Chapter 49: Sengoku's Headache

Marines Headquarters.

"What? Golden Lion Shiki was arrested? By Luo Ning? Are you sure this news is true?"

The news of the Golden Lion's arrest reached Sengoku quickly, and he too was immensely excited. After all, the Golden Lion's disappearance for so many years had always been a thorn in the Marines' side.

No one knew what the Golden Lion was planning, and everyone worried that one day an island would fall from the sky and smash into Marine Headquarters. In short, the Golden Lion was a constant source of anxiety, but now he was finally caught.

However, Sengoku's joy was short-lived. Another piece of news soon reached him: Luo Ning planned to occupy Impel Down.

This, in itself, wasn't necessarily a bad thing. If Luo Ning intended to capture more criminals and bring them back, occupying Impel Down simply meant they wouldn't have to worry about them escaping again. With Luo Ning in charge, Sengoku believed Impel Down would be inescapable.

But the latter part of the news made him uneasy. Luo Ning apparently had plans on the Celestial Dragons. While Sengoku himself looked down on and even hated the Celestial Dragons, they were still protected by the World Government.

The World Government was their direct superior, and any attack on the Celestial Dragons would undoubtedly prompt them to dispatch Marine Admirals.

If Luo Ning truly attacked the Celestial Dragons, the consequences would be disastrous. The Marines would be forced to fight Luo Ning with everything they had.

It wasn't that Sengoku didn't want Luo Ning on their side, but the problem was, they simply couldn't win against him right now.

For a powerful figure like Luo Ning, the Marines' numerical advantage becomes irrelevant.

Vice Admirals and those below are completely overwhelmed by his ability, which resembles Conqueror's Haki but seems to have no weaknesses like the real thing.

As for Vice Admirals and Admirals, who dares to challenge him and end up like a crumbled biscuit?

Even without using Haki, Luo Ning possesses techniques to counter Logia Devil Fruit users. For a while, only Sengoku knows Aokiji's true condition, as the severe pain keeps him from sleeping.

Even if mental exhaustion from continuous torture allows Aokiji to finally doze off, the pain soon awakens him.

The only way to ensure Aokiji sleeps is by administering anesthesia. However, this constant torture has significantly affected his state.

Now, whenever Sengoku sees Aokiji, he can't help but notice the bloodshot eyes.

As an Admiral, Aokiji naturally possesses immense willpower. However, even steel succumbs to wear and tear. Under constant torment, even the most resilient things will eventually break.

Aokiji exemplifies this perfectly right now. He can't find a way to counter Luo Ning. If the Marines were to engage Luo Ning in battle, they couldn't afford the losses. Even if they managed to defeat him after losing most of their combat power, what about the future?

The Marines' combat power would be severely damaged, rendering them incapable of suppressing the rampant pirates. This would undoubtedly leave the Marines in a precarious position.

The prospect of a war with Luo Ning in the near future filled Sengoku with dread.

"Damn the Celestial Dragons!"

Sengoku slammed his fist onto his desk, shattering it to pieces and sending documents flying in all directions. The goat beside him watched in horror.

This outburst was a clear sign that Sengoku was at his wit's end. While he usually expressed frustration with a few choice words, this time, his anger was so intense it caused him to destroy furniture.

"Let the Five Elders deal with this headache," he muttered.

Sengoku knew it was pointless to try and hide the news. With the Five Elders' vast intelligence network, they would undoubtedly learn of Luo Ning's actions soon enough.

He wasn't concerned about the Five Elders authorizing an attack. They weren't fools; their primary focus was the World Government's interests. They wouldn't launch a direct attack on Luo Ning based solely on Sengoku's report.

At most, they would be furious and order an accelerated investigation into Luo Ning's abilities. Knowing this, Sengoku saw no reason to fret. Reporting the situation was a straightforward matter with no significant repercussions.

In addition to the Celestial Dragons, the situation with the Golden Lion also demanded reporting.

As Sengoku anticipated, the Five Elders responded with an initial outburst, followed by a swift shift to demanding an expedited investigation into Luo Ning's abilities. Their top priority was uncovering any weaknesses he might possess.

Sengoku found this somewhat disdainful. Despite the vast intelligence network of the Marines and the World Government, they were utterly helpless against Luo Ning.

His origins were shrouded in mystery, his abilities remained unclear, and existing strategies proved ineffective against him. In short, their extensive intelligence network was rendered useless when it came to Luo Ning.

Regardless, Sengoku had done his part. If the Five Elders decided to relieve him of his duties for failing to find a solution, so be it. He had long desired to relinquish the burden of Fleet Admiral, but the Five Elders, hesitant to see the Marines' situation deteriorate further, had consistently denied his requests. They were still searching for a suitable successor.