One Piece - Heaven Defying Comprehension!

Sengoku stared in silence at Kizaru, who was muttering dejected words under the influence of the Ghost Fruit. The sight weighed heavily on him. It was his misjudgment that led to Kizaru's entrapment—surrounded by Rayleigh, Issho, and Nami.

Of the three, only Nami was a weaker opponent compared to Kizaru due to her insufficient mastery of Haki. Yet, against Rayleigh and Issho, Kizaru couldn't confidently claim victory. Despite his Light-Light Fruit granting him unparalleled speed, three formidable enemies were simply too much—even for someone of his caliber. Not even the most powerful of the Four Emperors could easily withstand such odds.

Kizaru's defeat, and subsequent capture, weighed on Sengoku as his personal failure. Now, one of the World Government's Admirals—its highest combat force—was being used as a bargaining chip by Ace. Such a scenario had never occurred in the 800 years of the World Government's existence. Yet here it was, unfolding under his watch as Marine Fleet Admiral.

Adding to this crushing reality was the total defeat of the Naval Headquarters in its war against the Entei Pirates. Sengoku's career as Marine Fleet Admiral was effectively over. In his own eyes, he had failed—both as a leader and as a strategist. Not only had Kizaru been captured and reduced to a tool for Ace's negotiations, but the Navy had suffered an unprecedented catastrophe under his command.

His face, tight with frustration, reflected the bitterness in his heart. He clenched his fists in silence.

Then, he felt a firm hand on his shoulder. 

"Don't worry, Sengoku. No one's blaming you," Garp said, his voice uncharacteristically gentle. Sengoku raised his head and saw the rare sight of Garp smiling softly at him.

Sengoku didn't speak for a long moment. Then, without warning, he slapped Garp's hand away. 

"You think I'm going to cry, you bastard?" he asked in a low, gruff voice, turning his back to Garp.

"Who knows," Garp replied, still smiling. "But I've got a donut record to beat. You up for trying 31?"

Sengoku stood still for a moment, his head hanging low. "Yeah... sounds good," he muttered, his voice somewhat softened. Although the sting of defeat still lingered, there was a hint of relief in his tone.

Despite the crushing loss and the tears of bitterness flowing from many Marine officers and soldiers, none of them blamed Sengoku, their leader. Not even Kizaru, who had suffered greatly, held him responsible.

Faced with an opponent so fearsome that even the Five Elders had to compromise, the Marines' failure was perhaps inevitable. Sengoku knew that well. He also understood that this moment would be etched into the memories of the younger Marines. It was a bitter lesson, but one they would carry into the future.

Lowering his head for a brief moment, Sengoku wiped the corners of his eyes. Then, with renewed determination, he raised his head high, straightened his shoulders, and marched forward—his steps resolute. He took his place in front of the Marines, his gaze fixed on Ace's distant figure. Once more, he was the Sengoku of old—the "Buddha" and 'The Resourceful General'.

Even in defeat, a Marine Fleet Admiral must face his responsibilities head-on.

"Fleet Admiral!"

The Marine officers and soldiers looked at Sengoku, his towering form standing like a mountain in front of them, and their voices trembled.

"Snap!" 

In unison, all the Marines straightened their backs, standing at attention. Though their tears still streamed beneath their hats, they stood tall—resolute in the face of their defeat.

"Fleet Admiral..." Aokiji gazed at Sengoku's figure with a complicated expression. 

To Aokiji, Sengoku was the epitome of a successful Marine Fleet Admiral. As 'The Resourceful General', Sengoku had maintained the fragile balance in the Age of Pirates, navigating countless crises. Even in the face of a devastating defeat, he inspired the Marine officers and soldiers to rise once again. 

Aokiji couldn't help but question himself. If he were to become Marine Fleet Admiral, could he ever surpass Sengoku? Deep down, he knew the answer. He didn't know. There wasn't a shred of certainty that he could lead the Marines better than Sengoku had.

