That voice...

One of the Five Elders, the Warrior God of Science and Defense—Saint Jaygarcia Saturn!

Sengoku froze on the spot. A chill crawled up his spine, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead.

"S-Sorry! Saint Saturn-sama!!"

He began to stammer, quickly explaining,

"I was just... scolding my subordinates..."

"Hmph. Let it go."

On the other end of the Den Den Mushi, Saint Saturn, dressed in a black flat hat and leaning on an ancient, weathered cane, spoke with quiet indifference.

Sengoku breathed a sigh of relief and hurried to change the subject.

"The battle on Miracle Island has ended. I must apologize—due to my subordinates' incompetence, Roger, Big Mom, and Kaidou all escaped!"

He gritted his teeth and said seriously,

"Although the operation achieved some decent results overall, as the commanding officer, I must bear the greatest responsibility for its failure. I'm fully prepared to accept any punishment."

At this point, Sengoku had no choice but to take the fall.

He couldn't exactly push the blame onto Garp, could he?

That guy had practically held off the entire Roger Pirates alone and immediately pursued the Oro Jackson with a warship after their escape.

More importantly, as the highest-ranking officer and the overall commander of the operation, Sengoku had no way to distance himself from responsibility.

Better to accept it head-on.

...

"We've already reviewed the situation on Miracle Island through our intel."

At that moment, another voice came through the military line—Saint Topman Warcury, the Warrior God of Justice.

This powerful Elder, who oversaw the World Government's judicial authority and commanded all CP units, spoke calmly:

"Kaidou and Big Mom's strength was indeed beyond expectations. The intelligence was flawed, so the fault does not lie with you."

"After all, Sakazuki, Borsalino, and Kuzan are still young. It's normal that they haven't fully matured yet—suffering a temporary setback is understandable."

Sengoku paused, stunned.

Just like that... they brushed it aside?

He exhaled quietly, not having expected the Five Elders to be this lenient.

But a thought quickly struck him. He hesitated, then cautiously brought it up:

"However, regarding the Roger Pirates... Based on the intel we've gathered, Roger now has possession of all four Road Poneglyphs necessary to reach the Final Island."

"He's successfully escaped from the Miracle Island battlefield, and at this rate, it won't be long before he uses those coordinates to locate the Final Island."

Sengoku's expression grew grave as he lowered his voice.

"If he truly reaches that legendary place... could it trigger some major catastrophe?"

"Perhaps I should immediately mobilize a large force and continue the pursuit—carry out a full-scale siege against the Roger Pirates..."

As an Admiral of Marine Headquarters, Sengoku had at least some awareness of the World Government's secrets and taboos.

The Poneglyphs, in particular, were a topic the World Government treated with utmost secrecy. Studying the ancient script was strictly forbidden.

And now, a new addition to Roger's crew—Kozuki Oden, a disgraced samurai from Wano—just so happened to be one of the few people alive capable of reading them.

Sengoku didn't know what secrets the so-called Final Island held—whether it was some ancient truth or a world-altering treasure.

But considering the World Government's extreme efforts to suppress knowledge of the Poneglyphs, it was clear they didn't want anyone reaching that island.

So Sengoku made the suggestion decisively.

The blame for this war might have been brushed aside, but he still wanted to prove himself.

And if he could eliminate Roger before he reached the Final Island...

"No need."

Saint Saturn's flat response left Sengoku stunned.

"Why?"

He blurted it out instinctively.

"That's not your place to ask, Sengoku."

Saturn's voice took on a cold sneer, laced with mockery.

"As a Marine Admiral, your sole duty is to carry out our orders without question."

"Anything beyond that is unnecessary. And you should especially refrain from asking questions that don't concern you."

Sengoku fell silent.

Two seconds passed before he took a long breath and slowly replied,

"Understood, my lords."

His hands, clasped behind his back, clenched unconsciously.

"Good."

From the other end of the Den Den Mushi, the Five Elders seemed pleased with Sengoku's response. Smiles surfaced on their faces.

"Leave the Roger Pirates to Garp. At this point, even deploying a massive force to hunt them down would amount to nothing. The odds of success are virtually zero."

"The New World is chaotic, perilous, and unpredictable. There's no point in making a big move over a man who's already on the brink of death."

"And even if he does find the so-called 'Final Island'—so what?"

"He's missing a key... He's doomed to fail. It's a wasted effort."

"Gol D. Roger... his so-called life and dream are nothing but a pitiful joke."

Missing... a key?

Sengoku's heart jolted, a deep haze forming in his eyes.

What key was Roger missing?

His mind raced, but no matter how hard he thought, he came up with nothing.

The intel he had access to was extremely limited. Even as a Marine Admiral, he lacked the authority and clearance to learn much of the World Government's deepest secrets.

But the Five Elders' absolute certainty that Roger would fail filled him with an overwhelming sense of unease.

Sengoku knew exactly how strong Roger's will and power were.

Not to mention, Roger had gathered an exceptional crew—warriors who rampaged across the seas, nearly unstoppable.

Yet this man, who had put all of Marine Headquarters on high alert, was seen as nothing more than a joke by the five elders sitting atop the world.

A chill unlike any other swept over Sengoku, as if he had plunged into a bottomless, icy abyss.

He instinctively raised his head, staring up into the black sky drowned in rain.

It felt as though a vast, invisible net loomed above—like the thick thunderclouds themselves—blanketing the entire sea, leaving no room for escape.

"I understand."

Sengoku exhaled deeply, cold rain sliding down his cheeks as he spoke quietly.

"Then I will rest the fleet for a moment... and prepare to return to headquarters."

"No. There's no need to return."

Saturn's tone was as calm as ever.

"We have a new assignment for the fleet."

Sengoku straightened, his voice steady.

"Please give the order, sir."

He fixed his burning gaze on the Den Den Mushi before him, resolve radiating from his stance.

Splash...

The downpour hit the ground, splashing mud onto the legs of the Admiral's uniform.

Thunder and rain muffled the Den Den Mushi's voice.

As the military Den Den Mushi opened and closed its mouth, it was as though a god's decree had descended.

Sengoku stood frozen, as if struck by lightning.

He maintained a proud posture, body rigid with tension.

The fire and clarity in his eyes faded away, replaced by shock and disbelief.

Then came the fear. The unease. The guilt.

He stood motionless in the storm, like a statue slowly losing its soul, letting wind and rain batter his frame.

His hands wouldn't stop trembling.

And the rain… poured endlessly.

...

At the same time.

Aboard the high-speed ark ship.

Daren sat shirtless at the bow, wrapped in layers of bloodstained bandages. His chiseled, powerful muscles radiated raw strength and energy.

He lounged without ceremony, a lit cigar clenched between his teeth, cradling a Den Den Mushi that had just dozed back into sleep.

His brow was furrowed.

The ark was silent.

The others watched his back in stillness, none of them speaking.

Only Doflamingo's sunglasses gleamed with a sharp glint, a cold sneer dancing on his lips.

Then, at some point—

The Vice Admiral chuckled, amusement flickering in his eyes.

"The Five Elders... want to see me?"

...

(100 Chapters Ahead)

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