Chapter 139: Aokiji Sets Out
Meanwhile, below the Red Line at Marine Headquarters in Marineford, Fleet Admiral Sengoku was staring at the freshly arrived intelligence report with a headache.
"Damn it, what the hell is going on?" He slammed his fist on the desk. "Why is the incident from eleven years ago repeating itself!? Of all times, during the World Conference, a slave revolt breaks out?"
Garp, Tsuru, and Akainu Sakazuki were also sitting in Sengoku's office.
Hearing this, Garp burst out laughing. "What's so strange about it? As long as the Celestial Dragons keep raising slaves, something like this was bound to happen sooner or later!"
"Garp, watch your words!" Tsuru turned to him.
But Garp continued, "Isn't that the truth? Let me be clear first—don't count me in! The Marines exist to suppress pirates, not to help the Celestial Dragons suppress slaves!"
Sengoku couldn't help but glance at Garp after hearing this. He noticed that although Garp was smiling, his eyes revealed an unprecedented disgust.
Sengoku also knew that back during the Fisher Tiger incident, Garp had always been critical of the Marines deploying soldiers and warships to help the Celestial Dragons hunt down slaves.
In fact, it wasn't just Garp. A large portion of the Marines had disagreed with that incident. Many Marine soldiers had grown up under the banner of justice, yet after the great incident at Mary Geoise, the Marines were ordered by the Celestial Dragons' unreasonable demands to retrieve the slaves Fisher Tiger had freed.
The proud Marines had been reduced to slave catchers. Although this was a forced order from the World Government, it had genuinely sickened most of the Marines at the time.
What was even more infuriating was that the pursuit of Fisher Tiger had not only forced the creation of a powerful Sun Pirates, draining Marine military strength, but had also exacerbated racial tensions. During that period, the relationship between the World Government and Fish-Man Island had plummeted to freezing point, and other racial nations had also lost trust in the World Government.
And all of this was merely to satisfy the Celestial Dragons' selfish desires...
During that time, the Marines were completely seen as the Celestial Dragons' lapdogs, cursed behind their backs. The Celestial Dragons' reputation among ordinary people was utterly rotten. People didn't understand the Marines' actions, and that sentiment naturally showed.
Many Marine soldiers didn't say it out loud, but they felt it too—a suffocating frustration. Their values of justice clashed with their own actions, leaving many confused.
Whenever the Celestial Dragons had any trouble, they would summon a Marine Admiral. Garp's refusal to become an Admiral back then likely stemmed from his unwillingness to clean up the Celestial Dragons' mess. Now that he had no ambition for promotion and was nearing retirement, he spoke his mind bluntly.
Sengoku couldn't blame Garp for this, but as Fleet Admiral, he had to maintain his position. He knew the Marines had to do something, at least to quell this riot.
So his gaze turned to Akainu Sakazuki.
Sakazuki was still wearing his Marine cap, arms crossed, biting his cigar as he smoked. Sensing Sengoku's look, he straightened up and asked, "You want me to go?"
Sengoku thought it over and found it unsuitable. Sakazuki had just returned from suppressing criminals who had targeted the Heavenly Tribute with his warships. It didn't seem right to deploy him again.
And besides...
"Let Kuzan go!" Sengoku tapped the desk and said to Sakazuki. "Mary Geoise is on fire now. You and Borsalino aren't suitable—your abilities might cause even more damage to Mary Geoise. Kuzan is more fitting. He's already at Mary Geoise, closer, so let him use his powers to put out the fire along the way."
"Hmph, sending that guy..." Sakazuki snorted but said nothing more, crossing his arms and resuming his cigar.
Garp and Tsuru exchanged a glance and smiled slightly.
Indeed, under the current circumstances, sending Aokiji was undoubtedly the best choice. As long as he could quickly extinguish the fire and minimize the damage to Mary Geoise, both the World Government's and the Marines' dignity could be preserved.
And most importantly, given Aokiji's personality and his "Lazy Justice," those poor slaves might have a better chance of escape, right?
Both of them understood Sengoku's deeper meaning but wisely said nothing.
