Truly absurd...
This incident is just too disgraceful!
A Navy Branch Colonel trying to please the Heavenly Celestial Dragons colluded with the pirates to capture a few fishmen, only for it to end in near-total destruction of a Navy base. To make matters worse, that Celestial Dragon named Saint Mjosgard was assassinated, which made the situation even more disgraceful!
What a fool that Colonel Nezumi is!
The two major events in the East Sea somehow dramatically connected!
"..."
Sengoku suppressed the urge to discharge the Vice Admiral of the East Sea branch and solemnly put forward his solution: "Now write down what I'm about to say. The entire Navy of East Sea Branch 16 engaged in a fierce battle to annihilate the Arlong Pirates and the Straw Hat Pirates. The Arlong Pirates were completely wiped out, the Straw Hat Pirates were defeated and retreated by the Navy, and a wanted order is to be issued immediately for the main members of the Straw Hat Pirates…"
No matter whether the Straw Hat Pirates are good or bad, as long as they're pirates, they must be cleared out; the Navy can't let the Straw Hat Pirates go because of something like this!
Moreover…
The ugly affairs of Branch 16 in the East Sea should not be publicized!
If leaked, the entire sea would lose faith in the Navy!
Sengoku the Buddha is not an ordinary soldier but the Admiral of the Navy Headquarters; he can't decide his attitude towards a pirate based on personal preferences and will always act from the bigger picture to minimize the event's impact!
If it were handled by the World Government, they'd probably act more extremely, likely sending someone to kill even that new Navy recruit named Akihara Kagura from Branch 16 of the East Sea, to prevent these dirty secrets from leaking out and tarnishing the image of the Navy and the World Government.
"Who told you about this affair?"
After expressing his views on dealing with the pirates, Sengoku questioned how the Vice Admiral of the East Sea branch knew such detailed information.
"It's… the surviving recruit."
The Vice Admiral of the East Sea branch hesitated a moment before continuing: "Indeed, many at the base of Branch 16 in the East Sea knew that the assassinated Saint Mjosgard came to the East Sea to kill a few fishmen for fun, so that fool Nezumi…"
"Don't bring up that scum lurking in the Navy!"
Sengoku sternly stopped him from saying more nonsense and then talked about the surviving Navy recruit: "That little fellow is willing to report the whole process to you, proving that sincerity and justice still reside in his heart, although his sense of justice may get lost…"
As Sengoku reached this point, he recalled the affair with Branch 153 of the East Sea from a while ago and lightly spoke: "The heroic title for defeating the Arlong Pirates and repelling the Straw Hat Pirates should be placed on that surviving recruit. Promote him to Branch Lieutenant, and be sure to comfort that recruit, let him understand why the Navy must give him the heroic title, encourage that recruit to strive so he won't tarnish the heroic name in the future, and not follow the wrong path like your Branch 153 of the East Sea's Morgan…"
After all…
A Branch Lieutenant is merely a minor officer.
To Sengoku, there's no real difference between a Third-class Navy Soldier and a Branch Lieutenant.
Sengoku the Buddha, as Admiral of the Navy Headquarters, is willing to guide the Vice Admiral of the East Sea branch and is even eager to suggest nurturing the newly promoted Branch Lieutenant, which shows considerable responsibility.
"Yes."
The Vice Admiral of the East Sea branch also understood the Admiral's goodwill and quickly nodded, continuing: "There's one more thing, Lieutenant Akihara Kagura mentioned the name of the Straw Hat Pirates' captain, whose name is a bit peculiar, called Monkey D. Luffy."
"!!!"
Sengoku the Buddha's eyes suddenly changed!
East Sea!
With the surname Monkey, carrying the concealed name of D!
And the name Luffy, occasionally heard from an old man's mouth…
Sengoku the Buddha was shocked for a moment but then calmed down. His voice remained unchanged: "You're the Vice Admiral of the East Sea branch, initiating the bounty on the Straw Hat Pirates shouldn't require further guidance from me, right?"
"No… no need..."
The Vice Admiral of the East Sea branch hurriedly disconnected the Radio Snail.
"Garp!"
Upon returning to the conference room, Sengoku's gaze immediately fell on the seasoned Navy veteran, Garp, who was casually munching rice crackers, which made the Admiral's hand grip the conference room door handle tightly, wishing to crush it with immediate force!
This bastard…
How dare he still eat his rice crackers here!
His own grandson has become a pirate, yet he's still munching on crackers, already seventy years old, how can he even eat snacks!
"Back yet?"
Garp casually dumped the bag of rice crackers into his mouth, chewed a few times, swallowed, and then said: "Can we announce the conclusion of today's meeting now? I'll proceed to patrol the East Sea…"
"Then make sure your battleship is quick…"
Sengoku wished to immediately beat his old friend fiercely but had to restrain himself for the sake of his image in front of this group of subordinates, forcing himself to speak sensibly: "It's best to capture all the emerging pirates in the East Sea and send them to Impel Down…"
"Don't worry."
Garp grinned widely, donning his Vice Admiral cape.