Chapter 160: Sengoku: Being Played, but Not Completely So

The Cursed Labyrinth enveloped the sea, its waves crashing violently against the surface. Deafening roars echoed in all directions, accompanied by dazzling beams of energy.

One minute passed…

Sengoku considered this situation normal. After all, White Ghost's Devil Fruit ability was indeed very troublesome. To defeat him, one had to attack his real body.

Surely even Bullet wouldn't find it easy to deal with White Ghost, right?

Three minutes passed…

Sengoku's instincts told him something was amiss. Why hadn't Bullet broken through the Cursed Labyrinth yet? The intense spectacle persisted, indicating that the battle was still ongoing, right?

Five minutes passed, and the reactions around the Cursed Labyrinth remained unchanged. The scene was vibrant, the momentum grand.

"Are you two bastards playing me?" Sengoku's suspicion grew. With a stern expression, he re-entered the Great Buddha state. Using Moon Step, he stepped on the air, moving from the Marine battleship to the top of the Cursed Labyrinth.

"White Ghost!" Sengoku's voice thundered. A translucent, spherical energy ball formed in his hand. With a forceful swing, a tempest of airwaves and fierce winds erupted, causing the sea surface to ripple and slightly sink.

In the next instant, a terrifying shockwave burst forth. Golden rings of circular airwaves dispersed, nearly obliterating the Cursed Labyrinth caught between the Buddha's shockwave and the ocean.

Suddenly, Adrian and Bullet, who had been mock battling, came into Sengoku's line of sight.

"Well, well! Admiral Sengoku, long time no see. Why haven't you left yet?"

Adrian leisurely raised his right hand, a smile playing on his face as he looked at Admiral Sengoku. His tone was so friendly that it seemed he wasn't addressing the formidable Marine admiral, but rather an ordinary neighbor he happened to meet on the street.

Sengoku observed White Ghost, who hadn't broken a sweat on his forehead, and then glanced at the expressionless Bullet nearby. He couldn't help but feel exasperated. What exactly were these two doing here?

They attacked like berserk beasts, yet there was nothing to see. It was a spectacle that didn't satisfy a hunter. Sengoku didn't expect bloodshed, but at least a little sweat would have been nice!

"Ha! Admiral Sengoku!" Bullet regarded Sengoku with a disdainful look, emitting a contemptuous snort. In Bullet's eyes, Garp's journey to Baterilla Island in the South Sea wasn't merely a personal decision. There had to be someone pulling the strings behind the scenes. Back when they relentlessly pursued the Roger Pirates across the vast seas, Sengoku was always by Garp's side!

Bullet instinctively concluded that Sengoku must know what Garp was up to. These two high-ranking Marine officers—a Fleet Admiral and a legendary Vice Admiral—actually wanted to bring Gol D. Roger's child into the Marines. It was a disgrace to the Pirate King and the entire pirate profession! Unforgivable!

As Bullet's angry and disdainful gaze bore into him, Sengoku felt utterly perplexed. What was wrong with this guy? Did White Ghost say something to him?

"Bullet—" Sengoku began.

"Admiral Sengoku, my apologies for the interruption," Adrian suddenly spoke up, cutting off Sengoku. "The conversation I had with Mr. Bullet just now happened to involve a certain individual. I'm curious, what are your thoughts on Pirate King Gol D. Roger?"

Thoughts?

"Are you asking me about my thoughts on Roger?" Sengoku's voice held a steely edge. "Right now, I just want to send both of you straight to Impel Down. Then you two can chat all you want about your mock fights!"

His expression turned icy as he once again condensed a massive Buddha Shockwave in his right hand.

Adrian raised an eyebrow casually. "Do you think Roger's child is still alive?"

Bullet instantly fixed his gaze on Sengoku, not missing any hint in his expression.

Sengoku's pupils slightly contracted. The Buddha Shockwave he was about to release faltered momentarily, yet his face remained devoid of emotion.

"I don't know what you're talking about, White Ghost."

"Don't you?" Adrian smiled nonchalantly. "How about this: do you know where your good comrade, the Marines hero and legendary Vice Admiral Monkey D. Garp, is right now?"

Sengoku responded stiffly, "That's not your concern, White Ghost."

"Don't be so rigid, Admiral Sengoku." Adrian continued, "Let me give you a hint. The location of Vice Admiral Garp is a calm little island in a certain outer Blue."

Adrian added, "But why isn't it East Blue; and why isn't it Goa Kingdom?"

"… Any why is it all the way to the Baterilla island"

On the side, Bullet mentally noted the name "Baterilla island".

Garp! You scoundrel!

What have you been up to? Why did the pirates discover your trail?

Although he had always known that Garp, that scoundrel, could never do anything serious, why did he still so carelessly let others discover it when it involved Roger's child?

That's right!

Sengoku knew that during the past half-year, Garp—supposedly on vacation—had actually gone to the South Blue to take care of the widow and child entrusted to him by Roger. When the World Government issued orders for a search operation in the South Blue, Garp specifically relayed this news to him. It was nothing short of a thunderbolt on a clear day.

Sengoku grappled with conflicting emotions. Eradicating the wicked bloodline of the Pirate King aligned with the Marine's ambition to rule the world. But mercilessly slaughtering innocent widows and children went against the underlying sense of justice.

This conflict weighed heavily on Sengoku's mind, making him irritable for a period of time. Even Little Rosinante hesitated to approach him during those days.

And now, Garp, his old friend, added another layer of complexity to this dilemma.

Sengoku decided to turn a blind eye and pretend he knew nothing.

"Is the Marine Admiral speechless?" Adrian spoke softly. "When that child truly appears before you, I hope you won't regret it…"

"I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about, White Ghost!" Sengoku unleashed a shockwave from the palm of his hand. "Right now, all I want is to lock you up in Impel Down for a lifetime!"

Free Ghost: Walk in the Clouds.

Adrian soared into the sky, evading Sengoku's attack.

"Admiral, Demon's Heir, feel free to keep fighting," Adrian said. "As a passerby who happened to cross paths, I'll continue my journey."

Sengoku glanced at the distant figure of the departing White Ghost, then turned to look at Bullet, who remained behind.

It seemed like he was being played, but not entirely so.