Translator: PapaSmurf0700
In the grand hall of power within the Holy Land of Mary Geoise—
"That fool Spandam!"
Boom! The elder with a rotund figure, dressed in a black suit and sporting white curly hair, struck his cane against the floor. "First, he dared to boast about seizing Pluton, only for the mission to fall apart not once, but twice. And now, he's reduced Enies Lobby, the fortress of justice, to a laughingstock!"
"An utter disgrace. If it weren't for—"
"It's pointless to dwell on what-ifs now," interrupted another elder, bald with a long beard, his tone cold and measured. "Let Spandam's father handle that fool's punishment."
He paused, letting the room settle. "As for Enies Lobby, it cannot be allowed to become a joke. Morgans will know better than to tarnish the government's image in the papers. And the navy? They are our loyal hounds. They won't bite the hand that commands them over something like this."
The room quieted, a heavy tension hanging in the air. The elder's eyes narrowed as he directed everyone's focus to the documents laid before them.
"The real concern is the Straw Hat Pirates," he said, his voice steely as he pointed at the name scrawled across the papers. "That boy, Monkey D. Luffy, is the son of Monkey D. Dragon."
The name alone sent an uneasy ripple through the chamber.
The elder with a scar running across his forehead took up the discussion, eyes narrowing as he glanced at Luffy's photo on the table. "Nico Robin, Tom's apprentice, the son of the Red-Haired Pirate, the beautiful navigator, Koushirou's top student, a potential member of the Germa family, and the mysterious Priest."
As he listed each one, the bald elder let out a disdainful snort. "Hmph. It won't be long before that boy is as much of a threat as his father."
Another elder, blond and bearing a scar on his chest, added, "There's more to consider. Not too long ago, the Revolutionary Army spotlighted him in their propaganda."
He paused for effect, a sly smile creeping across his face. "This could be our opportunity. He's gathered Nico Robin and the shipwright holding Pluton's blueprints. The 'Extremely Good Pirates' are clearly aiming to revive the ancient weapon. When this becomes known to the seas, it won't just be us hunting them—the Revolutionary Army will also feel the pressure."
A nod of agreement swept through the room. "Let the world remember who holds true power, who embodies justice," continued the blond elder. His words were met with approving silence.
The elder holding a samurai sword spoke up next, his voice calm but edged. "So, do we deal with the Straw Hat Pirates ourselves or leave it to the navy?"
He glanced toward his colleagues. "With Sengoku's connection to Garp, it's likely these pirates will find their way into the New World soon enough. We must decide if we want to intervene now or use this moment to our advantage."
As he finished, the bald elder met each gaze around him and stressed the key issue: "The Straw Hat Pirates have already disrupted the sea's balance—and they're still only in the first half of the Grand Line."
For the first time since the Great Pirate Era began, the Five Elders sat in serious deliberation over a crew still navigating the initial part of the Grand Line.
The bearded elder's voice cut through the silence, laced with frustration. "Even if we attempt to stop them, the navy will inevitably try to interfere. Sengoku has become increasingly… stubborn."
The fat elder chimed in, his tone cold and dismissive. "Perhaps it's time to force him into retirement. Sakazuki is clearly the right weapon for our purposes. It might be time to expand our force with a worldwide recruitment effort."
The room murmured in agreement. The Five Elders viewed even the highest ranks in the navy as replaceable pieces on a chessboard. While Sengoku had influence and experience, finding a suitable pretext to replace him had been elusive—until now.
"Let's address this matter later," said the bald elder, his voice like a hammer dropping. "We only need the right opportunity. For now, focus on the Straw Hats. Dispatch CP0. No matter what, keep them contained in the first part of the Grand Line."
The remaining four nodded, the blond elder speculating, "According to their route, they'll likely reach Gecko Moria's territory soon. But he's been lying low, distracted by… strange research. He won't be enough to handle the Straw Hats alone."
"Should we send an admiral or another Warlord of the Sea to support Moria?" he asked.
The elder with the long beard considered this carefully. "Of the admirals, only Sakazuki would fit the role, but he's occupied in the New World. As for the Warlords, the best options in strength are Doflamingo, Bartholomew Kuma, and Mihawk."
"Kuma should go," he continued, "Hawkeye's loyalty is too unpredictable, and Doflamingo… who knows what he'll do if he crosses paths with the Straw Hats."
He paused, eyes narrowing. "With Kuma and Moria together, they should at least be able to eliminate Nico Robin, even if they can't wipe out the crew entirely."
As his voice faded, the room fell into a solemn silence, broken only by a series of final, resolute replies.
"Agreed." Four voices responded in sync, sealing the decision.
-----
On a secluded island, a serious meeting was underway.
"I disagree!"
The voice came from a striking woman with a confident stance and vivid purple hair that made her stand out even more. Her tone was firm as she continued, "Even if Straw Hat Luffy is your son, he's breached Enies Lobby. Are we really going to use the Revolutionary Army's resources to promote them?" Her eyes fixed on the man with the distinctive tattooed face sitting at the head of the table.
This was Belo Betty, commander of the Eastern Army of the Revolutionary Army and a user of the Encourage-Encourage Devil Fruit. With a bounty of 457 million, she was not one to hold back her opinions. Now, she questioned their leader, Monkey D. Dragon, with unwavering resolve.
Dragon had just proposed using their influence to amplify the news of Luffy's actions at Enies Lobby. Betty's brow furrowed; she couldn't grasp why he'd want to take such a step. To her, no matter how oppressed civilians were by the nobles, the world government still represented justice in their eyes.
Dragon met her eyes without a word, then turned to the blond man sitting next to him. "Sabo, explain."
The Revolutionary Army's chief of staff nodded, rising to address the room. "In the coming days, the world government will spin the story to highlight the crimes of the Straw Hat Pirates at Enies Lobby. They'll likely push the narrative that they aimed to resurrect ancient weapons, such as Pluton. Most people don't know Enies Lobby well, but Pluton? That'll grab their attention."
Betty crossed her arms, cutting him off with frustration. "That's exactly why I object to this. Supporting the Straw Hats won't benefit the Revolutionary Army."
Sabo remained composed, offering her a reassuring smile before continuing. "I understand your concern, Betty. But let me finish." He scanned the faces around the table, leaning forward with a glint of strategy in his eyes. "Yes, openly promoting the Straw Hats may not seem beneficial at first. However—"
He paused for emphasis, letting anticipation build in the room. "It would deliver a significant blow to the world government."
A hush fell over the gathering as his words sunk in.