Within the Marines, there were indeed heartless individuals, but they were the minority. Those with a sense of humanity were still plentiful...
The order was quickly relayed via Den Den Mushi to the Marines at Mary Geoise. When the fire first broke out at Mary Geoise, the Marines had been holding back, not acting. Although the intelligence so far indicated a slave revolt, no one knew if this was a diversionary tactic by some faction. Remember, this was during the World Conference, with most national leaders gathered at Mary Geoise. If the Marines rashly diverted troops to suppress the slave revolt, causing harm to these leaders, this World Conference might be over.
So it wasn't until the order from Marine Headquarters arrived that Marine soldiers went to report to Aokiji.
Aokiji was in his office, leaning back in his chair with his mesh eye mask on, sleeping. Woken up, he yawned discontentedly and said, "What's this? Why does it have to be me?"
The Marine soldier reporting stood at attention and saluted, "I-I'm sorry, Admiral Kuzan! But this is Fleet Admiral Sengoku's order!"
"Alright, alright!" Aokiji waved his hand. "I'll go now!"
With that, he stood up from his chair and stretched.
Aokiji was lean and tall, looking like a bamboo pole, with wavy hair that gave him a somewhat odd appearance. But no one dared to doubt his strength.
"By the way, who's the target?" Aokiji asked, picking his ear after stretching.
"According to current intelligence, the instigator of this riot is a man in black. No one has seen his true face yet!" the Marine soldier reported. "And it's unknown how he infiltrated Mary Geoise..."
"Troublesome..." Aokiji scratched his head. "Well, whatever. I'll catch him first and ask later..."
With that, he opened his office window and jumped straight down.
It was seven or eight stories high, but Aokiji landed without a scratch. As he appeared, a large number of Marine soldiers gathered and followed him toward the center of Mary Geoise.
This scene caused many reporters waiting outside to snap photos with a cacophony of clicks and flashes.
During this World Conference, not only national leaders and their entourages had entered Mary Geoise, but also a flood of reporters. They had come to cover the World Conference news. Of course, these reporters had only been allowed in after passing the World Government's review. But unexpectedly, before they could report on the conference, they witnessed Mary Geoise catching fire.
Although the reporters knew that this news would likely be suppressed by the World Government and not allowed to be mentioned, it didn't dampen their excitement. Seeing the Marines dispatch Admiral Aokiji to suppress the riot only made them more thrilled.
Such a large-scale mobilization couldn't be hidden from the reporters, nor from the attending national leaders. Many of them, watching from their hotel windows, shook their heads.
"Nothing interesting. Let's go back to rest," they said.
Konenai and her group were also watching the Marines' movements. When they saw Aokiji heading out, they quickly contacted Ian and informed him of the situation.
Ian and his group had already captured the fourth Celestial Dragon's estate. After freeing the slaves there, the number of slaves following Ian had exceeded five hundred!
"Aokiji is coming?" Ian's heart tightened upon receiving Konenai's message. Although he had anticipated a Marine Admiral being deployed, hearing the news still sent a chill down his spine.
"Benefactor, what's wrong?" A slave behind Ian was holding a longsword dripping with blood—taken from a Celestial Dragon's armored guard. After enduring long-term torment, they had vented their fury on these accomplices.
"The Marines have finally moved!" Ian said in a low voice. "It's Admiral Aokiji. Our operation must end!"
Although many slaves remained unfreed, everyone understood the gravity of the situation and nodded in understanding.
"Immediately send some fast runners to seize ships at the dock!" Ian shouted.
Several long-leg tribe slaves stepped forward. With their long legs, they were excellent runners. It was perfect for them to head ahead and prepare the ships.
Earlier, Ian had learned from the slaves that at the other end of Mary Geoise, there was a massive waterfall. Over the years, the waterfall's flow had carved a downward channel similar to Reverse Mountain. There was a dock there with many ships moored. People crossing the Red Line to reach the New World would change ships there.
Ian sent people ahead to seize the ships. Once they followed that downward channel, they could cross the Red Line and enter the New World's seas.
Watching the long-leg tribe members leave with a group of people, Ian shouted to the rest, "Everyone else, run toward the dock with all your strength!"