New World, Marine G5 Base.
In the office of the base commander sat a tall, middle-aged man with short hair and lightning-shaped sideburns on his face.
Vergo, codenamed "Demon Bamboo."
A Marine Vice Admiral and the commander of the G5 Base. Of course, this was only his surface identity.
His true identity was the highest-ranking executive of the Donquixote Family, the first Corazon. He had infiltrated the Marines as a spy and, through his own efforts, gradually rose to the rank of Vice Admiral, eventually becoming the commander of the G5 Base.
At this moment, he cast aside his usual amiable and approachable demeanor, his expression grave as he stared at the Den Den Mushi on his desk, which kept ringing incessantly. Only after the Den Den Mushi rang three times did he pick it up and say in a deep voice.
"Who is this?"
"Vergo, it's me!" A cool female voice came from the Den Den Mushi.
"Doll, commander of Marine G-14 Base."
"Oh, it's Vice Admiral Doll." Vergo instantly reverted to his friendly demeanor and asked politely.
"What can I do for you?"
"Have you received the document signed by Fleet Admiral Sengoku? What do you think about Vice Admiral Orion temporarily assuming the authority of the Fleet Admiral?"
In the office of the Marine G14 Base commander, a tall woman in her thirties stood leaning against her desk. Beneath her dark, banged short hair, her large eyes were filled with unease about the future.
"I just received word that many Marine bases across the four seas have undergone large-scale personnel changes. Many of the newly appointed base captains are Orion trusted confidants! Without a doubt, a new Vice Admiral will soon be parachuted into my base. After all, I don't have much of a relationship with him."
"Vice Admiral Doll, you're implying something" Vergo said softly, his tone calm.
"Based on what you've said, can I interpret it as you believing that Orion staged a coup to take control of the headquarters and is now purging dissidents?"
"Isn't that obvious?" Doll raised her voice slightly, her tone tinged with emotion.
"The fact that Orion could so quickly take control of the headquarters and carry out large-scale personnel changes across all bases in the four seas and the Grand Line is enough to show that at least half of the officers in the headquarters, including the three Admirals, have sided with Orion!"
"It might even be more serious than I imagined. In such a situation, no matter which side we choose, we might face retribution!"
"Why choose now?" Vergo shook his head. "What's happening now is merely an internal power struggle. As long as the World Goverment hasn't made a statement, there's no need for us to make a choice immediately. We should just focus on what needs to be done."
After a brief pause, Vergo continued. "Vice Admiral Doll, our conversation ends here. Goodbye."
With that, Vergo decisively ended the call. He then retrieved a small encrypted Den Den Mushi, no larger than a baby fist, from a hidden compartment in his drawer and promptly dialed a number.
"Vergo!"
As soon as the call connected, a familiar voice immediately came through the Den Den Mushi.
"Contacting me at this time isn't a wise choice!"
Vergo spoke with a serious expression.
"Doffy. Do you remember what I told you before? I might be purged by the Navy, though it's just a speculation. I want to stay and observe the situation."
"What do you mean? What did you tell me?!" The voice from the Den Den Mushi sounded almost frantic.
"Vergo, are you having memory lapses again?"
"Then I'll say it now" Vergo said without hesitation, briefly recounting the events he had learned about at the Navy Headquarters.
As he finished speaking, the office fell silent, and the Den Den Mushi seemed to go quiet as well. After several seconds of silence, a distinctive laugh suddenly erupted from the Den Den Mushi.
"Hehehahaha~ I know this Vice Admiral Orion. I met him once during the Shichibukai meeting at the Navy Headquarters. Back then, he didn't seem remarkable at all. Who would have thought that just two years later, he would stir up such a storm at the Navy Headquarters?"
"A coup to seize the position of Fleet Admiral? Hehehe, I really underestimated this Vice Admiral."
"Now, those old geezers at Mary Geoise are surely going to be in a frenzy, Hehehehahaha—"
.....
In the New World, at the Kingdom of Dressrosa, in the open courtyard outside the palace located at the highest point of the kingdom, a flamboyant man wearing sunglasses, a pink feather coat, and cropped pants stood under a parasol at the edge of the courtyard.
He casually picked up a drink beside him and laughed heartily at the Den Den Mushi in front of him.
Doflamingo— Leader of the Donquixote Pirates, King of Dressrosa, member of the Shichibukai, and user of the String-String Fruit, a Paramecia-type Devil Fruit.
After a bout of laughter, Doflamingo grabbed the Den Den Mushi and said in a deep voice.
"Vergo, with your strength, escaping won't be a problem. So, what you need to do now is to wait and see. If they really plan to replace you, you can take this opportunity to pledge your allegiance to the World Goverment. You might even get an unexpected reward! If the Navy Headquarters doesn't intend to purge you, it means they still trust you. Continue to stay undercover. I want to know if this Orion merely wants to become the Fleet Admiral or if he has even greater ambitions."
Having said that, Doflamingo wasted no more words and promptly ended the call. He quickly dialed another Den Den Mushi.
"Worororo." As soon as the call connected, a boisterous laugh immediately came through the Den Den Mushi.
"Joker, long time no see!"
.....
At the same time.
On an unnamed island in the New World, a chilling laugh suddenly echoed from within a massive crater. Immediately afterward, an imposing and towering figure emerged from the deep pit.
"What did you say? Joker!" As soon as the ferocious head emerged from the pit, a rough voice echoed across the sky.
"A Coup has occurred at Marine Headquarters? Worororo~ That little Vice Admiral named Orion did quite well, didn't he~"
Before the words even finished, the towering figure standing in the pit leaped out.
Standing over seven meters tall, the figure presence needed no concealment. The aura of a strong individual radiated unabashedly, stirring the surrounding air and creating ripples.
Kaido. The Governor of the Beasts Pirates, one of the Four Emperors reigning over the New World, and the user of the Fish-Fish Fruit, Mythical Zoan Model: Azure Dragon. Known as the strongest creature among all living beings on land, sea, and air. With a bounty of 4,611,000,000 Berries.
"THIS BORING WORLD IS BETTER OFF DESTROYED!"
"HURRY UP, JOKER, START PREPARING FOR THE ULTIMATE WAR!""
....
As the Revolutionary Army, Donquixote Doflamingo, and the Four Emperors, including Kaido, received the news of the coup at Marine Headquarters, other forces in the Grand Line also began to receive the information.
Soon, major news agencies across the Grand Line caught wind of this explosive news and immediately printed and distributed it worldwide.
The busiest place was undoubtedly Sabaody Archipelago.
As the gateway to the Holy Land atop the Red Line and the essential passage to the New World in the latter half of the Grand Line, coupled with its proximity to Marineford, Sabaody Archipelago attracted talents from all walks of life around the world.
Human trafficking groups, pirate crews, adventurers, World Nobles, and reporters from major news agencies all gathered here, not to mention the top-tier powerhouses who once roamed the seas.
In Grove 13 of Sabaody Archipelago, inside a bar with a sign that read "Shakky's Rip-Off Bar," a tall, short-haired woman stood behind the counter. She held a cigarette in one hand and a piece of freshly obtained intelligence in the other.
After reading the contents of the intelligence, she immediately looked up at the only 'customer' seated in the corner of the bar and spoke unhurriedly.
"Don't you want to know what this intelligence says? Rayleigh!"
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