When the warship arrived at Marineford, it was already late at night. The small commotion caused by the alarm on the island had long since subsided, and under the starry and moonlit sky, everything returned to tranquility.
Only the fortress remained brightly lit inside, where information was being transmitted swiftly and efficiently.
"Report! The investigation fleet sent to Impel Down has returned to headquarters!" A major relayed the latest news from the port to the various meeting rooms.
The vice admirals who had previously been stationed around the three Gates of Justice for vigilance had gradually returned to Marineford after the alarm was lifted. They were on standby while conducting urgent inspections of key areas or islands where Shiki, the Golden Lion, might appear and attack.
The news that Shiki had escaped after severing his legs was not something "Steel Bone" Kong intended to conceal. It quickly spread among the ranks of the navy's officers.
"Since the Golden Lion escaped from the great prison and deliberately avoided confrontation when our search fleet was patrolling, could this be understood as a form of retreat?" asked Doberman, who was seated in the back row of the conference room.
"I agree with this perspective. Even someone as strong as Shiki, a great pirate of the seas, would need time to recuperate after enduring the torment of Impel Down and losing his limbs," added Onigumo, massaging his stout nose with a smile.
Onigumo lit a cigarette and looked at Sakazuki, who was seated in the front row: "So... what about the patrols of our warships in the short term? Endless pirates to deal with, and as for the Golden Lion—do we continue the pursuit? Frankly, our forces are spread thin."
Standing at the conference room's round table with her hands on the surface, Tsuru glanced at the rear seats where the rear admirals sat. "Still too inexperienced... they lack seasoning," she thought to herself.
Nevertheless, Tsuru decided to speak up to dispel the impractical notions of the younger officers: "Don't think this is a victory for the navy. The Golden Lion, having endured severing his own legs, would never resign himself to quietly fading away. During this period, we'll notify all bases and headquarters to strengthen their defenses. As for pursuing the Golden Lion, very few of the headquarters' vice admirals can even hold their ground against him. We simply lack the capacity to hunt him down and can only focus on defensive measures."
Kuzan, seated beside Sakazuki, nodded in agreement: "Hmm~ Actually, what Onigumo said isn't entirely unreasonable. During our field investigation at Impel Down, it's evident that Shiki, the Golden Lion, has been significantly weakened this time. I don't think he'll recklessly launch an attack anytime soon. He'll need time to recover."
The navy admiral, sitting at the center of the room, listened carefully to the predictions of his subordinates. His gaze turned to Sakazuki, who had remained silent throughout the discussion. As the leader of the reconnaissance operation, Sakazuki was chosen not only for his combat prowess but also due to Kong's deeper considerations. Being a good orator doesn't necessarily make one a good executor, but fortunately, Sakazuki hadn't disappointed him.
Kong was never someone who craved power or status. He always treated colleagues like Zephyr, Garp, and Sengoku as brothers rather than mere subordinates.
Even years later, when Sengoku resigned as Fleet Admiral, he still affectionately referred to Kong as "big brother." During the aftermath of the Summit War, it was Kong who negotiated and mediated to preserve Garp's rank despite his dereliction of duty.
Following the capture of the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, Kong had amassed great achievements, and the Five Elders intended to promote him to Commander-in-Chief of the World Government's military forces. However, Kong himself proposed to delay the appointment.
It wasn't because he desired to hold onto the position of Fleet Admiral but because he wanted to use his influence and reputation to continue supporting his comrades. As long as he remained in office, he could ensure stability, shelter the next generation of navy seedlings as they grew, and provide Sengoku, the next candidate for Fleet Admiral, with a well-prepared pool of talent and resources.
Projects like forming the Navy Science Unit had just begun. If a change in leadership occurred during these early stages, the implementation of these initiatives would undoubtedly be delayed.
Not to mention other messy issues, such as maintaining the authority of the Celestial Dragons, mediating disputes among various kingdoms, and dealing with internal turmoil...
Kong told himself in his heart: "Wait a bit longer... wait until these seedlings grow into towering trees, and then I can safely take up the role of Commander-in-Chief of the World Government's forces."
The rise of the younger generation of navy officers, led by Sakazuki, Borsalino, and Kuzan, brought Kong great comfort. The navy couldn't rely forever on the old guard to hold things together. The continuity of a force depended on having successors.
"Sakazuki, as the leader of this operation, share your thoughts," Sengoku, noticing Kong's subtle indication, spoke up.
Sakazuki, who was used to being put on the spot by his superior, raised his head: "For a legendary pirate like Shiki, his willpower and determination are rare. Having learned from his defeat in the solo assault on headquarters, it's possible he might target naval bases, fortresses, or even headquarters itself with hit-and-run tactics. A more likely scenario is that he'll regroup his subordinates to form a new force and engage in large-scale confrontations. He might even occupy an island to conduct inhumane experiments, possibly preparing for chemical or gas warfare against us in the future."
Drawing on impressions from the movie, Sakazuki detailed the possible scenarios.
"Not bad. Sakazuki's analysis is very thorough. Sengoku and I had similar speculations earlier," Kong nodded approvingly. The choice of admirals required not only exceptional combat strength but also high internal reputation. Good strategic vision and crisis management were key evaluation factors.
As a decision-maker, one needed not only the power to dominate a battlefield but also sufficient leadership and strategic acumen.
The praised vice admiral inadvertently noticed Admiral Sengoku closing his eyes and stroking his mustache. He immediately realized that the top leadership had likely discussed such possibilities beforehand. His performance was, therefore, within expectations.
"Accelerate the establishment of the Navy Science Unit and have the government scientists provide a preliminary plan within a short timeframe!" the Fleet Admiral declared. "We cannot allow the navy to lag behind pirates in terms of technological and military capabilities!"
Everyone present shared the sentiment. Without robust military technology and reliable medical support, the navy's constant battles would only result in more death notices to write.
If it weren't for the Fleet Admiral's strong support and frequent urging, relying solely on government departments would mean that the establishment of the Science Unit might have been delayed for another century under bureaucratic and formalistic excuses.
It could be said that Kong chose the navy, and the navy, in turn, chose Kong.