Chapter Ninety-Five: Marshal Sengoku (Second Update)

Loran’s words sent Sakazuki into a rage in an instant.

What did he mean, hiding everything away just to preserve the Navy’s dignity? Was that the sort of thing they would do?

Whether the story of Tuchi’s attack on them was true or not, Loran’s words had truly sullied the Navy’s justice.

Yet to Sakazuki’s surprise, the ordinary sailors, the moment his fury erupted, suddenly stepped in front of Loran, each wearing an expression as though they were ready to die.

“Admiral Sakazuki, is the Navy’s justice really something that cannot even tolerate a few honest words?”

Loran pushed the sailors aside and slowly came before Sakazuki, lifting his head as he continued his mockery.

He was not afraid that Sakazuki would strike, because this was a Navy base, and there were many who possessed Observation Haki. Even if Sakazuki truly intended to attack, someone would certainly step in to stop him.

It was all to preserve the Navy’s face.

And sure enough, not long after Loran said those words, a Transponder Snail in Sakazuki’s arms suddenly rang.

Amid a burst of blub-blub sounds, Sakazuki frowned and took it out, and then a calm voice came through.

“Sakazuki, what are you doing? Why can I feel your anger even from my office?”

The voice sounded vaguely familiar to Loran, and after a moment he finally realized it was the voice of the current Fleet Admiral, Sengoku.

Perhaps Sengoku’s order had some effect, because Sakazuki calmed down a great deal. Glancing at Loran, he said with a cold laugh, “A newly appointed Navy colonel named Loran. He says the upper ranks of the Navy are being unfair.”

“Loran?” Sengoku’s puzzled voice rang out. After a long pause, he slowly said, “Bring him to see me first.”

“Yes.”

Sakazuki had no objection to Sengoku’s order. As for whether he was obeying Sengoku’s order or the Fleet Admiral’s command, that was another matter.

“Come on, kid. Fleet Admiral Sengoku wants to see you.”

Sakazuki gave Loran a sidelong glance, then returned to his warship and steered straight toward the shore, not caring at all whether Loran followed.

Of course Loran would not do anything foolish like continue resisting. He had made such a scene only to draw Sengoku’s attention. Otherwise, as an ordinary colonel returning to base for debriefing, he would never have had any chance to meet Sengoku.

After ordering the warship to follow Sakazuki ashore, Loran had Pengleis properly arrange the bodies, while he himself followed Sakazuki toward Sengoku’s office.

Along the way, Sakazuki never once looked back at Loran.

Ever since those words from Loran, he had lost all interest and goodwill toward him.

When they reached Sengoku’s office, Loran immediately saw Sengoku sitting behind the desk, and Garp sitting beside him, munching on rice crackers.

“You’re Loran?”

After signaling Sakazuki to leave, Sengoku studied Loran from head to toe, feeling that Smoker’s original report had somewhat exaggerated the matter.

The Loran before him, how should it be said, looked a little pale. Whether it was from dissipation or for some other reason, in any case he did not seem nearly as formidable as Smoker’s report had suggested.

“Yes, this is Loran. Sengoku, let me tell you, this one’s a promising talent. If you train him as an admiral, he’ll definitely be able to stand on his own in the future.”

Before Loran could speak, Garp was already chewing his rice crackers and speaking indistinctly.

“Quiet down first, Garp.”

Sengoku rubbed his temples. This old partner was always so unreliable. Hadn’t he just seen Sakazuki explode at this guy? If he had not called him immediately, an ugly scandal might truly have been born.

“Tell me, why did Sakazuki want to come after you? Though he is an advocate of hardline justice within the Navy, if you were not a deserter, Sakazuki would not normally be so angry with one of his own.”

Sengoku continued his questioning.

This time, Loran did not embellish the story or add anything extra. Instead, he recounted everything that had happened since Tuchi’s appearance today in full and exact detail.

After hearing it, Loran could clearly feel the temperature in the room plunge by several degrees. Even the broad-minded Garp visibly paused for a moment before resuming his carefree chewing of rice crackers.

“Are you saying all of this is true?”

Sengoku said calmly.

Loran nodded. “Absolutely true. Tuchi’s body is still on my warship.”

Seeing how certain Loran was, Sengoku no longer doubted anything.

If Loran were lying, he could simply ask any sailor and find out the truth immediately.

He truly could not imagine that under his very nose, a proper Navy vice admiral, one of the highest combat powers in the Navy, would actually launch a private attack on a newly appointed Navy colonel, and even intend to bury an entire ship of more than a thousand sailors in the Calm Belt.

What he had not expected, however, was that this fellow Loran actually possessed the strength to defeat a Navy vice admiral. His talent was frighteningly strong.

Now he also understood why Loran looked so weak. Having defeated a headquarters vice admiral as a colonel, let alone looking pale, even being carried in on a stretcher would have been entirely normal.

“Fleet Admiral Sengoku, I’d like to ask, how will you handle Vice Admiral Tuchi? And as for the sailors under my command who were killed or gravely wounded, how much compensation will they receive?”

Loran suddenly asked.

“We have a standard compensation scale, so you need not worry about that,” Sengoku said, shaking his head. “As for Tuchi, how do you want us to handle him?”

Loran nodded and said nothing further, looking every bit like an obedient child.

But Sengoku did not think so, because he suddenly remembered something: Sakazuki seemed to have been enraged by Loran earlier. That was not the kind of thing that happened for no reason, was it? Something must have happened between them.

With that thought in mind, Sengoku asked, “Then what exactly happened between you and Admiral Sakazuki?”

At the mention of this, Loran instantly perked up. After revealing a harmless smile, he said, “I only said a few things to him about whether the Navy would suppress the matter of Vice Admiral Tuchi attacking me in order to preserve its dignity. It was nothing serious.”

Hearing this, Sengoku’s expression immediately darkened.

This fellow. He had only just thought him considerate of the bigger picture, but now it seemed he had been thinking too highly of him.

What did he mean, suppress the matter to protect the Navy’s face? Was Sengoku the sort of man who would compromise over something like that?

Even if Loran had said nothing, even if Tuchi had not died, he would never tolerate such behavior.

Within the Navy, there could never be any room for brothers turning against brothers.

Still, Sengoku was no fool. Loran’s conduct did not resemble something a man of his strength and talent would do without a reason.

There had to be a purpose behind all of it.

“Speak, kid. What exactly are you after?”