The plan to conquer Wano Country had just taken shape in his mind, and Kane hadn't even had time to pour himself a celebratory drink yet.
The den den mushi on his desk began to clamor at an inopportune moment.
Purupurupuru... Purupurupuru...
Kacha!
Kane was just about to enjoy a rare moment of peace. His good mood disturbed, he frowned and picked up the receiver with extreme impatience.
"Moshi moshi, if you've got something to say, say it fast."
There was a second of silence on the other end, followed immediately by Fleet Admiral Kong's roar, which erupted like a volcano and nearly shattered the den den mushi on the spot.
"KA— NE—!!!"
"You brat, life in the G-5 Branch is pretty comfortable, isn't it?! Huh?! Right now, the whole world is in a mess because of that bastard Roger, and you, a Marine Admiral, still have the heart to sleep in the base?!"
In the week since Roger's death, more than half of Fleet Admiral Kong's hair had turned white from worry.
The four seas were in revolt, the Grand Line routes were congested, and the New World was a chaotic dance of demons. The reports requesting reinforcements from various Marine branches were piled higher than he was.
And yet, as one of the Marines' highest combat powers, the person who should most be out there keeping order, Kane, was actually hiding in G-5 without making a sound!
"Fleet Admiral, what you're saying isn't right."
Kane propped his legs up on the desk, shifting into a more comfortable position, his tone filled with the grievance of being misunderstood.
"I'm training troops. A few days ago, didn't I specially recruit a very promising, hot-headed swordsman from Loguetown? Right now, I'm having Sakazuki and the other two give him an intensive 'education of love'. Sharpening the axe doesn't delay the woodcutting; this is all to cultivate future pillars of the Marines. Do you think it's easy for me?"
"Stop giving me that useless crap!" Fleet Admiral Kong wasn't buying it at all; he was currently fuming. "Take your G-5 Branch and immediately head to the New World to wipe out those remnants of Roger's crew who are taking advantage of the chaos! Show them the prestige of the Marines!"
"Catching a few small fry who are just following the wind, what kind of achievement is that?"
Kane calmly flicked his cigarette ash, his tone shifting and becoming deep.
"Fleet Admiral, sir, calm down first. We Marines can't just focus on the small troubles in front of us; we need to have a big-picture view. If we're going to pull a nail, we have to pull the deepest, hardest one."
Fleet Admiral Kong clearly paused on the other end, his breathing becoming heavier. "...Who are you referring to?"
Kane slowly exhaled a ring of smoke, his voice kept extremely low.
"Kozuki Oden. The man who followed Roger to the final island, 'Laugh Tale', and is the only person in the world today who can read all the poneglyphs. According to my top-secret intelligence lines, this man has returned to his hometown. Right now, he is in Wano Country."
Hiss—
The sound of a sharp intake of breath was clearly transmitted from the receiver.
Fleet Admiral Kong knew very well the weight of that name.
As long as Kozuki Oden lived for one day, the hundred-year void of history that the World Government worked so hard to conceal faced a huge risk of being made public!
This was a major concern for the Gorosei.
"The location has been confirmed?!" Fleet Admiral Kong's voice changed pitch. "I will immediately mobilize a fleet and blockade Wano Country!"
"Absolutely not!"
Kane's tone sank as he decisively interrupted him, his volume suddenly rising, filled with the urgency of "worrying for the nation."
"Fleet Admiral, please consider carefully! Wano Country has been isolated for hundreds of years and is not a member of the World Government! If we send warships across the border with great fanfare, that would be blatant aggression! Not only would it be unjustified, but it would also trigger uncontrollable diplomatic storms! Once those wavering neutral countries are provoked, the World Government's credibility will vanish instantly!"
Kane paused, giving the old Fleet Admiral enough time to digest and think.
Then, he suddenly stood up from his chair and shouted into the den den mushi, his tone filled with a spirit of fearless sacrifice.
"So, Fleet Admiral, to avoid these unnecessary troubles, I have a bold proposal. I, Kane, in my personal name, will secretly infiltrate Wano Country and arrest Kozuki Oden. This journey is dangerous, and I will bear all consequences alone. In case... I mean in case my identity is exposed and I am unfortunately besieged and killed by the samurai of Wano, Fleet Admiral, you must immediately notify the world and expel me from the military! Declare that this was a personal act of mine driven by greed, with absolutely no connection to Marineford or the World Government!"
These words were spoken with such resonance, such tragic determination!
The den den mushi's eyes actually welled up with large tears, clearly moved to a mess by Kane's 'loyalty'.
On the other end, Fleet Admiral Kong's voice was completely hoarse, carrying unmistakable emotion, self-reproach, and guilt.
"Kane... you... you..."
The old man stuttered for a long time before choking out a sentence: "I... I misjudged you just now! You're the damn backbone who truly carries justice on his shoulders! What expulsion from the military? That's nonsense! You come back to me in one piece! Be careful with everything; Marineford will always be your strongest support!"
"For Justice!"
Kane snapped to attention and gave a standard military salute to the empty office.
"Kacha."
Communication cut.
The moment he hung up the receiver, the expression of righteous self-sacrifice on Kane's face receded like a tide, replaced by a cold smirk of a successful conspiracy.
A moral exemplar? The backbone of the Marines?
No, just an ambitious man who wanted to monopolize the ancient weapons and the wealth of an entire country.
He pressed the internal line and spoke concisely.
"Sakazuki, Kuzan, Borsalino, come to my office."
Soon, three figures appeared in the office.
"I have a top-secret mission and will be leaving for a while; the return date is uncertain." Kane glanced at the three. "During this time, the daily operations of G-5 are in your hands. Remember, in our territory, not even a fly can be let in. If anyone dares to come and act wild, scatter their ashes directly."
"Also," Kane's gaze fell on the corner, "keep a close eye on that 'newcomer' named Mihawk. He is the key to an important plan of mine. If he dares to run, break his legs first, then catch him and bring him back to continue training."
The three had different expressions, but they all nodded in unison.
After finishing his instructions, Kane stood up, his coat embroidered with the word "Justice" fluttering behind him.
He walked to the huge floor-to-ceiling window, looking down at the surging, undercurrent-filled sea of the New World, a look of extreme fanaticism curling on his lips.
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