Meanwhile, in the East Blue, at Foosha Village.
Since leaving the New World, the Red Hair Pirates had been staying in Foosha Village.
Shanks held a newspaper in his hand, his expression unusually serious as he spoke, "I didn't expect this. Your strength has reached such a level, Marco."
He had never imagined that in less than half a year, Marco would rise to become the strongest man in the world.
Originally, Shanks believed that after Whitebeard, the title would fall to Kaido. Kaido's power after awakening his Devil Fruit was enough to make even Shanks cautious. Yet Marco's growth had far surpassed expectations, it felt almost unnatural.
Behind him, Benn Beckman spoke calmly, "Are we staying in Foosha Village, or do we move on?"
Shanks fell silent.
Although the Three Emperors Alliance had suffered heavy losses, the three Emperors still remained. Returning to the New World now would almost certainly make the Red Hair Pirates a target. Shanks knew they were not in a position to confront such a force head-on.
"Boss, boss!"
The crew's doctor, Building Snake, ran over excitedly.
Shanks glanced at him with a faint smile. "What's got you so worked up?"
"It's not about me, it's about you!" Hongou said with a grin. "Miss Makino wasn't feeling well, so I checked on her. Guess what I found?"
The crew leaned in with curiosity.
Hongou didn't hold back. "Makino is pregnant!"
"What?!"
The entire crew froze in shock.
Hongou laughed. "Congratulations, boss. You're going to be a father."
Shanks immediately grabbed his head, looking troubled. "This is way too sudden. I'm not prepared for this at all."
The crew burst into teasing.
"Congratulations, boss!"
"We're all going to be uncles!"
"Boy or girl?"
"We already have Uta, so a boy would be nice!"
Shanks waved them off, then made a decision. "Alright. Leave some money behind, then prepare to depart from Foosha Village."
The crew went quiet for a moment.
Benn Beckman looked at him. "You're not staying until the child is born?"
Shanks grinned. "Don't be ridiculous. I'm a pirate. I won't let ties like that stop me from sailing."
(What a Scumbag😹..)
The crew immediately showed their disapproval, some even mocking their captain openly.
Beckman chuckled. "You're leaving to protect her, aren't you?"
Shanks' expression softened slightly. "Yeah. If the Marines learn about my connection to Makino, not just her, the entire village could be in danger. The farther we are, the safer they'll be."
(My bad...)
Beckman nodded. "We're pirates. Being connected to us brings trouble."
Shanks stepped onto the bow and shouted, "Men, we're heading back to the New World!"
The crew reacted with confusion.
"We're going back already?" Beckman asked.
Shanks smiled. "We can't avoid it forever. Even if we run into the Three Emperors Alliance, so be it. What's coming will come."
---
At Marineford.
Now that Sengoku had resumed his role as Fleet Admiral, his workload had only increased.
These responsibilities should have belonged to Sak, but Sak had died during the Whole Cake Island war. Sengoku's earlier retirement had become meaningless.
On top of that, Kizaru had also died.
Officially, the report claimed he had succumbed to illness. The news was buried deep within the papers, barely noticeable, with no follow-up coverage.
If the world learned that an Admiral had been killed by pirates, it would shake the seas. The Marines had no choice but to suppress the truth.
The World Government now held complete control over information. Even Morgans, the president of the World Economy News Paper, was under strict surveillance, unable to publish freely.
Sengoku sighed as he reviewed a document. "A new Admiral…"
The World Government had submitted three candidates.
The first was Gion, a Vice Admiral and Admiral candidate.
The second was another Vice Admiral, Kuroba Tenjin, who also led the Marine Criminal Investigation Bureau.
The third option, however, was the real problem.
A Celestial Dragon, a member of the God's Knights.
The son of Figarland Garling and the younger brother of Figarland Shamrock.
Sengoku rubbed his forehead.
If he rejected the Celestial Dragon, it would be seen as direct disrespect. Yet appointing him would allow the World Government to further interfere with Marine authority.
The Marines had always served under the World Government, but they still upheld their own sense of justice. For centuries, internal decisions remained largely independent.
Now, that balance was shifting.
If a member of the God's Knights became an Admiral, the next step could be Fleet Admiral. At that point, the Marines would lose all autonomy.
Sengoku exhaled slowly.
There was no real option. He could only follow the will of the Gorosei.
He only hoped that once the Celestial Dragon took the position, he wouldn't treat the Marines as nothing more than insects.
===
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