But even with all Sengoku's brilliance, he couldn't change the reality of the Marines being a tool of violent enforcement under the control of the World Government. Aokiji wondered, even if he were to become Marine Fleet Admiral, could he truly reform the organization? Could he transform the Marines into a force capable of affecting the World Government and creating a world where all people could thrive—where everyone had enough to eat, and peace reigned?

Aokiji clenched his fists. This war had given him an answer. 

The power he wielded, and the power of the Marines, wasn't enough to change the status quo. For the first time, Aokiji had witnessed the true strength of the Five Elders—immortal monsters, untouchable by human means. 

No wonder they treated the common people like insects.

The Five Elders, who wield supreme power in the world, have long since transcended the realm of human existence. How could such beings—monsters in all but name—ever understand or care for the common people?

In truth, the true power within the World Government lies in the Knights of God. A massive force like the Marines is merely one of many external instruments the World Government uses to maintain its grip on the seas—a violent tool for enforcing its rule. 

Even if Aokiji were to become the Marine Fleet Admiral, his authority alone wouldn't be enough to change the situation, nor could he influence the decisions made by the World Government. But there was one person who might change everything.

Aokiji's gaze settled on Ace's back, his focus sharpening. Portgas D. Ace—'this man'—was the one who could challenge the system. He alone had the potential to turn the tide.

Was it time for me to make a decision?

His fists tightened.

"Using Kizaru as a bargaining chip?" The Five Elders narrowed their eyes at the sight of Kizaru lying at Ace's feet. Anger flashed in their eyes. The Admiral of Headquarters—the highest combat power within the World Government—had been captured. While Admirals might be injured or even die in battle, never before in the 800-year history of the World Government had one been taken prisoner and used as leverage.

Ace had humiliated them, mocking their authority. But despite their fury, they couldn't refuse this deal—not with the entire elite of the Naval Headquarters watching. Even if they wanted to abandon Kizaru, it was impossible. 

The Five Elders didn't care what the masses thought, nor did they concern themselves with the opinions of the Marine Fleet Admiral, who was merely a tool for controlling the Marines, a force of violence under their command. But alienating the entire Marine force would be dangerous. The loyalty of their military had to be preserved, lest it weaken the World Government's grip on power.

So, they had no choice but to accept the terms Ace had laid out, with Kizaru as the bargaining chip.

"Damn it!" the Elders fumed inwardly. Ace had played his cards perfectly. By offering Kizaru, he had backed the Five Elders into a corner. They couldn't negotiate freely. Though they were prepared to compromise, they still had some leverage. If the situation escalated, they knew that the Entei Pirates and the Red-Hair Pirates would suffer heavy losses, forcing the latter to urge Ace toward moderation.

But Ace had outmaneuvered them. By turning Kizaru into a public bargaining chip in front of the Marine elites, he had robbed the Five Elders of their ability to haggle. He had used the pride and unity of the Marines to force their hand. 

"Damn him!" 

Once again, Ace had used the Marines as pawns, forcing the Five Elders into a position where they had to make more concessions than they'd planned. 

In this moment, the Five Elders almost wished that Kizaru had simply perished in the earlier battle. At least then, their authority wouldn't have been trampled so brazenly by Ace. Now, they were left powerless, their pride as the rulers of the world crumbling before everyone's eyes.

Was this the work of the man who had outwitted Sengoku? Each move was deliberate, calculated—turning everyone, whether they wanted it or not, into pieces on his chessboard. Even his enemies became weapons in his hands. Power, intelligence, strategy... He had them all. He was a man destined to stand at the top of this world.

"What a terrifying man," Beckman muttered, exhaling a cloud of smoke. His voice was solemn as he looked at Ace. As one of the sharpest minds on the seas, Beckman immediately grasped the brilliance behind Ace's plan.

At first glance, it appeared that Ace had weakened his own position by willingly adding Kizaru to the negotiation without a demand from the Five Elders. But under the scrutiny of the Marine elites, offering Kizaru had in fact cornered the World Government.

