The new Marine Headquarters was an imposing structure.
The original Marineford, known as the Fortress of Justice, had a rigid, fortress-like design. However, the new Marine Headquarters, which had undergone transformation under Gion's supervision, had a more innovative touch. The most notable feature was the enormous seagull-shaped rooftop, reflecting the Marine emblem and adding a sense of dynamism and personality.
Not bad.
Overall, the new Marine Headquarters, built upon the former G-1 base, was an impressive structure. Perhaps it would grow into another legendary stronghold, lasting for the next eight hundred years.
As the Fleet Admiral, Sakazuki's office was situated at the top of the Fortress of Justice.
Unlike Marineford, where Sengoku's office had a modern aesthetic, Sakazuki's office was a spacious, open-plan layout with a courtyard on the rooftop, creating a rather unique atmosphere.
There were even potted plants, showing that despite his demanding work, Sakazuki hadn't abandoned his personal hobbies.
Rumor had it that Sakazuki practically lived in this office, completely devoted to his work.
Claudius was genuinely impressed. Overtime has become his way of life. Maybe I should give him an award—hardworking and reliable!
Meanwhile, Borsalino strolled in like it was his own home, casually seating himself on the sofa, picking up a teacup, and pouring himself a drink.
Sengoku, having been here countless times, found nothing surprising and simply took a seat alongside the other Marine bigwigs.
Claudius, however, was intrigued and took his time exploring the office.
This spacious, open-plan office had two entrances—one leading from inside the Fortress of Justice, serving as the main doorway, and another that functioned as a balcony.
The balcony featured a Wano-style sliding door, and when opened, it provided a breathtaking view of the entire Marine Headquarters below, with the vast sky stretching endlessly above.
However, the wind was quite strong, causing Claudius' golden hair to whip around wildly.
At that moment, Claudius finally understood, why doesn't Sakazuki ever open this door?
Most likely, when Sakazuki designed the office, he was focused on aesthetics rather than practicality.
"This place is built for height. Opening this kind of door… well, I guess it makes him happy. Not an issue for someone with short hair, but I just hope it doesn't blow away any classified documents."
Casually fiddling with one of Sakazuki's meticulously trimmed potted plants, Claudius remarked,
"Looks like we have a shared hobby. I've recently taken an interest in gardening myself—it's a great way to relax and relieve stress."
Hearing this, Sakazuki smiled, leaned back in his Fleet Admiral's chair, and replied,
"Indeed. There's a sense of satisfaction in keeping everything perfectly pruned."
Claudius glanced at the overly precise, square-shaped plant, which didn't even have a stray branch out of place.
Wait a minute… maybe our interests aren't quite the same. This guy takes it way too seriously.
With that thought, he lost interest in discussing the topic further.
Clearing his throat, Claudius didn't bother sitting down. Instead, he went straight to the point.
"Ahem. Not long ago, Sengoku and I analyzed some New World matters. However, we haven't had a chance to discuss strategies with Marine Headquarters yet.
"I'd like to know—what is Marine Headquarters' current plan for the New World? Do you have any ideas?"
After a moment of contemplation, Gion spoke up.
"The situation is constantly evolving. We originally developed separate strategies for each of the major pirate factions, but now that they've formed an alliance, those strategies are… a bit problematic."
Claudius nodded in understanding.
After all, no one had expected these pirates to be so desperate that they would set aside their differences and unite against the Marines.
"Do we have any new ideas?" Claudius asked again.
They didn't need to come up with a fully formed battle plan right now—just some starting points to develop further.
After some thought, Sakazuki spoke in a serious tone.
"The best method is still the old strategy."
As soon as he said this, both Sengoku and Claudius nodded in agreement.
The Marine's long-standing tactic had always been decapitation strikes.
Yes, the Marines were powerful, but their forces were stretched across the seas, dealing with countless pirate crews in addition to the Emperors themselves.
So, for the longest time, the Marines' most effective tactic had been targeted elimination, going straight for the leaders.
Whether it was Charlotte Linlin, Redfield, or Douglas Bullet, they had all been taken down this way.
Very rarely did the Marines engage in large-scale wars to completely wipe out a pirate organization—Whitebeard had been an exception.
His death had shattered his crew's structure, leaving behind remnants that were gradually hunted down.
This decapitation strategy had been used for ages, and while it wasn't a new method, it was highly effective, especially against the disorganized nature of pirate factions.
Of course, for it to work, you needed the right conditions—a clear entry point, swift execution, and decisive action to eliminate the leader and top officers.
Even if a pirate crew numbered in the tens of thousands, cutting off the head would cause chaos, making them easy to clean up over time.
It had worked on Charlotte Linlin in the past. It could work on Kaido now. It had worked on Shiki, too.
But there was a problem.
Charlotte Linlin had already suffered from this tactic once, she would be heavily guarded against it.
Kaido and Shiki weren't fools either. They would have countermeasures in place.
Right now, the Marines didn't have a clear opening to execute this strategy.
"While the old strategy is effective, it relies on favorable conditions. At present, those conditions aren't in place. If we instead opt for a direct military confrontation, slowly wearing them down—would that be feasible?" Claudius asked.
As someone who wasn't a military strategist, he preferred to consult Marine experts rather than impose his own opinions.
Since Sakazuki basically lived in his office, he had undoubtedly analyzed the situation in depth. Without hesitation, he answered,
"It's possible, Your Highness. If we engage in a full-scale war, we have absolute confidence in Marine's victory.
"However, war isn't something we can simply initiate whenever we want. It depends on whether the pirates actually stand and fight… or if they choose to run."
Borsalino nodded and added,
"Yes. Take the Whitebeard Pirates as an example. They had a structured chain of command—once we disrupted that, they had no choice but to stand their ground.
"But Kaido, Charlotte Linlin, and Shiki? They aren't bound by that kind of system. Even if we capture some of their officers, that alone won't force them into war.
"And if we do start a war, it'll drag on for years, at least five. Can Your Highness afford to wait that long?"
"Then what if we move the war into their territories?" Claudius asked.
Gion immediately responded,
"That's feasible, but risky. The real issue is that we can't count on pirate honor to keep them from running."
She was right. Even if the Marines invaded their turf, there was no guarantee the pirates would stay and fight.
"This is tricky. Do we have any better options?" Claudius asked, his expression darkening.
(To be continued.)
***
This book is completed on Patreon. Support me on P/treon to read up to all advanced chapters:
https://p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves
(Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)