One Piece: Lost in the Tutorial #80

Fleet Admiral Sengoku sat in his office, the weight of the world seemingly resting on his shoulders. Piles of paperwork were strewn across his desk, reports from various corners of the Grand Line detailing skirmishes, pirate movements, and the endless bureaucratic minutiae that came with commanding the Marines.

The stress of his position had only grown worse recently, particularly due to the unsettling silence from X Drake. The lack of communication gnawed at him, a constant reminder of the precarious balance they maintained against the forces of piracy and rebellion.

A sharp knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. Sengoku looked up, momentarily distracted from his grim reflections. "Enter," he commanded, his voice carrying the authority of decades of service.

The door opened to reveal a tall, tanned man with a broad build, his presence imposing even in the dim light of the office. The man, Vice Admiral Comil, carried a pair of katanas at his side and a transponder snail in his hand. Despite his formidable appearance, there was an unusual nervousness about him.

"Speak, Comil," Sengoku said, sensing the urgency in his subordinate's demeanor.

Comil sighed, clearly uneasy. "Fleet Admiral, we received a call from X Drake."

Sengoku's eyes lit up with a rare glimmer of hope. "Finally! Connect me to him immediately."

Comil shifted uncomfortably. "There's a slight problem, sir. Drake has been compromised."

The happiness drained from Sengoku's face, replaced by shock and concern. "What happened?"

"I don't know, sir," Comil replied, shaking his head. "Drake refused to elaborate, stating that he would only speak to you directly."

Sengoku frowned, processing the information. The situation was worse than he had imagined. "Connect me to Drake immediately."

Comil nodded, stepping forward to place the transponder snail on the desk. "I've brought along the encrypted line transponder snail, sir. It's secure."

Sengoku gave a curt nod of approval. "Good. You may leave now, Comil."

The vice admiral saluted and exited the room, leaving Sengoku alone with the transponder snail.

The Fleet Admiral took a deep breath, steeling himself for the conversation ahead. He activated the transponder snail, and the familiar, static-filled connection was established.

"Drake, this is Fleet Admiral Sengoku. Report."

There was silence for a moment, an unsettling pause that hung heavy in the air. Then, a voice that wasn’t Drake’s crackled through the transponder snail. It was unfamiliar to Sengoku, but carried a tone of confidence and mockery. "Greetings, Fleet Admiral Sengoku."

Sengoku's eyes narrowed. "Who is this? Where is Drake? Is he unharmed?"

The voice on the other end chuckled softly. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Blake Thorne, the king of Lvneel and a prospective Warlord of the Sea. Though 'prospective' is in the title, it's really just a matter of time before it becomes official."

Sengoku's irritation grew, his patience wearing thin. "Where is Drake? Is he unharmed?"

"Drake is unharmed," Blake replied, his tone calm and measured. "But his continued well-being will depend on the course this conversation takes."

Sengoku's grip tightened on the transponder snail. "What are your demands, Thorne?"

Blake ignored the question, instead continuing in a taunting manner. "It was quite a clever plan to fool the world into thinking Drake defected from the Marines, only to have him be your man inside. Ingenious, really."

Sengoku's jaw clenched as Blake paused deliberately, clearly trying to rile him up. "It would be quite a shock if word of this got out. Not only would it cause the Marines to lose face, but it would also put you in a precarious situation where you'd have to choose between protecting Drake or sacrificing him to preserve the balance."

The Fleet Admiral's patience finally snapped. "Enough of--" He began only to be interrupted.

"Then there's the Five Elders too... you do realize my invitation to the warlord club came directly from them right?" He asked with a meaningful tone. "I wonder what they'd say if they found out the marines, their most loyal bloodhounds were trying to sabotage their plans..."

Sengoku couldn't take it anymore. The constant interruptions, disregard, and mockery grated his nerves greatly, prompting him to slap his desk. "Stop talking nonsense and tell me your demands at once!"

Blake's voice dripped with mockery. "I don't know, maybe a house by a river with a nice mountain view, a lifetime supply of rum, and let's not forget about world peace." He chuckled, a sound that grated on Sengoku's nerves. "Can you handle all that, or is it too much for your Marine budget?"

Sengoku's face turned a deeper shade of red. "Do not test my patience, Thorne."

Blake's tone turned slightly more serious. "Impatience and hostility, Fleet Admiral? That's no way to start a negotiation. But alright, I'll get to the point. I don't have any demands. Only an inquiry."

Sengoku's eyes narrowed. "What do you want to inquire about?"

"I want to know why Drake was sent after my crew to sabotage me," Blake replied smoothly.

The Fleet Admiral scoffed. "What other reason could there be? You’re a pirate."

Blake didn't bother to hide his amusement. "There are countless pirates out there. A rookie like me doesn't deserve such special treatment, especially considering the risks Drake took that could jeopardize his original mission."

Sengoku sighed, feeling the weight of the situation. "The reason we—"

Blake cut him off. "Remember, Drake's well-being depends on this conversation. Be as forthcoming and honest as possible."

A vein bulged on Sengoku's forehead, knowing that Blake was still trying to rile him up and succeeding. But he had no choice. He had to keep his grievances to himself and deal with the situation at hand.

"Fine," Sengoku began, his voice strained but controlled. "The reason we sent Drake after you is because you almost crippled Vice Admiral Onigumo."

Blake's eyebrows shot up in genuine surprise. "Aren't you expecting a bit too much expects too much from a rookie like me, fleet admiral?" he said with a smirk. "It's a miracle I managed to beat Onigumo without killing him. I went out of my way to spare all the marines I encountered at the North Blue branch to avoid antagonizing the Marines."

"Simply being a pirate makes you an enemy of the Marines," Sengoku retorted. "Whether you try to antagonize us or not."

Blake leaned back, still holding the transponder snail. "Other pirates have gone out of their way to hunt down, kill, and even maim marines and civilians with no reason other than the fun of it, and yet they got invitations to be warlords all the same. Even as warlords, some of them still do, whether it be for gain or simple sport."

Sengoku sighed deeply. "That's exactly why I can't allow you to be a warlord, especially when you'll replace someone like Kuma, who's the only warlord who isn't prone to causing problems."

Rubbing his forehead in frustration, he continued in a somber tone. "A former admiral resigned from the Marines earlier because a pirate killed his subordinates and even cut off his arm, only to get a warlord invitation. With that happening, it would be a great blow to morale if you became a warlord after being so heavy-handed with Onigumo."

Blake shrugged, his nonchalance infuriating Sengoku further. "I don't care about your internal politics. After some consideration, I will be making a demand: work this out."

Sengoku's eyes narrowed. "You think you can make demands of me?"

Blake's tone turned icy. "If you want Drake back alive, you'll work it out."

Sengoku's jaw clenched, but he knew he had no other option. "I might be able to do something about it," he conceded, "in exchange for releasing Drake."

Blake nodded. "Fair enough."

"Let me speak to Drake," Sengoku demanded. "I need to make sure he's okay."

Blake handed the transponder snail to Drake, who had been listening intently. "Drake, this is Sengoku. Report."

Drake's voice came through hurriedly. "I didn't tell him anything, Fleet Admiral. Blake knew all about my mission and the SWORD unit all on his own."

Sengoku's face darkened, but he kept his composure. "Understood, Drake. We'll get you out of there. Hold on."

The fleet admiral wanted to say something else but the call ended, the connection cutting off. Alternating his gaze between the mountain of paperwork on his desk, he couldn't help but sigh.

"The longer I sit behind the desk the more I realize how smart that bastard Garp was for turning down all those promotions..."