The Five Elders couldn't afford to leave one of their top Admirals to his fate—not in front of the Marine elites, who already had their eyes on the situation. How could they expect the Marines to remain loyal if they didn't even attempt to rescue one of their own? How could they maintain command over the Navy if they refused to save Kizaru?

Ace had masterfully turned the situation in his favor. 

Beckman couldn't help but be impressed by Ace's control over human nature and his unhesitating decisiveness. Ace had backed the Five Elders into a corner, trapping them.

"Ace has left the Five Elders with no way out," Beckman remarked, shaking his head in admiration.

"Are you afraid too, Beckman?" Shanks asked, a faint smile tugging at his lips as he looked at his right-hand man.

"Of course I am," Beckman replied, still puffing on his cigarette. "I'm human, after all. When you face someone whose strength, wisdom, and abilities surpass your own, fear is a natural reaction. But fear isn't necessarily a bad thing—it can be a source of strength."

Beckman's mouth curled into a slight smile. Fear was a primal instinct in all living beings, but resisting it only made it worse. Those who denied their fear eventually crumbled under its weight, just like Doflamingo. But those who accepted fear calmly could transform it into a source of power.

As one of the most brilliant minds in the world, Beckman didn't fear fear itself. It could make him stronger.

"State your terms."

Saint Saturn remained silent for a brief moment before speaking. The situation had reached an irreparable point, and the Five Elders, known for their decisiveness, could not afford to waver. Implicitly, they had accepted the deal.

"The terms are simple," Ace began. "Suspend the Buster Call and guarantee the safety of all lives and property on the Sabaody Archipelago. That's my request and the wish of my first and second Fleet captains. If you agree, I'll return Kizaru to you. If not... we continue fighting."

Ace's voice was calm, but his words sent ripples through the crowd.

What was Kizaru to him? Merely a bargaining chip? 

Ace had a deeper purpose in using Kizaru. He wanted to stir Aokiji's heart, to sway this formidable force toward his side. He also wanted to rekindle the resolve in Issho's heart, bringing the powerful warrior back to the cause. But beyond that, Ace sought to engineer a complete failure of the Buster Call—a tool of violent eradication that symbolized the World Government's "absolute justice." He would use its defeat as fuel to strengthen his own power. 

This was a plan to kill three birds with one stone.

"!!!"

After Ace finished speaking, everyone in the room looked at him in disbelief. Abort the Buster Call?! 

In exchange for the safety of the people of Sabaody Archipelago? Could a pirate truly propose such a deal?

"Ace-san…" Issho was visibly moved. Tears began to stream down his face as he processed Ace's words. 

For a man who stood for justice, the idea of Ace using Kizaru's capture not to demand wealth or territory but to protect the innocent was overwhelming. 

This was the fulfillment of his deepest wish—protecting the people. 

Rayleigh looked at Issho with a smile. "How does it feel, Issho? Ace hasn't disappointed you, has he? Fate hasn't let you down."

Issho smiled through his tears, wiping them away. "No... Fate has been kind. It brought me to Sabaody Archipelago, brought me to meet Ace-san. No... it brought me to meet my captain. But…"

"But?" Rayleigh asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It's a pity," Issho continued, his voice tinged with regret. "My eyes can no longer see. I wish I could look upon the captain's face. I want to see what color his hair is, the shape of his eyes… I imagine his face must be gentle, right?"

Issho's unseeing eyes shone with the deepest sincerity, his smile radiating from his heart.

Rayleigh chuckled softly, a deep warmth in his tone. "Ah, Ace's face is the gentlest on this sea. Truly, it's a blessing not to see some things—but Ace is one you wouldn't regret seeing."

"I can imagine it," Issho replied, the curve of his smile growing even deeper. 

With that, Issho's spirit was fully restored. The second division captain of the Entei Pirates had returned to his rightful place.

"!!!!!"

Meanwhile, Aokiji stood frozen, processing everything he had just witnessed.

Ace's leadership, his control over the situation, and his ability to touch the hearts of even the strongest warriors had shaken him to his core. For a man of Aokiji's strength and wisdom, witnessing Ace in action had left him momentarily speechless.