Chapter 58

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Chapter 58: The Three Admirals Fight Together! (Fourth More) (For Subscription)

The Fleet Admiral issued his orders as quickly as possible. The personnel who were summoned soon arrived at his office. All of Marineford sprang into action. Numerous large warships set sail from Cang Curry and anchored in the harbor to await orders. Box after box of bullets, shells, spears, and swords were loaded onto the warships, forming a lengthy human chain from the logistics department to resupply the vessels. The elite soldiers were also prepared to embark and stood awaiting their commanders.

In the office, Sengoku and Tsuru reviewed Virgo's incident report. Tsuru frowned and said, "I agree with Sakazuki's analysis. It's likely that Kaido will head to G5 to retake the Thunder Fruit."

Sengoku's eyebrows showed a hint of concern. "This means Virgo has endangered the soldiers of G5. Virgo securing the Thunder Fruit is fortunate, a stroke of luck for him and, by extension, for the Marines. Yet disaster has struck too. Who could have anticipated Blackbeard making a deal with Kaido to transport such a vital Devil Fruit? The shipwrecked route led by survivors included Virgo the Vice Admiral, who killed Blackbeard's fourth ship captain and stole Kaido's cargo. Now, Kaido seeks revenge, and it is highly probable that no one at G5, including Virgo, will survive."

Sengoku sighed deeply.

"Well, it's terrible. Kaido the Emperor will surely exact his vengeance," Kizaru remarked, leaning back in his chair with a nonchalant expression.

"The old man here thinks there's no need for such pessimism," Fujitora interjected, resting on his staff and sword. "Didn't Virgo overpower Blackbeard's fourth captain, Pizarro, with his strength? He's not weak and may well escape with numerable odds. And now he possesses a top Logia ability like ours; perhaps he might even defeat Kaido, hahaha," the green-clad Admiral joked, which everyone understood was not to be taken seriously.

Kaido was a creature without equal; even they, the seasoned Admirals, couldn't best him one-on-one. He was the strongest in the world, capable of wreaking havoc across the nations, frightening the Marines with just his banner, killing an 800-year-old behemoth on Zou, and destroying the Mokomo Dukedom he called home.

This monster was now in Marine territory, and the fate of the situation seemed apparent to all. The entire G5, including its countless soldiers, was likely doomed. The only question was whether Virgo, their most valuable asset at the moment, would survive.

"I've already sent for contact," Akainu declared somberly. "This time, sending an Admiral is imperative; which of the three of you will go?" The loss of the troops was bearable, but not the territory. Should Kaido destroy the island, the Marine's already limited stronghold in the New World would suffer. Moreover, such an act was a direct affront to the Marines. If nothing was done, it would be a disgrace, tarnishing the Marine's reputation globally.

"One?" Green Bull Araki quirked an eyebrow, finding the idea preposterous.

"One is not enough," Sengoku asserted, looking calmly at the trio of Admirals, then at Akainu. "The saying is that two Admirals cannot be defeated together, and this isn't just our own propaganda."

"If we can't defeat Kaido, we can at least minimize the damage and drive him away."

Akainu pondered; the rumor had formed during his time as an Admiral. He knew his own strength and felt the statement was accurate.

Suddenly, a soldier burst forth from the adjacent room with a Den Den Mushi in hand.

"Fleet Admiral, we have a connection!" he announced.

The atmosphere in the office tensed, and even the air seemed to freeze with anticipation.

The soldier gulped nervously and passed the transponder snail to his superior with hesitation.

Akainu looked at him with a stern gaze, then picked up the transponder snail and made the connection. Several top Marine officials also tuned in attentively.

"Virgo? Are you still alive?" Akainu asked, his expression grave. He feared it might be Kaido on the other end of the line. Fortunately, Virgo responded promptly, allowing everyone to breathe a sigh of relief.

"It's me. What's next for the department?" Virgo sounded somewhat muffled, as though he was holding back pain. Everyone could sense his discomfort as he snorted through the pain.

The group exchanged concerned glances, realizing the situation was far from positive – Virgo had been seriously injured.

"You should retreat to headquarters for now. We will send two admirals to take over," Akainu suggested with reluctance. It was against his nature; years ago, he might have let Virgo perish. But now, as a Fleet Admiral, he understood that sometimes a strategic withdrawal was the best course of action.

"No, Fleet Admiral Sakazuki!" To everyone's surprise, Virgo emphatically rejected the order. "I am the base commander of G5! I'll fight to the last moment at G5. I will never abandon my soldiers and retreat by myself!"

Akainu was taken aback; he hadn't expected Virgo to show such determination. This was the kind of raw spirit he admired – a true embodiment of what a Marine general should be.

"Also, Fleet Admiral! I request that all three admirals be sent. Together with my strength, we'll have enough to defeat Kaido here!" Virgo's direct and unexpected proposal left everyone in attendance astonished by his unwavering stance against the pirates.

This was Kaido, a man so tough that the Marines had captured him numerous times without managing to execute him.

Yet, Virgo's suggestion had some merit. The combination of three admirals plus his own prowess could potentially challenge Kaido.

A thick plume of white smoke billowed from Akainu's cigar, as though it had flared up in its entirety. Those familiar with him knew this was a sign of his rising fervor, his body's temperature involuntarily spiking at such times.

"I concur," Akainu spoke thoughtfully. "The admirals' influence at sea has indeed diminished, particularly with the growth of the Worst Generation in the past two years. Sending admirals to their original strategic posts won't have the same impact or deterrence as taking down Kaido would."

Sengoku nodded in agreement, adding, "I concur with that plan. Last time he attacked, he caused us significant losses with just one move. Now it's our turn to play the game."

Aramaki raised his hand with a grin and chimed in, "I'm in as well, Fleet Admiral Sakazuki! With the three of us in action, you can look forward to our victory and Kaido's defeat." He laughed heartily.

"Hmm?" Kizaru, ever the deadpan humorist, added lightly, "It seems we're all unexpectedly aligned in our mission."

Even the elder agreed, noting the strategic value of defeating an Emperor and furthering the agenda to abolish the Seven Warlords system. Fujitora expressed his support with a determined nod.

The white smoke masked the upper half of Akainu's face, concealing his eyes.

"I'm counting on you—Kizaru, Fujitora," Akainu declared solemnly.

The three acknowledged the call to action, standing before him with eyes alight with the fire of battle. Fujitora even gripped his sword with unwavering resolve.

"Head to the G5 Marine base now," commanded Akainu. "And make sure to bring back Kaido's head!"

His heart lightened at the sight of these three top-tier fighters, energized by the prospect of Kaido's and the Beast Pirates' downfall.

Turning back to the transponder snail, he issued the command, "Virgo, brace yourself!"

"Understood! I'll hold out until the admirals arrive."