The Den Den Mushi on the other end remained silent for a long time.
Finally, Sengoku spoke "...What nonsense are you spouting? Deceiving the World Government comes with a price!"
But it was precisely this response from Sengoku that instantly reignited Michael simmering anger into full blaze!
"...OLD MAN, do you remember what your epithet is? 'The Buddha'! The Wise General!"
"Who's really deceiving whom here? Do I need to remind you of this? A year and a half ago, the World Government ordered the Marines to cooperate with CP agents to hunt down the Pirate King widow, determined to capture Roger wife and child! If Garp-san and I hadn't intervened, given Onigumo and the CP agents' methods, how many civilians' do you think would have been killed?"
Sengoku was momentarily speechless under Michael barrage.
"And among the elite Vice Admirals assigned to this Buster Call is that bastard Sakazuki!"
"Old man, I'll stake my head on this—if everything proceeds as you've arranged, he'll absolutely fire on the refugee ship to eliminate all loose ends!"
"So now, old man—no, dear Admiral Sengoku! Use that brilliant yet blindly loyal brain of yours and think carefully!"
"If history itself contained no shameful darkness or secrets, why would the World Government be so desperate to target these scholars who study it?"
"And who exactly does the so-called guardian of the seas protect?"
"The World Government? Or the countless civilians?"
"ADMIRAL SENGOKU! TELL ME!"
Michael voice was unusually fierce, his normally handsome face twisted with anger.
Since reincarnating into this world, his bond with Sengoku had been incredibly deep—one might even say Sengoku had treated him better than anyone else.
Precisely because of this, Michael didn't want Sengoku to become the retired Grand Inspector from the original story, forever living with regret and guilt.
The Den Den Mushi on the other end remained silent.
The snail expression mirrored Sengoku—frowning in deep thought.
Michael decided... to add more fuel to the fire. "The World Government has never been just and the Celestial Dragons have never been kind. Can you stand by and watch these two disgusting pieces of trash trample over the Marine justice?"
"Come on, Admiral! Will you choose to be a loyal, obedient dog, or will you stand for the people and true justice!"
Michael voice was low, like the whisper of a demon.
After a long silence, Sengoku finally uttered a sentence before hurriedly hanging up the Den Den Mushi.
"...Just... Make sure you didnt mess this up."
Witnessing this exchange between Michael and Sengoku, Garp was utterly amazed.
He had never seen Sengoku before.
After all, Garp and Sengoku friendship had lasted for decades. From their youth all the way to old age. They were the kind of friends who trusted each other completely, willing to bare their backs to one another!
In Garp eyes, getting Sengoku to change his mind was harder than killing ten Rocks D Xebec!
Unprecedented! Absolutely unprecedented!
"Michael, I never expected this! You actually managed to persuade that old stubborn mule Sengoku to change his mind?" Garp slapped Michael shoulder and laughed heartily.
Michael simply smiled faintly, snatching a rice cracker from Garp hand.
Then he said "Someone as proud as Sengoku wouldn't change his mind just because someone yelled in his face."
"It was just that, deep down, he wanted to be persuaded."
After retrieving Stella from the island, Michael boarded Garp dog-headed flagship.
They raced across the sea!
First passing through the Calm Belt, then entering the West Blue, before heading at full speed toward Ohara.
Launching a Buster Call takes time too.
Because the massive warships used for Buster Calls are only stationed at Marine Headquarters.
It's not like in the original story where launching a Buster Call against Enies Lobby was so convenient!
The distance between Marine Headquarters and Enies Lobby is not only short, but there's also a special ocean current between the two locations.
Following a specific route between them makes for extremely fast travel.
It only takes about an hour to go from Marine Headquarters to Enies Lobby. No matter what, the distance from Marine Headquarters to Ohara can't be as short as from "Grandline" to Ohara.
So there's a time difference here. It should be enough time to evacuate Ohara residents.
They called Sengoku in the morning.
By afternoon, they had already reached the West Blue. Now, at the edge of their vision, they could see the "Tree of Knowledge".
Ohara was within reach.
Garp stood beside Michael, shielding his eyes from the sun as he gazed at the distant Tree of Knowledge, But his question was directed at Michael.
"Michael, give it to me straight... what do you really think the Marine and World Government should be like?"
"Hah? You're asking me this? Did you think i eat a devil fruit that makes me super smart and become a walking encyclopedia?" Michael rolled his eyes.
"The Marine most fundamental justice is to protect civilians. But in all these years, has the World Government issued a single policy that actually protects civilians? Instead, they oppress civilians at every turn, even treating those from non-affiliated countries as less than human... not to mention those Celestial Dragons who can do whatever they want and stand above all order and law."
"All of this completely contradicts the Marine justice, doesn't it?"
"But..." Garp smacked his lips a couple of times.
He understood Michael meaning all too well.
Because in his heart, he felt exactly the same way.
But as Sengoku only close friend and comrade who had supported each other for decades, he couldn't possibly undermine Sengoku position.
"No need to overthink it, old man Garp. I'm not asking you to directly overthrow the World Government..."
"But I believe the Marines shouldn't remain a weapon in the World Government hands, blindly pointed their weapons at civilians."
"The Marine forces need to exist independently from the World Government system."
Michael leaned against the railing, his platinum blonde hair slightly tousled by the sea breeze, adding a touch of wildness to his appearance.
Yet to Garp eyes, he could see traces of Sengoku in the young man... Only a much smarter, completely unrestrained version of Sengoku.
Soon, Ohara grew increasingly larger and nearer in their view.
After docking, Garp instructed Bogart "Maintain constant vigilance for now."
"But be prepared to receive a large number of evacuees aboard."
Then Garp and Michael, accompanied by several Marines, headed toward Ohara village.
"Honestly, this place looks like any ordinary village along the way."
"Nothing particularly scholarly about it. Hard to believe it produced so many smart people."
Michael shrugged and explained "Ohara practices elite education, so..."
"You either get ignorant folks who know nothing beyond basic survival, or scholars who master all knowledge."
Though Ohara scholars weren't bad people, this educational approach was utterly foolish.