"Lord Catles, we have news about the silver-haired group."
As the man had expected, Krot immediately walked up to Catles, bowed slightly, and said loudly.
He delivered the news everyone had been waiting for, except for Kuzan, the one-eyed man.
"They've finally descended."
Upon hearing the news, the formerly retired-looking Catles' aged, calm eyes flashed with a cold glint.
He took a deep drag from his cigarette, removed the pipe from his mouth, and looked up, his gaze piercing through the smoke billowing from his mouth towards Krot.
"Tell me, where are they now?"
His tone was flat, without any unnecessary inflection.
But it was this seemingly calm tone that put immense pressure on Krot, causing him to bow even lower.
Without looking up, he replied with a solemn tone, "According to naval intelligence, the silver-haired group landed on a very ancient island two days ago. There happens to be a small naval base on that island, which is how we discovered them."
"Two days?"
Catles paid no attention to the location of the island or the current whereabouts of the silver-haired group. Instead, his focus was on the two-day delay.
"Why two days?"
"Uh..."
Krot glanced at the lounge chair beside him, then looked away and calmly replied, "The Navy didn't say, and I don't know either."
"Hmm!"
Catles nodded, then suddenly turned his gaze to Kuzan. "Speak up! Admiral, why did we only receive the news after two days? Didn't I say? Report immediately as soon as there's any news of the silver-haired group."
As his voice echoed, the air around them suddenly became oppressive, a wave of overwhelming pressure directed at Kuzan.
Although the pressure wasn't specifically aimed at him, it still made Krot's hairs stand on end.
This was his body's natural reaction to danger, something he couldn't control.
Kuzan, who was under the main pressure from Catles, acted as if nothing had happened. He first yawned, then pulled his eye patch further up his forehead.
He then opened his eyes, which always seemed to lack sleep, with a look of confusion. He turned to Catles, shrugged, and said with a hint of helplessness in his voice.
"Your Highness, the Navy has hundreds of bases worldwide, and we deal with an endless stream of matters daily. It's impossible for everything to be delivered to Naval Headquarters promptly, nor can everything be handled at the first moment. So, regarding receiving news of the silver-haired group after two days, I can only say that's how it is."
Catles looked at Kuzan deeply, not responding to his explanation. He turned away, retracted his aura, brought the pipe in his hand to his mouth, bit down on the mouthpiece, and took a deep breath, easing his displeasure.
He had long been annoyed by this Marine. This guy's constant lazy demeanor made him seem more like he was on vacation than Catles himself.
He didn't actually care about the two-day delay. He was well aware of the Navy's vastness.
He was merely using this incident to remind this lazy fellow that this was a mission, not a true vacation.
"Phew~"
Exhaling a puff of smoke, Catles, pipe in hand, rested his right hand by his side. He once again looked at Krot. "Well! Tell me, where is the silver-haired group now?"
"They should be nearing Jaya Island, Mock Town."
"Jaya Island?"
He didn't know Mock Town, but Jaya Island was well-known in World Government records because it was home to the legendary city of gold, Shandora.
While most, including the current inhabitants of Jaya Island, considered Shandora a myth, for the World Government and the high-ranking Celestial Dragons, it was not a legend but a reality.
Even if they didn't know where Shandora had disappeared to, there was no doubt that the once glorious city had indeed existed in the historical records of their World Government.
*Knock knock knock!!*
Catles flipped the pipe, pointed it at the coffee table beside the lounge chair, and tapped it, shaking out the ashes. Then, he gazed out at the distant sea, looking towards where the ocean met the horizon. His gaze seemed to transcend distance, settling on the Thousand Sunny.
"So, the silver-haired group will be arriving here soon?"
A deep, emotionless, yet authoritative voice resonated, sinking into the hearts of everyone on the rooftop like a heavy hammer, weighing them down.
They knew that when the silver-haired group arrived, it would be a world-shattering battle, destined to be recorded in the history of the Navy and the World Government.
This also caused Kuzan, who had been lounging lazily nearby, to feel a sinking feeling in his heart, while a long-dormant sharpness surged within him.
Even if he didn't want to clash with the silver-haired group, as a Marine Admiral, as long as he was still part of the Navy, he had to obey the orders of the World Government and the Celestial Dragons.
After all, this was about cracking down on pirates, not some other individuals. He had no right to refuse, nor any reason to refuse.
Because the Navy's duty was to apprehend all unauthorized groups or individuals sailing the seas who were not recognized by the World Government and the Navy.
These individuals, as long as they did anything that went against the will of the World Government or the Navy, were all targets of their suppression, all considered pirates.
Even if this person or group wasn't inherently evil and their actions were saving more people, the world wasn't simply black and white.
Those who held the power of discourse and directed the world's course were the true justice in this world. They could twist facts, alter history, and rewrite it.
And anyone, or any force, that opposed this power could be deemed evil, deemed pirates.
Without regard for good or evil, right or wrong, or black and white.
As one of the highest-ranking officials in the Navy, he had long understood the nature of the world through his many years of service.
But like Vice Admiral Garp, his teacher Zeff, and the current Fleet Admiral Sengoku, although they all knew the essence of the world, they continued to stay in the Navy.
Why?
Of course, it was because the Navy's justice wasn't granted by the World Government, nor by the flag of the Navy itself. It was bestowed by thousands upon thousands of Marines who truly possessed hearts of justice.
Although the Navy had various forms of justice.
Justice of rule.
Justice of non-killing.
Absolute justice.
Lazy justice.
Ambiguous justice.
...
But no matter what kind of justice it was, in his opinion, staying within the Navy organization was better than being a wanderer outside. Because here, at least, you could truly understand the truth of the world, believe in yourself, and practice the justice in your heart.
Otherwise, if the Navy truly lacked such genuine individuals of justice.
Then the world...
Then the Navy...
It would be unimaginable.
And to practice his own justice, he first had to climb to the highest position in the Navy, so that most Marines would implement justice according to his will.
And to reach that position, one must first not defy the reasonable commands of the World Government.
And the suppression of the silver-haired group was a reasonable command from the World Government.
Therefore, although he had a headache and felt conflicted, he had no choice but to show his sharpness to deal with the upcoming silver-haired Kouta, who troubled the World Government and the entire Navy.
That guy was no small pirate!
...