42 Unexpected Situation
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In the midst of the command room, it was clear that Sengoku's orders, though addressed to the crowd, were particularly aimed at one man: Garp.
Known for his impulsive nature, Garp was the true recipient of the strategic plan being laid out.
Sengoku spoke with authority, detailing their approach, while the others listened with rapt attention. Garp, however, seemed disinterested, gazing at the ceiling and absentmindedly picking at his nose.
Suddenly, the room was jolted by a loud: "Bang! Garp, you bastard!"
Sengoku's patience had snapped, his hand slamming down on the table as he glared at Garp's nonchalant demeanor.
Garp, unfazed, shot back a challenging look and resumed his nose-picking, much to the silent astonishment of Brontes and the rest of the officers in the conference room.
...
Out at sea, the Marine warships cut through the waves at breakneck speed. Word of their movement spread quickly, striking fear into the hearts of many pirates.
The sheer number of troops dispatched by the Marines had the entire New World on edge, with numerous pirates going into hiding, not daring to draw the attention of the Marine.
As the ships surged forward, the intelligence department worked tirelessly, relaying updates to the fleet. The atmosphere was tense, with everyone on high alert.
Brontes knows the possibility of spies within the Roger Pirates is very low. But it was almost certain that, given their status as the preeminent pirate crew in the New World, both the Marines and the World Government had infiltrated the Golden Lion Pirates with their own informants because of their numerous members, ready to provide intelligence at a moment's notice.
"Report, the latest intelligence." Sengoku ordered as a soldier hurried over with a phone bug.
"The Roger Pirates are currently encircled by the Golden Lion Pirates. The Golden Lion himself is attempting to force them to surrender." The soldier relayed without delay.
Garp, munching on senbei, interjected confidently: "That's nonsense. Roger would never lose to Shiki."
"Shut up, Garp!" Sengoku shot him a fierce look before turning back to the matter at hand: "Keep the updates coming. How long until we reach them?"
"We're about two hours away, but..." The navigator trailed off, a note of uncertainty in his voice.
"But what?" Sengoku's intuition told him the news wasn't good.
"The weather ahead is highly unpredictable, and a storm is brewing. It's not advisable to proceed." The navigator cautioned.
"Storm!?" The word echoed through the room, leaving everyone momentarily stunned.
"Yes, the wind patterns and temperature suggest a storm is imminent. Approaching now is too risky, even for warships. This storm isn't small, and the New World's weather is notoriously treacherous. I recommend we find shelter on a nearby island and wait out the storm before we take any further action." The navigator advised, his concern evident.
"Can we avoid it?" Brontes asked.
"There's no way to dodge it right now. If we keep going, we'll run straight into the storm and it could wreck our warships." The navigator explained.
"Damn!" Sengoku cursed.
The weather in the New World is too wild and risky. Nature's force makes these seas unique.
The Marines are attacking with over 20,000 soldiers. If anything goes wrong, we could lose half our fighting power.
Sengoku won't risk so much. A storm could wipe out half his men.
"The situation's actually good for us. The storm's over the Edd War zone, where the Golden Lion Pirates and Roger Pirates are clashing. It'll hit them too, weakening them a lot. We can move in after the storm to capture them." Vice-Admiral Trusu said.
"Wouldn't they run away by then?" Garp asked.
"This is our chance. They can't run from a storm. We're here to wipe out both pirate crews. Now's the time to strike." An old Vice-Admiral suggested.
"We can't let them slip away. Fleet-Admiral Kong and the World Government ordered it. The storm's fierce, but our ships are tough. They'll hold," another Vice-Admiral added.
"I disagree. Going into the storm is risking our soldiers' lives. We're responsible for over 20,000 elite marines. A mishap could cripple us. We can't afford to pay such price." Another Vice-Admiral argued.
The room erupted in debate. Some wanted to charge into the storm to defeat the pirates, while others wanted to avoid risking Marine lives.
Amid the argument, Brontes stood and shouted: "Everyone, calm down. Navigator, can our ships survive the storm without damage?"
The room fell silent.
The navigator paused, then said: "I'm not sure. In a bad storm, even our ships could break apart."
"If the navigator isn't sure, remember the sea rule: we follow the navigator's advice first. We have a thousand soldiers on each of our twenty ships. They're the Marine's backbone. It's not worth the risk. We have orders, but in these cases, we must think twice. We hold 20,000 lives in our hands." Brontes said seriously.
"Good." Sengoku nodded.
With Sengoku's response, Brontes sat. He'd spoken his mind; the next move was up to Sengoku.
"Find nearby islands. We'll dock and wait out the storm. Be ready to fight once it's over." Sengoku commanded after a moment.
"Yes, sir!"
...
The warships had barely settled at their moorings among the scattered islands when the world around them began to change.
The wind, playful at first, picked up its pace, howling through the rigging with a sound like
"Woshoo! Woshoo!"
The once tranquil sea grew restless, its surface rippling into waves that hinted at the chaos to come.
"PankPank!"
The noise of the storm's approach was sudden and violent, a harbinger of the tempest that was about to engulf everything in its path.
The marines stationed on the island felt a shiver of fear and unease ripple through their ranks. The storm was not just a natural disaster; it was a threat to their mission.
"If this keeps up...." A Vice-Admiral remarked: "Thee Roger Pirates and the Golden Lion Pirates will find themselves in serious trouble."
Garp, with his usual bored expression, chimed in: "This kind of weather might be a bit of a hassle for the Golden Lion's fleet, considering how many ships they've got. But that bastard Roger is a different story. This sort of storm won't faze him or his crew; they've weathered worse than this."
In the world of pirates and marines, if anyone knew Roger the best, it would be his first mate, Rayleigh. But within the Marine ranks, no one understood the Roger Pirates quite like Garp.
Curiosity piqued, another Vice-Admiral inquired: "Why's that, Garp?"
Garp's face, usually so full of indifference, took on a serious cast: "That scoundrel has slipped through my fingers more times than I care to count, often by using extreme weather to his advantage. He's not just a formidable pirate; he's a cunning opportunist, adept at turning any situation, including a storm like this, to his benefit. In a straight fight, the Roger Pirates might not stand a chance against the Golden Lion Pirates, but in this weather, they've got the upper hand."
As the storm raged on, Sengoku, ever the strategist, made a decisive call: "The storm's losing its strength. Prepare to move out."
"So soon?" Questioned a Vice-Admiral, surprise evident in his tone.
"The storm's already dying down," Tsuru informed them: "The weather at sea is fickle; it can change in the blink of an eye. We'll have a clear path soon."
Garp, ever the fighter, could barely contain his excitement: "Then what are we waiting for? Let's set sail immediately!"
