60. Here He Comes, The Man Who Is Also Called Kizaru

Three days passed swiftly.

G-8 Fortress Port.

The massive Marine warship was anchored at the port, and Marine soldiers were bustling around, diligently maintaining the vessel. Standing in front of the port, a man donned in a justice cloak observed Atlas from the opposite side with a friendly smile.

Beside Atlas stood Crocodile, now reduced to a prisoner but still radiating an air that seemed to beg for a beating. It had to be acknowledged that individuals in the pirate world possessed a peculiar resilience. Despite the thorough beating he received from Atlas, Crocodile seemed to recover in an astonishingly short period, almost creating the illusion that he had never been pummeled by Atlas in the first place.

"Captain Atlas, here is the Rear Admiral from Headquarters."

Atlas regarded the Rear Admiral in front of him with an impassive expression. The man's small, almost slitted eyes exuded a sense of pride. His hexagonal face, coupled with prominent ears, contributed to a compact appearance. Facial features were sharply defined, and a cigarette hung from his wide-open mouth.

He didn't sport the tidy uniform typical of other Marine admirals; instead, he wore a brown jacket resembling a mandarin collar and matching casual pants. His slightly hunched posture made it challenging to estimate his actual age. The overall impression he left was vulgar and ugly.

If Borsalino emanates a sense of vulgarity from within, then the Rear Admiral manages to evoke a similar feeling purely through his outward appearance.

Indeed, he is truly a man worthy of being compared to Vice Admiral Kizaru at Naval Headquarters!

Atlas quietly sighed to himself.

"Hello, Rear Admiral Tokikake. I am Canos Atlas, and I have long admired your reputation," Atlas greeted respectfully.

Atlas reciprocated with a smile and a nod, offering praise without hesitation. Whether this reputation was positive or negative largely depended on individual perspectives.

According to Atlas's limited understanding of Tokikake, he believed the Rear Admiral to be the type of officer who prioritized the safety of the people. Despite his rough exterior, there seemed to be a kind-hearted nature within him.

"No, no, Brother Atlas, you are the renowned one. I've been eager to meet you, the rising star of the Marines!" Rear Admiral Tokikake responded with admiration.

Tokikake evidently possessed high emotional intelligence. Unlike Akainu, who is known for his stern demeanor, Tokikake had garnered criticism for his mischievous and carefree attitude. One of his most notorious incidents involved his fervent pursuit of Gion, and shockingly, he even allowed himself to be seen on the flower boat. Gion, apparently out of exasperation, only agreed to his antics due to his seemingly eccentric behavior!

"Alright, no need for more formalities. Let's get Crocodile onto the warship," Rear Admiral Tokikake declared, cutting to the chase.

After a brief exchange of formalities, Tokikake , with a serious expression, proposed the idea of incarcerating Crocodile on a warship.

"Hey! Hey! Hey! This should have been done ages ago. What are you two blabbering about there? Such hypocritical Marine rookies!" Crocodile, who had grown impatient, couldn't resist taunting.

Both Tokikake and Atlas ignored Crocodile's cries and personally escorted him to the temporary prison on the warship.

...

Naval Headquarters, Marineford, Sengoku's office.

Sengoku, characterized by his fluffy black hair, frog-shaped glasses, and a thick, braided beard, sat in an office chair. Beside the wide desk, a white goat quietly chewed on discarded documents. Unlike his usual routine of lying down in front of a mountain of paperwork, today Sengoku, with a serious expression, focused on the man seated across from him.

The man's face was obscured by swirling smoke, but his iron-willed and determined visage could be vaguely discerned. An unfamiliar tattoo adorned his thick neck. Dressed in a standard Marine cap and a dark red suit, he sported an alluring touch with a dark red rose pinned to his chest.

"Sakazuki, what's the current situation in the New World?" 

Sengoku directed his gaze at Akainu, who had recently returned from a campaign in the New World for training at headquarters. He inquired about the current state of affairs. Although the Marine had established robust control over the first half of the Grand Line, extending their influence in the New World proved challenging. The region was rife with formidable individuals, creating a chaotic situation that made Marine intervention difficult.

"As usual, the rogue pirates are engaged in internal conflicts, but the three most formidable factions remain the Whitebeard Pirates, the Big Mom Pirates, and the Beasts Pirates. Additionally, the Yermak Pirates has formed an alliance with the Klaus Pirates, the Blood Scythe Pirates, and the Francis Pirates," Akainu reported.

"The four of them formed an alliance?" Sengoku was a little surprised.

"Hey~ The very nature of pirates is to eliminate each other, especially considering that no matter how vast the New World is, it can't accommodate an abundance of pirate overlords. Moreover, the pirate groups like Whitebeard, Big Mom, and the Hundred Beasts are beyond the reach of defeat by other pirate crews alone. To stay competitive, forming temporary alliances becomes their inevitable choice!" Akainu explained.

Akainu paused, his eyes narrowing, and he continued, "But sooner or later, they will resume their battles. It's impossible for these four pirate groups to maintain a perpetual alliance and confine themselves to a corner of the New World. Greed always resides in people's hearts, and these pirates are no exception."

It must be acknowledged that, aside from Akainu's more radical ideologies, his strategic vision is undeniably astute. He has the ability to intuitively analyze the complex situation unfolding in the New World.

"Well, that's correct, and what we Marines must do is to extract benefits from the chaos. If any of the three pirate groups—Whitebeard, Big Mom, and the Hundered Beast—is eliminated, the Marines would be exposed to substantial risks and losses. However, when the New World descends into chaos, Marine can secure a stable position," Sengoku responded, laying out the strategic perspective.

Sengoku nodded in agreement.

"Now that the majority of Marine's combat forces have been deployed to the New World, in the event of a conflict among these major pirate groups, we at Marine can not only weaken the three prominent pirate factions but also expand our influence in the New World. It's crucial, however, to manage the intensity of our involvement," Sengoku emphasized.

Marine's primary combat forces, including Garp, Akainu, and Gion, are currently stationed in the New World. As for Kizaru and Aokiji, one went to the holy land of Mary Geoise for official duties, while the other casually pedaled a bicycle around the sea. Personally, Sengoku found dealing with these two to be a bit of a headache.

Borsalino is relatively manageable, considering he has always been quite laid-back. However, with Kuzan, Sengoku harbors a sense of optimism despite his shift from burning justice to lazy justice after the Ohara incident. His penchant for fishing(meaning lagging or procrastination) has reached a level almost on par with Borsalino's.

Sengoku's position as the leader can be quite frustrating. The Five Elders exert pressure from above, and Garp is positioned below him. Despite Sengoku's diligent efforts, his radical ideas often lead to dissatisfaction from some quarters, making the role challenging.

Contemplating these challenges, Sengoku suddenly felt a sense of darkness looming over his life.

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