One Piece: King of the World

Sengoku paused and continued, his tone growing more serious. "We all know that the World Government cannot allocate more financial resources to support Marine Headquarters. It's not that they don't want to—it's that they can't."

Fleet Admiral Kong nodded in agreement. "Exactly, Sengoku. Since you know that the World Government is stretched thin, and our military budget is far from sufficient, then what's with these grand plans of yours?"

Sengoku met Kong's gaze and replied confidently, "The World Government can't provide the funding—but someone else can."

The room fell silent. Every Marine officer present, from Garp to Sakazuki, stared at Sengoku with puzzled and wary expressions. Only Tsuru, ever composed, calmly took a sip of tea, clearly already aware of where this was going.

The idea of anyone else funding the Marines was unheard of. While some of the World Government's franchise countries might occasionally offer additional resources for their protection, the Marines had never formally accepted such contributions. Opening this door was unprecedented.

"Sengoku!" Kong's voice boomed with uncharacteristic sharpness.

But then, softening slightly, he added, "I understand the urgency. We're all struggling in this chaotic era, but we can't cross certain lines. The Marines stand for justice—how can we accept what is essentially black money?"

Hearing this, Sengoku sighed in exasperation. "Black money? Do you really think I'd suggest something that undermines our integrity? I've walked the path of justice my entire career. Don't insult me, Kong."

Before Sengoku could continue, Garp picked at his nose and chimed in, "Black money or not, as long as it's used to build warships and bases, what's the big deal? If it were up to me, I'd have taken it already and spared us the debate."

Kuzan glanced at Garp, clearly conflicted. He wanted to argue but found himself reluctantly agreeing with Garp's pragmatism.

On the other hand, Sakazuki spoke without hesitation. "I fully agree with Garp. If it's for the sake of justice and to strengthen our power, we should do whatever it takes. Justice must prevail at all costs."

Sakazuki's view of justice was uncompromising, even extreme. He didn't care about optics or reputation; as long as the results aligned with his vision of justice, the methods were irrelevant. His unwavering belief in his cause often set him apart from more conflicted figures like Kuzan.

Borsalino, as usual, shrugged indifferently. "Well, if it means my paycheck gets a little fatter or my pension gets a boost, I won't complain. You big shots can figure out the rest."

Gion, meanwhile, glanced at her mentor, Tsuru. Seeing Tsuru's calm demeanor, she decided it was best to stay silent and let the senior officers hash things out.

Kong frowned deeply, clearly torn. While he wanted to see the Marines grow stronger, he also understood the potential risks of stepping into such murky territory.

After a long silence, he finally spoke. "No. This crosses a line. If the World Government finds out, there will be consequences. You know how strict they are when it comes to the Marines' autonomy. And if the CP agencies catch wind of this, we'll be the ones in hot water."

Sengoku, unfazed, smiled faintly and said, "Kong, let me ask you something. CP-X's administrative level—it's technically higher than Marine Headquarters, correct?"

Kong looked at Sengoku, puzzled by the sudden change in topic. "In theory, yes. CP-X operates directly under the Five Elders and doesn't answer to the Commander of the Army. So their administrative rank is, in a way, above ours. Why do you ask?"

Sengoku nodded, his smile widening. "And the Marines? We're tasked with protecting the Celestial Dragons and ensuring their security, correct?"

Kong's confusion deepened, but he nodded again. "That's correct. We're bound to protect the Celestial Dragons as part of our duties."

"Then, if we receive resources from a Celestial Dragon as part of a collaborative effort with CP-X, it's perfectly legitimate, isn't it?" Sengoku asked casually, his tone almost innocent. "After all, we're just following orders from a higher authority. It's not black money, it's funding for research, development, and justice itself."

Kong blinked, struggling to follow Sengoku's logic. "What are you trying to say?"

Instead of answering directly, Sengoku closed his notebook and pulled out a stack of documents. He handed copies to everyone in the room.

"Take a look," Sengoku said simply.

The room fell silent as the officers read through the documents. Kong's expression shifted from confusion to shock, while Garp—normally carefree—frowned deeply, as if trying to process what he was seeing. Even the usually unflappable Borsalino raised an eyebrow.

When the room finally settled, Kong placed the documents back on the table and looked at Sengoku. "So… you've been working with Saint Claudius on this all along?"

Sengoku nodded. "Yes. And in my opinion, this initiative is far more important than the World Summit or even dealing with Whitebeard. Don't you agree?"

The room remained quiet for a moment before Zephyr broke the silence. "Compared to this, everything else feels trivial," he said with a smile.

Kong stroked his chin thoughtfully, replaying Sengoku's earlier words in his mind. It was true—the Marines would merely be cooperating with a higher authority, fully within their jurisdiction. From a procedural standpoint, everything was airtight.

Finally, Kong asked, "What do the rest of you think? Is this feasible?"

Sakazuki was the first to respond, his voice firm. "Absolutely. I support it 100%."

Garp leaned back with a grin. "For once, I agree with Sakazuki. Count me in."

Zephyr chuckled. "As long as His Highness has our backs, I see no reason not to move forward."

Sengoku's smile widened. "Trust me. Saint Claudius will make sure we're covered."

Seeing the growing consensus, Kong couldn't help but feel tempted. The proposal promised hundreds of billions of Berries—a sum that could transform the Marines.

After a long pause, Kong finally relented. "Alright. If this funding is coming from a higher-level agency and is in line with our duties, there's no reason to object. However, there will be no written records of this arrangement. Keep everything discreet. Understand?"

Sengoku nodded confidently. "Of course. I'll handle everything personally. You can count on me."

With that, the Marine leadership reached a unanimous decision, they would proceed with the plan in collaboration with Claudius.

***

For every 500 PS = 1 extra chapter. Support me on patreon to read 45+ advanced chapters: patreon.com/Blownleaves.