr had adopted.
However, unlike the others, I was inwardly shocked at how Vergo had achieved such a feat. At best, Vergo had only left the Donquixote family three months ago, after consuming the mythical Zoan that I had sent back. But now Zephyr was saying that he had taken Vergo in as his adopted son. In the whole family, only Doffy and I knew that Vergo was assigned such a covert task. Even the other Cadres had no idea about it.
Vergo's mission seemed simple, but it was also a huge task that lay ahead of him. Unlike in the Canon, I didn't want Vergo to be a simple spy. I wanted him to grow up and become the perfect Marine. And Doffy had strictly ordered him only to share information in case it was a life-threatening matter for the Donquixote family. Also, under my insistence, Doffy had ordered Vergo to achieve the feat of becoming the next Marine hero. Vergo was my linchpin in getting the Marines under our control in the future.
Although Vergo had only been with the family for a year, his loyalty to Doffy was absolute, and he didn't think twice after being assigned such a perilous task; he gratefully accepted it.
After a few minutes of catching up, Zephyr led the others towards the elite training camp, which had grown popular in recent years. Dragon had been part of the first batch of recruits to undergo training there. The duration in the camp varied depending on the age of the Marine recruits, and upon clearing the elite camp training, they would be directly assigned to the post of commissioned officers based on their strength and contributions during their tenure in the Marines.
As Zephyr guided us through the new batch of graduates, I noticed how the presence of a Marine Hero had changed the atmosphere in the training grounds. It was clear that even the combined prestige of Zephyr and Sengoku couldn't match up to Garp's.
Recalling the current information, I realized that Zephyr had yet to undergo the tragedies of his life. From the way things were progressing, it seemed that the World Government had set its sights on Zephyr. Perhaps the upcoming mission to hunt the remnants of the Rock Pirates was merely a distraction to deplete the Naval HQ of its highest level combat powers.
Turning to Garp, who was assessing the future mainstays of the Marines, I asked, "Garp Sensei, is the Fleet Admiral here at the HQ right now?" I needed to confirm my theory.
It was Admiral Sengoku who answered my question, as Garp seemed unaware of it. "No, Kong-san left for Mary Geoise this morning. There's an important meeting scheduled next week regarding the upcoming budget allocation for the Marines, so Kong-san left a week ahead to make preparations."
Sengoku didn't pay much attention to my question, assuming it was casual curiosity. But Dragon, standing beside me, noticed my frown and whispered in a barely audible tone, "Ross, what's happening? Why are you inquiring about the Fleet Admiral?"
"Dragon-san, when are we set to depart for the mission regarding the Rocks Pirates? And how much of the HQ's forces are being mobilized?" I replied quietly, knowing Dragon respected my keen intellect and could engage in mature conversations.
I had to make preparations if my speculations were correct. This might be an opportunity for Vergo to find a firm spot in Zephyr's heart. Although Zephyr had adopted Vergo, nurturing their relationship would take time. But if I could use this opportunity well, I could help Vergo and potentially create a problem for the World Government in the future. Zephyr's influence within the Marines, second only to Garp, made him a key figure to target, especially when he has such a clear shot at becoming the next Fleet Admiral.
"Let's see, if I remember correctly, the intel from Cipher Pol has stated that there are high chances that all the remnants, including Whitebeard and Shiki, might make an appearance. The World Government fears a possible alliance, so in addition to the previously assigned force, close to ten additional Vice Admirals and their subordinates are being mobilized from the HQ because there is a high probability that more of the Rocks remnants might show up," Dragon shared the information he had at hand. Normally, these matters should be dealt with by Garp, but he always pushed aside his paperwork for Bogard or Dragon.
"Dragon-san, would it be possible for me to have a look at the various troop deployments and missions that Rear Admirals and above are assigned to?" I asked. As I questioned, Dragon paused for a moment. Such details were only privy to the highest echelon within the Marines; even Vice Admirals were not allowed access to such information, with Garp being the only exception.
After thinking for a few seconds, Dragon turned to me. "Is it really important to have access to this information?" His tone was mixed with confusion, but he realized that I wouldn't ask for such sensitive information if it wasn't important. I simply nodded, implying that the information was indeed needed.
"Wait here," Dragon said. He approached Garp and, after a brief conversation, returned to my side. "Follow me." Leaving the rest of the group near the training ground, myself and Dragon made our way in the direction where the records room was.
A few minutes later, within the records room, I carefully went through the troop deployment records under the careful scrutiny of the Vice Admiral in charge. Originally, the old man had outright denied access to the information. Only after he received a message through the transponder snail did he provide me and Dragon with the details. Even then, he stood right next to us, carefully screening us as if we were up to some mischief. After ten minutes of carefully studying the complete details, I returned the document back to the old man and left the room alongside Dragon.
After walking a fair distance away, Dragon couldn't hold back his curiosity anymore and questioned me directly. "Ross, are you still not going to tell me what exactly is going on?"
I turned to Dragon and looked the man in the eye. "Dragon-san, I think the upcoming mission is a huge trap." I was almost 90% sure now that the World Government was aiming for Zephyr, but I could not explain in detail all the things that I had deduced from canon knowledge.
Dragon, however, was confused. The mission this time mobilized three Admiral-level combatants and Tsuru, the famed strategist, along with more than a dozen Vice Admirals and their subordinates. This was one of the largest Marine mobilizations since the God Valley Incident. So, when I said this was a trap, Dragon was puzzled. Even if all the remnants of Rocks were to gather, including Whitebeard, Shiki, Big Mom, and Kaido, the marine force that is being mobilized can still retreat safely even if they are ambushed. So, Dragon gave me a questioning look, as if wanting an explanation.
"I checked the deployment records. The majority of the Rear Admirals and above have already been assigned missions. Originally, the HQ would have had close to two dozen Vice Admirals after we left for our mission, but with the new additional reinforcements of a dozen Vice Admirals, the HQ will be left with only a dozen Vice Admirals to defend it. And from what I have checked, all these Vice Admirals are veterans who are way past their prime, and a few new ones who have recently been promoted. None can be said to have exceptional strength," I continued, and Dragon felt an ominous feeling as he realized what I was insinuating.
"Are you saying that the World Government is colluding with the pirates and targeting the Marines, planning to attack Marineford while most of its forces are away?" Dragon was completely in disbelief. He knew that the World Government had its flaws, but he never realized that it could stoop to such low levels. Marines were subordinate to the World Government, so he was puzzled by the need for such shameless actions.
"You are mistaken, Dragon-san. The World Government is not colluding, I'm sure the pirates planning to attack Marineford are simply lapdogs working under the World Government. I am sure they will be dealt with once their usefulness runs its course." I had a rough idea of how the World Government worked. If they wanted to appear righteous, their first go-to option would be the Marines.
However, if they wanted to keep their hands clean in some sort of conspiracy, they always sought pirates or third parties who could be swayed by promises of wealth and power, only to dispatch them off later once the job was done. The Cipher Pol was the only organization they trusted because every single one of its members was brainwashed to be loyal, and anyone who went astray was immediately eliminated.
The next morning, the Marines assigned to the Rocks Pirates mission departed. Close to more than a dozen marine warships were mobilized for this particular mission, marking the single largest deployment since the incident at God's Valley. Leading the mission was Admiral Sengoku, accompanied by the Marine Hero Garp, Admiral Zephyr, and Tsuru. As the warships set sail towards the New World, where the remnants of the Rocks Pirates were gathering, anticipation and tension filled the air.