Naval Headquarters, Marineford
"Finn! This time, Marine has won a huge victory! Hahaha!" Sengoku grinned, showing his back molars.
"With the significant damage dealt to the World Government, they'll have to think twice before attacking us in the future!" Vice Admiral Crane added, her excitement evident.
Garp simply smiled, not saying much but clearly pleased with the outcome.
"Marshal! I think we can counterattack the Red Line! The Celestial Dragons have ruled with arrogance for too long; it's time they're removed from the stage of history!" Sakazuki spoke up, eager for another war.
"Hey, Sakazuki, don't rush it," Polusalino said casually from his spot. "The Marshal will handle things as he sees fit."
Meanwhile, Finn sat, quietly pondering when to strike at Mariejois. It felt like a game—a strategy game. Everyone wanted to eliminate the final boss as soon as possible, and in the world of One Piece, the World Government was that final boss.
Finn turned to Sengoku. "Grandpa Sengoku, from your knowledge, how many Admirals does the World Government have? I heard they sent 10 CPO agents with Admiral-level strength. Are there more like them?"
Although these CPO Platinum agents had just reached Admiral rank, facing too many of them at once could be overwhelming.
Sengoku frowned, his brow furrowing as he considered the question. "Truth be told, even after all my years as Marine Marshal, I still know very little about the full extent of the World Government's strength. When I drank with former Marshal Kong, he mentioned something in passing."
"Kong?" The room's attention snapped to Sengoku, intrigued by this mention.
Sengoku continued, "As for how many Admiral-level CPO agents there are, Kong never disclosed it. But he did tell me that the World Government's power is terrifying. If Marine and the World Government become enemies, they could strike us with devastating force."
He paused for a moment, adding, "By the way, the World Government has been researching blood factors. They have several scientists, like Vegapunk, whose research remains a mystery. What we do know is that their work is strengthening their hold over the world."
Crane Vice Admiral spoke up thoughtfully, "Do these Admiral-level CPO agents have anything to do with the blood factor research? If these agents can be mass-produced, it could be a real problem."
"Impossible!" Garp interrupted, scratching his nose. "If that were the case, the World Government would've sent hundreds of them by now. Wouldn't that guarantee their victory?"
"Don't be foolish!" Crane Vice Admiral shot him a glare. "Even if they're mass-producing them, there are limitations—improved drugs, resources, and so on. But if they manage to create even a small force of them, it would still be a formidable army."
Her analysis made everyone nod in agreement. As expected of a sharp strategist, she laid out the situation clearly, unlike a certain Marine hero who was too busy picking his nose.
Suddenly, a system prompt rang in Finn's mind.
"Ding! Please choose:"
The current priority is to attack Mariejois with all strength, and wipe out the Celestial Dragons! Reward: One-third of the Engraved Emperor!The current priority is to attack the Revolutionary Army with all strength and wipe them out! Reward: One-half of the Emperor!The current priority is to eliminate the strongest pirates with all strength and bring peace to the world! Reward: Emperor Keke!
Finn blinked in surprise. The rewards were beyond tempting. But when he saw Emperor Keke, his eyes lit up.
Keke, from Date A Live, was a being of immense power who could control time itself. With Emperor Keke, Finn would essentially become immortal—this was a reward he couldn't ignore!
Sengoku, noticing Finn's pause, spoke again, "What do you think, Finn? While the World Government is powerful, our Marine forces are stronger than ever, especially with those strong individuals you called in. If you want to attack Mariejois, it's not impossible!"
Crane Vice Admiral also chimed in, "Sengoku's right. Even if we don't launch a full-scale attack, we could send a message. A preliminary strike could test the World Government's defenses and give us a sense of their true strength."
Aokiji, who had been quiet until now, added, "I agree. We need to show the World Government that we're capable of striking at them. They need to understand that Marine can fight back."
Normally, Finn would've been eager to strike at Mariejois. However, the reward for eliminating pirates was just as enticing—Emperor Keke was too valuable to pass up.
He looked around at the gathered leaders and smiled. "No, I think we should focus on eliminating the pirates first."
"Pirates?" Sengoku looked surprised. "Finn, there are so many pirates out there. How are we going to handle them all?"
"Exactly," Crane Vice Admiral added, puzzled. "If we don't deal with the World Government first, won't they have an advantage? What's the point of eliminating pirates now?"
Finn shook his head, letting out a deep breath. "It's not about the World Government. The truth is, while the World Government is holed up in Mariejois, their influence over civilians is minimal. But the pirates—"
He paused, his voice hardening. "The pirates will see us distracted and attack innocent civilians, burning, looting, and causing chaos. If we leave them unchecked, they will destroy everything we've worked for. We need to deal with them first. Especially the strongest ones. If we do that, it'll send a message. The civilians will finally be free from the pirates' reign of terror."
The room fell into stunned silence.
Everyone stared at Finn, their admiration palpable. While they were focused on the strategic game between Marine and the World Government, Finn was thinking about the people. His desire to protect the common folk, even at the cost of immediate military advantage, set him apart.
This wasn't just strategy; it was compassion. Finn wasn't just a warrior; he was a true leader, one who saw the bigger picture and understood the true cost of peace.
He wasn't just playing on the second floor—he was already operating on the fifth.