Chapter 259

Suddenly, a sharp rapping at the door interrupted his stretch.

*Knock knock.*

"Come in!" Dante called out.

The door opened to reveal Zephyr, his old face stern. Surprise flickered across Dante’s features.

"Zephyr-sensei?" His tone carried a questioning edge. "What’s wrong? Are the instructors from the Amazon Lily not up to par?"

"The Amazon Lily? Oh, you mean that Pirate Empress." Hearing the question, Zephyr paused in surprise, then nodded approvingly. "They are decent. No slacking off. Looks like the Pirate Empress actually handpicked them. Tsk tsk tsk. Has that beautiful female pirate also become your plaything?"

’Why does this rumor keep coming up?’

Dante rolled his eyes. Before he could voice his righteous indignation, Zephyr waved it off.

"Never mind, let’s drop it. I came to you about something else." Zephyr changed the subject himself, looking earnestly at Dante. He didn’t drag it out, his voice hardened as he stated directly, "I was just talking with Garp. He told me... Marine HQ is planning to hold a World Military Draft!"

The words hung heavy in the quiet office.

"World Military Draft?" Surprise flashed across Dante’s face, but only for a moment. He nodded slowly, frowning in thought. "As expected... they began the draft after all."

He wasn’t surprised that Marine HQ would take this step. Since the public execution, their lack of combat power had been glaringly exposed. Especially after Mock’s rampage, the so-called New Pirate Era had arguably kicked off early.

And now, with Vegapunk on Dante’s side, whether the World Government could even create Pacifistas or Seraphim was an open question, with Caesar Clown’s abilities it might take decades. To make up for the massive combat deficit, holding a worldwide draft was likely their only viable option. There were still plenty of strong, hidden fighters out on the sea.

Dante mulled it over, nodded, and looked at Zephyr, his eyes narrowing slightly. "So, Zephyr-sensei, you’re planning to..."

"Exactly." Hearing Dante’s unspoken question, Zephyr nodded seriously. "I’m planning to hold a large-scale draft in the East Blue as we, "

Dante’s eyes lit up with sudden inspiration.

"If that’s the case, then we’ll do it your way!" Dante slammed his right fist into his left palm, making the call instantly. "Let’s hold a World Military Draft too!"

Zephyr look confused, ’Wait, what is this kid talking about? Did I mishear the words? I said the East Blue! ’The East Blue!’’

Marine HQ had just announced the World Military Draft, and the East Blue Marines followed suit immediately. What were they thinking? Did they actually plan to challenge Marine Headquarters on a global scale?

"Bwahaha!"

Garp burst into booming laughter, an open bag of snacks still in hand. "That kid is still as unpredictable as ever!"

"Unpredictable, my foot," Sengoku scoffed, tossing the intelligence document onto his heavy oak desk. "It’s ridiculous. I see right through him."

Did they really think a mere branch could compare to Marine HQ? Headquarters held the backing of the World Government. What did the East Blue Marines have? True, Dante had built that rogue branch into something surprising, but so what? This was his limit. Once the World Government finally turned its full gaze their way, this little game of house would end.

As for ignoring them for now... it was only because they behaved better than those ambitious pirates seeking true history. Yet this so-called East Blue Marine faction held another fatal flaw. Unlike pirates who roamed freely, their territory was fixed and vast. They lacked natural defensive barriers, unlike the Beasts Pirates in Wano. In those East Blue waters, Marine HQ warships could already come and go as they pleased. With the Red Line boxing them in on both sides, Headquarters needed only to free up its hands. Then troops and dreadnoughts would sail right in and steamroll them.

If that kid were like one of the Four Emperors, occupying just a few heavily fortified islands, perhaps the World Government would grant him the title of Emperor of the Sea. They might let him stay put in the East Blue, just as they tolerated the Emperors in the New World, avoiding a costly strike.

What a pity. It seemed the boy’s ambition grew too large, he clearly planned to unify the entire East Blue, much like the Vinsmoke Family once did in the North. Except Dante seemed completely uninterested in becoming a World Government-affiliated nation. How could the ruling powers sit idly by while an entire sea fell under one rogue ruler?

Thinking of this, Sengoku sighed in resignation. "That bastard Zephyr grows more muddled by the day. He didn’t even try to stop the brat. Wouldn’t it be better for him to just live out the rest of his life in peace?"

"Who knows?" Garp shrugged, still munching on crackers. "Maybe he really is an old fool! I’ll ask him when I take my vacation and drop by on the way. Also, are we really not ordering snacks from the East Blue anymore? I think their snacks are the best, and they keep coming out with new flavors!"

