Within the Navy, countless factions existed, large and small.
The most well-known divisions were ideological. The Hawks advocated extreme suppression of pirates, the Doves favored restraint and balance, and the Neutrals stood somewhere in between.
Beyond ideology, there were regional factions. Officers from the East Blue, West Blue, North Blue, South Blue, and the Grand Line naturally gravitated toward one another. People from the same sea were always closer.
On top of that were even more tangled interest groups.
In the short term, these divisions helped with efficiency and pirate suppression. In the long run, however, they severely undermined unity. This was an unavoidable problem, and even Sengoku had no real solution.
Fleet Admiral Kong had long since delegated most authority. He had little interest in managing these internal struggles and left nearly everything to Sengoku. Still, until his retirement, Kong remained the Navy's highest-ranking figure, wielding enormous influence behind the scenes.
At present, within the Navy, aside from the three rising Logia users destined to become future Admirals, the situation had grown even more complicated.
Vice Admiral Lloyd had already fallen. After suffering devastating losses against Big Mom, he lost his standing entirely. His Vice Admiral rank was revoked, and he was forced into retirement within the Navy.
Yet even with Lloyd gone, there were still four major contenders for the Admiral position, each backed by different forces.
Vice Admiral Gilman, an Ancient Zoan user of the Titan Boa-Boa Fruit, and Vice Admiral Atchison, a Logia user of the Miasma-Miasma Fruit, both represented the interests of World Government officials and certain high-ranking Navy officers.
Their Devil Fruits had been supplied directly by the World Government.
These officials controlled enormous wealth and authority. Through allied nations and underground arrangements, each of them received staggering benefits every year. Corruption within the World Government was not surface-level. It was rotten to the core.
Now, they were extending their reach toward the Admiral seats.
Another contender was Vice Admiral Freda.
Freda was a Paramecia user of the Repulsion-Repulsion Fruit, and his strength eclipsed the other candidates. In raw combat ability, he had already reached Admiral level. His physical prowess alone exceeded the limits of a Vice Admiral, and now he wielded a top-tier Paramecia Devil Fruit on top of that.
Compared to him, Sakazuki and the other two rising stars were still slightly behind. They had only just stepped into Admiral-level territory, or were still brushing against it.
After all, Admiral level was not a simple threshold. It required comprehensive strength. Destructive power alone was not enough.
Sakazuki and the others still had time. They were young.
Freda did not.
His body had already reached its peak.
Backed by the World Nobles and closely connected to CP0, Freda was widely suspected to be a CP0 operative embedded within the Navy. Because of this, he was subtly ostracized. Even so, his personal strength and the vast power behind him gave him considerable support.
The final contender was Vice Admiral Nickt, a Paramecia user of the Blast-Blast Fruit.
Like Lloyd before his fall, Nickt was a veteran Vice Admiral with deep connections throughout the Navy.
With so many candidates, Sengoku and his allies naturally hoped Sakazuki and his peers would claim the Admiral seats. The others had largely reached their ceilings, and Admiral-level combat power was not something that could be achieved casually.
As for Freda, he was completely unacceptable.
If not for the recent events, Sengoku might never have realized that CP0 had planted such a deep mole within the Navy, one bold enough to aim for the Admiral position itself.
Even so, Sakazuki and the other two remained the most legitimate candidates.
While the Navy churned with internal strife, the West Blue Dark Council continued to thrive.
Its influence had completely enveloped the West Blue underworld. It controlled countless industries and maintained powerful trade routes, exporting goods from the West Blue to the other three seas and even the Grand Line.
The second Dark Council meeting had recently concluded.
Based on the past year's development, new laws were enacted, internal member rights were clarified, and long-term development plans were laid out.
Major business initiatives were now proposed by the Dark Council itself, after which individual factions could choose whether to participate. The projects spanned numerous industries, ensuring every group had opportunities.
At the same time, the Dark Council demonstrated its authority. Several disobedient factions, including those secretly instigated by outside forces, were swiftly erased.
This sent a clear message.
As a result, more and more people sought to join.
Once formally integrated, many members became far more proactive. Systems, laws, and plans were no longer dictated solely by the Dark Council and its mysterious leader, "Hades." Proposals for new departments and reforms began coming from below.
Compared to the first meeting, the second showed clear progress. Before, nearly ninety percent of policies had been personally drafted by Hades himself.
Because of this efficiency and stability, the Dark Council's reputation spread rapidly. Though few spoke of it openly, within the underworld its name carried immense weight.
Its symbol had begun appearing beyond the West Blue.
Dark purple as the primary color. A dark moon overhead. Beneath it, a round table surrounded by robed figures whose faces were hidden in shadow.
Merchant guilds controlled by or allied with the Dark Council traded across the seas, exporting weapons and extending its influence.
In just over a year, aside from the forces that were annexed or destroyed, most factions had expanded steadily.
Competition still existed. Outside of Dark Council meetings, as long as its laws were obeyed, conflicts continued.
Yet everyone understood the truth.
The Dark Council had a master.
