Over the call, Sengoku felt both surprised and amused by Jake's words.
He replied with a chuckle.
"You don't actually need to bring any gifts. Just your safe return is already the greatest comfort to this old man."
"No, Fleet Admiral Sengoku, the gift is already prepared. Would you like to know what it is?"
At this, Sengoku could no longer suppress his curiosity.
Raising a finger to signal Kizaru who had just entered his office to stay quiet, he asked.
"It's already prepared? Then let me take a guess—is it information about some treasure? Or have you brought me another batch of promising young talents?"
Jake only laughed at Sengoku's guesses before replying.
"Neither. It's something that will give us the leverage to defy the World Government's orders in the short term!"
"Jake, though I know you harbor dissatisfaction with the World Government, saying such things is still somewhat—"
Before Sengoku could finish his admonishment, Jake gently interrupted.
"Sengoku-san, have you ever heard of the legendary City of Gold from centuries ago?"
Sengoku froze momentarily before instinctively answering.
"Legends like that—anyone who sails the seas has heard of it to some extent. But that's just a centuries-old myth; it's completely—"
Suddenly, he stopped mid-sentence.
His breathing grew rapid, and his voice rose sharply, almost distorted.
"Jake, you're not about to tell me you've found that legendary city of gold, are you?!"
"You guessed it right. Not only did I find the legendary City of Gold, but I also brought back some of its treasures. As for the exact amount, I can't quite remember—perhaps enough to fill two or three warships? Of course, that's just a small portion. The majority remains in its original location, ready to be retrieved whenever needed."
As Jake spoke, Sengoku felt an overwhelming sense of happiness crash down from the sky, slamming into his head and leaving him utterly dazed.
"J-Jake... are you really planning to all that gold—unconditionally—to the Marines?!"
His voice trembled as he spoke.
As the Marine Fleet Admiral, Sengoku understood better than anyone else in the world just how tightly the World Government controlled the Marines' budget.
No one yearned to solve the Marines' financial woes more than he did.
But when a solution finally appeared before him, Sengoku couldn't shake a deep sense of unreality.
That level of wealth could easily allow Jake to live a life rivaling that of a Celestial Dragon.
Faced with such riches, would Jake truly be willing to it all without compensation?
Kizaru, listening to their conversation, was equally stunned.
The legendary City of Gold—and enough gold to fill two or three warships, how many Berries would that even be worth? He couldn't even begin to imagine.
Then, the voice on the other end of the call left them both speechless.
"Of course, it's an unconditional gift to the Marines. Though, if you could consider it as a foundation for my future promotions, that'd be even better. After all, I do hope to become a Marine Admiral someday. No matter how much gold there is, it's not particularly useful to me personally. And if one person were to hold onto that much wealth, the World Government would likely keep them under strict surveillance!"
"Besides, if that gold can provide even the slightest leverage when we resist the World Government's corrupt orders in the future, then it's already worth far more than its weight. Sometimes, my sense of justice can't tolerate even a speck of filth. Do you understand what I mean, Fleet Admiral Sengoku?"
Jake's message was clear: in the future, if there were any dirty tasks, the Marines should refuse them if possible.
And if refusal wasn't an option, at least they shouldn't assign them to him.
That gold was his bargaining chip.
Sengoku fully grasped his meaning.
The corners of his lips curled up to an almost impossible degree as he replied in a light, cheerful tone.
"Don't worry, Jake. With that many Berries at our disposal, this old man will have more than enough to shut those people up. It'll also give me the confidence to refuse certain... undesirable developments!"
"In that case, these gold reserves have already served a purpose far exceeding their intrinsic value, Sengoku-san. Since the amount was simply too massive, I entrusted the Whitebeard Pirates to store it all on a small island called 'Gorton' in the North Blue. The surrounding area happens to be a calm belt, so remember to bring those special battleships when retrieving it."
"Don't worry! When we retrieve the gold, Borsalino, Sakazuki, Kuzan, Garp, Zephyr! And myself! We'll all be present together, and we'll pick you up on the way back!"
Hearing this, Jake smiled wryly.
"But the island isn't on my way back."
"No matter. Wherever you are, that's where we'll make our way!"
As the call ended, Jake pocketed the Den Den Mushi and vanished in a flash of lightning, reappearing at the harbor.
After briefly explaining the situation to Monet and entrusting her to maintain control, he set off to eliminate Pica—the man who had nearly killed both him and Monet years ago.
Though Monet was concerned upon hearing Jake's plan, she understood that someone needed to hold the fort.
Otherwise, those cornered rogue Marines might resort to desperate measures.
Reluctantly, Monet offered a few words of caution before obediently staying behind on the island.
Meanwhile, Sengoku slumped into his office chair, exhausted.
Across from him sat Kizaru, meticulously trimming his nails with a clipper.
"How terrifying~ That brat Jake, just from one trip, managed to bring the Marines such an enormous financial power. He really seems like heaven-sent luck for us~"
Sengoku paid no mind to Kizaru's peculiar tone.
Instead, he stared at the ceiling with a chilling grin.
"Borsalino, do you have any idea how many of my current problems that much gold can solve? Do you know how many sleepless nights those budget constraints have cost me?"
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