174. War Congress

Leo and Shinobu walked around the shipyard and finally found what they were looking for. A large magnificent ship was before them.

"Excellent craftsmanship."

Shinobu commented.

Leo strode forward. He held his palm out and whispered, "Go, your fate with them hasn't come an end yet."

Merry's spirit floated from his palm and flew towards the ship. Like melting snow it disappeared once it touched the ship.

Leo released his spiritual sense and covered the entire ship. He provided the ship with spiritual energy and helped Merry's feeble spirit to merge with the ship.

Thank... you...

When the merging was complete Merry's voice rang out in Leo's mind.

Leo smiled and took back his spiritual energy.

"You hurt yourself."

Shinobu walked to his side and said seriously.

"I will recover in a few days."

Leo hadn't reached a point where he could discharge his spiritual energy from his body. What he did just now was to forcefully separate a part to help with merging process.

Shinobu grumbled and pinched his waist, "Don't do stuff like that."

"Yes, madam."

Leo chuckled and said.

Pereperepere.

Leo's den-den mushi rang.

"Fleet Admiral?"

Leo asked after picking up the call.

"Leo, return to the base immediately."

"What's wrong? Why the urgency?"

"You will know when you get here."

Sengoku didn't explain and hung up.

"Well, what was that about?"

Leo asked Shinobu.

"Who knows?"

She shrugged.

Both of them got back to their ship and set sail for Marineford.

A while after they left the strawhats were led to their new ship by their shipwright Franky.

"Wow! What a big ship!"

"Looks great!"

"And it has tangerines planted on it."

While the strawhats were exclaiming over their new ship, the loudest among them, their captain was staring at the ship in silence.

"What's wrong, Luffy? Do you not like the ship?"

Chopper asked.

Luffy was still staring at ship as he said, "I love it. It's just... the ship... it feels like Merry."

Merry?

Chopper also stared at the ship but he didn't find anything.

After a few seconds of thinking Luffy gave up and jumped onto the ship and joined the others.

Marineford.

Leo and Shinobu got off the ship and took a beeline towards the conference room.

When they got near the room a ruckus could be heard from inside.

Pushing the door open Leo saw two rear admirals fighting against each other.

Hm?

Leo saw threads extending from the rear admirals body. It was these threads that controlled them into attacking each other.

He followed the threads and saw a man with pink hair and sunglasses sitting on the edge of a window. His fingers kept moving as he watched the rear admirals fight with wicked grin.

One of the seven Warlords, Donquiote Doflamingo.

Leo grinned.

He took a step forward and disappeared.

Doflamingo who was having fun suddenly felt his heart grip with terror. He clad his arms in busoshoku haki and crossed them against his chest.

Slice!

A bright red light flashed before him and crashed into his arms. His busoshoku haki was sliced through. Blood spilled.

Damn!

He quickly retreated. However a shadow quietly appeared behind him.

The shadows of death covered him.

"Leo, that's enough."

A calm voice echoed through the room.

Sengoku stood outside the room as he stared at Leo standing behind Doflamingo. His sword was pointing at Doflamingo's throat, just a hair breath away.

Leo took back his sword and put it back inside the scabbard.

Beads of sweat flowed down Doflamingo's forehead. The wicked grin he had on his face was gone. He turned around and faced Leo as he traced his neck.

A small wound was there. Drops of blood seeped out.

Anger erupted in his heart. He was about to speak when Leo suddenly kicked out.

Doflamingo failed to react. Leo's feet sunk into his gut. His body slumped like a shrimp and he was thrown back while spilling blood. His body crashed into the walls and made a human shaped dent before sliding down and losing consciousness.

"Be glad you are on the ground of Marineford as a Warlord."

Leo smirked.

Sengoku said nothing and said, "Take seat."

Leo and Shinobu sat down. There were a few others seated around them.

An old woman wearing a justice overcoat was seated right next to Sengoku, Tactical Officer, Tsuru.

A rather big man with a book in his hand, Warlord, Bartholomew Kuma.

Just as Sengoku was about to speak the door was pushed open and a man walked in.

Leo was surprised to see who it was.

The man carried large black sword on his back and wore an open coat and a ceremonial hat.

Warlord, Hawkeye Mihawk.

Hawkeye saw Leo and nodded at him.

Leo returned the gesture.

After Hawkeye was seated Sengoku got on to the topic, "We are going to war."

Leo was surprised and turned serious, "Against a Yonko?"

With the power the navy had only a Yonko was qualified to be their opponent.

Sengoku nodded and said, "Our enemy will be the strongest man in the world, Whitebeard!"

Leo felt a tremor in his heart. However his face looked unchanged. Only Shinobu seated beside him sensed the tumultuous emotions in him.

Sengoku explained, "The latter half of the Grandline is ruled by the Yonko. Because of them our presence in the latter half is basically nonexistent."

"We now have a chance. Whitebeard is getting old. He isn't at his peak."

One of the rear admirals couldn't help but speak, "But Fleet Admiral, this is still Whitebeard. Is it really possible to fight against him."

"Yes, Fleet Admiral. There is a reason why he is called the strongest man in the world."

"If we send out a fleet against him, he could wipe them out by simply raising a tsunami."

"Please think this through Fleet Admiral."

Several marines spoke up against Sengoku's announcement.

Sengoku knocked on the table. The sound was light but the everyone toned down almost immediately.

"I am aware of the risk. However, who said we are taking the fight to him? He will come here."