33. Marine Boss Emergency Meeting!
Marineford.
Inside the Marine headquarters.
Upon hearing about the duel between Mihawk and Tom at the sea restaurant, Sengoku's demeanor shifted from casual to serious.
Speaking through the den den mushi, Sengoku's tone carried disbelief: "Are you absolutely certain about this news?"
The voice on the other end affirmed, "Yes, Fleet Admiral Sengoku, the information has been confirmed!"
"Even against Hawkeye Mihawk, Cowboy Tom held his ground in the duel!"
"And astonishingly, Tom emerged from the duel unscathed!"
Despite the confirmation, Sengoku remained skeptical, repeatedly seeking assurance regarding the reliability of the news.
However, on the other end of the line, the voice affirmed firmly, "Fleet Admiral Sengoku, rest assured, the news is absolutely accurate!"
"There's no room for error!"
"I witnessed it with my own eyes!"
Sengoku abruptly ended the call, sinking into his chair with a furrowed brow.
"Can anyone truly stand against the man hailed as the world's greatest swordsman?"
"This is truly troubling news."
Gazing at the bounty poster of Tom on the table, Sengoku's frown deepened, prompting him to immediately convene an emergency meeting with his subordinates.
If the news indeed proves to be true, it would undeniably introduce a formidable adversary to the Marines!
The threat must be extinguished!
Unchecked, who knows what havoc this individual named Tom might wreak upon the world!
After a brief interval, the Marine executives rushed to the meeting room.
"Did you hear? The reason Fleet Admiral Sengoku called for this urgent meeting is because of the individuals who defeated Arlong's crew some time ago!"
"Indeed, I've heard. They're saying this individual is engaged in a duel with the world-renowned swordsman, Mihawk!"
"What's even more astonishing is that this person held their own against Mihawk!"
.....
Doubt, astonishment, and a flurry of voices filled the entire meeting room.
The conference hall buzzed with noise, resembling a bustling street market.
Amidst the arguments, the arrival of the three Admirals silenced everyone instantly.
"Admiral Kizaru, how credible do you assess this matter to be?" inquired a Marine Vice Admiral, expressing doubts and seeking advice.
Kizaru lounged in his chair indifferently and responded casually, "What a scary person."
"Judging by your lack of confidence, can't you discern the answer yourself?"
At that moment, Akainu adjusted his cloak and snorted disdainfully, "I don't know why you guys ask such a question that doesn't require any brains. to answer"
"Are you all a bunch of mindless fools!" Akainu's words sent shockwaves through the Marine ranks, causing them to break into a cold sweat.
Aokiji found a seat, draped his eyes with his blindfold, let out a yawn, and nonchalantly remarked, "Indeed, what a bothersome individual."
The Marine officer who posed the question chuckled awkwardly and settled back into his seat.
Meanwhile, he couldn't help but question myself, wondering why he even entertained such a ludicrous thought.
How could an individual possibly rival the world's greatest swordsman?
Surely Fleet Admiral Sengoku must have been misled by false information!
As he contemplated, Sengoku pushed open the door of the meeting room, his expression grave.
Silently, he took his place at the head of the table and pinned Tom's bounty poster to the wall.
With Sengoku's arrival, the atmosphere in the room grew tense.
Observing that everyone except Garp was present, Sengoku gestured toward Tom's bounty poster and spoke solemnly.
"Undoubtedly, you all must have heard the recent developments."
"The skepticism surrounding the credibility of this news is understandable."
"But!"
With a steely gaze, Sengoku addressed the room, his eyes piercing as he continued, "We cannot afford to ignore any potential threat to the Marines!"
His words reignited a fervent discussion among the attendees.
Akainu's expression darkened slightly, and he retorted icily, "Fleet Admiral Sengoku, do you truly intend to mobilize our forces to confront a mere individual?"
"What a foolish notion!"
Sengoku met Akainu's gaze squarely, his tone serious and unwavering.
"Sakazuki, as a Marine Admiral, such remarks are unacceptable!"
"Are you aware that it is perhaps your dismissive attitude that has led to this situation?"
"And allow someone who could potentially become a significant threat to the Marines to develop unchecked!"
Despite Sengoku's pointed inquiry, Akainu remained indifferent.
In his view, even if the news were true, what harm could one individual possibly pose?
Since the inception of the Marines, they had never feared any pirates!
Even Gold Roger, who had become the Pirate King, was ultimately defeated by the Marines!
With silence prevailing, Sengoku gestured towards Tom's bounty poster and declared, "I have decided to raise the bounty for Cowboy Tom!"
"No one can be overlooked; the sparks threatening the Marines could ignite a raging inferno!"
Before any response could follow, Akainu interjected with another contemptuous remark.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, rushing to declare to the world that a mere individual could rival Hawkeye before verifying the accuracy of the news... Don't you realize how foolish your decision is?"
Just as Sengoku prepared to counter, Borsalino, who had remained silent, spoke up suddenly.
"Sakazuki's argument has merit. How much of a threat could a mere cat truly pose?"
Kuzan rose from his seat, stretching leisurely.
"It's quite bothersome indeed. Why not dispatch someone to ascertain the true strength of this individual?"
With the Admirals voicing their skepticism, the Marine officers began to question the necessity of taking action.
After all, verifying the truth of the matter seemed improbable.
Rapidly increasing the bounty felt akin to broadcasting to the world the emergence of a formidable swordsman capable of challenging Hawkeye.
Sengoku pondered for a moment whether he was overreacting to a minor issue. After gazing at Tom's bounty poster for a while longer, he concluded the meeting.
As the room emptied, Sengoku released a weary sigh.
"I pray that I am simply overthinking things."
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