Marineford, Marine Headquarters. Inside a hastily constructed wooden hut, Sengoku, Kong, and Tsuru sat around a table cluttered with documents. Dark circles shadowed their eyes, exhaustion etched deep into their features. The aftermath of the Marineford War had brought wave after wave of devastating news, leaving them overwhelmed.
Holy Land Mary Geoise lay in ruins. Pirates ran rampant, plundering nations across the New World. The Revolutionary Army had incited rebellion in all five countries of the East Blue. And now, Sephiroth held leverage over the Marines, aiming to seize control of the entire organization. Kong leaned back, arms crossed, and let out a heavy sigh.
"The tree longs for stillness, but the wind refuses to relent..." His voice carried the weight of defeat. "What do you propose we do about Sephiroth's demands?"
Sengoku adjusted his round-rimmed glasses, his expression grave. "Commander-in-Chief Kong, with the Celestial Dragons gone and Mary Geoise destroyed, this is our chance to break free from the past. If we yield to Sephiroth and hand over the Marines, who's to say we won't revert to the old ways? I refuse to let the Marines be controlled by yet another power. Instead, we should become an organization that truly serves the world and upholds justice.
The seas are in chaos, and the Marines are indispensable. If we explain the stakes to the nations, even if we face temporary hardship, we can guide the Marines onto the path of true justice."
He paused, admitting to himself that Sephiroth had nearly swayed him the day before. The leverage the man held, the looming alien threat, his ambitions stretching into the endless stars—it had all shaken Sengoku to his core. But upon reflection, he realized how reckless it would be to agree. If Sephiroth took control, what guarantee was there that he wouldn't become another Celestial Dragon? Or that his descendants wouldn't? Sengoku had dedicated his life to the Marines, striving to uphold justice and maintain order across the seas.
This opportunity, though fraught with risk, was worth pursuing.
Tsuru turned to him, her voice tinged with complexity. "So... Sengoku, are you planning to abandon the Marines on the other side of the Red Line?"
"Some sacrifices are necessary," he replied firmly.
"And are you certain the Marines are ready to oppose Sephiroth? We still don't know the source of the attack that engulfed Marineford. What if Sephiroth orchestrated it himself?"
Kong cleared his throat, sensing the tension between them. "Regarding that attack, I've heard some rumors, though I can't confirm them. According to reports from Red Port, the crater it created reached ten thousand meters underground—identical to the destruction at Enies Lobby. It made me recall something the Gorosei once hinted at... the Celestial Dragons' national treasure."
Tsuru's brow furrowed as she processed his words. "Are you suggesting the Gorosei intended to destroy Marineford, but Sephiroth redirected the attack to Mary Geoise?"
"Exactly," Kong confirmed with a nod.
"In that case," Tsuru said, her tone inexplicable, "many of us owe Sephiroth our lives."
Hearing this, Sengoku shook his head, cutting through the heavy atmosphere. "Let's not jump to conclusions," he interjected. "We have more pressing matters to address."
"Let's focus on the main issue," Sengoku said, his voice firm. "Personally, I don't want the Marines to fall under Sephiroth's control. If that happens, I fear the Marines may never truly uphold justice in the future. What are your thoughts?"
Tsuru leaned forward, her expression calm but resolute. "Your decision, Sengoku, carries significant risks for the Marines. Personally, I'm inclined to accept Sephiroth's proposal." Her words hung in the air as both she and Sengoku turned their attention to Kong.
Kong rubbed his temples, a wry smile tugging at his lips. His tone was heavy with resignation as he spoke. "The world needs stability above all else. If we reject Sephiroth, he'll become our enemy. And let's be honest—Sephiroth is far more dangerous than any of the Four Emperors. In fact, the Four Emperors combined might not even match his threat. It's unwise for the Marines to make an enemy of him. We're living in a turbulent era, and our priority should be ending this chaos as quickly as possible."
He paused, his gaze steady. "I want to bring order to this era at the lowest cost. Agreeing to Sephiroth's proposal might be the best path forward."
Sengoku listened in silence, his expression unreadable. The weight of their words settled heavily on him. He knew his decision would mean abandoning nearly half of the Marines' officers and soldiers, leading them down a perilous and uncertain path. It could even spell disaster for the entire organization. After a long moment, he sighed deeply, his voice tinged with resignation. "If that's the case, then we'll agree to Sephiroth's proposal."
Once the three reached a consensus, they contacted Sephiroth via den den mushi, summoning him to Marineford to discuss the details. That same day, the four of them convened in a secluded wooden house for hours, their secret negotiations shaping the future of the Marines.
The next morning, Marine Headquarters made a public announcement through the World Economic News, declaring Sephiroth's promotion as the fourth Admiral. He would oversee all Marine operations in the New World.
While the three existing Admirals grumbled about losing some of their authority, there was little dissent within the Marines as a whole. Sephiroth's actions during the Marineford War spoke for themselves—he had single-handedly eliminated over 50,000 enemies, surpassing the combined efforts of 100,000 Marines. He had also saved countless lives from an island-level attack.
Most of the Marines who had fought at Marineford held ranks starting from Lieutenant, making them the organization's backbone. Faced with the undeniable fact that Sephiroth had saved their lives, even those who disliked him or were loyal to the other Admirals hesitated to voice opposition. No one wanted to risk being labeled ungrateful.
In fact, after the war, Sephiroth's influence within the Marines soared, far surpassing even his previous tenure. Many began to refer to him as the "Marine Hero," a title once reserved for Garp.
Meanwhile, the Blackbeard Pirates, who had been shadowing the remnants of the Whitebeard Pirates for two days, finally launched their carefully planned ambush. They struck after the Red Hair Pirates, Straw Hat Pirates, and the Whitebeard Grand Fleet had departed, seizing the opportunity to advance their own agenda.
Since most of the Whitebeard Pirates' commanders hadn't fully recovered from their Marineford War injuries, they couldn't fight at full strength. The battle turned into a massacre.
Commanders fell one after another—only Marco and Ace managed to claw their way out alive.