Chapter 27: Chapter 25: Plan to Eliminate Roger’s Descendants
"This journey has been a complete waste. I've garnered no fear points whatsoever. Perhaps it would have been better to remain at Marine Headquarters and conduct patrols for a chance to accumulate some fear points."
Gazing at the square, now gradually emptying of the crowd, Sakazuki's countenance was marked with discomfort. The absence of any fear points left him thoroughly dissatisfied. If there were no system in place, he might have overlooked it, but with the system in operation, failing to earn the fear points left him deeply unsettled.
The time for the public execution had passed, and although Roger's execution had been carried out, it had brought about significant latent dangers. The upheaval caused by Roger's demise would undoubtedly unsettle the global power structure, a concern for the Marine hierarchy.
Having set out from the Grand Line with great fanfare, they had ultimately met defeat. It was evident to anyone with even a modicum of understanding that Roger had outmaneuvered the Marine Headquarters this time. Despite his demise, his final move had cast a shadow over the Headquarters, dealing a heavy blow.
Upon returning to Marine Headquarters, Fleet Admiral was greeted with a sombre atmosphere, but it was unrelated to Sakazuki and his cohorts this time. The spotlight was on Sengoku, who had taken the lead. Should accountability be sought, it would naturally fall upon Sengoku.
What left many Marine soldiers disheartened was the resurgence of sightings of the Marine Vice Admiral Sakazuki, a figure previously only whispered about in rumours.
For three consecutive days, Sakazuki had not relented in his activities. Morning and afternoon, he would traverse the Marine Headquarters base, seeking out densely populated areas. While most soldiers had grown accustomed to it, many still found it deeply unsettling. The sight of Sakazuki, his visage cold and indifferent, sent shivers down their spines.
Over the course of those three days, Sakazuki had amassed over 5,000 fear points once again, though the tally seemed to be dwindling, especially on the third day, where it had barely reached a thousand. At this rate, it seemed unlikely that the situation would improve, and soon he might not receive any fear points at all.
"Sakazuki, I've heard you've been wandering around the base again these past few days. Care to enlighten me on what precisely you're up to? Can't you busy yourself with training the soldiers? Or have my previous directives fallen on deaf ears?" Kong slammed his hand on the table, his tone laced with frustration, as he addressed Sakazuki before him.
Sakazuki responded with a bewildered expression, "I haven't done anything wrong, I've simply been taking walks. Is there an issue with that?"
"You—" Kong pointed at Sakazuki, sighing, "How did you become like this?"
In the days following, Kong had been preoccupied with mitigating the fallout from Roger's public execution. His efforts had taken him to the holy site of Mariejois and involved liaising with the media. He had been too consumed by these matters to address the trivial affairs of Sakazuki's wanderings. Unexpectedly, upon resolving those issues to some extent, he was confronted with complaints from officers regarding Sakazuki's roaming. Though it hadn't caused any trouble per se, it had certainly made an impact. Thus, Kong had summoned Sakazuki, intending to reprimand him severely, but it appeared the effect had been minimal.
Massaging his temples with a headache, Kong acknowledged that in the grand scheme of things, this wasn't a significant issue, but the constant complaints and nuisances irked him nonetheless. He desired a resolution, to prevent Sakazuki from idling away his days.
Reflecting on it, he found himself longing for the old Sakazuki. Oh, how much simpler things were back then. Though not particularly personable, he never caused trouble. Yet lately, there had been one issue after another involving Sakazuki. Most were positive developments, but this particular nuisance grated on Kong's nerves.
"I believe you've had quite enough idle time as of late. Very well, I shall assign you a task."
Kong resolved not to let this minor inconvenience sour his mood. Deciding it wasn't wise to keep Sakazuki confined to the base, he resolved to send him out to handle a rather troublesome yet critical matter currently at hand.
Originally, he had intended to task Sengoku with this assignment. However, given its complexity and potential duration, it wasn't feasible for an Admiral responsible for the military to be absent from Marine Headquarters for such an extended period. Moreover, Kong felt unease entrusting it to someone else, hence why Sakazuki was the ideal candidate.
Sakazuki's eyes lit up at the prospect. With the diminishing returns of remaining at Marine Headquarters, he had been contemplating the possibility of being assigned elsewhere over the past couple of days. Now, hearing that an assignment awaited him, he was naturally intrigued. His plan of loitering around had worked!
"What is this task? Am I being dispatched from Marineford?" Sakazuki inquired.
Kong nodded, explaining, "Despite Roger's execution, we find ourselves ensnared in the aftermath of his schemes. One matter, in particular, demands attention—a matter concerning Roger's descendants."
Sakazuki's expression shifted upon hearing this. He had an inkling of what Kong was about to propose. "Fleet Admiral, are you suggesting I investigate Roger's heirs?"
Kong nodded affirmatively. "Indeed. Our intelligence suggests that Roger may have left descendants in this world. Based on CP0's findings, we've identified a location where Roger resided extensively before turning himself in—Baterilla Island. We believe it's highly probable that Roger left his legacy on this island."
"It's not mere speculation; it's practically a certainty."
While Kong wasn't entirely certain, Sakazuki knew all too well that Roger had indeed left behind an offspring on Baterilla Island. Marine's pursuit was not misplaced, but they had encountered fierce opposition from a formidable mother, ultimately thwarting their efforts.
This revelation left Sakazuki somewhat conflicted. While he would readily accept any other assignment, this one gave him pause.
"What course of action should be taken if Roger's heir is found?" Sakazuki queried.
Kong looked up in surprise, fixing Sakazuki with a piercing gaze. "Do you truly need to ask?"
Implicit in his response was the inevitability of execution. While Sakazuki harboured no qualms about taking lives, the notion of terminating an unborn child gave him pause.
"Is there a problem?" Kong inquired.
Sakazuki shook his head, inwardly sighing. He knew that declining the task would only result in Kong assigning it to someone else. Thus, he reluctantly replied, "No, how should I proceed with the investigation?"
Kong explained, "You will be liaising with CP0 operatives. While they will be present, you will be the one leading the operation. Additionally, all Marine personnel at the South Blue branch will be under your command. Regardless of the methods employed, it's imperative that we eradicate any trace of Roger's bloodline."
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