"Impossible!" Future Fleet Admiral Sengoku, currently a Marine Admiral, shot to his feet, clutching a Den Den Mushi, his expression filled with disbelief at the message relayed through the snail.
"What happened?" asked Vice Admiral Tsuru, the chief strategist of the Marines, who happened to walk in just then. She raised an eyebrow at Sengoku's rare display of shock.
"Borsalino… was defeated. He's severely injured and unconscious," Sengoku replied grimly.
"Hm? Could it have been one of the legendary pirates?" Tsuru asked with a frown.
She knew Borsalino's strength well. Among the younger generation of Marines, few could match him. And with his Pika Pika no Mi, even if he lost a fight, escape was never an issue. To injure him so badly and leave him unconscious—only the veterans of the pirate world could pull that off.
Right now, Loguetown was crawling with those old legends. They might not be on the same level as Roger, Shiki, or Whitebeard, but they weren't far behind either.
"No. The one who defeated Borsalino was Donquixote Rosinante, also known as the Silent Blade. And he did it in a single move." Sengoku's face was dark, his voice low.
"Donquixote Rosinante? Doflamingo's younger brother? If I remember correctly, he's the user of the Silence-Silence Fruit. His sword skills are decent, and paired with the fruit's sound-nullifying abilities, he earned the title 'Silent Blade.' Last known bounty: 76 million Berries. His strength should only be around that of a Rear Admiral. He shouldn't be anywhere near capable of defeating Borsalino," Tsuru mused, clearly puzzled.
"The Silence-Silence Fruit... I recall it not being particularly powerful. Neither Rosinante's own abilities nor the fruit's power should be enough to inflict such serious injuries on someone like Borsalino. And yet, he barely escaped using the speed of his light powers, and now he lies unconscious." Sengoku's brows were tightly knit.
"This Rosinante is definitely not as simple as he seems. He's been hiding his true strength all along. And if he managed to stop Borsalino from escaping using light-speed... then perhaps the Silence-Silence Fruit has abilities we've never imagined," Tsuru said gravely.
"This complicates things. Just as the storm over Loguetown looms, now a tidal wave crashes in," Sengoku said, tension rising in his voice.
"Dispatch Kuzan and Sakazuki," Tsuru advised sternly.
"There's no other choice. Someone, summon Kuzan and Sakazuki at once!" Sengoku barked.
"Yes, sir!" A messenger sprinted off to carry out the order.
Moments later, Aokiji Kuzan and Akainu Sakazuki walked into the room.
"Admiral Sengoku, Vice Admiral Tsuru," they greeted.
"You two are to lead a squad to seal off all of Loguetown. Search every corner and bring back Donquixote Rosinante. I want him found—immediately," Sengoku commanded.
"Rosinante?" Kuzan and Sakazuki exchanged a surprised glance. The name was unfamiliar, and they didn't understand why this particular pirate warranted such a high-priority mission during such a critical time.
"Just earlier, Borsalino was gravely injured at Rosinante's hands and is still unconscious," Sengoku explained with weight in his tone.
Both Kuzan and Sakazuki were stunned.
As fellow members of the Marine's "Monster Vice Admirals," they knew better than anyone just how powerful Borsalino was. For him to lose, and not just lose but be left unconscious? And at the hands of someone virtually unknown? That defied belief—especially since Borsalino's fruit allowed him to escape almost any situation.
"Rosinante—former World Noble, of the Donquixote family. Younger brother to Doflamingo. A Silence-Silence Fruit user. Current bounty: 76 million Berries," Sengoku recited, handing them Rosinante's file.
"But given he could injure Borsalino to such an extent, that fruit must possess abilities we've yet to understand. Be cautious when you confront him," he warned.
"Yes, sir!" the two Vice Admirals responded and turned to leave, setting the operation in motion.
"At such a sensitive time... let's hope this doesn't spark a full-scale war," Garp said, stepping in and glancing at Sengoku.
"We have no choice," Sengoku sighed. "News of Borsalino's defeat won't stay hidden. The Marines have been heavily promoting the three Vice Admirals as a symbol of strength. His fall will deal a serious blow to our reputation. If we don't respond, we'll lose all deterrent power."
"At the moment of Roger's execution, the stage is already full of young pirates who don't know their place, and old pirates waiting to fan the flames. If we let this go, chaos will erupt. Kuzan and Sakazuki need to send a message. Only then can we minimize the damage," Tsuru added.
"Let's hope it works," Sengoku said with a sigh.
"At the very least, there won't be war before Roger's execution. After all... the ones who want Roger dead aren't limited to the Marines," Tsuru said confidently.
Right now, Loguetown had become the focal point of the world. No secrets could survive here—any movement would be known to every major power.
The clash between Rosinante and Doflamingo's Conqueror's Haki had already drawn enough attention. When Borsalino stepped in, it only added fuel to the fire. And when word spread that Borsalino had been defeated, the shockwaves echoed across all factions.
"Fufufufu... I didn't expect Rosinante to be hiding such strength. He actually managed to take down Borsalino?" Doflamingo was surprised when he heard the news. Even he found Borsalino troublesome to deal with. In fact, even the entire Donquixote family together might not have stood a chance against him. That Rosinante managed it... clearly, there were depths to his brother he hadn't seen before.
"Hey, hey, Doffy... You sure Rosinante had the strength to beat Borsalino?" Trebol asked suspiciously.
"Who knows?" Doflamingo's eyes flickered with a strange light. It seemed he didn't know this younger brother as well as he thought.
"The Silent Blade... I wonder how deadly his sword truly is?" muttered a man with hawk-like eyes, a gleam of interest in his gaze.
"Old man! Vice Admiral Borsalino's been defeated!" Marco cried out, holding a Den Den Mushi and staring at Whitebeard in astonishment.
"Gurararara! That flashy brat? Interesting! Who was it?" Whitebeard laughed. He knew how strong the three Monster Vice Admirals were. There were no rookies strong enough to take them on—so he assumed it was one of his old rivals making a move.
"It was a pirate called the Silent Blade. Bounty's only 76 million. Doesn't ring any bells—probably a newcomer," Marco replied.
"Gurararara… Interesting! The new age hasn't even begun, and already the rookies are starting to dance," Whitebeard chuckled with a hint of admiration. "Roger, so this is the new era you wanted to unleash?"