"One Piece:The True Codex"Chapter 366: The Military's Stance
Although the Five Elders claimed it was a private discussion among the five of them, after Dampier left, another person entered the room.
This individual wore a pristine white military uniform adorned with numerous medals. His long beard was braided, and his robust physique was evident even beneath the uniform. Yet, the round-rimmed glasses on his face lent him an air of scholarly elegance.
This man was none other than the current Fleet Admiral of the Marines, known as the "Strategist," Sengoku. During Dampier's detention, he had secretly arrived at the Holy Land Mariejois and had been listening to the conversation from an adjacent room.
"Are you seriously considering accepting their proposal?!"
As soon as Dampier left the room, Sengoku entered and loudly questioned the elders.
Compared to his successor, the hardline Akainu, Sengoku had always been quite respectful toward the Five Elders. His tone had never been as harsh as it was today.
Sengoku's attitude was understandable. The Marines had lost face in the East Blue. Local Marines had been extensively corrupted by William, and even the reinforcements from Marine Headquarters were toyed with by William's pirate crew. When William was released, he even broadcasted the Marines' embarrassing situation across the East Blue, exposing them to the world.
More importantly, even Garp had been caught up in the mess. Although the World Government and the Marines had restricted news coverage, preventing this incident from causing the same public uproar as the defeat of the "Golden Lion" Shiki, Garp's sudden disappearance in the East Blue was too conspicuous. Anyone with a bit of insight could sense something was amiss, and well-informed factions could easily uncover the truth. Within Marine Headquarters, most officers and soldiers were likely aware of the situation.
As both the Fleet Admiral of Marine Headquarters and Garp's old comrade, Sengoku found it unacceptable that the mastermind behind all this could suddenly become a legal pirate on par with Marine Headquarters in status, or even a king of a member nation of the World Government.
Though Sengoku was more moderate compared to Akainu, he was still a military man. Compromise and negotiation were never his first choices.
"Why not? The Seven Warlords of the Sea were always meant for qualified great pirates," the elder with the map-shaped birthmark on his forehead said, frowning at Sengoku's tone.
"If you agree to his unreasonable demands, where will the Marines' dignity be? Where will the dignity of the Marine hero be?!" Sengoku's voice grew louder and more urgent, unrestrained in his questioning. "And if you agree to make him a member nation's king, how will the world view the previous Marine operations? How will the Marines explain themselves? Should the Government admit to being inconsistent, or should the Marines admit they were wrong in arresting a high official of a World Government member nation without cause?"
"You need to understand something, Sengoku. The Marines' dignity is insignificant compared to the World Government's interests. How the Government operates doesn't need to follow the Marines' lead. It's the World Government that leads the Marines, not the other way around!" the elder with the waterfall-like white hair said sharply. "Military men must sometimes make sacrifices to ensure ultimate victory!"
"That's on the battlefield!" Sengoku retorted, unyielding.
"This is a battlefield!" the elder with the map-shaped birthmark said sternly. "Do you think you're still just a soldier who only knows how to wield a sword and fight? You're now the Fleet Admiral, one of the highest leaders of the Marines. Your thoughts and vision must rise above those of a mere soldier!"
"Look at this world, Sengoku," the golden-haired elder said, trying to ease the tension in the room. "This world is not peaceful. In reality, we're on a vast battlefield. The brief peace is an illusion. All sides are sharpening their swords, whether it's us, the Four Emperors, or other emerging, ambitious forces waiting for their chance. War isn't only about direct confrontation."
After the golden-haired elder paused, the elder in the loose kimono adjusted his glasses and continued seamlessly, "Sengoku, our enemies aren't limited to just Morgan William. In fact, Morgan William isn't even the most pressing enemy we need to deal with."
"The BIG MOM Pirates are still in the East Blue," the scar-faced elder tapped his cane on the floor. "If William truly marries Charlotte Linlin's daughter, forming an alliance between the two forces, things will become truly troublesome. You heard it yourself. With Morgan William's strategic mind, once allied with the powerful Charlotte Linlin, their threat level will multiply. Coupled with the warship technology mastered by Morgan William's crew, Charlotte Linlin, already formidable, will become a significant threat to us!"
"Moreover," the golden-haired elder continued, "if Garp dies at William's hands, rather than at the hands of a Yonko, the impact will be different. Even if Morgan William kills the Golden Lion and Garp, we know we can still eliminate him and mitigate the negative impact. But the Four Emperors are a different story."
"You're nurturing a tiger to threaten us!" Sengoku said in a deep voice. "Morgan William's strength isn't formidable enough yet, which is why he's striving so hard to become a Warlord. In just a few years, he's turned the East Blue into an impenetrable fortress. You're essentially giving him a bigger stage!"
The elder with the map-shaped birthmark said gravely, "We know William's intentions aren't pure, but so what? Are any pirates truly honest? Is Doflamingo honest? That guy playing hero in the desert kingdom also has ulterior motives. But compared to the Four Emperors, their threats are temporarily insignificant. Only the Four Emperors are closest to Laugh Tale. They are the ones most likely to gather the Poneglyphs, which pose the greatest immediate threat to the World Government's foundation and existing order!"
"Right now, a sharp blade hangs over our heads, ready to fall at any moment and take our lives. Another blade is still being forged. We don't even know if it will ever become a true weapon or if it will break during the process," the scar-faced elder questioned Sengoku. "Do you think our priority should be removing the blade poised to strike us, or focusing on the one still being forged?"
(End of Chapter)
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