Chapter 14: Stainless Death

Going back in time a little bit.

At the Marine Headquarters, Marineford. Inside the messy offices on the top floor of the Marine Headquarters.

"Huh..." Sengoku took a deep breath, clapped his hands, and let out a long sigh of relief.

He didn't even look at Garp, who lay there with a bruised face while pretending to be dead.

He adjusted his clothes and sat back in his seat as if nothing had happened.

"But... speaking of which, what is going on with these troublesome guys in the Straw Hat Pirates?"

Sengoku had a serious look on his face.

While frowning, he tapped his finger on the desk: "There have been constant troubles for three days, and they have never stopped..."

"Also, why did Ren the Butcher appear there... Shouldn't the Straw Hat Pirates be heading towards the Water 7?"

Based on information compiled by the Marine Intelligence Department.

After breaking into the first half of the Grand Line, the Straw Hat Pirates chose the Water 7 route.

But according to the route chosen by the Straw Hat Pirate, shouldn't they have already started heading towards the Water 7?

Moreover, the Bocris sea area where Stainless's fleet is located is not on the Water 7 route at all, and it's closer to Alabasta.

Moreover, such a distance cannot be reached in just three to five days.

"The report said that there was only Ren the Butcher and a woman who was suspected to be his accomplice. No other members of the Straw Hat Pirates were seen..."

Vice-Admiral Tsuru looked solemn while speaking in a deep voice: "But there is one thing we have to pay attention to. That guy must have gained an incredible ability!"

After saying this, she directly put a few photos on the desk and motioned to the two of them to come.

"This is the photo faxed back by Stainless' fleet earlier. Take a look at it!"

After looking over subconsciously, their pupils couldn't help but shrink.

"That's..."

They saw a huge beast bathing in flame in the photo.

It steps on the clouds and stands high in the sky. Its momentum is extremely amazing.

"It should be the same as yours, Sengoku. He's also a Mythical Zoan Fruit user..."

Vice-Admiral Tsuru said directly.

She believes that the other party's strength is not simple and that it's no longer something that an ordinary Vice-Admiral can handle.

"Its whole body is bathed in flames, and it can float in mid-air..."

"Judging from the information in the photo, that guy most likely has the Devil Fruit that can control fire and fly in the air!"

Sengoku's face was full of solemnity.

In order to hide his ethnic identity, Ren also honed himself to the greatest extent.

He, who has always been cautious by nature, has rarely shown his ability to control fire in front of others.

After all, he would not show his trump card foolishly and let the enemy fully understand his intelligence unless necessary.

Until now, even the Marine Headquarters, which has extremely strong intelligence capabilities, didn't know that he could control flame before he became a Devil Fruit user.

"Ren the Butcher, this guy is too murderous..."

At this time, Garp, who has a bruised face, got up.

He couldn't help but frown while speaking: "If I remember correctly, starting from joining the Straw Hat Pirates in Logue town, they went to places like the Whisky Peak, the Drum Kingdom, Alabasta, Jaya, and then to the G-8 Marine Base a few days ago... Most of the death was caused by him!"

"I can't understand how Luffy can mixed up with such a guy!"

Garp still knows his grandson's character very well.

That kid is carefree and mischievous, always talking about wanting to be the Pirate King, and likes to see the world.

But he is definitely not the kind of person who is bloodthirsty and does whatever he wants with his strength.

"It seems that this kid is indeed more dangerous than we thought..."

Sengoku, on the side, couldn't help but snort coldly.

But he did not try to squeeze Garp anymore. He went straight to Vice-Admiral Tsuru and asked in a deep voice: "Tsuru, can the nearby Marine Base have time to support Stainless and the others?"

The Vice-Admiral is one of the backbones of the Marine.

Each of them is a master who has experienced many battles, has considerable strength, and can skillfully use Observation Haki and Armament Haki.

Generally speaking, there is basically no pressure when dealing with rookies who have not yet entered the New World.

Moreover, Stainless's strength, even among the Vice-Admirals at Marine Headquarters, is above average and belongs to the relatively elite group.

