Sengoku's uncharacteristic anxiety made Daren frown. He couldn't help but speak up.
"Admiral Sengoku, with your wisdom, you should know that Shiki and Roger are in the middle of a brutal clash. Ordering an attack now isn't the right move."
There was a flash of confusion and doubt in Daren's gaze as he looked at Sengoku.
Even though this was still early in the timeline and Sengoku was merely a headquarters Admiral—not yet the brilliant, commanding Fleet Admiral he would become—he still shouldn't have been reacting like this.
His composure and insight, though not yet at their peak like during the Summit War, were still far above average.
And yet, his reaction now was... almost desperate.
"Of course I know this isn't the optimal moment for a full-scale assault."
Sengoku gritted his teeth, face twisted in hesitation.
"Tactically speaking, the ideal plan would be to wait until those two pirate crews tear each other apart. Then we sweep in and clean up the rest."
"But Daren, that's only the best-case scenario. The most convenient outcome."
A heavy, brooding weight settled in Sengoku's eyes.
"What's far more likely... is that they'll detect us. The longer we delay, the greater that chance becomes."
"Daren..."
He turned to the Vice Admiral, his voice full of worry.
"We can't afford to wait any longer. Marine Headquarters cannot take that risk."
Daren paused in surprise.
Then, as he caught the bloodshot lines around Sengoku's eyes, it hit him.
Political pressure.
Shiki's rampages around the world had dragged Marine Headquarters into a storm of criticism.
Whether it was the Member Nations, the non-Member Nations, or even the World Government, all of them had likely been applying immense pressure on the Marines—especially on Sengoku, who was personally in charge of bringing Shiki to justice.
Sengoku, buckling under that relentless weight, clearly hadn't been sleeping. It showed.
Shiki was cautious, unpredictable, and ridiculously hard to catch.
Thanks to his Devil Fruit powers, he could slip through government and Marine intel networks with ease, concealing his whereabouts without a trace.
That was why the Marines had been so helpless in dealing with him.
And in this current standoff, the longer they waited, the more likely Shiki would realize something was off—possibly retreating before the Marines even had time to react.
So to Sengoku, even if now wasn't the ideal time, he couldn't afford to gamble on the perfect scenario.
They had to strike while they still had the chance, even if it meant clashing with two of the most legendary pirate crews alive.
No wonder...
Understanding dawned on Daren, and he sighed quietly.
This was his oversight.
He'd focused too much on maximizing tactical gain and victory, and forgotten about the larger strategic picture.
But that wasn't entirely his fault.
He wasn't the one burdened with that responsibility.
"Admiral Sengoku, I understand. I admit your opinion carries weight."
Daren lit a fresh cigar, his tone calm.
Sengoku's eyes brightened, only for Daren to immediately follow with—
"But I refuse."
Sengoku: …
That damned brat!
Only the confident, unwavering voice of the Vice Admiral could be heard echoing steadily in the wind and rain.
"I'm just a Vice Admiral. I'm not an Admiral, and definitely not the Fleet Admiral."
"Bearing the weight of political pressure is your job, Admiral Sengoku—not mine."
"I have only one duty."
Daren's eyes locked onto the distant sea, now stained with smoke and blood. From that direction came the cries of the dying and the roar of cannon fire.
Corpses churned in the waves. Pirate ships were torn apart and swallowed by the sea...
An earth-shattering war unlike anything the world had seen was unfolding just beyond the horizon.
Daren exhaled a long stream of smoke like a dragon, a cold smile curling on his lips.
"—To lead the Marines to ultimate victory in this war!"
Sengoku's pupils shrank.
Ultimate victory!?
This brat... he's way too confident!
He's waiting so calmly...
What exactly is he waiting for?
Or... does he still have a hidden card he hasn't played yet?
But the Marine Headquarters has already committed nearly all of its elite forces.
Fleet Admiral Kong must remain at Marineford to defend it and protect Mary Geoise.
Zephyr isn't participating in active duty—he's staying at the training camp to prepare for the next generation of recruits.
In other words, the Marines have already deployed nearly all of their top combat power.
There's no way Daren could be hiding another trump card!
"Wait!"
Sengoku's pupils suddenly contracted.
"You... you're planning to kill Shiki directly!?"
Daren gave him a sidelong glance, eyes full of mock confusion.
"Isn't that what you were thinking too?"
Sengoku froze, then muttered thoughtfully,
"Shiki's powers are incredibly difficult to deal with. If he senses true danger, that bastard won't hesitate to abandon his fleet and flee."
"I discussed this with Fleet Admiral Kong in private. Considering that possibility, the real aim of this operation is to wipe out the Flying Pirates' active forces."
"And aside from that, our top priority is to take down Roger's crew!"
After all, Roger's crew can't fly.
But Shiki can.
The difficulty of eliminating them isn't even close.
So that's what it is...
A mocking grin tugged at the corner of Daren's lips.
"Well, that's really unfortunate."
He understood now.
Shiki himself was just too difficult to eliminate—but his fleet wasn't.
And the moment they destroyed Shiki's flying fleet, just like before, the Marines would have something solid to report to the World Government and the Member Nations.
Politics.
Always, it's this damn politics.
"We clearly have different priorities, Admiral Sengoku."
A cold glint sparked in Daren's eyes, and a murderous aura burst out.
"To me, Roger can wait."
"But... Shiki must die."
Sengoku's heart gave a violent jolt.
He stared at Daren in shock.
In the Vice Admiral's eyes, there was no righteous fury, no thrill at punishing evil, no sense of duty—none of that.
There was only pure, unfiltered hatred.
From the moment he started spreading false intel, to the careful orchestration of this battle... Daren had never been after Roger, or even Shiki's fleet.
All of it—was to kill Shiki.
This kid... really knows how to hold a grudge.
A sudden chill ran down Sengoku's spine.
Better make sure Daren never puts me on his list... I'd never sleep again.
That thought crept into his head.
"Then what are you waiting for?"
Watching the chaos unfold on the distant battlefield—Roger and Shiki now clashing midair, one red, one gold, shaking the heavens with each blow—Sengoku couldn't hold back the question.
"The point isn't how long we wait," Daren said with a faint, cryptic smile.
"It's what we're waiting for."
"Trust me, Admiral Sengoku."
His eyes were sharp and unyielding.
"Justice will prevail."
...
"Kill them!!"
"Take them all down!!"
"Once we kill Roger, the Flying Pirates will rule the world!!"
"Hahahahaha!!"
The pirates' vicious laughter echoed through the storm, merging with the thunder of cannons and the clash of blades.
Now that Roger and Shiki had officially locked into battle, the Flying Pirates had launched their full assault.
Cannons roared relentlessly, spitting fire as a wave of shells tore through the rain, forming a net of death that hurtled toward the Oro Jackson.
"Protect the Oro Jackson!"
Rayleigh's eyes sharpened as he gave the command, his voice steady and firm.
He leapt from the deck without hesitation.
A flash of silver—the long sword in his hand slid free with a hiss, slicing through the storm in a dazzling arc of moonlight.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
One after another, over a dozen gleaming silver slashes tore through the sky, cleaving dozens of cannonballs clean in half—each one erupting in a flash of flame and shrapnel.
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
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