Chapter 401 - 401: A Talk
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The will of the Five Elders was quickly conveyed through the hand of Senju Tobirama.
"Wait and observe. Let the pirates tear each other apart. Avoid conflicts with the Beasts Pirates and the Big Mom Pirates for now."
At Marine Headquarters, Sengoku had just reiterated this decision in a meeting.
Surprisingly, he had no objections to the Five Elders' command.
For once, he actually praised them in his heart.
"These five old fools finally made the right choice."
Sitting back and watching them tear each other in a fight was the best way to deal with the pirates.
However, what dissatisfied him was the World Government's decision to cut next month's seastone supply.
Among his subordinates, the atmosphere was tense, their expressions slightly off.
As a sharp observer, Vice Admiral Tsuru immediately noticed this.
"Sengoku, don't you think Aokiji, Kizaru, and Naruto are acting a bit... unusual today?"
In the past, Naruto was always the loudest, throwing out endless questions during meetings and leaving everyone dumbfounded.
Kizaru and Aokiji, who had taken him under their wing, were always the ones cleaning up his mess.
But today, Naruto was uncharacteristically quiet, simply sitting there in a daze.
Aokiji and Kizaru also remained silent, exchanging meaningful glances from time to time.
This abnormal behavior made Tsuru instinctively uneasy.
Sengoku, however, dismissed her concerns.
"Nothing major is happening today. Maybe those three just aren't interested."
He waved a hand dismissively.
"Besides, Aokiji and Kizaru have always had that 'less work, less trouble' attitude. Tsuru, you're overthinking this."
"Is that so?" Tsuru muttered, still feeling uneasy.
Her concerns weren't unfounded—because those three indeed had secrets weighing on their minds.
The truth of what happened in Wano was buried deep, with the outside world being fed false information orchestrated by Colt through Kaido.
However, the same deception did not apply to those within their ranks.
As for Naruto... he was simply brimming with excitement.
His mother, Kushina, and his friends from Konoha had arrived in Wano, and he was itching to leave Marineford to see them.
Unfortunately for him, Colt had personally contacted him with a stern warning:
"Watch your words and actions. Do not let the Marines detect you have anything to do with Wano."
And if he disobeyed—Kurama would be extracted from his body.
Naruto backed down immediately at that.
Kurama was his closest companion—there was no way he would risk losing him.
Aokiji and Kizaru, on the other hand, were wrestling with more complex dilemmas.
****
Inside Kizaru's office, Aokiji sat across from him.
Both men silently sipped their tea, neither speaking first.
The amount of information they had received recently was simply overwhelming.
They had finally learned the truth—that Colt, Uchiha Madara, Uchiha Sasuke, and even Naruto were not from this world.
They came from another one— called the Ninja World.
It all made sense now.
The sudden appearance of such powerful individuals, their elusive movements, and their steady erosion of the World Government and Marine authority.
Kizaru took a slow sip of tea and sighed.
"This is quite the headache..."
He suddenly smirked.
"If you had the ability to turn back time, Kuzan, what would you do? I'm really curious..."
Aokiji sat up straight and replied softly, "What's the point of that question? I don't regret the decisions I've made. Right now, the future matters more."
His voice turned somber.
"We're at the center of the storm. The real question is—what choice do we have?"
For the first time, Aokiji felt torn.
Helping outsiders infiltrate his world—it didn't sit right with him.
But did they even have a choice?
Kizaru lazily pointed to his stomach.
Aokiji's pupils shrank.
He had forgotten—after all this time, that 'Thing' was still inside Kizaru's body.
Kizaru unhurriedly pulled out a nail clipper and began trimming his nails.
"Just accept it, Kuzan. With that man's power, it doesn't matter where you stand. Your choices are meaningless."
He took another sip of tea.
"He simply wants to take control of the world smoothly—without unnecessary chaos."
Then, for the first time, Kizaru fully opened his eyes and locked onto Aokiji with a serious expression.
"But if you anger him... have you truly prepared yourself to pay such a price?"
Aokiji fell silent.
In his mind, he could see the image of countless islands being wiped out in an instant by that man's wrath.
Kizaru chuckled nonchalantly.
"Perhaps it's for the best that you don't have a Tailed Beast."
He leaned back and stretched. "I, on the other hand, have unexpectedly bonded with Kokuō. I've learned a lot of shocking things."
Aokiji frowned. "Kokuō?"
"Yes, the Five-Tails."
Kizaru tapped his cup thoughtfully.
"In the Ninja World, while Naruto, Sasuke, and Madara stand at the peak, there are beings even above them. Gods, you can say."
Aokiji's expression darkened.
He recalled what Hoshigaki Kisame and Colt had once mentioned.
"Are you saying... he is one of them?"
Kizaru shook his head.
"He is a god, yes, but not the only one. There is another—Ōtsutsuki Kaguya. Compared to her, even Madara and Sasuke are nothing more than ants."
He poured himself more tea and sighed.
"Yet even she was defeated by him."
Aokiji narrowed his eyes.
"Are you implying that such a god should reside in Mariejois?"
Kizaru smirked, but didn't answer.
"Borsalino, are you trying to manipulate me?" He shot Kizaru a sharp look.
"You were recruited—no, converted—later than I was. And yet, it seems like you've completely fallen for their cause."
Kizaru didn't even deny it.
He simply shrugged.
"My justice has always been ambiguous. No matter how much he reshapes the world, the Marines will always be needed."
He grinned.
"We're all just workers. The only difference is who we work for."
Aokiji studied him carefully.
"If I didn't know about your connection to the Revolutionary Army, I might've actually believed that."
For the first time, Kizaru's smirk faltered.
"Cough... Tell me did you hear about the new admiral candidates?"
He quickly changed the subject with a cough.
****
The conversation carried on, but both men had already made their decisions.
Kizaru suddenly perked up.
"You know, I really want to visit Wano now."
His grin widened.
"That oiran, Komurasaki, is said to be one of the most beautiful women in the world."
He sighed dramatically.
"Her shamisen skills are legendary. It would be a shame not to witness them firsthand."
Aokiji smirked.
"Count me in."
The two shared a rare moment of amusement, the tension momentarily lifting from the air.