But it was obvious that the fleet had suffered heavy losses and began to ask for help from the headquarters.

That means that the Ren the Butcher's strength has become so strong that he cannot resist, and the entire fleet may be annihilated.

Although the fleet led by Stainless was initially designed to destroy the Tiger Shark Pirates, they have at least two thousand people.

Naturally, he, the fleet Admiral, could not just sit idly by.

"As for that sea area, the G-2 Marine Base is relatively close, but it should take three days at the fastest to get there..."

Vice-Admiral Tsuru also had a serious expression and said without hesitation: "As for the G-3 Marine Base, it will take five days at the earliest... If the headquarters directly sends a fleet there, it will take ten days at the fastest!"

"If Admiral Aokiji rushes from Marine Headquarters non-stop regardless of consumption, it should be faster!"

There was a brief pause.

Vice-Admiral Tsuru advised: "Besides, Coppers Ren's ability is now unknown, and only when Aokiji took action would it be safer!"

As the Great Staff Officer of Marine Headquarters, she has already considered these in advance.

But Vice-Admiral Tsuru obviously didn't know that Aokiji, the Admiral who was supposed to be on duty and was on standby at the headquarters, was not here at all.

Although he has a lazy personality on weekdays, he is generally conscientious and rarely has any problems at work.

But, he unexpectedly left his post without permission and sneaked out.

"In addition, Stainless's fleet did report just now that they heard Ren the Butcher personally admit that he had quit the Straw Hat Pirates, but it has not been confirmed yet..."

After glancing at Garp, Vice-Admiral Tsuru added: "Perhaps, as you said, Garp, Coppers Ren had a conflict with the rest of the Straw Hat Pirates because of their incompatibility!"

"In other words, that guy probably left the Straw Hat Pirates directly after gaining powerful ability?" Sengoku frowned and stared at the picture of the flaming beast.

He was not surprised by this situation.

There are pirates who do not go out to sea in the name of freedom or adventure but for killing and looting, making them cause trouble everywhere they go.

In the final analysis, they are just a group of evil people who gather together for their own interests, and they are not noble or righteous people.

Moreover, some pirates, after gaining powerful abilities, feel that their weaker companions are no longer worthy of being with them, so it is not uncommon for them to leave the team and work alone.

After suddenly gaining great power, he tried to seize power.

There are countless similar situations in the sea.

"Brannew..."

Sengoku didn't delay any longer and quickly made a decision.

He directly gave the order to Brannew, who had just walked in and had not yet had time to salute: "Inform Aokiji immediately and ask him to rush to the Bocris sea area as soon as possible to support Stainless and the others... I hope it's still not too late!"

"If he encounters Ren, the vice-captain of the Straw Hat Pirates, he must catch him!"

Regardless of whether Coppers Ren left the Straw Hat Pirates or not.

He has considerable strength at such a young age and has also acquired a rare Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit.

His potential is amazing.

Far better than other pirates who had a bounty of over 100 million in the same period and were known as supernovas.

Even in terms of strength and abilities, he is no worse than Fire Fist, Ace, who refused Marine's invitation to make him one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea. Instead, he turned and joined the Whitebeard Pirates.

Moreover, he's still a heinous thug.

If he continues to let Coppers Ren go, I'm afraid he will become big trouble soon.

"Huh?" Brannew, who had just been about to report to Fleet Admiral Sengoku that he could not contact Admiral Aokiji, was suddenly confused and startled.

"I'm very sorry, Fleet Admiral Sengoku..."

Brannew was sweating profusely: "We can't contact Admiral Aokiji at all now!"

"What!?"

When he hears this, Sengoku's face turns dark, and he curses loudly.

At this moment, a Rear-Admiral ran over while sweating profusely.

After a hurried salute, he ignored Vice-Admiral Tsuru, Garp, and others beside him and reported in a panic: "Fleet Admiral Sengoku, it's not good..."

"Just now, the vivre card of Vice-Admiral Stainless was burned to ashes!"

"What!?"

Hearing this, Sengoku, Garp, Vice-Admiral Tsuru, and others all had a drastic change in their expressions.

"Coppers Ren...that bastard!!"