"Hades," the undisputed king of the West Blue underworld.
He had the power to create order, and just as easily, to destroy it.
Having tasted stability and profit, no faction wanted to lose the Dark Council.
In contrast, the South Blue underworld was ruled by brute force.
Kukulkan Coatl, the emperor of the South Blue, dominated through sheer power. If he were to die, chaos would immediately follow.
The West Blue was different.
Even if Hades vanished, the Dark Council would endure. Its Speaker served two-year terms, with a maximum of two consecutive terms.
Meanwhile, the North Blue underworld had fallen under the rule of Donquixote Doflamingo.
With the backing of the Nightfall Pirates, his forces expanded at terrifying speed. Even Vice Admiral Tsuru struggled to contain him.
The name "Joker" grew infamous.
Through arms trading and business manipulation, Doflamingo crushed rival factions one after another. In the shadows, he personally assassinated enemy leaders.
He had learned how to use power.
His strength rose rapidly, and his influence reached its peak. By controlling supply lines and lifelines, he forced submission without mercy.
Rumors spread that Doflamingo had formed his own Dark Council in the North Blue. In reality, it was far cruder than the West Blue's version. It was simply a gathering of faction heads under his absolute control.
The West Blue already had tradition, structure, and the overwhelming deterrence of Hades.
Doflamingo, for now, still ruled from the shadows. He lacked the crushing authority of Hades or Kukulkan Coatl.
"Joker" remained an underworld alias, known to very few.
During this time, Doflamingo also acquired the Devil Fruit Teach wanted for Otto.
Just as Teach had predicted, it was the Paramecia Weapon-Weapon Fruit.
It was promptly delivered to the Nightfall Pirates.
"Fufufufu… 'Hades' is you, Teach, isn't it?"
On the Den Den Mushi, Doflamingo's laughter was sharp and amused. "What a grand scheme."
"Zehahahah. Does it matter?" Teach chuckled. He did not deny it, but the answer was clear.
"When are you leaving the North Blue for the New World?" Teach asked calmly.
"About two more years," Doflamingo replied. "My forces grew too fast. They're still unstable. Still, I owe you for the support."
"This is business," Teach said indifferently. "But hurry up. If you don't reach overlord level, it won't be enough. If you want guidance, I can help. It won't be free."
Their cooperation extended far beyond Devil Fruits. It included trade and intelligence as well.
"Fufufufu… how domineering," Doflamingo laughed. "You've been dormant for so long. Sounds like you're about to move again."
"Soon," Teach replied. "But there's still something I need to collect."
"I'll be waiting in the New World," Doflamingo said. He could feel the depth of Teach's power even through words alone. Having visited the Nightfall Pirates multiple times, he knew how terrifying they were.
Their cadres were monsters.
Even Redyat, the vice-captain, was unfathomable.
That pressure never left Doflamingo. Even now, as he spoke, Seastone handcuffs encircled his wrists.
At twenty years old, his strength was already formidable. His status allowed him access to complete Rokushiki manuals, Devil Fruit development data, and Haki training resources.
"The Seven Warlords of the Sea?" Teach asked suddenly.
"Fufufufu. That's right."
"It's useful for you, meaningless to me," Teach said. "It's approved, but not public yet. If you want it sooner, push it yourself."
Doflamingo's eyes gleamed. "I will."
"Before that," Teach said slowly, "there's something you should know. I wasn't planning to tell you."
A chill ran through Doflamingo.
"Speak."
"You have a younger brother. Donquixote Rosinante. Do you know where he is?"
Silence.
Teach could hear Doflamingo's heavy breathing through the Den Den Mushi.
"Donquixote Rosinante," Teach continued calmly. "Navy Headquarters Lieutenant Commander. Code name 'Corazon.' Navy ID 01746. User of the Calm-Calm Fruit. A righteous man. Kind. Just like your father."
Doflamingo's grip tightened.
"He's also Fleet Admiral Sengoku's adopted son," Teach added. "Saved by Sengoku when he was young."
"In my opinion, he'll return to your side soon. Be prepared. That's all."
The call ended.
Doflamingo stood frozen, fists clenched, teeth grinding.
Endless rage surged within him.
He understood perfectly.
His brother would return as a Navy spy.
A kind man.
Just like their father.
The memory stabbed deep.
"Thank you," Doflamingo whispered before slamming the Den Den Mushi shut.
Moments later, his roar shook the room.
"Why do you still betray me!"
Outside, the Donquixote Family cadres rushed in, only to freeze in terror.
Doflamingo's Conqueror's Haki flooded the room.
His red sunglasses lay shattered on the floor.
His eyes burned blood-red.
The aura surrounding him was no longer human.
It was demonic.
After a long silence, Doflamingo raised a hand to his forehead.
"Fufufufufu…"
Then laughter erupted.
On Beast Island, Teach burst into laughter as well, standing atop a stone.
"The demon has awakened," he said calmly. "The Nightfall Pirates are setting sail again."
"Let the sea drown in darkness."
Around him, the crew erupted with excitement.