Chapter 138: Personnel Changes in the Seven Warlords of the Sea

Marine Headquarters.

"Crocodile is dead?"
"Gecko Moria has gone missing?"
"Dark King Rayleigh has returned to the world?"

Looking at these successive pieces of bad news, Fleet Admiral Sengoku’s expression grew heavy. His brilliant, strategic mind began to churn, searching for the conspiracies and crises hidden behind these major headlines:

Why had the Dark King Rayleigh emerged from seclusion?
Did he attack a Warlord of the Sea—a pirate legally recognized by the World Government—the moment he stepped back into the world as a show of force against the Navy?
Would other retired members of the Pirate King’s crew follow suit and take action?

The more Sengoku thought, the more alarmed and grave he became. It felt as if countless undercurrents were surging violently beneath the surface, ready at any moment to tear down the magnificent foundations of the World Government’s rule.

Vice Admiral Garp, who was semi-retired and thus unburdened by the responsibilities of the office, lacked the "everyone is out to get me" anxiety that plagued Sengoku. He comfortably swallowed an entire donut with a cup of hot tea before remarking with a touch of nostalgia:

"Rayleigh, eh?"
"It’s been a long time since I’ve seen him on the seas."

As he spoke, Garp let out a carefree, boisterous laugh.
"Hahaha... It seems the era of us old geezers hasn't passed just yet!"

Sengoku looked helplessly at his old friend, who treated his office like a local teahouse, and shouted in exasperation:
"How can you still be laughing?! It’s only been a few days! That rising star from the East Blue you’ve been eyeing has already killed one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea!"

Under Sengoku’s piercing gaze, Garp calmly ate another donut and replied dismissively:
"Isn't that a good thing? He’s upholding justice! Besides, the King of Alabasta has personally come forward to verify Garen’s heroic deeds. Do you really want to hold him accountable for taking down a pirate who tried to steal a country?"

"This..."
Sengoku was left speechless by Garp’s nonchalant rebuttal.

It was true; Crocodile, who had dared to usurp a member nation of the World Government, had effectively violated the code of conduct expected of a Warlord. If he had succeeded in stealing the country, it would have been one thing—the World Government would have simply viewed it as the Alabasta royal family failing to govern and being overthrown, and in their eyes, it would just be a change in who paid the taxes. But since he had failed and was killed in the process, he had received the punishment he deserved. The World Government certainly couldn't stick its neck out for a pirate who had endangered one of its own affiliated nations. Ultimately, this was the internal affair of the Alabasta Kingdom.

Garen’s act of killing the usurper Crocodile, as the "Hero of Alabasta," was flawless both legally and morally.

Beyond that, what surprised Sengoku even more was the timing: unlike the report on Gecko Moria’s disappearance, the internal Navy intelligence regarding Crocodile’s death had reached Sengoku at almost the exact same time the newspapers were released to the entire world.

Strong individuals capable of killing a Warlord usually didn't care for fame the way small-time pirates did, and they naturally wouldn't bother with reporters, who were as annoying as flies. To the press, their whereabouts were as elusive as clouds in the sky; catching a few photographs was considered a huge success, and a face-to-face interview was virtually impossible.

Yet, this "Hero of Alabasta" acted quite differently.

Before the reporters, who had caught the scent of a major scoop, could even emerge, Garen had proactively partnered with the Alabasta officials to hold a press conference. He transparently released the inside story of Crocodile’s plot to steal the country. Furthermore, Garen seemed more than happy to accept interviews, narrating his legendary tale of single-handedly thwarting the criminal syndicate’s conspiracy to the press.

The reporters, who were used to having to master skills like stealth, disguise, and tailing big shots to get a story, were overjoyed. For the first time in their lives, they discovered that being a journalist could be this easy: the source material was organized and handed to them, the key figure provided additional context, and there were even generous "red envelopes" handed out after the press conference.

There was no such custom of "red envelopes" in this world; it was a practical method from Garen’s hometown that had essentially corrupted the purity of the local press. Thus, the fame of Garen the Hero spread rapidly across the Grand Line via the established network of News Coos, and it didn't take long for it to spread from the Grand Line to the Four Blues.

By the time Fleet Admiral Sengoku saw the news, the entire world already knew the story of the brave hero slaying the evil dragon.

"This is truly..."
Sengoku set aside the stack of newspapers, all of which carried the exact same narrative, and sighed, "Even the World Government’s propaganda machine isn't as seasoned as this guy! With a press conference like this, the entire world now knows the legitimacy of his act in killing Crocodile."

