Naruto: Copy System - [554] : The Five Elders Compromise

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After leveling Enies Lobby, Shin had the ship chart a course straight for Marine Headquarters at Marineford. His message to the Five Elders should be crystal clear by now. Now it was up to them to decide what was more important.

“This is bad! I’ve got eyes on Shin Uzumaki’s ship—it’s heading straight for Marineford!”

Garp, using Moonwalk to stay airborne, saw this and his pupils constricted. He immediately reported to Sengoku.

“WHAT?” Sengoku’s head snapped up. He looked and saw Shin’s ship was indeed heading for Marineford.

“Sengoku, do you think Shin Uzumaki will use ‘that’ on Marineford?” Garp asked, pointing towards the now-vanished Enies Lobby.

“We have to get back there, now.”

Sengoku said immediately, then looked at Garp. He was injured—he had to rely on Garp to get him back.

“WAIT!”

Sengoku suddenly shouted at Garp, his expression shifting rapidly. Even if they rushed back, what could they do? Could they stop Shin Uzumaki?

The answer was NO.

Even if they returned, Sengoku had no power to stop him.

“Contact the Five Elders. What he wants is Tom,”

Sengoku said after taking a deep breath. If they handed over Tom, could they save Marineford from disaster?

————

Sengoku contacted the Five Elders again. Before he could even speak, they immediately asked, “Sengoku, what’s the situation now?”

“Five Elders, Enies Lobby is gone.”

“WHAT DID YOU SAY? ENIES LOBBY IS GONE?? WAS IT DESTROYED BY SHIN UZUMAKI?”

The Five Elders were furious. Shin Uzumaki had really done it.

“Not only did he destroy Enies Lobby, but his next target is Marine Headquarters, Marineford. I suspect he will continue to attack Marineford.”

Sengoku felt utterly humiliated.

What did he think Marineford was—some playground he could just attack whenever he pleased? But Sengoku found himself completely powerless to stop it.

He’d witnessed Shin Uzumaki’s strength firsthand when he summoned that meteor. Even if Garp could stop something that massive, it wouldn’t come without a cost. The force of its fall from the sky would be enough to severely injure Garp.

And looking at Shin Uzumaki, after using that move, he seemed completely unfazed. So Sengoku couldn’t risk it.

————

“How did he destroy Enies Lobby?” the Five Elders asked Sengoku.

“Enies Lobby has completely sunk into the sea. Shin Uzumaki pulled a meteor from the sky and destroyed it.”

Sengoku emphasized the severity of the situation. From his perspective, he wanted to hand over Tom. After all, Marineford was more important, even more so than Pluton.

“How big was the meteor?” Saint Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro asked first.

“The meteor was massive, at least as big as Enies Lobby, maybe even bigger.” Sengoku recalled.

Though he had been in a panic, he had still noted the size of the meteor.

“Alright, we understand. You can negotiate with Shin Uzumaki. You can give him Tom.”

The Five Elders made their call without hesitation. Even if they handed Tom over to Shin Uzumaki, there was no guarantee he’d actually get his hands on the Pluton blueprints.

If it were that easy to get the blueprints from Tom, they would have had them long ago. But it wasn’t that simple. Tom was a tough nut to crack—he’d die before he said where the blueprints were.

So, this deal wasn’t impossible. In fact, the Five Elders were regretting their earlier decision. If they’d just sat down and negotiated with Shin Uzumaki from the beginning, maybe Enies Lobby would still be standing.

Now Enies Lobby was gone.

Marineford absolutely could not be compromised. If something happened to it, they’d be backed into a corner. The pirates still needed the Marines to keep them in check.

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Hearing the Five Elders agree, Sengoku finally exhaled in relief. Otherwise, they would’ve been forced into a death match with Shin Uzumaki.

“You stall Shin Uzumaki. Tom will be sent over immediately.”

After the Five Elders finished, they hung up—probably to make arrangements. This time, they’d been forced to compromise. But what choice did they have? They couldn’t handle Shin Uzumaki.

“Garp, you heard that, right? Full speed ahead. We have to get back to Marineford before Shin Uzumaki.”

Sengoku said to Garp.

“Oh, how about this… I just drop you here. I’ll get there faster that way!”

Garp said to Sengoku.

“DON’T JOKE AROUND. THIS IS NOT THE TIME. HURRY UP.” Sengoku glared at Garp.

If Garp dropped him here, with nothing but seawater below, how was a Devil Fruit user like him supposed to survive?

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“If the Five Elders had just compromised earlier, none of this would’ve happened.”

Garp grumbled under his breath, then used Moonwalk to race back to Marineford. Carrying Sengoku with him, he arrived to find most of the base in ruins from the tsunami.

Fortunately, the Vice Admirals had worked together to block the worst of it, preventing massive casualties—

“It must’ve been caused by Shin Uzumaki’s meteor.” Garp said, looking at the scene.

“Yes. Garp, you gather all the Marines. We’ll fight Shin Uzumaki together.” Sengoku nodded and said to Garp.

Garp glanced at Sengoku.

Weren’t they ‘not’ supposed to fight?

“WE HAVE TO PREPARE FOR THE WORST. IF A FIGHT BREAKS OUT, WE HAVE TO RESIST TO THE END.”

Sengoku’s expression was grim. Who knew if Shin Uzumaki would let this slide so easily? If a fight actually broke out, he definitely wouldn’t abandon Marineford.

“Alright.”

Garp felt it was necessary and immediately went to gather the Marines. As for Sengoku’s injuries—he wasn’t going to die yet. There was no time to treat him now. As long as he didn’t die, he could endure it.

————

Not long after, the Marines were gathered, and the other residents were evacuated.

“Garp, what the hell is going on??” Tsuru asked Garp.

“Big trouble. Shin Uzumaki is about to arrive at Marineford.” Garp didn’t hide it from Tsuru and told her.

“Shin Uzumaki is about to arrive at Marineford? WHY?”

Tsuru couldn’t figure out why Shin Uzumaki would come to Marineford. Seeing both Sengoku and Garp so on edge—that was definitely a bad sign. And Sengoku’s injuries…

Even during the hunt for Roger, Sengoku had never been this badly hurt. The massive wound was deep enough to expose bone. At least the bleeding had stopped.

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Source: Webnovel.com, updated by novlove.com