Although the Navy operated as an independent military force, in name it still answered to the World Government. And Sengoku—who knew the Five Elders better than most—understood just how terrifying these old men truly were.
"Honorable Five Elders, Fleet Admiral 'Buddha' Sengoku requests an audience!" Sengoku's voice rang out, full of authority, as he stood at the entrance to the World Government's residence.
After a brief pause, a languid voice finally replied, "Oh, Sengoku… come in." The tone carried a subtle edge of irritation, as if Sengoku's presence was already unwelcome.
Sengoku frowned but said nothing more, striding inside.
He'd barely crossed the threshold when a commanding voice barked at him: "Buddha Sengoku, why aren't you at Marineford where you belong? What business brings you to Mariejois?"
The speaker was the Five Elder with the flat hat and curly hair.
To the Five Elders, the Navy was nothing more than a tool—a means to maintain the World Government's rule. Sengoku's personal strength didn't impress them in the slightest.
But Sengoku was used to their attitude. Unfazed, he stepped forward, placing a stack of documents on the table before them.
"This is the Navy's strategy to curb the current surge of piracy across the seas. I respectfully request your approval."
"What plan?" The bald, round-faced Five Elder picked up the document, but after glancing at the title, he slammed it back on the table. "Appointing a fourth Navy Headquarters Admiral!? Ridiculous! Absolutely not!"
Sengoku had expected resistance. He didn't flinch.
He steadied his voice and pressed on. "Honorable Five Elders, the situation on the seas is growing more volatile by the day. The Navy is stretched thin, forced to rely on pirates to maintain order. If we don't expand now, we won't be able to contain the chaos that's coming."
The Five Elders' expressions darkened.
Was stability on the seas important to them? Of course. The World Government was a coalition of countless nations. If pirates ran wild, those nations would be the first to suffer—and the Government's authority would be shaken.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, are you threatening us?" the bald, round-faced Elder asked, his voice icy.
"No, sir," Sengoku replied, calm but unyielding.
"You—" The Elder started to retort, but was cut off by the blonde, suited Five Elder. The latter picked up the document, skimmed a few pages, then turned to Sengoku.
"Appointing Kai Mitarashi as the fourth Admiral? Hmph… If it were Garp, I'd understand. But this Kai Mitarashi—who is he? What's so special about him?"
The blonde Elder frowned, the name tickling something in his memory, but he couldn't quite place it. After all, Kai's infamous attack on a Celestial Dragon was five years ago—hardly worth remembering for men of their stature.
Sengoku's face remained composed. As the "Resourceful General," he'd come fully prepared. He produced another file, sliding it across the table.
"Kai Mitarashi has defended Sabaody Archipelago for five years. Not a single pirate has slipped through to Fish-Man Island and entered the New World. He's kept the worst of the pirate surge in check. And…"
Sengoku paused, letting the tension build. When he saw all eyes on him, he continued, "And—two days ago, Kai Mitarashi defeated Whitebeard, Edward Newgate, in the New World."
"What!?" "Impossible!" "Whitebeard lost!?" The Five Elders were stunned. The pale-haired Elder, silent until now, looked particularly shaken.
He remembered his own battle with Whitebeard over a decade ago. Without unleashing his forbidden powers, he couldn't best the old pirate. And for various reasons, he couldn't freely use those powers—so the fight had ended in a stalemate.
In the Five Elders' eyes, Whitebeard could never reach a third-level Devil Fruit awakening. Eating a Devil Fruit had cost him the chance to break the boundary between man and god. He was no threat to them; he'd die of old age eventually.
But none of them denied Whitebeard's terrifying strength. In sheer power, he was even more fearsome than Gol D. Roger, the Pirate King.
Now, a Marine had actually defeated Whitebeard. How could the Five Elders not be shaken?
"Kai Mitarashi?" The white-robed, bald Elder, arms folded around a katana, raised an eyebrow. "Is that the Marine who struck Saint Charlos at Sabaody five years ago?"
He'd finally recalled where he'd heard the name.
The flat-hatted, curly-haired Elder beside him blinked, then narrowed his eyes, murmuring, "Five years ago… Sabaody Archipelago… defeated Whitebeard… someone broke the boundary between man and god… Interesting. Is it just a coincidence?"
After a moment, his eyes flashed with sudden insight. He looked straight at Sengoku. "This Vice Admiral Kai Mitarashi—is he a Devil Fruit user?"
Sengoku hesitated, puzzled by the question, but answered, "Kai Mitarashi should be a Flame-Flame Fruit user."
Five years ago, Kizaru had given Sengoku a detailed account of Kai's battle. Naturally, Sengoku had concluded that Kai was a Flame-Flame Fruit user.
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