Strike First

"Well, well, one less annoying guy—feeling pretty good, huh, Jon?"

Borsalino teased Jon with a smirk. "I never liked that Vitus guy anyway. This time, he's done for. Jon, you pulled this off beautifully."

Jon frowned. "What does this have to do with me? Vitus got himself into this mess."

"Right, right, nothing to do with you. My bad," Borsalino said, raising his hands as if admitting fault. But his expression was anything but sincere.

"This whole thing was a waste of time. So boring. Peberton, wanna go out for a walk?"

Peberton shook his head. "Nope. I need to keep training my Devil Fruit ability. You guys have left me behind too much already. If I don't work harder, how am I supposed to keep up with you?"

"Ugh, boring. Peberton, you've changed. You actually care about training now? If I'd known, I wouldn't have given you that thing."

"You already took my money. No take-backs." Peberton chuckled.

"Fine, whatever. I'm outta here."

Borsalino waved them off and left.

"Come with me," Jon said.

He led Peberton back to his living quarters in the Marine Headquarters. The female officers at the entrance didn't stop them since Jon was leading the way.

"Man, Jon, you're living the good life. So many beauties around here."

Peberton looked around like a kid in a candy store, his eyes darting everywhere. This was his first time inside the intelligence division's headquarters—normally, he would have to wait outside whenever he visited Jon.

"Enough gawking. Where's your self-control?" Jon said, annoyed at how slowly Peberton was walking.

"You don't get it, Jon. You're already well-fed, so you don't understand how hungry guys like me feel. I'm almost forty and still single! Can't you introduce me to someone? We've been friends for years."

"These women don't even dare mess with me. You think I'd risk introducing them to you?"

Jon wasn't about to take that gamble. The female officers in the intelligence division were notoriously fierce—he wouldn't dare play matchmaker.

They kept talking as they entered Jon's private quarters. Here, inside the intelligence division, they didn't have to worry about being overheard, so they could speak freely.

"How's the cleanup going?" Jon asked, his tone turning serious.

Peberton's expression also became stern. "Don't worry. It's being handled. The people I found are absolutely reliable."

Jon nodded. He trusted Peberton completely.

"If Vitus hadn't pushed me into a corner, I wouldn't have had to deal with him like this. He was still a comrade, after all," Jon said with a sigh.

"Cough, cough."

Peberton couldn't hold back a laugh. "Jon, could you at least drop the act when it's just us?"

"Shut up."

Jon glared at him.

The truth was, the incriminating transponder snail found in Vitus's quarters had been planted by Jon—specifically, Peberton had arranged it.

Even before returning to Marine Headquarters, Jon had anticipated that Vitus would report him. So, he decided to strike first.

Jon didn't trust many people, but Peberton was one of them. After discussing the plan, Peberton had immediately agreed to help take Vitus down.

The transponder snail and the voice on the other end of the call had all been arranged in advance by Peberton. It was a flawless setup—Vitus never saw it coming.

"Make sure that guy disappears forever. This whole thing isn't exactly… clean."

Peberton nodded. "I've already sent him to the North Blue. He'll never show up on the Grand Line again."

"What about Vitus? Should we…?"

"No."

Jon stopped Peberton before he could finish the thought. "Don't do anything rash. Vitus is no longer a threat—whether he lives or dies doesn't matter anymore. There's no need for unnecessary risks. The key thing is, I was never actually involved with Dragon, so I have nothing to fear from an investigation."

"True. Vitus isn't worth the trouble," Peberton agreed.

Meanwhile, in the Fleet Admiral's Office

Kong sat behind his desk, his face dark as he stared at the suited man in front of him.

"Are you certain about this intelligence? If this is true, the consequences will be severe. You know that, don't you?"

The man in the suit, wearing a mask, was completely unfazed.

"This information comes from CP0. We've spent immense resources and analysis to confirm it. Roger stayed in the South Blue for a long time. We can't pinpoint his exact location, but we are certain—he left behind a bloodline."

Kong's expression grew heavier. "You can't even find the exact location, yet you're claiming Roger has an heir? Do you understand the kind of chaos this could cause? Are you prepared to take responsibility?"

"I don't see what responsibility you're talking about. Our duty is to eliminate all threats. Even if there's only a five percent chance, or even just one percent, we must make sure Roger's bloodline never resurfaces."

The CP0 agent's voice was cold and decisive.

It was clear that the Five Elders and the Celestial Dragons had authorized this mission. Kong, despite being the Fleet Admiral, had no choice but to cooperate.

"What's your plan? What do you need from the Marines?"

"Our agents are already searching the South Blue. We will soon determine a more precise location. Once we do, we'll need the Marines to assist in a large-scale operation."

Kong nodded. "If Roger really left behind an heir, this is a serious matter. I'll assign Sengoku to lead the operation."

Although he agreed to cooperate, Kong wasn't going to let CP0 dictate Marine operations. He needed someone reliable—someone who could handle this situation with both strength and intelligence. Sengoku was the best choice.

"We will have an exact location soon," the CP0 agent said. "I expect the Marines to move swiftly. We can't afford delays."

With that, the agent turned and walked toward the exit without even a courtesy nod.

"Wait," Kong suddenly called out.

The CP0 agent stopped and looked back, his masked face emotionless.

Kong's gaze was icy. "I let this slide once. But if you ever enter my office without proper authorization again, I won't be so polite. Don't forget—this is Marine Headquarters, not Mariejois."

The CP0 agent chuckled condescendingly but said nothing. He simply turned and left.

"Hmph."

Kong scoffed at the empty room, his face dark with frustration.

CP0 agents were becoming way too arrogant. If he weren't under strict orders, he would have already taught them a lesson.

But his frustration quickly faded as he thought about the intelligence report.

"Roger, you really were a step ahead of all of us, weren't you?"

If Roger had truly left behind a child, then they had to act fast.

No matter what, the Pirate King's bloodline could not be allowed to survive.

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