41 One Year Later! The Prelude to the Battle of Edd War
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A few days had flown by since Brontes was elevated to the rank of Vice-Admiral, a promotion that rippled through the ranks of the Marines and caught the attention of a few pirate crews.
However, the true extent of his rise in power was a well-kept secret from the public eye. The Marine had not only promoted Brontes but had also entrusted him with Garp's esteemed role as the Acting Commander of the G-2 Base.
Brontes had barely had time to bask in the glory of his new decoration before he was called upon to assume his responsibilities at the G-2 Base.
His position as Acting Commander, though temporary, effectively made him the top authority at the base, catapulting him from a sixth-tier role straight to the helm.
The trust that headquarters placed in Brontes was evident in this appointment. Yet, with great power came an even greater workload. The other Vice-Admirals, weary from years of service, were more than content to see Brontes step into this demanding role.
As the new commander, Brontes found his days filled to the brim. He juggled leading missions, overseeing base operations, and maintaining his own rigorous training regimen.
The seas were relatively quiet during this time; the era of the Great Pirates had not yet dawned. The pirates brave or foolish enough to venture into the New World were persistently harassed by the Marine, but these efforts did little to change the overall state of affairs.
Among the few noteworthy developments was the arrival of the Roger Pirates in the New World.
Their activity there was significant enough to draw attention. With their presence, Garp found himself returning to Marineford, a move that seemed to complicate matters for Sengoku, who was already dealing with the unpredictable nature of the old Marine hero.
...
As days turned into months, Brontes's first year as Vice-Admiral seemed to pass in the blink of an eye.
Then, unsettling news arrived. World Government spies had uncovered a chilling piece of intelligence: Shiki, the Golden Lion, was attempting to persuade Roger to form an alliance.
Upon reading the secret report, Brontes grasped the gravity of the situation immediately—the Battle of Edd War was on the horizon.
The activities of the Golden Lion Pirates in the New World were becoming increasingly difficult to conceal.
Shiki's fleet was vast, and his claim to the title of admiral was bolstered by the numerous pirate crews under his command.
The Roger Pirates had long been under the watchful eye of the World Government. Their relentless search for the Poneglyphs had crossed a line with the World Government and the World Nobles.
In response, they had issued relentless orders to the Marine: capture the Roger Pirates at all costs.
Garp, the celebrated Naval Hero, was the one tasked with the daunting mission of capturing the Roger Pirates.
His relentless pursuits had brought him close to their capture on numerous occasions. The World Government, though somewhat reluctant, could not voice any complaints. After all, the Marine had already been pushing its limits. It was not feasible to deploy all their forces against the Roger Pirates alone.
The stakes were high, as Roger was privy to the secrets of the Poneglyphs.
The World Government's propaganda painted the Poneglyphs as malevolent relics that held information on the Ancient Weapons. Thus, knowledge of the Poneglyphs was tantamount to knowing the locations of these formidable weapons.
Roger was the sole keeper of this knowledge, and Shiki's objective was clear: he coveted the secret that Roger had gleaned from his voyages—the Poneglyph that detailed the Ancient Weapons.
Shiki's ambitions were grand. He sought the locations of the Ancient Weapons, a revelation that would undoubtedly threaten the stability of the World Government and the Marine.
With the actions of the Golden Lion Pirates coming to light, the World Government wasted no time. They issued orders for the Marine to mobilize, to thwart the impending battle and to apprehend the Roger Pirates.
At Marineford, Garp stormed out of Sengoku's office, the door slamming behind him with a resounding.
"Bang!"
Kuzan, a recent graduate, trailed behind Garp, having taken over Dragon's former role as Garp's aide. Sakazuki was also summoned to follow Garp's lead.
The mobilization of Sengoku and Marine Fleet-Admiral Kong, along with the highest combat personnel of the Marine, underscored the World Government's resolve.
Upon reaching the G-1 Base, Garp spotted Brontes and casually inquired: "Kid, did you also receive the order?"
Brontes, standing at the ready, confirmed: "Yes, I just received the order. I'll be joining you this time. The warships are prepared to set sail, Sengoku-san."
"Good work, Brontes. If we're all set, let's get going." Sengoku responded with a nod.
