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Before Sengoku could speak, Zephyr roared with red eyes.
"Stop, brat! Tell your crew to stop! Do you know what you're doing?"
White Ghost exhaled a ring of smoke.
He did not answer Zephyr. Instead, he continued speaking on his own.
"The Asdea Kingdom. A kingdom infamous for its evil.
"From its king and nobles down to its common people, everyone here shares one thing in common.
"Greed.
"Endless greed."
"That still isn't a reason for you to massacre them! White Ghost, stop right now!"
Zephyr roared, his body trembling slightly.
White Ghost's indifferent voice continued.
"Today, someone used the people of this country to set a trap for me.
"They wanted to make me angry.
"They wanted me to slaughter.
"They wanted to sever my ties with all of you completely.
"So I followed their script.
"The Marine who just handed you the Den Den Mushi was also one of the Lights."
"Hm?"
The eyes of the Marine higher-ups in the conference room sharpened.
"The Lights?"
The communications officer smiled and said,
"So long as life remains, the flame will never go out."
After speaking, blood poured from his mouth and nose, and he collapsed to the ground.
Gion stepped forward, crouched down, and checked him.
A moment later, she turned to Sengoku.
"He took poison. Suicide."
Sengoku clenched his fists and stared at the screen.
On it, Kuro's mantis arms were covered in blood as he continued harvesting fleeing people.
"Even then, did you need to go this far?
"Even if you were following their plan, was there any need to take it to this extent?"
Sengoku shouted those words.
When he heard "the Lights," his anger had cooled slightly.
But in the image, those people had already begun fleeing, and White Ghost's crew still had no intention of letting them go. He could no longer hold back.
Lafitte walked over, carrying a young man whose limbs he had cut off. In his other hand, he held a Den Den Mushi.
"Captain, someone wishes to speak with you."
"Hahaha! Hahahahaha!"
A wild laugh came from the Den Den Mushi.
"White Ghost, are you satisfied with the grand gift we prepared for you?
"Originally, we only wanted you to kill the king of a member nation. Then we would add fuel to the fire and force the World Government to send an admiral after you.
"But who would have thought? Who would have thought you'd directly slaughter the country instead? Hahahahaha!"
White Ghost calmly smoked his cigar.
"I like your gift very much.
"As for why I went this far, I can only say you picked the right gift.
"The people here just happen to be among the types I hate the most."
"Hahahahaha! As long as you're satisfied, White Ghost.
"Since you're enjoying yourself so much, this little rat won't disturb your pleasure any longer.
"Take your time. We'll be waiting to watch you fight the Marine admirals! Hahahahaha!"
Click.
The Den Den Mushi hung up.
White Ghost waved a hand, signaling Lafitte to continue.
They had not finished killing yet.
The Marine higher-ups in the conference room had heard the entire conversation from White Ghost's side.
From those few words, combined with White Ghost's earlier claim that someone had set a trap for him, they could already infer the truth.
Vice Admiral Tsuru rested her hands under her chin and looked at the image.
"Was there any need to go this far? Don't you think you've crossed the line?"
Bang!
Sengoku slammed his fist onto the table with a dark expression.
Crack, crack.
The conference table split under the force.
"Brat, even if you followed their plan, you went too far.
"I used to think there was still justice in your heart.
"Now it seems you're no different from those pirates."
White Ghost shook his head.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, does something like justice really exist in this world?
"I am slaughtering a country.
"But you, or rather the Marines, how many countries have you indirectly destroyed?"
"Shut up! What does a brat like you understand?"
White Ghost nodded.
"I truly don't understand much.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, I want to ask you one question.
"As long as you answer it, I can stop."
"Ask."
Sengoku's face was extremely ugly, but he had no choice but to follow White Ghost's words.
"The God Valley Incident. What role did you play in it?"
Sengoku, Garp, Zephyr, and Tsuru all turned solemn.
The others looked at these four pillars of the Marines in confusion.
The God Valley Incident had been completely sealed away. There were some things they did not know.
Sengoku stared hard at the screen.
"How do you know about that? Did those people tell you?"
Issho, standing beside White Ghost, frowned deeply.
Besides the things White Ghost had already told him, were there other matters involving the Marines?
White Ghost poured himself a glass of red wine.
"No one told me. I found it myself.
"I met a survivor of God Valley."
Sengoku narrowed his eyes.
Back then, quite a few people had indeed escaped, but they had all been secretly killed.
White Ghost continued.
"That person said that at the time, the Marines seemed to be stationed on the perimeter.
"Apparently, it was to prevent anything unexpected from happening during the Celestial Dragons' hunting game, held once every three years."
Bang!
The conference table shattered completely.
Sengoku's face was terrifyingly dark, and his voice was low.
"Shut up!"
Those who did not know the inside story stared wide-eyed at Sengoku and the others.
"Do the Marines truly have justice?"
White Ghost's words rang in their ears once more.
"I said it before. The justice you speak of is only good for deceiving fresh recruits.
"I have never believed in justice.
"The justice you speak of is nothing more than your ambition.
"You are merely ambitious people with official paperwork.
"So don't laugh at others from the same height.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, whose justice reigns over the world."
Click.
The Den Den Mushi was hung up, and the image in the conference room disappeared.
The entire room was silent.
At first, they had been furious after seeing White Ghost's brutality.
But after hearing his words, they fell quiet.
Sengoku's face was extremely ugly.
White Ghost's words were like slaps, striking his face again and again.
White Ghost killed directly.
He killed indirectly.
There was no real difference.
No one had the right to mock anyone else.
Garp and the others remained silent, looking at their old friend.
That matter had indeed been like that.
There was no way to refute it.
Kuzan chewed over White Ghost's words.
"Are we Marines just ambitious people with official paperwork?"
Borsalino narrowed his eyes.
"What a terrifying statement. If that spreads, the sea will become chaotic."
Sakazuki said nothing.
He only looked at Sengoku, his eyes clearly asking, When do we move?
Sengoku was about to give the order when a Den Den Mushi rang at the side.
Everyone's gaze turned toward it.
It was the dedicated World Government Den Den Mushi.
Click.
Sengoku picked up.
Before he could speak, a dignified voice came from the other side.
"Sengoku. You know what happened, yes?"
Sengoku gritted his teeth.
Once he said he knew, the Marines would immediately go to war with that brat.
Saint Topman Warcury's voice continued.
"Send the admirals.
"All three admirals are to move out. Akainu will lead."
Sengoku and the others widened their eyes.
"Wait, Saint Topman Warcury. Isn't that excessive? If all three admirals move together, the destructive power will be too great."
The Den Den Mushi stared straight at Sengoku.
"That is the path he chose.
"He clearly saw it was a trap, yet he still acted this way.
"If he wants a seat at the table, then let us see whether he has the qualifications.
"Carry out the order."
Click.
The Den Den Mushi hung up.
Sengoku took a deep breath and looked at the three admirals.
The three of them also looked at him.
No one spoke.
Before long, alarms rang throughout Marineford.
Squad after squad of Marines began boarding ships under the lead of the three admirals.
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