Two days later.
Seagulls flitted across the sky.
Marineford.
Naval Headquarters.
A meeting about the fate of the Marine government and the future of the world was underway.
In the meeting room, a large oval table was surrounded by sixteen Naval Headquarters Vice Admirals, two Marine Admirals, the current Marine Marshal Sengoku, Chief Staff Officer Tsuru, and other high-ranking Marines. It was a serious lineup.
Anyone outside this room would have felt their hands and feet tremble from the sheer pressure emanating from the atmosphere within. After all, this small conference room was hosting almost all of Marine's highest combat power. From the intimidating Vice Admirals to the world-renowned Marine Admirals, and the Marshal himself, all were gathered here. This reflected just how significant the Whitebeard Pirates were to Naval Headquarters.
However, just as the meeting was proceeding and strategic suggestions for deployment were being discussed, Marine Marshal Sengoku received an urgent order from the World Government. The meeting had to be temporarily suspended.
The senior executives in the conference room exchanged puzzled glances.
"Marshal Sengoku? What happened?" someone asked.
"To interrupt such an important meeting, it must be something urgent," said Vice Admiral Huoshaoshan, scratching his head as he stared at the door.
The Marine Vice Admiral Flying Squirrel, sitting nearby, nodded in agreement but remained focused on the discussion at hand. The execution of Fire Fist Ace, the second division commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, was at the heart of the meeting. Reliable intelligence suggested that the Whitebeard Pirates would not take this sitting down.
While the operation was aimed at annihilating the Whitebeard Pirates in one fell swoop, contingency plans were being proposed. One such proposal involved summoning the Shichibukai. As pirates granted "legal plunder" rights by the World Government, it was only fair they contribute when Marine needed additional combat power. This proposal had gained traction among several Vice Admirals, including Flying Squirrel, but the challenge lay in ensuring the typically arrogant Shichibukai would cooperate.
Flying Squirrel's thoughts were interrupted when Sengoku re-entered the room, his expression darker than before. The room fell silent as Sengoku's stern gaze swept over the attendees. He spoke slowly and deliberately.
"The meeting is temporarily canceled."
"Marshal Sengoku, about the strength of the Whitebeard Pirates… Wait, what? The meeting is canceled?" The Marine Vice Admirals were stunned.
"What happened?" asked Dogman, a scarred Vice Admiral known for his hawkish stance. He had been devising strategies to exploit the Whitebeard Pirates' familial bonds. The sudden interruption left him uneasy.
Even Tsuru, the composed Chief Staff Officer, looked puzzled. "What happened, Sengoku?"
Sengoku's face remained grim. He held up a document he had just received. "Something major has occurred in North Blue."
"North Blue?" The name of the chaotic sea stirred confusion among the Grand Line-based Naval Headquarters. North Blue was infamous for its chaos—pirates, mafia families, warring kingdoms. It was a place synonymous with trouble.
"What could have happened in North Blue to interrupt such an important meeting?" someone murmured.
Sengoku's next words sent a chill through the room.
"The Heavenly Tribute… has been hijacked."
Gasps filled the room.
"What?! The Heavenly Tribute?!"
"Are they insane? Someone dared to target the tribute meant for the Celestial Dragons?!"
The Heavenly Tribute was the annual wealth offered by World Government member nations to the Celestial Dragons. Everyone knew the catastrophic consequences of interfering with it.
Flying Squirrel's unease deepened. If it was just the Heavenly Tribute...
"Sengoku, if it's only the tribute, would the World Government issue such an urgent order to you?" Tsuru's voice was calm but grave.
The room fell silent as the implications sank in. Sengoku nodded, his expression growing even more somber.
"It's not just the Heavenly Tribute. The youngest son of the Rose Holy Family was on that ship."
The room froze. The mention of the "Holy Family" left no room for doubt.
"Wait… does that mean…?"
"The Celestial Dragons?!" gasped one Vice Admiral.
All at once, the gathered Marines felt the weight of the situation. North Blue—a chaotic sea—had birthed a lunatic bold enough to provoke the World Government by targeting the Heavenly Tribute. But to also endanger a Celestial Dragon, possibly a future heir? This was insanity of the highest order.
Even the battle-hardened Vice Admirals felt a tremor of apprehension.
"Who in North Blue could be this mad?" someone whispered.
Sengoku's voice cut through the tension. "This situation is more dire than anything we've faced. We must act immediately."