Chương 1944: Battle of the North Sea (88)

Time passed by, fleeting as a blink of an eye.

In that instant, Sengoku's gaze suddenly changed. His eyes, which had been fixed on the void, seemed to have found a target and quickly shifted to the crane sitting opposite him.

He gazed at her silently, a complex light flickering in his eyes, as if hoping to hear some advice or insights from her that could resolve his current predicament.

"If we judge solely from a purely strength perspective, then without a doubt, Issho's individual combat power is absolutely no less than that of the current three Marine Admirals. Once he joins our Marine force, his chances of becoming a candidate for the next Marine Admiral are extremely high; he can be considered one of the most deserving top contenders!

Moreover, even considering the entire Marine system, based solely on his strength, even excellent admirals like Momousagi and Chaton would likely find it difficult to contend with Issho. After all, escaping successfully from the extremely dangerous Caesar is no easy feat, let alone for Momousagi and Chaton. Even if you and I were to face Caesar, whether we could truly escape unscathed is still an unknown!"

Zhan Guo said in a heavy tone, and although he was somewhat unwilling, he still honestly told his true thoughts.

After hearing these words, Garp and Tsuru both fell silent.

Because they knew very well that what the marshal of the Warring States period said was true and completely in line with the actual situation.

Faced with such a cruel reality, they felt helpless.

"Once Aokiji and Akainu determine a victor, it will mean that a tremendous upheaval will occur within the Navy. If we can gain someone as powerful as Issho, the Navy's overall strength will undoubtedly be greatly enhanced. Therefore, I personally believe that even at a great cost, we must do everything we can to recruit Issho into the Navy to fill the power gap caused by the split!"

Zhan Guo gazed firmly at the crane before him and spoke his true thoughts without any pretense.

Upon hearing these words from the Warring States period, Crane felt a surge of complex emotions that were difficult to describe.

Although she did not completely agree with the views of the Warring States period, she could not deny the rationality inherent in them.

Objectively speaking, if judged solely on pure combat strength, or considering all factors comprehensively, then without a doubt, Issho far surpasses Momousagi and Chaton.

Especially now, with the navy in a critical situation of division, what it urgently needs most is a group of top-level experts to stabilize the situation.

He was very clear about this.

Once the new admiral takes office, figures like her, from the older generation, will gradually withdraw from the front lines and begin to enjoy a peaceful and comfortable retirement.

From then on, unless an extremely serious event concerning the life and death of the entire country occurred, they would never easily step in to help again.

This would certainly deal a heavy blow to the Navy Headquarters' already formidable strength—it would be reduced by at least forty percent!

In the past, even if the strength of the Navy Headquarters had been reduced by 40%, it would still have been enough to control the seas.

But now the situation is completely different; the world is in turmoil and the situation is unstable.

Meanwhile, the Rockefeller Kingdom, far away in the New World, openly attacked the North Sea region, even reaching the very doorstep of the Navy Headquarters.

Meanwhile, the three great pirate emperors who were entrenched in the nearby waters could no longer suppress their restless emotions and were eager to try their luck, ready to make a move at any time.

Revolutionary armies in various regions are also frantically undermining the world government.

Only with the participation of powerful individuals can the balance of that vast and boundless ocean be maintained.

Therefore, when Sengoku learned of the intelligence about Issho, he decided to recruit Issho into his command and bring him into the Navy Headquarters.

\"yes! \" The crane nodded in agreement, indicating its support for the decisions made during the Warring States period.

Zhan Guo gazed at the intelligent and decisive woman before him and nodded slightly in approval.

This matter is not easy and requires further consultation with the World Government.

Sengoku then fixed his gaze firmly on Tsuru and Garp beside him, and said slowly, "This matter must be properly discussed with the World Government. If possible, we would like to increase the number of Admirals; but if that is not possible, we will have to sacrifice the interests of some people to achieve our goal."

Although these words revealed a hint of cold-bloodedness, both Tsuru and Garp knew the reasons behind Sengoku's actions.

They nodded in unison, indicating their willingness to accept the arrangement.

Immediately afterward, Sengoku turned to Garp and earnestly instructed him: "This time, the task of recruiting Issho is entrusted to you. After all, among all of us, only you have some connection with Issho. You must do your utmost to successfully persuade Issho to join our navy. The navy desperately needs an injection of youthful energy!"

Faced with Sengoku's earnest expectations, Garp responded solemnly, "Yes!"

His tone was firm and powerful, fully demonstrating his sense of responsibility.

The three then discussed the situation in Beihai.

They discussed in detail the various factors that could affect the stability of the North Sea region and made some predictions about future development trends.

As the discussion deepened, they gradually realized that the situation in Beihai had become extremely complex and difficult to control, seemingly reaching a point of no return.

Faced with such a grim situation, the three decided to temporarily put aside this heavy topic and instead begin preparing for their own work.

After all, as high-ranking naval officers, they bear the important mission of maintaining peace and order at sea, and they cannot allow the current predicament to hinder their progress.

After Garp and Tsuru left, Sengoku remained alone in the room, gazing quietly at the yellowed photograph on the wall.

The man in the photo has a bright smile, but his eyes reveal an unfathomable depth.

Sengoku sighed softly, rubbed his tense brow, and murmured to himself, "Ah, a smile..."

As he recalled every detail related to the person in the photo, he carefully studied the psychological analysis report about that person that was placed aside.

Before he knew it, a strong thought surged in Sengoku's mind—the navy really needed a revolution!

Only by constantly adapting to the changes of the times can we better fulfill our sacred duty of upholding justice.

With that in mind, Sengoku sent Issho's photo to the Five Elders at the World Government headquarters.