Chapter 52: Naval Headquarters Discussion

Leno defeats Kuzan, shocking Kong, Sengoku, and the others. With the collection of various intelligence, Kong convenes a small-scale high-level meeting to minimize the impact of this matter. The attendees are the core figures of the Marine:

Marshal Kong!

Admiral Sengoku!

Admiral Zephyr!

Vice Admiral Sakazuki!

Vice Admiral Borsalino!

Vice Admiral Tsuru!

Rear Admiral Gion!

"Hey, what's so urgent that it needed an emergency call?" Sakazuki asked.

Gion got up and distributed the collected information. The cover of the document featured the Dragon Badge of the Hunters Guild, with the name Hunters Guild beneath it.

"Hunters Guild?" Sakazuki said, puffing on his cigar. "Another pirate group, huh?"

"Pirates!" Hatred flashed in Zephyr's eyes. Though still an Admiral, he had moved on to logistics and was now the Chief Instructor at the Marine Training School. Sakazuki, Borsalino, Kuzan, and others were all his students.

"No!" Vice Admiral Tsuru spoke up, drawing everyone's attention. "They are not pirates!"

"Not pirates? Then why bother discussing them? The Marines shouldn't waste their energy on such a small organization," Sakazuki grumbled.

"Sakazuki, read the information first," Sengoku advised.

"Hunters Guild—Leno, the president, defeated Kuzan in the waters near East Blue's Goa Kingdom yesterday," Kong explained.

"What?!" Sakazuki, Zephyr, and Borsalino, unaware of the incident, were stunned, and the atmosphere in the conference room shifted.

"Defeated Kuzan? Unbelievable!" Borsalino, with his usual nonchalant demeanor, skimmed the documents.

"That guy's too weak. Losing to Dragon is one thing, but to some nobody? It's embarrassing for the Marines!" Sakazuki scoffed, opening the file.

The information came from Hunters Guild recruitment promotions, transmitted by Garp and the Marine branch.

"Our priority is to confirm Kuzan's status. I have already instructed Garp and the East Blue Marine Division to search thoroughly," Kong stated. "The trouble is that this event could negatively impact the Marines. Should we classify the Hunters Guild as pirates?"

While the Marines were in the midst of their discussion, at the World Economic News Headquarters, Morgans—a notorious figure in the press, with ties to major global organizations, including the World Government—was delighted.

"Marine Vice Admiral, defeated? Hunters Guild from East Blue? This is sensational news! Embarrassing the Marines will send sales soaring! Hohohoho..." Morgans laughed. For him, nothing mattered more than valuable news, even if it embarrassed the World Government.

East Blue:

Kuzan woke up, rubbing his head as he lay on a hospital bed, bandaged but unconcerned about his injuries. "I fell asleep!" he yawned, stretching.

An old doctor entered. "Oh, you're awake! How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Good," Kuzan replied, cracking his joints.

"Hey, where am I? Who brought me here?"

"This is Shells Town. The people who brought you here left after paying the fee," the doctor answered.

Kuzan scratched his head, aware that news of his defeat had likely spread.

"Is there a Marine base nearby?" Kuzan asked.

"Yes, Shells Town is controlled by Marine 153 branch," the doctor replied.

Kuzan soon reached the 153 branch, where the guards were shocked to see him.

"I'm Naval Headquarters Vice Admiral Kuzan!" he announced.

"Vice Admiral Kuzan?!" Mengka, the gate guard, exclaimed, rushing to alert the base. The entire base lined up to greet him.

Kuzan briefly interacted with the Marines and then contacted Headquarters to clarify his situation.

Upon hearing that Kuzan was alive, Kong and Sengoku sighed in relief.

"You really lost?" Sengoku asked, visibly disappointed, as he had high hopes for Kuzan.

"Yes, I lost," Kuzan admitted.

Sengoku shook his head. "The Hunters Guild situation has been handed over to the World Government. How they handle it is their decision. Since you're okay, the World Government won't escalate things. They won't want to push the Guild into outright opposition."

The World Government often tolerated strong individuals, even incorporating pirates when necessary. As long as Hunters Guild didn't directly challenge the Marines or World Government, they wouldn't be overly aggressive.

"However, given the potential negative impact on the Marines, we'll arrange an interview for you," Sengoku continued. "You'll need to publicly deny your defeat, or it could affect your promotion to Admiral."

The Marines and World Government had hidden the truth before, like in the Valley of Gods and Ohara incidents. Kuzan calmly gazed out the window at the sea, where seagulls flew by, and the Justice insignia on the warship gleamed.

"I understand," Kuzan replied.

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