Sengoku gulped, his hands trembling uncontrollably as the enormity of the situation sank in.
"Sixty million. My highest daily income can reach 60 million Berries, and the lowest doesn't drop below 50 million," Luffy said nonchalantly.
Clatter!
The microphone slipped from Sengoku's hand and hit the table.
As the Fleet Admiral of the Marines, Sengoku thought he had seen it all. He had dealt with criminals, revolutionaries, and even legends like Gol D. Roger. But never in his life had he encountered someone so young who could casually claim such astronomical earnings.
In his mind, only one person could possibly rival Luffy's wealth: Gild Tesoro, the infamous "Golden Emperor."
And then there was Olivia, Luffy's girlfriend. Sengoku vividly remembered the day she made a heroic donation of 1 billion Berries to the Marines. He had personally presented her with a medal of honor for her contribution.
He'd done some research afterward and discovered she was a business mogul, monopolizing the market for certain exotic products. But even then, Sengoku hadn't realized just how capable she was.
Now, as he reflected on Luffy's words, a thought struck him. Olivia was technically a Marine officer. If he could persuade her to donate more funds, the Marine budget crisis might be solved.
Perhaps he could even offer her a higher rank or additional medals. After all, what harm could a little flattery do in exchange for a fortune?
Just as Sengoku opened his mouth to propose the idea, Luffy interrupted, his tone laced with amusement.
"I'm sorry, Fleet Admiral, but Olivia has decided to leave the Marines. She's focusing on running her newly established company."
"What?!" Sengoku's dream crumbled before it could take shape. His chest felt heavy with disappointment, but a new curiosity gnawed at him.
"Wait a minute," Sengoku said, narrowing his eyes. "How did you know what I was about to say? Don't tell me… you've awakened the ability to predict the future?"
Luffy smirked on the other end of the line. "Well, you could say that," he replied vaguely, deflecting the question.
Not wanting to dwell on the topic, Luffy shifted gears. "Anyway, that's not important. Let's talk money. I heard the Marines are struggling with the military budget for this year and even next year. So, as a loyal member of the Marines, I've decided to help out. I'll donate 100 million Berries."
The line went silent.
Sengoku, stunned by the sudden offer, didn't respond for a full ten seconds. When he finally did, his voice was filled with disbelief. "That's it? No more than 100 million?"
Luffy chuckled. "Isn't that enough? I thought 100 million was a generous donation."
"Generous?!" Sengoku exclaimed, barely able to contain himself. "Can't you spare a little more? Let's discuss this—surely you can increase the amount."
"No can do," Luffy said firmly. "That's all I've saved over the past six months. Don't forget, even though I earn a lot, the money belongs to Olivia in the end. I'm just his man, after all. It wouldn't be right to use her money for the Marines."
Sengoku groaned. The casual way Luffy admitted his dependence on Olivia was enough to make his blood boil.
Luffy continued, undeterred. "Besides, I've got my own expenses. I'm planning to expand my foces soon. Guns, ammunition, warships—it's going to cost a fortune. I'm already funding it myself without asking headquarters for help. Isn't that generous enough?"
"Wait, wait, wait!" Sengoku's voice rose several octaves, echoing through Marineford's headquarters. "Did you just say you're expanding your forces?"
The other on the same floor as Sengoku turned their heads in alarm, wondering what could possibly provoke such a reaction from the usually composed Fleet Admiral.
Sengoku's head spun as he processed the news. While the Marines were struggling to cut costs, Luffy's branch had enough surplus to consider expansion.
It wasn't just frustrating—it was infuriating.
Luffy, oblivious to Sengoku's rising jealousy, continued speaking in a cheerful tone. "Yep, that's right. My G-66 branch currently has fewer than 4,000 personnel. But with a population of over 300,000 in Wano—and now that Onigashima has become a major hub—we've been facing constant attacks from pirates and traffickers. We need more manpower."
Sengoku gritted his teeth, trying to suppress his envy. Luffy's reasoning was sound. The Marines didn't strictly regulate the size of individual branches. Each base commander was free to recruit and train soldiers based on their allocated budget.
Of course, most branches operated within strict financial constraints. But Luffy's branch was an anomaly, with a seemingly bottomless treasury funded by taxes, seastone sales, and Olivia's inventions.
In the end, Sengoku couldn't fault him. Luffy's recruitment efforts would ultimately strengthen the Marines as a whole. The personnel records would be submitted to headquarters, and the new soldiers would fall under Marine jurisdiction.
"So… how many people are you planning to recruit?" Sengoku asked hesitantly.
Luffy thought for a moment before responding. "Not too many. I'll probably cap it at 8,000."
"Eight… thousand?!" Sengoku felt a pang of disbelief.
He could hardly fathom the sheer wealth it would take to fund such an expansion. And yet, Luffy spoke as though it were no big deal.
Sengoku slumped back in his chair, his envy reaching its peak. If Luffy weren't a Marine, Sengoku might have been tempted to send the three admirals to rob him blind.
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