Chapter 490 - 490: The State of the World and the Marines’ Next Move

The announcement was far too obvious to mistake.

No one except Cyrus could create a spectacle like that.

"Pops, is that…?" Marco stared at the second sun burning in the sky, then looked toward Whitebeard.

"If he's back, then what you suspected might really have happened. He actually pulled it off."

Whitebeard fell silent.

He had personally witnessed the power of the monster hidden behind the World Government during the incident at God Valley.

Even Rocks had been unable to resist that strange corruption, and after everything that had happened recently, Whitebeard still felt a chill when he remembered a power capable of affecting the entire world.

If it had simply been overwhelming destructive force, he wouldn't have been nearly as wary.

What disturbed him was the ability to turn friends into crazed enemies.

"With that man back, though, our lives probably aren't going to get any easier."

Diamond Jozu spoke in a heavy voice from nearby.

"The world is already changing. This old man has no idea what it'll look like when everything finally settles."

Whitebeard picked up the enormous bowl of sake beside him and drained it in one go.

"Brats, enough worrying. Keep the party going."

There was little point thinking too deeply about it. Whatever Cyrus intended to do, Whitebeard knew there was nothing he could do to stop him.

Compared with the Whitebeard Pirates' relatively relaxed response, the atmosphere within Marine Headquarters was considerably heavier.

For the first time in a long while, the Marines had finally been free to pursue what they considered justice without the World Government constantly interfering. Unfortunately, the Marine organization itself was far from spotless.

That had become Sengoku's greatest headache lately.

Anyone who disgraced the name of justice obviously had to be dealt with, but there were simply too many problems buried inside the organization.

Purging all of them at once had caused serious internal unrest, adding yet another source of instability to a Marine force already shaken by the collapse of the World Government.

This was no longer something Sengoku could completely control through his authority as Fleet Admiral alone.

Fortunately, the Hunter Guild had continued following the orders Cyrus left behind.

Its basic attitude toward the Marines was simple: it would not interfere in Marine affairs, provided the Marines didn't overreach.

Then, while Sengoku was already drowning in problems, the sky suddenly brightened as a second sun appeared overhead.

Rapid footsteps sounded outside the Fleet Admiral's office.

Vice Admiral Tsuru entered with a severe expression, accompanied by Garp, who was casually picking his nose. Two Admirals followed behind them.

Akainu was the only one missing.

"He really made sure everyone knew he was back."

Garp dropped into a chair and immediately complained.

"It's not just an announcement that he returned."

Tsuru shook her head and looked toward Sengoku.

"It's a reminder to us—and to every other power in the world."

Sengoku nodded gravely.

"We need to send someone to make contact."

"Before that, we need to solve the funding problem."

Tsuru immediately brought up the more urgent issue.

Cyrus's return was bound to shake the world, and the Marines certainly needed to establish his attitude as soon as possible.

But without money, none of that would matter for long.

The World Government had always used funding as one of the primary ways to control the Marines.

Now that the World Government was gone, the seas were filled with shifting factions and hidden ambitions.

The Marines had retained most of their core military strength, but soldiers still needed food, weapons, ships, medicine, and salaries.

If their finances collapsed while the organization was already unstable internally, the consequences would be disastrous.

"I've already contacted the kings of various countries."

Tsuru had clearly been working on the problem for some time.

"More than seventy percent are willing to contribute funding, but every one of them has conditions."

"So someone needs to visit the Hunter Guild."

Sengoku settled back into his chair, his expression easing slightly.

"Cyrus will definitely return there. We need to see what position he takes."

"Given his personality and the way the Hunter Guild operates, I doubt he'll interfere much."

Garp suddenly joined the discussion.

Sengoku immediately looked at him.

"Why don't you go this time?"

"Absolutely not."

Garp rejected the idea without hesitation.

"I've been busy educating my grandson. Do you know how much effort it took to snatch that brat back from Dragon?"

As he spoke, Garp unconsciously rubbed around one eye.

Sengoku's expression darkened.

"I ignored you slacking off before, but not this time. It's decided. You're going."

Aokiji and Kizaru glanced at each other and wisely said nothing.

"Leave immediately. The sooner, the better."

Sengoku waved him away.

Garp grimaced but didn't continue arguing. Instead, he stood, casually pulled open one of Sengoku's drawers, and started rummaging through it.

"And solve the funding issue quickly. This old man is almost too broke to buy rice crackers."

Under Sengoku's speechless stare, Garp wandered out of the office.

"We'll discuss the finances again after Garp returns."

Sengoku then turned toward the two Admirals, who had been doing their best to look invisible.

"What's going on with Sakazuki?"

"Don't ask me."

Kizaru raised both hands and pulled a face in one smooth motion.

"I haven't seen him in ages either."

Aokiji's mouth twitched.

"He's taken his fleet around the world hunting pirates. The global situation may have changed, but pirates certainly haven't disappeared because of it."

He sighed.

"In fact, all the recent wars and instability have pushed even more people out to sea."

"Make sure he distinguishes between different cases."

Sengoku frowned before shaking his head helplessly.

"That's easier said than done."

Aokiji spread his hands.

"A lot of pirates are calling themselves adventurers now while still doing exactly the same pirate shit as before."

"This is precisely why cooperating with the Hunter Guild would make sense."

Tsuru reminded them.

"While Cyrus was gone, we couldn't push too hard. But now that he's back, we can discuss joint operations."

The Hunter Guild had huge numbers, but its loose internal structure meant the organization wasn't especially centralized.

If the Marines had suddenly proposed direct cooperation while Cyrus was absent, the Guild would almost certainly have become suspicious and might even have reacted aggressively.

After all, not long ago, the two sides had still been enemies in everything but name.

"Then let Garp negotiate it."

Sengoku decided the matter immediately.

"He's been idle long enough. It's time to give him some real work."

Then he turned toward Aokiji and Kizaru.

"And the same goes for you two. Get out there more often and let the Marines under you actually see their Admirals. You're the faces of the organization now."

Sengoku leaned back.

"When this old man finally retires, the Marines will need you two to hold everything together."

Whether it was encouragement or simply another burden being shoved onto them didn't matter.

Kizaru clearly had no interest in accepting that particular piece of bait.

Aokiji, however, seemed slightly more motivated than usual.

"Understood, Fleet Admiral Sengoku."

…

The former Sabaody Archipelago had now become Hunter Island.

The Hunter Guild had completely occupied this vital group of islands connecting Paradise and the New World.

Its development had been rapid, but so had the number of problems that needed managing.

The dark circles under Crocodile's eyes had barely faded in weeks.

Only now did he truly understand how easy his life had been when Cyrus was around.

Cyrus might rarely handle day-to-day work himself, but his mere presence was enough to relieve an enormous amount of pressure.

Without him there, the difference was painfully obvious.

Worse, neither Issho nor Mihawk had any interest whatsoever in administrative work, which was driving Crocodile insane.

Those two were supposed to be the major combat forces Cyrus had left behind to serve as the Hunter Guild's public deterrent.

Couldn't either of them show even the slightest enthusiasm for helping run the damn place?

Crocodile was still silently cursing them when brilliant golden light suddenly flooded through the windows.

He froze.

Then slowly looked up.