Chapter 55 Sengoku: Why Don’T You Become Marine Marshal?

Marineford.

In the Marshal's office, Tsuru, Garp, and Sengoku were deep in discussion.

"What do you think of this Carlos who suddenly appeared out of nowhere?" Tsuru asked, her eyes narrowed in thought.

Garp, lazily picking his nose, glanced sideways at Sengoku. "How else should we see it? We don't know much about him. Just send him to some branch and make him a major or something. Simple."

Sengoku's patience was wearing thin. "If it were a normal situation, that might work, but the World Government wants him to become a Marine Admiral! We already have all the Admiral positions filled. Are we supposed to replace one of them?"

"An Admiral?" Tsuru and Garp exchanged surprised looks. Although each of the current Admirals—Akainu, Aokiji, and Kizaru—had their own quirks, they were undeniably Marine's most crucial and irreplaceable combat power. How could they be demoted for someone whose background was so mysterious?

"So what do you suggest we tell the World Government?" Sengoku asked, rubbing his temples in frustration.

"I'm worried about this too," Tsuru replied, her voice laced with concern. "But Saint Satan himself requested this. If we dismiss it casually, it might be hard to explain."

Garp, finishing with his nose, reached for the senbei on the side table. "Seems like this guy has some serious backing! Maybe he's got ties to the Five Elders."

"That's not something to joke about..." Sengoku snapped. "Garp! You bastard, stop eating my senbei!"

Garp chuckled as he snatched the last piece. "Don't be so stingy, Sengoku..."

Watching the two squabble like children, Tsuru sighed. "In that case, why not make him an Admiral candidate?"

Sengoku paused, considering the idea. "An Admiral candidate? That could work. It would keep the World Government happy without causing too much disruption."

"But," Garp interjected, scratching his head and glancing at Tsuru, "if we make him an Admiral candidate right after joining the Marines, it might stir up resentment among the other Vice Admirals. They've all worked their way up from the bottom, after all."

Tsuru nodded in agreement. "Promoting Carlos too quickly could create discord, especially among veterans like Momonga, Doberman, and Onigumo. They might not take it well."

Sengoku sighed, his frustration evident. "There's no perfect solution here..."

The room fell into a contemplative silence until Akainu's voice broke through. "He's qualified."

Everyone turned to see Akainu and Aokiji standing at the door. Sengoku adjusted his glasses, surprised to see them back.

"Sakazuki, Kuzan, you've returned," Sengoku greeted them. "Defeating the Beasts Pirates and capturing Kaido and Garros—well done. You deserve a rest."

But Akainu shook his head, his tone serious. "We weren't the ones who defeated Kaido. It was Carlos."

The room fell silent, eyes wide with shock.

"Carlos? Did he also go to Wano?" Tsuru asked, her voice filled with curiosity. "If he was able to defeat Kaido, his strength must be extraordinary."

Akainu nodded. "Carlos, also known as Garros, was an undercover agent sent by the World Government to infiltrate the Beasts Pirates."

The revelation stunned everyone. Garp was the first to speak, breaking the silence. "Carlos, Garros... I see. That explains a lot."

"If I'm not mistaken," Garp continued, "he's only in his twenties, right? This kid's got a bright future ahead of him. To pull off something like this at such a young age, it reminds me of myself back in the day."

"Sengoku," Garp added, "with his strength, there shouldn't be any problem making him an Admiral candidate. If nothing else, Marine might gain another Admiral-level fighter."

"No!" Akainu's voice cut through the room, sharp and decisive. "I admit Carlos is strong and could be a great asset to the Marines. But he's also manipulative and deceitful—an extremely dangerous person!"

Akainu then recounted his experiences on Onigashima, describing how the people of Wano spontaneously came to stop the Marine warships. The story left everyone in the room visibly moved.

Garp frowned, clearly confused. "If he's so loved by the people, doesn't that mean he upholds Marine's sense of justice? What's the problem with that?"

Tsuru, who had been deep in thought, spoke up. "Akainu, I understand your concerns. Carlos has great strength and cunning, but he also has a mysterious connection to the Five Elders. Are you worried the World Government might use him to exert control over the Marines?"

Akainu nodded. "Exactly. We don't know enough about him. It might be wise to observe him for a while before making any decisions."

Sengoku rubbed his temples again, deep in thought. "Alright, let's wait until he returns, and we can discuss this further."

It was four in the morning, and the sky was still dark, but Marineford's harbor was brightly lit. A massive warship slowly emerged from the night.

"Salute!" a powerful voice commanded, and the assembled sailors straightened, saluting in unison. The cold sea breeze whipped around them, but they remained steady.

Carlos had arrived.

The sailors had been told that the man they were greeting was a significant figure from the World Government. Rumors even suggested he had close ties to the Five Elders. Whatever the truth, they knew this man deserved the highest level of respect.

The warship docked, and Carlos slowly descended the gangplank. A Marine officer with green curly hair and sunglasses hurried forward, saluting sharply.

"I'm Major Brannew from Naval Headquarters, here to welcome you."

Carlos smiled slightly. "All this fuss for me? It's a bit embarrassing to cause such a scene in the middle of the night."

Brannew laughed nervously. "Marshal Sengoku personally ordered us to give you this reception."

Carlos shook his head. "I sped up my return to avoid unnecessary trouble. The soldiers have work to do during the day; let them rest."

"Understood," Brannew replied, nodding. Though he didn't know much about this man, it was clear that Carlos's future was bright. As a major, he couldn't afford to make any mistakes.

