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"Looks like the fight's already started."
By the ti Shin and his crew arrived, they could already see Sengoku's fleet and the state of Punk Hazard.
Half the island was a sea of roiling magma, the other a frozen wasteland. The entire landmass had been split into two different worlds.
"Shin Uzumaki, what are you doing here?"
Sengoku and Garp approached, their eyes fixed on Shin with suspicion.
'How did the Kuja Pirates get here without us knowing? They've made it all the way to the New World, and I haven't heard a single report.'
"Relax. If I wanted to take you out, I could do it in an instant. No need to be so on edge."
Shin glanced at Sengoku, his tone flat.
He understood Sengoku's concern—he was afraid Shin would interfere with Akainu and Aokiji's duel.
But Shin had no interest in getting involved with them. He was just here for the show.
"You ca here because you received intel, didn't you?" Sengoku pressed.
Shin just smiled faintly. "You don't need to worry about that."
Sengoku's expression soured. 'What do you an, I don't need to worry? You just show up here, knowing about Akainu and Aokiji's duel. That ans our intelligence has been compromised!!'
Though the world knew Akainu and Aokiji were fighting for the Fleet Admiral position, the location of their battle was a closely guarded secret. Sengoku couldn't risk anyone finding out. If one of the Four Emperors decided to launch a surprise attack, the Marines could lose two of their top fighters in one fell swoop.
Sengoku's mind raced, trying to figure out who could have leaked the information. This was no small matter. If other pirates found out, who knew if they'd try to swoop in for scraps?
At that thought, Sengoku felt the urge to call Kizaru for backup.
With another Admiral here, they could handle any potential threats. He even considered ordering Akainu and Aokiji to stop fighting altogether.
He knew all too well that no matter who won, the outco would be a loss for the Marines. If Akainu won, Aokiji would surely leave. If Aokiji won, Akainu would do the sa. One of them was bound to quit. If he could stop the fight now, there might still be a chance to salvage the situation.
"The fighting's getting more intense. It's a real deathmatch. I wonder what kind of grudge they have against each other," Shin remarked with interest.
His ship was close enough to Sengoku's warship, and with Sengoku's Observation Haki, he could definitely hear him.
Sengoku's face darkened. Two of his top Admirals fighting to the death like this... it was a complete disgrace.
"Don't worry. The other pirates probably don't know," Garp said to the scowling Sengoku.
"And even if they did show up, as long as Shin Uzumaki stays out of it, we'll be fine. Even if Whitebeard himself ca, the two of us could at least hold him off."
"That's right, Garp's right. The other pirates have no idea," Shin said, turning to look at Garp and Sengoku.
"Hina, did you really betray the Marines and join the Kuja Pirates?" Sengoku's expression softened slightly—he figured Shin had no reason to lie. But the mont he saw Hina, his face went dark again.
"..." Hina looked uncomfortable.
She hadn't wanted to co out, especially knowing Sengoku was here. But Nami had dragged her out. The two of them had gotten along surprisingly well after sharing a cell.
"Yes, Fleet Admiral Sengoku." Hina nodded.
There was no turning back now. Everyone knew she had beco a pirate.
Besides, she found her new life to be quite good. Even though she was a pirate now, the Kuja Pirates hadn't done anything evil.
"I never thought you would fall so low, Hina." Sengoku had once had high hopes for her. He couldn't believe she had joined the Kuja Pirates.
"What's so 'low' about it?"
Hearing Sengoku's words, Shin felt a surge of anger. 'What do you an, fallen so low? Is joining the Kuja Pirates so kind of disgrace??'
His pirate crew had never committed any atrocities, never hard innocent civilians. Shin wouldn't stoop to that level.
"Hmph." Sengoku just snorted coldly.
Facing Shin, he couldn't say anything more forceful.
Then, his gaze fell on Momousagi, his expression turning incredibly complicated. If Hina's betrayal had angered him, Momousagi's presence just left him at a loss for words.
He had sent her as an undercover agent, but now she seed to have genuinely beco a mber of the Kuja Pirates.
Was it his fault, or hers? If he hadn't sent her in the first place, this wouldn't have happened. But she also had a choice in the matter.
The more he thought about it, the more complicated it beca. In the end, Sengoku decided to just ignore it and focus on the battle between Akainu and Aokiji.
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Two days later, the fight was still raging, but Shin had already lost interest.
"This is boring. A fight I could finish with one punch has dragged on for this long. It's completely pointless."
Shin looked utterly bored.
Sengoku's expression soured. That's so serious arrogance. But then he thought about it—coming from Shin, he had the right to be arrogant.
Sengoku still vividly rembered Shin's terrifying power—a single teor had obliterated Enies Lobby. And he had been easily overpowered, unable to even block one of Shin's punches.
"Let's go."
Shin said to the won, who were equally bored. To them, this life-or-death struggle between two of the world's strongest fighters was nothing more than a sideshow.
If Akainu and Aokiji knew, they'd probably abandon their fight and co after Shin and his crew. Or maybe they wouldn't have the guts.
"He's really leaving?" Sengoku watched as the Kuja Pirates' ship sailed away, a frown on his face.
"What, are you unhappy that the Kuja Pirates are leaving?" Garp glanced at Sengoku, picking his nose.
A mont later, Garp wiped what he had picked on Sengoku's uniform. In an instant, Sengoku's face, which had just started to relax, contorted with rage.
"GARP, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"
Sengoku's roar was so loud it startled Garp. He casually cleaned his ears, feeling like he was about to go deaf. 'What's with all the shouting?'
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