One Piece: King of the World

At Marineford's naval port, construction work was in full swing. Claudius and his group disembarked from a warship, unconcerned with the ongoing renovation.

Nami and Zoro had some business to handle and would arrive at Marineford a few days later. Claudius didn't let that delay him and proceeded ahead.

The once-empty plaza was now bustling with activity. Marine officers were pushing carts filled with dirt and debris, while others moved cannons across the grounds.

"How long will this project take? We can't afford to miss the deadline," Claudius asked, surveying the chaotic yet purposeful scene.

Standing beside him, Borsalino chuckled. "It might look chaotic, but the work's moving along at quite the speed... with a hundred thousand Marine elites on-site, things get done quickly."

"They're installing some new fortifications now," Kuzan added with a smile. "After that, the Science Division will set up an earthquake-resistant, retractable alloy wall along this trench."

Claudius glanced at the trench, where Marines were still hard at work. "And these elite officers... they're all okay with this kind of manual labor?"

"It's just warm-up training before the war," Kuzan said with a grin.

As Claudius scanned the workers, he spotted a familiar figure. For a second, he thought it was Kuina but then he noticed the shoulder insignia. It was Tashigi, Smoker's subordinate.

Next to her, in the trench, a man in a work uniform was swinging a pickaxe at the ground. The moment Claudius recognized him, he burst out laughing.

"Hah! Smoker?" Kuzan noticed too and called out to him.

Smoker paused mid-swing and turned around. He was surprised for a moment but quickly composed himself. With three cigars clenched between his teeth, he responded, "Admiral Kuzan... long time no see."

Smoker and Kuzan shared a good relationship, Smoker had served under him immediately after graduating from the academy, and they'd grown close during that time. Even after being reassigned to East Blue, that bond remained.

Seeing Kuzan here, Smoker decided to take advantage of the moment. Climbing out of the trench, he brushed the dirt off his uniform and asked, "What's with this mission? Did Headquarters really bring us all here just to dig?"

He didn't recognize Claudius right away, mistaking him for some unknown officer. Claudius didn't mind. Kuzan clapped Smoker on the shoulder. "No, there's more to it but it's classified. Just be patient and don't complain."

Smoker exhaled a thick puff of smoke and nodded. He'd been chatting with Bone lately and realized that something bigger was brewing. There was no point pressing for answers. After exchanging a few pleasantries, Claudius and the others continued toward the Fleet Admiral's office, leaving Smoker to return to his trench work.

Claudius chuckled as they walked. "I remember you had high hopes for that kid. Even gave him a Logia-type Devil Fruit. Why's he still a colonel after all this time?"

Kuzan looked a bit embarrassed, but Borsalino responded casually, "Smoker's a handful. He still needs some polish."

"Is that so?" Claudius raised an eyebrow. "Careful not to waste a promising talent."

"This war might be just the thing he needs," Kuzan said after a brief pause.

---

The group soon arrived at the office. Inside, Sengoku, Garp, Tsuru, Zephyr, Sakazuki, and other high-ranking officers were already waiting.

When Claudius entered, everyone stood to greet him. He waved them down and sat beside Zephyr. Unable to resist, he knocked on Zephyr's Haki-powered prosthetic arm.

"Teacher, I kept my promise. Weevil and Buckin have been delivered to Impel Down. When the time comes, we'll have them publicly executed."

Zephyr's eyes softened, and he smiled. "Your Highness, I appreciate everything you've done."

"Nonsense," Claudius said, dismissing the gratitude with a wave.

After a bit of small talk, the meeting began.

Chief Staff Officer Tsuru opened a thick folder and said, "Based on current progress and workforce capacity, Marineford's fortifications should be complete in about 40 days."

"In other words," Sengoku added, his voice heavy, "in 40 days, we'll be ready for war."

The room tensed. Sakazuki remained outwardly composed, but the glint in his eyes betrayed his anticipation. He'd been waiting for this moment for a long time.

Claudius lit a cigar, took a deep drag, and said, "The first phase of our plan is complete. We've kept Edward Weevil's capture under wraps. As long as we don't announce it, no one will know he's in custody. But that secrecy won't last forever."

He exhaled a cloud of smoke and continued, "It's time to activate the dark line, Marshall D. Teach."

Garp, munching on a rice cracker, frowned. "Isn't that a bit early? Wouldn't it be better to wait another 20 days or so?"

"No," Tsuru said, shaking her head. "Now's the perfect time. We need a buffer to handle any unexpected developments."

"Agreed," Sengoku said. He turned to Claudius. "What's your plan, Your Highness?"

Claudius grinned. "Simple. Teach will lure out one of Whitebeard's division commanders and hand them over to us. Until then, he remains completely undercover."

He tapped his cigar against the ashtray. "Whitebeard might notice the disappearance, but even if he does, he won't jump to conclusions right away. Pirates go missing all the time."

Sengoku nodded. "And when the time's right, we publicly reveal Teach's new status as a Warlord of the Sea."

"Exactly," Claudius said. "Whitebeard will realize Teach betrayed him but by then, it'll be too late. The damage will be done, and that betrayal will sting like a dagger straight to his heart."

Sengoku rubbed his chin. "Who should Teach target? Marco?"

Zephyr shook his head. "We don't know the full extent of Teach's strength. Marco's too strong, that's an unnecessary risk. Any division commander will do. Whitebeard won't ignore the abduction, regardless of who it is."

Claudius scanned the photographs of Whitebeard's officers spread across the table. His eyes lingered on one picture.

"That one," he said, pointing. "Thatch. Captain of the Fourth Division."

***

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