NOVEL NEXT Chapter 216: Chapter 216
"Bolu bolu bolu~ bolu bolu bolu~"
Kuzan blinked, startled by the sudden ringing of his Den Den Mushi, which broke through the clamor of distant battle sounds. He lazily pulled it out, the familiar sight of the snail's little afro and braided beard making him arch an eyebrow in surprise.
"Hmm? Who's calling at this hour?" he muttered before answering. "Moshi moshi, this is Kuzan."
From the other end of the line, Fleet Admiral Sengoku's stern voice filled the air. "Kuzan, how's the battle progressing? Kaido should still be there, right?"
Kuzan turned his gaze to the chaotic battlefield, where Kaido was brawling with Luffy, Garp, Hancock, and Kizaru, his enormous frame tanking blow after blow. Kaido's relentless onslaught was met with equally fierce resistance from the Marines, and the ground seemed to tremble under their clash.
"Yes, he's still here, and he's been taking quite a beating," Kuzan replied with a smirk.
Sengoku's tone became graver. "Good. Keep him occupied and report his status to me regularly."
Kuzan raised an eyebrow at the unusual request, sensing there was more to it. "Sengoku-san, do you have a plan? If Kaido's determined to escape, I don't think we can keep him here forever. You know how tough he is."
"Listen, you lazy fool," Sengoku snapped, irritation seeping into his voice. "With you, Garp, and Borsalino there, don't tell me you can't at least hold him down! And don't think I don't know what you're doing—probably slacking off as usual. If you don't keep Kaido in check, forget about getting any vacation in the future!"
"Hey, Sengoku-san, don't wrongly accuse me…" Kuzan began, trying to make a case for his so-called injuries, but the line abruptly went dead as Sengoku hung up.
He stared at the Den Den Mushi, watching as it sneezed out a small puff of cold air, its eyes drooping shut as it, too, fell into a peaceful slumber. Kuzan sighed, tucking the Den Den Mushi back into his pocket. "For the sake of my vacation, it seems I can't be lazy anymore," he muttered, pushing himself off the ice with a reluctant groan.
Shaking his head, he glanced at the battlefield where Kaido had just taken another hit from Garp, toppling to the ground momentarily. With a wave of his hand, four chains of solid ice appeared, binding Kaido's arms and legs to the ground.
"Garp-san, I'm here to help!" Kuzan called out, strolling leisurely across the ice with his hands in his pockets.
Meanwhile, deep beneath the waves near Wano Country, a fleet of twenty massive warships, each coated with a protective film, glided silently through the dark waters toward their destination. Inside the command room of the lead warship, the atmosphere was tense and focused. Around the table sat the Marine elite: Admiral Akainu, Vice Admirals Gion and Tokikake, and a line of other formidable Vice Admirals, including Momonga, Onigumo, Doberman, and John Giant. Each of these officers had proven their strength time and again, and now they had gathered with one common goal in mind.
Fleet Admiral Sengoku stood at the head of the table, the weight of responsibility evident in his gaze as he looked over his assembled forces. He placed his Den Den Mushi down and addressed the room.
"Garp and the others are holding their ground against Kaido," he began. "But the success of this mission will ultimately depend on our actions here in Wano."
Akainu leaned forward, his brow furrowed as he studied the intelligence on the Beasts Pirates laid out in front of him. After a moment, he raised his voice, his tone laced with frustration. "Why don't we just go and capture Kaido? With the strength we've assembled here, we could crush him! If we capture him, the Beasts Pirates will crumble, and their threat will be eliminated."
A murmur of agreement swept through the room. It was a question that had lingered in the minds of many of the Marines present. With this overwhelming force, why not eliminate Kaido directly rather than engaging in a prolonged assault on Wano Country?
Sengoku rested his arms on the table, crossing his hands in front of him as he looked at each officer, his face solemn. A flicker of frustration passed over his features, and he spoke with a heavy sigh.
"That's not an option."
"What? Not allowed?" Vice Admiral Cancer, a tall officer with sunglasses and a deep scar over his left eye, repeated incredulously. "Why?"
Sengoku's eyes darkened, and his shoulders slumped slightly as he gave a grave nod. "It's the Five Elders. They've ordered us not to capture Kaido. They claim that his status as one of the Four Emperors is necessary to maintain balance in the New World. We're only permitted to damage the Beasts Pirates, not to capture or eliminate Kaido himself."
A ripple of outrage swept through the room. The idea of allowing Kaido to continue roaming free for the sake of so-called balance was an infuriating restriction. For men and women who had sworn their lives to protect justice, being forced to leave a monster like Kaido unchecked seemed like a cruel joke.
Akainu's face twisted with fury, his fists clenched tightly on the table. Without thinking, he activated his Devil Fruit powers, and his fists began to smolder, magma bubbling up as his anger surged. The wooden table began to sizzle and smoke, filling the enclosed space with an acrid smell.
Sitting beside him, Gion, the Vice Admiral known as Momousagi, waved a hand in front of her face, her nose wrinkling at the smell. "Oi, Sakazuki," she murmured with a hint of exasperation. "We're in a bubble here. If you fill it with smoke, and we'll all suffocate before we even reach Wano."
Akainu shot her a glare, grumbling under his breath as he pulled back his magma powers, the flames dissipating reluctantly.
Watching the reactions around the table, Sengoku could feel the simmering anger of his officers. He shared in their frustration, but he knew all too well that they had no choice. The Five Elders' orders were absolute, and as Fleet Admiral, he was bound to obey.
In his heart, Sengoku understood that the Five Elders had their reasons, claiming that the Four Emperors maintained a delicate balance in the New World. But Sengoku had a different perspective. Kaido was not like Whitebeard, who had lived his life and, in his old age, was likely to pass on soon. Kaido was a young monster with years, if not decades, of chaos ahead of him. If allowed to remain free, there was no telling how many more atrocities he would commit.
How many Marines will die in future battles against Kaido? How many civilians will suffer because of this ridiculous notion of balance? Sengoku thought, his fists clenching beneath the table.
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