Sengoku.
Zephyr.
Tsuru.
The three of them had become Admirals. But once they truly stepped into that position, they discovered just how massive a mess the Navy really was. It wasn't that everything had rotted to the core.
It was simply that there were too many problems.
After the God Valley Incident, the Navy had accumulated issue after issue. Previously, without Admirals and a Fleet Admiral to make final decisions, many matters had simply been shelved.
Now, with the three of them as Admirals and Kong promoted to Fleet Admiral, the four of them were spinning like tops every day. The Navy's greatest combat power had somehow turned into glorified administrative staff.
It was worth mentioning that Garp hadn't shown up at Marine Headquarters for quite some time. The reason was simple—he was afraid the three of them would corner him and beat him senseless. That was no joke. Garp drifted around freely, going wherever he pleased.
After all, you couldn't expect a mere Vice Admiral to handle high-level administrative work. Regardless of whether Garp was the "Hero of the Marines" or anything else, he was still only a Vice Admiral. That meant many matters simply weren't within his scope.
So Garp slipped away. Why stay here dealing with paperwork when he could chase Roger across the seas? That was far more fun.
The three Admirals, however, were drowning in work, dealing with problem after problem. More than once, they felt the urge to curse out loud. Fortunately for Garp, he had run fast enough.
---
On the Red Line...
The World Government.
Mary Geoise.
At the summit of world power, the Five Elders gathered in a vast chamber. The five of them sat in silence, seemingly contemplating something—or perhaps nothing at all. No one could tell what they were truly thinking.
Tap. Tap.
One of them, the blond Elder, lightly tapped the table and said calmly, "Britannia is developing too quickly. And our initial assessment was flawed. The Pendragon family appears to be a lineage with considerable strength buried somewhere in history."
Even as he spoke, his tone remained steady.
Was Britannia a major problem?
Not really.
Do not misunderstand—the Five Elders were not targeting Fish-Man Island itself. Fish-Man Island was never significant enough to warrant direct attention. It was merely an idle chess piece placed on the board. And if even that casual move was too much for Fish-Man Island to bear, that only proved its weakness.
The same logic applied to the Rocks Pirates. Even at their peak, did the Five Elders truly regard them as an existential threat?
Not particularly.
That was the confidence of the World Government—eight hundred years of accumulated power and foundations. To them, such matters were minor inconveniences.
Britannia was similar. Its strength was respectable, so it warranted some attention—but no more than that.
The key difference from the Rocks Pirates was this: Britannia was mysterious.
Standing by the window with his hands behind his back, the long-haired Elder said evenly, "There is no trace of the Pendragon family in historical records. Not even in documents from eight hundred years ago."
"Furthermore, Britannia's main island cannot be accessed by anyone harboring ulterior motives. At best, outsiders are allowed to trade on the volcanic island. Entry to the other islands is strictly forbidden."
"Infiltration from within is extremely difficult."
The bald Elder, lounging on a sofa with crossed legs, replied calmly, "That is to be expected. Given their status, it's natural they would not allow others to freely set foot on Britannia's inner territories."
The others nodded.
The curly-haired Elder rose, walked to the window, opened it, and lit a cigar.
He exhaled a plume of smoke. "Based on current intelligence, the Pendragon family does not correspond to any historically prominent house that later fell. Not even among those from eight hundred years ago."
"Which leaves only one possibility."
The blond Elder continued, "Either they are a deeply hidden maritime family… or they are an old lineage that changed its name and resurfaced. I believe the latter is more likely."
"With the reach of Cipher Pol, it is nearly impossible for a major power to remain completely hidden."
When speaking of Cipher Pol, even the Five Elders allowed themselves a faint trace of pride.
The Marines, visible to the world.
The Army, guarding the Red Line.
The hidden Air Forces.
These were the obvious pillars of the World Government.
But Cipher Pol was what the Five Elders truly valued.
"Oh, right," the curly-haired Elder added.
"How is CP0's infiltration into the New World progressing?"
"It is proceeding steadily," the bald Elder replied. "We have not provided overt assistance. She is developing step by step. With her capabilities, successfully establishing a foothold in the New World is only a matter of time."
The curly-haired Elder nodded and released another stream of smoke. "Then it's possible that Arthur is not the true authority within the Pendragon family. He may simply be the figurehead."
"That possibility exists."
"But it is unlikely."
The long-haired Elder shook his head. "Arthur's personality does not strike me as someone willing to be controlled. At the very least, present-day Britannia is firmly under his command—regardless of the family's original structure."
Across the world, perceptions had shifted.
Arthur. Morgan le Fay. Gawain. Gareth.
As their names spread across the seas, the entire world began paying close attention to Britannia.
Every major force was investigating the Pendragon family's origins.
They could not know about Arthur's system.
Thus, they concluded the Pendragon family must be a hidden lineage emerging from the era of the Rocks Pirates.
In a sense, that guess was not entirely wrong.
But surface similarities concealed fundamental differences. If one misjudged the truth, the price paid at a critical moment could be staggering.
Appearances could be deceiving.
The curly-haired Elder exhaled slowly. "Regardless, Britannia's expansion must be contained. If their growth continues unchecked, they will become a singular behemoth. That would destabilize the New World."
The others agreed.
The Rocks Pirates had been powerful, yes—but the Five Elders had never been overly concerned. Still, if such a behemoth could be prevented from forming in the first place, all the better.
And if Britannia continued developing at this rate, it could rival what the Rocks Pirates once were.
The difference lay in transparency.
Whitebeard. Roger. Shiki.
Their strength was visible. Predictable.
But Britannia?
Arthur. Morgan le Fay. Gawain. Galahad. Lamorak. Gareth.
Six formidable individuals already.
And who could say that was the limit of the Pendragon family's power?
That uncertainty was the real problem.
Pirates grew in ways that could be anticipated.
Britannia did not.
After a pause, the blond Elder said calmly, "In that case, we can support a pirate faction to launch a war against Britannia. Wang Zhi and Silver Axe have formed an alliance. They may suffice."
His tone was steady.
Could the Five Elders eliminate Britannia directly?
Of course.
But doing so would require revealing hidden forces—and that cost was troublesome. Destroying Britannia outright might push other powers into desperate alliances.
The long-haired Elder considered. "It is worth evaluating. However, we must proceed carefully. Raising another powerful faction is… inconvenient."
To outsiders, this would seem like bargaining with a tiger.
After all, the New World's pirates were dangerous predators.
But to the Five Elders?
They were nothing more than kittens.
In their eyes, the world's so-called powerhouses were merely beasts fighting in an arena.
To the Celestial Dragons, slaves fought for entertainment.
To the Five Elders?
The entire world was the arena.
They had never regarded these forces as equals—only as pieces on a board.
Or beasts to be observed.
That was their true perspective.
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