Chapter 228

The Five Elders directly turned red-faced and roared:

"Sengoku, what a fine job your Navy has done! You actually let the underwater Great Prison Impel Down be destroyed. Do you know how huge a blow this will deal to the World Government's prestige!"

"And the loss of Sabaody Archipelago—do you still intend to hand over Mary Geoise to the Beasts Pirates as well?!"

Sengoku's face twitched, his expression grim, but he was too lazy to argue with the Five Elders and said coldly:

"The situation has developed to this point; it is all my responsibility as Fleet Admiral of the Navy. I have come this time to resign due to my own fault!"

Kong immediately grew greatly anxious and urged:

"Sengoku, if you resign, who will the Navy be handed over to?"

Sengoku had already thought of the answer to this point and said:

"Kuzan. I recommend Admiral Kuzan to succeed my position as Fleet Admiral of the Navy!"

Since Sengoku had resigned due to his own fault, the Five Elders' anger slowly vanished.

However, regarding Sengoku's recommended candidate, the Five Elders were unconvinced.

The bald old man said:

"I heard that in this war with Bai Huzi, Sakazuki's merit was the greatest; he seems more qualified than Kuzan to be Fleet Admiral, doesn't he?"

How could Sengoku not know this point, but his ideals differed from Akainu's.

Furthermore, old comrade and old friend Garp still held hatred toward Akainu; if Akainu ascended to the position of Fleet Admiral, this matter would be very subtle.

Therefore, Sengoku said without hesitation:

"I still insist on recommending Kuzan!"

The Five Elders thought for a moment and said:

"Let this matter be discussed later; the key now is to retake Sabaody Archipelago. We absolutely cannot let the Beasts Pirates stick a knife into our heart!"

"Kong, this time when attacking Sabaody, you will lead the team personally; I will have all of CP0 cooperate with you."

"Sengoku, you must return to Marineford immediately, organize the Navy's available forces, and advance toward Sabaody!"

Hearing this, Sengoku loudly protested:

"The Navy has just ended the war; the entire army is exhausted. At least a few days are needed for rest. Setting out now is too urgent!"

The Five Elders simply gave Sengoku no chance to argue, after all, my lord Imu had issued a death order.

If they failed to retake Sabaody, perhaps all five of their heads would have to be moved.

As for the Marines being exhausted, even if exhausted, they must give their lives to hold the line for me!

In the view of the Five Elders, what did the lives of ordinary Marines matter? They were just lowly slaves.

Even if thousands or tens of thousands died, they did not care.

The Five Elders said without allowing refusal:

"The attack on Sabaody must begin immediately; there can be no delay whatsoever!"

195, Fifty Thousand Troops Attack! Shiryu and Jinbe Consume Dragon-Level Monster Cells!

Sengoku, suppressing his rage, returned to Marineford.

Although he had long guessed that the Five Elders would urge him to attack Sabaody after the Summit War ended.

Yet not even leaving him one or two days for rest still exceeded his original expectations.

Looking at the scene of chaos across Marineford, the port plaza had been completely destroyed, and a huge crack had split open in the middle of the Navy Headquarters building.

These losses were nothing; the greatest loss lay in the casualties among the Marines.

Of the hundred thousand Marines, more than half bore wounds on their bodies, and the dead numbered fully ten to twenty thousand.

Standing on the plaza of Marineford, the nose smelled the pungent scent of blood, and the ears heard the painful wails of the wounded soldiers.

There were also families of the dead soldiers, throwing themselves onto the cold corpses and wailing in grief.

War is just like this: a ruthless meat grinder, a cold-blooded executioner.

The weak without strength do not even know how they died.

Sengoku's fist involuntarily clenched tightly; facing such a bleak situation, how could he have the face to open his mouth to the Marines and ask them to participate in another even more terrible war?!

"Damn Five Elders, they simply do not treat the lives of Marines as anything!"

Sengoku's eyes turned red, he was thoroughly enraged, and actually cursed the Five Elders.

Kong, following behind Sengoku, quickly covered Sengoku's mouth, glanced around, and said in a low voice:

"Sengoku, do you not want your life? Saying such words, even you will receive severe punishment!"

Sengoku grew even more angry and shouted at the top of his lungs:

"What can they do? At worst, they just want this old man's life!"

"Fleet Admiral Kong, you were once the Navy's Fleet Admiral as well; do you not understand the current casualties of the Navy?"

Kong fell silent and sighed deeply.

How could he not sympathize with the casualties of the Marines?

But what could sympathy do? It was of no help whatsoever.

The Five Elders issued a death order; they must obey, otherwise it would be equivalent to Betraying the World.

No one could bear such consequences.

Kong comforted him:

"Sengoku, the Navy only needs to deploy those Marines who are not injured; for the remaining forces, I will make up the numbers from other departments."

As the Supreme Commander of the Three Forces, Kong's power was still above Sengoku's.

He could mobilize forces from other departments of the World Government.

After his anger, Sengoku quickly calmed down.

Shouldering the so-called mission of justice, he could only act according to the Five Elders' orders.

Zhan Guo rallied his spirits and thanked Ganggu Kong, then went to assemble the troops.

He gathered about twenty thousand sea soldiers who were unharmed.

For high-end combat power, it was Qingzhi and Huang Yuan.

The most radical Akainu would not participate in the attack on Sabaody.

On one hand, Akainu had already suffered severe injuries from his earlier battle with Bai Huzi and was currently undergoing treatment.

On the other hand,

Zhan Guo's personal motive was to prevent Akainu from gaining further merit, otherwise Qingzhi's chances of succeeding as Navy Commander would undoubtedly drop even lower.

Ganggu Kong, meanwhile, assembled thirty thousand troops, totaling fifty thousand troops.

Within such a short time, and right after the Top War had ended,

Only the World Government could muster such a massive army.

Immediately after,

Under the leadership of Ganggu Kong and Zhan Guo, the fifty-thousand-strong army marched resolutely toward Sabaody.

At the same time,

Ganggu Kong also phoned CP0's boss, Momonga, and Chato, instructing them to wait and join forces once the main army arrived.

The smoke of war had once again spread across this sky.

……

……

Sabaody Archipelago.

Luo Xing, who had anticipated the Navy and World Government's attack, would not sit idle.

As Moria arrived with the Thriller Bark, his undead zombie legion took position on Sabaody.

Combined with Luo Xing's newly subdued prisoners from Impel Down, their forces reached about ten thousand.

Though their numbers were only one-fifth of the Navy's, remember—these men had all consumed Monster Cells and each could fight as ten.

Moreover, they were fearless, terrifyingly ferocious.

Still, for safety's sake, Luo Xing planned to elevate his subordinates' strength another notch.

He summoned Shih Liu, Jinpemon, E Zheng Wang, Yueya Hunter, Da Jiu Tong, and the Giant Warship.

Sanzo, Ainu, and Moria stood on either side of Luo Xing.

Luo Xing scanned the six men and said in a calm voice:

"We are about to go to war with the World Government. You are strong—but not strong enough."

"I have a large supply of Monster Cells. Do you want to consume them?"

Shih Liu and the other five immediately lit up with excitement.