The meeting finally decided that Chiga would lead the team, accompanied by Tsuru, Onigumo, Doberman, and Dalmatian.
As she walked out of the meeting room, Tsuru called out to Chiga.
Chiga felt a bit numb, thinking Gion had told Tsuru about his secretary and royal guards. However, he maintained his composure and asked, "Is there something, Vice Admiral Tsuru?"
Tsuru looked around, confirming that everyone had left, then walked up to Chiga and whispered, "I heard from Gion that you're very interested in Devil Fruits. Do you have any thoughts on this Op-Op Fruit?"
Hearing Tsuru's words, Chiga was a bit confused. What did she mean? Was Tsuru testing him? Or did she have something else in mind?
Seeing Chiga remain silent, Tsuru guessed what he was thinking. She pulled out a small projection Den Den Mushi from her coat and said to Chiga, "I know what you're thinking. Everything I say next will be recorded by this Den Den Mushi, so don't worry."
As expected of Tsuru, known as the "Great Staff Officer of the Marines," she instantly saw through Chiga's thoughts and even prepared a backup plan.
Chiga could only nod, wanting to hear what Tsuru had to say.
"Chiga, do you know why the World Nobles are so eager to obtain this Op-Op Fruit?"
Chiga shook his head. Of course, he knew, but it was best not to speak at such a time. Firstly, he had no reason to know such a secret, and secondly, the Den Den Mushi was still recording.
Seeing Chiga's reaction, Tsuru secretly approved of him in her heart. She didn't dislike his cautious behavior; on the contrary, such prudence was necessary.
Tsuru said in an extremely serious tone, "It is rumored that after the Op-Op Fruit is developed to a very deep level, it can grant others the Immortality Operation, at the cost of the user's life."
Chiga had known this for a long time, but in the current situation, he still put on a surprised expression.
Having anticipated his reaction, Tsuru continued, "I suspect the rumor is very likely true, because even I don't know how long the current Five Elders have lived. If these people continue to exist like this, including the World Nobles, it can only become an increasingly heavy burden on the world."
This time, Chiga finally couldn't hold back. Good heavens, what did I just hear? Are these words really coming from Tsuru?
After saying this, Tsuru turned off the visual Den Den Mushi and handed it to Chiga.
He silently accepted it, then looked at Tsuru, wanting to know her true intentions.
Seeing Chiga take the Den Den Mushi, Tsuru's expression relaxed, and she said, "Alright, I just wanted to say that this fruit is extraordinary, so you must protect it well!"
When she said "protect," Tsuru deliberately emphasized the word — the implication was clear.
With that, she walked past Chiga and left.
Chiga stood rooted to the spot, organizing the information he had just received in his mind. To be honest, this matter greatly exceeded his expectations.
He finally came to a conclusion: there were quite a few Marines who harbored rebellious thoughts against the World Nobles. Garp was openly rebellious, and now, those operating in the shadows were beginning to show themselves.
---
On the other side, Sengoku returned to his office, where the Den Den Mushi on his desk suddenly rang. He answered the call, and a voice came through, "Great Senpai~ I'm Kiko~"
Hearing this voice, Chiga's expression softened. This was the secret code between him and his adopted son, Corazon.
Corazon then informed Sengoku that Doflamingo already knew about the Op-Op Fruit and was planning to seize it. He also told him about the transaction location.
However, as the call was about to end, Sengoku reminded him, "Vice Admiral Chiga will be in charge of meeting with the Barrels Pirates this time. You can completely trust him— do not act on your own!"
Vice Admiral Chiga? Hearing that name, Corazon immediately recalled the global broadcast from a year ago. Chiga's Rinnegan had left a deep impression on him.
Moreover, Chiga had the terrifying achievements of injuring Rayleigh and killing Weevil.
However, this did not make Corazon feel at ease, because he needed the fruit to cure Law's Amber Lead Syndrome. It seemed he would have to act early — at least long before the transaction between the two parties — to obtain that Op-Op Fruit.
At this moment, Chiga did not know that history had changed again because of his presence. He was mobilizing troops and preparing to head to the transaction location early.
---
Upon arriving at the warship dock, Chiga scanned the warships anchored there. A total of five warships were participating in this mission, with Chiga's warship docked at the very center.
To be honest, this configuration was almost comparable to a Buster Call.
Since Tsuru's warship was temporarily lent to Gion, she was assigned another vessel.
Onigumo, Doberman, and Dalmatian were already waiting there. Upon seeing Chiga, they all stepped forward to greet him. After exchanging pleasantries, they each boarded their respective warships.
Chiga narrowed his eyes, observing the backs of these three Vice Admirals, analyzing them based on the information he had gathered from the anime.
Onigumo was a good man who cared deeply about the lives of his subordinates. In the anime, when he went to summon Boa Hancock, his men were all turned to stone, and he alone protected them for days, eventually pleading with Hancock to reverse it.
In Film Z, he even shed tears upon witnessing Zephyr's death — a clear sign of his passionate and righteous nature.
Doberman, on the other hand, always wore a friendly smile, giving off an approachable vibe.
In the manga, he was described as committed to justice but somewhat lecherous. Later, during the siege of Boa Hancock, he was petrified, which could be considered a stain on his record.
In short, Onigumo and Doberman were relatively easy to work with and would not obstruct Chiga's actions too much. The real concern was Dalmatian.
This man had a ruthless personality and would even harm his own subordinates in battle — making him a staunch supporter of Akainu.
Such a person couldn't be understood with normal logic. If he sensed something suspicious, it would become a serious problem.
Fortunately, among the four participants in this operation, only Dalmatian required close attention. If he truly became an obstacle, Chiga would have to resort to less conventional methods.
Of course, he wouldn't kill him — Dalmatian was still a Marine. But making him mysteriously injured or pass out in the chaos of battle? That seemed plausible enough.
After all, in the heat of combat, fists don't have eyes. As for who struck him or why — well, that would remain a mystery.
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