As Claudius walked through the bustling streets of Mariejois, he held a Den Den Mushi to his ear, engaged in a conversation. Behind him, Nia carried little Ace in her arms, following respectfully.
"I'm heading to the port of Mariejois," Claudius said casually. "Didn't I mention it before? I commissioned a ship in Water 7, and Stussy just sailed it back here. I'm on my way to take a look at it. Why, did something urgent come up? Is this about the joint mission with Marine Headquarters?"
On the other end of the line, Sengoku's voice sounded serious. "Yes, it's a request for assistance. We need to resolve this matter quickly. If we don't, it could turn into a major scandal."
Claudius paused, a bit taken aback. "That serious? What's going on?"
"Vice Admiral Jaguar D. Saul has gone rogue," Sengoku replied, voice filled with tension. "He broke protocol and released a highly dangerous prisoner from Headquarters. Both of them are on the run, and Marine forces are doing everything they can to capture them. Given the circumstances..." Sengoku hesitated here.
Claudius chuckled and said, "Spit it out, Sengoku. You know I'm no stranger to these kinds of secrets."
With a sigh, Sengoku continued, "You're right, Your Highness. There's no point hiding it from you. You may have heard before that we, along with the Cipher Pol agencies, have been tasked with apprehending scholars who have been sailing around the seas, studying certain… forbidden topics."
"Ah, right," Claudius responded. "Now that you mention it, I remember hearing something about that. Isn't that Vice Admiral Saul one of Garp's men? Garp mentioned to me once that they'd captured a scholar."
"Correct," Sengoku said gravely. "The scholar in question is from Ohara. We have irrefutable evidence that Ohara has been secretly researching forbidden history and ancient languages. While their intent might not be malicious, the study of these subjects has long been classified as a major offense by the World Government, given the potential consequences."
Claudius nodded thoughtfully. "So, it's that serious, huh? Just studying history and languages… it almost sounds absurd."
"It may seem so on the surface," Sengoku replied, "but these subjects hold the key to awakening the Ancient Weapons. The scholars of Ohara may not intend to do harm, but they lack the power to keep such knowledge secure. Imagine if someone with darker ambitions like Kaido or Big Mom learned about the Ancient Weapons through them."
Claudius considered this, his tone turning somber. "That could be catastrophic. The entire balance of power in the world would be thrown off, and countless lives could be at risk."
"Exactly. That's the danger of Ohara's actions," Sengoku said. "Their thirst for knowledge, however noble, has created a massive liability. The World Government can't risk letting this knowledge fall into the wrong hands. We, the Marines, cannot just turn a blind eye."
"I understand," Claudius replied. "But what does this have to do with your giant Vice Admiral? What happened with Saul?"
Sengoku fell silent for a moment, then admitted, "It appears that Saul was influenced by one of the Ohara scholars, leading him to question the government's stance. He ended up helping her escape from detention. Two weeks ago, a decision was made to initiate a Buster Call on Ohara. Saul was initially assigned as one of the mission's Vice Admirals. But now that he's defected, Ohara might receive advance warning, and if the scholars manage to scatter and spread this forbidden knowledge..."
"The consequences could be dire," Claudius murmured.
"Exactly," Sengoku said gravely. "The fallout would be beyond imagination. So, we at Marine Headquarters are dedicating every available resource to capturing Saul. I'd also like to request assistance from your CP-X in the search. We've already mobilized the Buster Call fleet, and we'll soon be heading to Ohara."
Claudius thought for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Is there any chance I could reach Ohara first and salvage the books in the Tree of Knowledge?"
Sengoku was caught off guard, blinking in confusion at the unexpected shift. "Wait, what did you just say?"
Claudius cleared his throat, sounding slightly embarrassed but also determined. "I've had a massive library installed on my new ship. I thought it would be a good idea to fill it with as many rare books as I can get my hands on. The idea of the Tree of Knowledge being destroyed feels… wasteful. I mean, it's one of humanity's great treasures. I'm just saying, I could make an effort to save that cultural heritage."
Sengoku couldn't help but sigh. "If you can reach it in time, I won't stop you."
"Perfect!" Claudius laughed. "My new ship is the fastest in the world; I'll be there in no time!"
"And about Saul?" Sengoku asked.
"Leave it to us at CP-X," Claudius replied. "I'll instruct my agents to assist in the search. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get moving. Can't let you Marines hog all the glory or destroy all the valuable knowledge, for that matter."
The two exchanged farewells, and Claudius ended the call. Turning to his butler, Nia, he instructed, "Nia, head back and prepare our travel gear. We're heading to the West Blue. Also, meet me at the port after you've stocked up on supplies."
Nia nodded, bowing slightly. "Yes, Your Highness."
Once Nia had left, Claudius continued walking, his thoughts lingering on the events unfolding in Ohara. The revered island of scholars, the center of humanity's cultural heritage, would soon be wiped out by a Buster Call.
Thinking about it, Claudius couldn't deny that Ohara's situation was the result of its own actions. Sengoku's words rang true—Ohara had bitten off more than it could chew by delving into forbidden history and languages. As scholars, they might have felt righteous in their pursuit of knowledge, but their inability to protect such dangerous secrets was the problem.
If their findings fell into the wrong hands, how many lives would be lost as a result? The risk wasn't hypothetical. Even Robin, the sole survivor of Ohara in the future, nearly brought about a calamity in the hands of Crocodile. If a scholar with knowledge of the Ancient Weapons fell into the clutches of someone like Kaido or Big Mom, the world would be plunged into chaos.
It was no wonder Sengoku and the World Government felt compelled to act. They couldn't afford to let Ohara's recklessness endanger the entire world. If they refused to heed warnings and persisted in dangerous pursuits, then, sadly, the only option left was to silence them.
"Ohara's real sin wasn't curiosity, it was a lack of strength," Claudius muttered to himself. "In the end, power dictates truth. Ohara was a beacon of culture, but they failed to grasp something so basic."
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