"Marshal Sengoku has been waiting for you in his office," Brannew added. "Please, follow me."

Under Brannew's guidance, Carlos walked through the long, orderly rows of Marines and left the port.

Arriving at the Marshal's Office in Marine Headquarters...

Carlos opened the door and walked straight into the room, immediately noticing the sharp gazes directed at him.

Kizaru, Akainu, Sengoku, Tsuru, and Garp were all present. Under the scrutiny of so many powerful figures, the atmosphere felt incredibly tense—enough to make an ordinary person tremble with fear.

Quite the lineup... Marine seems to be taking this seriously, Carlos thought to himself, hiding his unease.

"Marshal Sengoku, you wanted to see me?" Carlos asked, maintaining his composure.

"Yes, Carlos. Please, take a seat," Sengoku responded, clearing his throat. "Saint Satan has informed me of his intention to promote you to Marine Admiral. We've heard about your exploits as well."

He paused before continuing, "But there's something you should know. Since Marine's founding, there have only ever been three Admiral positions, and they are currently filled. So..."

Carlos frowned slightly, understanding that Sengoku was testing his reaction. However, with the backing of the Five Elders, he felt confident.

"Since the Admiral positions are occupied, make me an Admiral candidate," Carlos suggested. "And while we're at it, grant me the same authority as an Admiral."

The room fell silent for a moment as everyone exchanged glances. Akainu broke the silence with a sneer.

"And why should we do that?" Akainu questioned, his tone challenging.

Carlos responded calmly, "Because I defeated Kaido."

Akainu's expression darkened. "Is that so? Promoted due to strength alone? Then let's see if you're truly qualified! Sengoku, arrange a test. If he can defeat me, I'll willingly step down as Admiral!"

"No," Sengoku interjected immediately. "No matter who wins or loses, it would be a loss for Marine."

Sengoku was quick to refuse. If Akainu seriously injured Carlos, how would he explain that to the World Government? Even if they were evenly matched, the risk of mutual harm was too high. There was no need for internal conflict.

Turning to Carlos, Sengoku asked, "Why do you want to be a Marine?"

Carlos met his gaze steadily. "I want to see a world without pirates."

It was the truth. Although Carlos wasn't a native of this world, in his time here, he had witnessed countless tragedies caused by pirates. The suffering weighed heavily on him, and his words carried a conviction that surprised those present.

Akainu scoffed, though less dismissively this time. "Wipe out all the pirates? I hope that's not just wishful thinking."

Sengoku looked intrigued. "It's one thing to say, but eradicating pirates is almost impossible. What's your plan?"

Carlos took a deep breath. "We march into the New World, eliminate the Four Emperors, find Roger's legendary treasure, and make it public knowledge."

Inwardly, Carlos sighed. In truth, the World Government and the Shichibukai didn't need to intervene. Marine had the strength to defeat the Emperors on their own, as evidenced by the events of the Summit War.

"Sengoku, Garp, Akainu, Kizaru, Aokiji... Marine has five Admiral-level combatants," Carlos continued. "In the war, Akainu was the only one who truly pushed forward, with Aokiji contributing halfway."

"If I want to rise in Marine, I need to prove my worth through merit. I'm not willing to climb the ranks slowly. I intend to be a radical force within Marine, striking directly at the Emperors of the Sea. It's the only way to earn significant merit and the respect of my peers."

Sengoku shook his head, clearly concerned. "Young man, you're oversimplifying things. Eliminating Big Mom's pirates and the Whitebeard pirates is no small feat..."

He trailed off as he remembered that Carlos had already taken down the Beasts Pirates and had repeatedly bested Big Mom's crew.

Sengoku's face flushed with embarrassment as he realized the contradiction. "Ahem, well... finding Raftel isn't easy. Only Roger, the Pirate King, has..."

Carlos interrupted him. "To reach the final island, you need to gather four Road Poneglyphs. I already have two."

The room went silent, and Sengoku's expression turned incredulous.

"I obtained a rubbing from Big Mom's treasure room on Whole Cake Island. The other is with Kozuki Sukiyaki, and I can get it whenever I need."

Sengoku was at a loss for words, and the others looked at Carlos as if he were a legend come to life.

After a long pause, Sengoku finally spoke. "Alright, you've convinced me. If you can achieve all of this, not only will I support your promotion to Admiral, but I'll also back you for the position of Marshal when the time comes."

"Effective immediately, you are a Vice Admiral of Marine Headquarters and an Admiral candidate with the same rights as a full Admiral. Don't disappoint us."

Akainu remained silent, but inside, he was impressed. When Carlos declared his intention to eradicate all pirates, Akainu felt a rare sense of excitement.

Eliminating pirates was Marine's duty, and it was the only way to protect countless civilians. Akainu's own beliefs aligned with this radical approach, even if it wasn't always recognized by Sengoku, Aokiji, Garp, and others.

Carlos looked at Sengoku. "Does this mean I can form my own fleet?"

Sengoku nodded. "Yes. Aside from missions assigned by headquarters, you will have complete autonomy."

"And my warships? My men?"

"There's only one spare warship at the moment," Sengoku explained. "You're authorized to command a force of five thousand, but it will take time to assemble them. The World Government has already arranged for new warships and supplies to be sent."

Carlos nodded in understanding. "Good. I'll also need a capable second-in-command."

"Who do you have in mind?" Sengoku asked.

"Gion—Momousagi."

The room fell silent again as everyone involuntarily glanced at Tsuru.

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