The intelligence reports continued to stream in, and the World Government's decision was clear: they were determined to capture both the Roger Pirates and the Golden Lion Pirates in a single, decisive strike.
From Marineford, only two ships set sail, but they were far from ordinary. Each person on board held a rank of at least Lieutenant Commander.
Upon their arrival in the New World, a formidable contingent of marine forces joined them.
The Marine Bases in the New World had also deployed a significant number of troops. Among them, ten Vice-Admirals, including Brontes, were deployed.
"This force should be more than capable of taking down any pirate group in the New World, right?" Borsalino remarked, visibly impressed by the scale of the mobilization, which amounted to nearly half of the Marine's strength.
"Let's hope it goes smoothly," Brontes replied, his tone grave.
"You don't seem very optimistic," Borsalino observed, picking up on Brontes's serious demeanor.
Brontes acknowledged the unpredictability of their mission with a nod.
"There are many variables; an unexpected thing could happen at any moment." He said, his voice steady but cautious.
As he spoke, Momonga and a group of over twenty marines from the same cohort formed a circle around Brontes and Borsalino. The air was thick with anticipation and a touch of rivalry.
"Promotion is just a matter of time; strength is the real deal. Without strength, even if you were given the position of an Admiral, you wouldn't be able to hold it." Brontes remarked, his laughter light but his words heavy with truth.
"We can't compare with you three monsters. Sakazuki didn't want to come over, forget it, that guy is probably holding his breath." Borsalino said, his laughter mingling with the sea breeze.
"Who knows what he's thinking? He's been eliminating pirates like crazy lately, but he always neglects the people around him, resulting in very few willing to go out to sea with him each time. I've received quite a few complaints." Brontes shook his head as he spoke.
"Isn't that all because of you?" Borsalino shrugged, a teasing glint in his eye.
"Maybe." Brontes replied, shaking his head with a wry smile.
Just then, Brontes's aide approached, breaking into the conversation.
"Report to Vice-Adiral Brontes, Admiral Sengoku has asked for you to attend a meeting."
"I got it, I'll be right there." Brontes responded, nodding before excusing himself: "I'll go to the meeting first."
As Brontes departed from the warship, Momonga and the others watched him with a mix of respect and envy.
To become a Vice-Admiral was to step into the upper echelons of the Marine, and Brontes, the youngest among them, was the only one eligible to attend such high-level meetings.
Brontes made his way to the main battleship, where the Vice-Admirals had already assembled. He noticed Karp being reluctantly dragged to the meeting.
Catching Brontes's gaze, Karp grumbled: "What are you looking at, brat?"
"You dumped the G-2 base management on me, and I'm not allowed to go out?" Brontes retorted, his annoyance clear.
"You're doing pretty well, aren't you? Now you're the Commander of the G-2 Base, what does it have to do with me? If you have issues, go find Fleet-Admiral Kong, why bother me?" Karp shot back.
"If you hadn't run off, how would I have become the Commander? Staying in the base all day, my body is almost rusting." Brontes countered.
"That's your problem. You could run like me." Karp said with a hint of disdain.
"If I could just run off, that would be great. Not everyone is a Naval Hero like you." Brontes sneered back.
"Kyahahaha! You got that right" Karp laughed heartily and said.
Brontes then nodded at Kuzan, who stood beside Karp, before Vice-Admiral Tsuru approached. She gave them a scrutinizing look, particularly Brontes, and said: "Let's go in, the meeting is about to start."
As Tsuru entered the cabin, Karp muttered under his breath: "What's the point of having a meeting now? Just charge in and take them down, it's a waste of time."
Brontes shook his head; the old man's character was as stubborn as ever.
Inside the cabin, thirteen people gathered, including Brontes: one Admiral and twelve Vice-Admirals.
Ten of the Vice-Admirals were from the five bases in the New World, called to assist in the battle, and two were from Marineford, namely Tsuru and Karp. At the head was Admiral Sengoku, the overall commander of this operation.
Once everyone was seated, Sengoku began: "This mission targets the Roger Pirates and the Golden Lion Pirates. The combat forces deployed amount to half of the Marine's strength. To avoid any mishaps, there are a few points I need to clarify..."
