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After Akainu left, Sengoku picked up the letters and began reading them. As he read, his expression grew complicated.
This was no case of espionage. It was a tragedy born of forbidden love.
Jeff had fallen in love with another Marine—another man who wasn't even in the same division. To ease the pain of their separation and keep their relationship a secret, they communicated through clandestine letters.
The frequency and secrecy of the letters had aroused suspicion. Steve, blinded by ambition and prejudice, mistook Jeff's actions for those of a spy infiltrating the Marines. Without reporting his suspicions or verifying the facts, Steve took it upon himself to assassinate Jeff in the name of "protecting Marine."
In truth, this was a bitter reflection of the strained relationship between the CP divisions and the Marines. Steve's actions weren't just about misunderstanding—he likely sought to tarnish the Marines by framing the situation as their failure. Killing Jeff and then claiming, "I eliminated a traitor in your ranks," would have been a satisfying blow against Marine credibility.
But in the end, it was all a tragic misunderstanding. Steve's underhanded plan had left him a smoldering heap at Akainu's hands, his ambitions reduced to ash.
As Sengoku set down the letters, he noticed Conan still crouching on the ground, carefully examining the scattered papers one by one.
Conan's brow was furrowed in thought. Though the letters seemed straightforward enough, something about them felt off.
Seeing this, Sengoku walked over and placed a gentle hand on Conan's head. "Boy, what did you find?"
Conan touched his chin, lost in thought. "There's something strange about these letters. They're all written by Jeff to someone else, but there aren't any replies. And... there's some information in Jeff's letters about his troop movements."
His voice lowered as he continued, ensuring only Sengoku could hear. "It's not a lot of information, but it's enough to make me think these aren't all the letters. There's something missing here..."
Sengoku's expression darkened. Following Conan's lead, he began flipping through the letters again, examining them closely. His frown deepened with each passing moment, and finally, his sharp gaze fell on the Marine who had brought the letters earlier.
After a moment of silence, Sengoku's lips curved into a small, knowing smile.
"Leave this matter to me," he said, his voice firm. He turned to Conan and added with genuine gratitude, "Thank you, kid."
Then, his tone shifted to something lighter. "Your name's Conan, right? What do you think—are you interested in staying with the Marines and becoming my grandson?"
"Huh?" Conan blinked in confusion. "Grandson?!"
Why had this suddenly turned into an offer of adoption?
Sengoku, however, was entirely serious. He admired Conan greatly. Though Sengoku respected physical strength, he valued wisdom even more.
In his eyes, strength could be cultivated over time—through training, discipline, or even a well-suited Devil Fruit. Natural talent played a role, of course, but hard work could eventually bridge the gap.
But true intelligence, insight, and wisdom? Those were far rarer and harder to teach.
Sengoku had only one son in his life: Corazon. Losing Corazon had been a devastating blow, one he'd never fully recovered from.
Watching the interaction between his old friend Garp and his grandson—complete with Garp's Fist of Love—Sengoku couldn't help but feel a pang of longing.
Once, he had envisioned Law as his ideal grandson. He'd already considered Law part of his family, but who said a man could only have one grandson?
Now, his sights were set on a new candidate: Conan.
Conan hadn't expected Fleet Admiral Sengoku to suggest taking him in as his grandson.
While he was still trying to process the offer, Ikki walked up behind him with a grin. "What are you hesitating for? Having Sengoku Fleet Admiral accept you as his grandson is a great opportunity!"
Conan turned to Ikki, confused.
Ikki continued, "Don't you want to get stronger? Sengoku is one of the strongest people in the world! With his guidance, you'll definitely grow stronger!"
Conan hesitated. "So... are you just trying to leave me here at Marine Headquarters?"
Ikki froze for a moment.
It was true. Deep down, he believed Conan would be safer staying with the Marines. Traveling with the Straw Hats was thrilling, but it was also incredibly dangerous.
Conan wasn't from this world. His body wasn't built to endure the same punishments as people here. Even Usopp, who was considered an ordinary person by this world's standards, could endure things that would be fatal to most people. Could Conan?
A hammer might shatter Conan's skull, and even a stray bullet could kill him.
Conan understood his situation too. After a moment of quiet reflection, he turned back to Sengoku, bowed deeply, and said, "Grandpa Sengoku, please guide me from now on!"
Sengoku's face lit up with a warm smile. "Haha... Just call me grandpa!"
At that moment, Aokiji, Smoker, and Kizaru approached the group.
"Congratulations on your new grandson, Fleet Admiral Sengoku," Aokiji said sincerely.
Kizaru smirked mischievously. "Oh, such a happy occasion! Can I leave work early today?"
Sengoku's brow twitched. "Borsalino, everyone else can get off work. You stay and work overtime for me!"
Kizaru sighed dramatically. "Ah, how unfortunate..."
Ikki suddenly chimed in, "Fleet Admiral Sengoku, why not take Conan to the Holy Land of Mariejois? Let him see the world."
Sengoku's smile faded as he narrowed his eyes at Ikki.
He knew what Mariejois represented. It was said to be the most beautiful city in the world, but Sengoku knew better. It was a place rife with decadence and darkness—the very heart of the World Government's corruption.
Why would Ikki suggest exposing a kid like Conan to that? What was he trying to do?
Sengoku couldn't discern Ikki's intentions, but Conan already had an idea. Gritting his teeth, he muttered under his breath, "It's not me calling the case—it's the case calling me, you b*****d..."
Ikki merely chuckled in response.
Meanwhile, Zoro's battles elsewhere in the headquarters had come to an end.
After defeating T-Bone, Zoro had faced several Marine swordsmen in quick succession. Even Vice Admiral Momonga had taken the time to spar with him and point out areas where Zoro could improve. Momonga had even given Zoro some insights into using Haki more effectively.
Zoro had gained a lot from this trip to Marine Headquarters. The battles and guidance alone would give him plenty to reflect on and refine in the coming days.
Back with the group, Sengoku turned to Ikki.
"Alright, since your business at the headquarters is done, it's time for you all to leave," Sengoku said with a polite but firm tone.
Ikki protested, "But we've only been here for a short while! I want to stick around for a few more days. How often do you get to visit Marine Headquarters and meet all these famous Marines?"
Sengoku shook his head. "Ikki, you're the vice-captain of the Straw Hats, and Luffy is the captain. The two of you can't be absent for long."
As if on cue, Luffy came running toward them.
His body was covered in large lumps from Garp's Fist of Love.
It wasn't hard to figure out why Luffy had been clobbered. He had eaten the majority of the food stores. Naturally, Garp had dished out some painful discipline.