"I haven’t even settled the score with you over this! And you’re still thinking about ordering snacks from Marine Rebels? What, do you think I don’t have enough trouble on my hands?" Sengoku glared at his oldest friend and yelled. "You’re staying right here this year!"

"Huh? But this is my very important vacation!"

"Vacation? Every day is a vacation for you! Denied. Get out of here right now! And shut my door!" Sengoku pointed angrily at the exit. "If you don’t, you won’t get a single berry for your snack allowance this year!"

"Alright, alright! I’m leaving, isn’t it enough that I’m leaving? So stingy!"

Even after Sengoku’s scolding, Garp didn’t mind. He muttered a complaint but walked out, happily crunching on his snacks.

"And... close the door!"

"I know! Geez."

Prompted by Sengoku, Garp shut the heavy wooden door behind him. Only once he stood alone in the quiet corridor did the cheerful smile vanish from his face. He looked down the hall, shook his head, and let out a slight sigh.

"Has he really become an old fool?"

The words had barely left his lips when a voice called out from the end of the hall.

"Vice Admiral Garp, you have a package!"

"Oh, my package?" Garp perked up instantly. "I haven’t received a package from anyone for ages, not since that brat defected!"

The young marine holding the box gave him a pointed look.

"..."

"Forget what I just mentioned! Bwahaha, I’m not close to that brat either! Who sent it? Smoker?"

Ignoring the marine’s suspicious stare, Garp snatched the package and tore it open. He stared at the small, intricately woven garment inside, paused, then picked it up with two fingers.

"What is this? Clothes? I can’t fit into something this size."

He peered back into the box. A small piece of paper lay at the bottom, reading: ’Put it on your frequently used Den Den Mushi!’

"Put it on a Den Den Mushi? He started making clothes for even Den Den Mushi now?" Garp looked genuinely surprised, turning the little fabric over. "What kind of weird stuff did that brat send me this time? Oh, I mean Smoker, don’t get the wrong idea."

Meanwhile, inside the Fleet Admiral’s office.

Sengoku stared at the Armored Den Den Mushi sitting on his own desk and sighed in resignation. He had already guessed Garp was on good terms with Dante. He even suspected that back when he assigned Garp to review the boy en route, the old marine might have already noticed something amiss and hidden it.

What could he even do about it now? That old bastard had been pulling stunts like this for decades.

Sengoku shook his head and looked back at the device. This was a new invention from the East Blue Marines. According to intelligence, putting this specialized armor on a Den Den Mushi enabled multi-user chat sessions. It was now available for purchase in the New World and the Grand Line.

Of course, he didn’t care about the multi-user chat feature. Marine HQ could achieve that by connecting multiple Projector Den Den Mushi, which allowed not just multi-user voice chats, but multi-user video conferences as well.

Come to think of it... hadn’t the East Blue churned out far too many advanced inventions these past few years?

Since they were just small novelties released under the name of the Warlord Bartholomew Kuma, Marine HQ hadn’t paid them much attention. But seeing this thing reminded him of the warship the East Blue Marines had brought to the public execution. A warship with a propulsion system entirely different from Marine HQ’s standard paddlewheels!

"North Blue Genius Inventor, Wolf, 68 years old. Former pirate who returned to shore for various reasons. He has an excellent local reputation and is respected by the villagers. Specializes in mechanical engineering."

Sengoku read from another intelligence report in his hand, frowning slightly as he muttered, "Did this guy really invent these?"

He fell silent for a moment, the gears turning in his mind.

"True. A couple of years ago, that brat was just a Base Commander in the East Blue Branch. He probably couldn’t afford Vegapunk."

Although there were currently no plans to make a move against the East Blue Marines, HQ had still been gathering relevant intelligence. The boy’s current power might be surprising, but when Vegapunk vanished, his territory wasn’t as large as it was now. Ghost Instructor Kuro, Viola, and even Zephyr... they had all joined much later.

"Whatever, I’ll ask Borsalino for his opinion later."

Although the World Government had publicly scaled back their search for Vegapunk, they were secretly looking for him the entire time. Unfortunately, they found nothing. Because of this failure, he and Marine HQ had been constantly called trash by the Gorosei lately. It was incredibly aggravating.

"A New Era of Pirates... these are troubled times. It seems my energy isn’t what it used to be as I get older." Sengoku sighed again, rubbing his stiff lower back.

A sharp glint flashed in his eyes. ’Perhaps I really should step down from this position, just like Garp.’

After stepping down, he could go see that Romance Dawn place Garp kept talking about. Hearing his friend rave about it constantly, Sengoku couldn’t deny his own curiosity.

He paused, looking at the towering stacks of documents on his desk, and shook his head in resignation.

"Why am I thinking about this now?"

He needed to focus on the World Military Draft. He couldn’t let the seas descend further into chaos.

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