The World Government and the Navy had weak control over public opinion; otherwise, those newspapers wouldn't have turned into promotional brochures for the legends of great pirates. Sengoku shook his head, stating his thoughts openly in front of Garp:
"His actions are indeed hard to criticize, and the Navy certainly cannot hold him responsible. However, the impact of Crocodile’s death is severe. In just a few short days, one Warlord is dead and another is missing."

Sengoku tugged at his goatee, feeling a headache coming on.
"With news like this spreading, the deterrent power of the Seven Warlords system is practically non-existent."

The Seven Warlords of the Sea were originally established by the World Government to reduce the power of pirates by recruiting formidable, neutral pirates who were willing to accept the government’s title. While the Warlords and the World Government were constantly wary of and exploiting one another, their greatest role was serving as an invisible supplement to the World Government’s forces and a deterrent to the smaller pirates across the seas.

"Isn't that a good thing?"
Garp had no intention of sharing his old friend's worries; he simply said with a look of disdain:
"I’ve never liked these legalized pirates. A sickening system like this should be wiped out sooner rather than later!"

Garp, who usually acted like a retired old man, rarely expressed his views so clearly. As a veteran Marine who had spent his life fighting pirates, he deeply loathed the "legalized pirates" created by the World Government for the sake of stability.

"I understand."
Sengoku actually agreed with Garp in his heart, but his position as Fleet Admiral forced him to consider more:
"But this is the decision of the World Government and the Five Elders. I have no choice. And..."

"Enough."
Garp suddenly stood up from the sofa, his burly, robust frame projecting a natural air of authority.
"Say no more, Sengoku."

Sengoku’s breath hitched, and he looked at Garp with a hint of surprise. Even though his semi-retired friend came to his office to drink tea every day out of sheer boredom, Garp had always simply listened in and never interfered in Navy affairs, let alone expressed such a serious opinion.

Sengoku watched Garp with a grave expression, awaiting his next move. Garp silently set down his cup and looked at Sengoku with burning eyes.

"Sengoku, I’ve finished my donut."
"Do you have any more in stock?"

"..."

Sengoku covered his face in frustration. He felt as though his intelligence had briefly regressed for even thinking that the incorrigible Garp would ever be serious.

"No!"
Sengoku slammed the desk in anger and pointed at Garp’s nose.
"If you want tea, go drink it outside! This is the office of the Fleet Admiral!"

"Oh..."
Garp replied casually, but walked right up to Sengoku’s desk anyway. Right in front of him, he opened the sacred, inviolable desk drawer of the Fleet Admiral and, under Sengoku’s darkening expression, pulled out the top-secret Navy files hidden within.

"Not donuts this time, huh..."
Garp shook his head in disappointment, then remarked, "Whatever, these rice crackers are fine."

A crisp, crunching sound immediately filled the office. Sengoku’s expression was ghastly; his snacks, which he had prepared to tide him over during work, had been raided by Garp once again.

"Sigh..."
Sengoku forced himself to block out Garp’s infuriating face and returned to analyzing the increasingly grim situation: Crocodile was truly finished, and Moria’s fate was unknown. Two spots in the Seven Warlords were suddenly vacant.

"We must select new Warlords..."
Many well-known masters and rising stars from the seas flashed through Sengoku’s mind, but after careful consideration, he couldn't find a single candidate likely to join. The long-established masters all had their own affiliations, and it would be extremely difficult to get them to act as lackeys for the World Government. As for the current batch of rising pirate stars, their quality was poor and their reputation insufficient; he couldn't find anyone worthy of the title.

The more he thought, the more his head throbbed. He couldn't help but lament:
"In this vast sea, is there really not a single powerhouse willing to compromise with the World Government?!"

"Sengoku."
The sound of Garp’s loud crunching on rice crackers suddenly stopped.

"What?"
Sengoku asked testily.

"It’s boring if you don't talk to me."
Garp pointed at the newspaper on Sengoku’s desk with a straight face. "Bring me two papers to read."

"..."

Sengoku resisted the urge to transform into his Great Buddha form and picked up the paper he had just discarded. Before he could throw it at Garp’s face, his eyes locked onto the news report he had just read. The author of the article was King Wallace, far away in the East Blue, and the headline had Wallace’s typical official flair:

*Law-Abiding Citizen Garen: Fighting to the End Against Pirates Who Conspire to Destabilize the World Government’s Order*