In the Holy Land of Mary Geoise, within Pangea Castle, the ringing of an emergency direct-line den den mushi shattered the tranquility of the pinnacle of power.
"What? Say that again!"
The den den mushi mimicked the expression of the intelligence personnel on the other end as it reported:
"Saint Charlimako... Saint Charlimako has been kidnapped by a pirate! It happened in Loguetown!"
The news of a Celestial Dragons being captured was so shocking that if it were to spread, it would be enough to cause significant upheaval throughout the entire ocean.
In the Five Elders' exclusive meeting room, the atmosphere was so heavy it felt as if it could drip like water.
"A scandal truly unheard of! Someone actually dared to kidnap a Celestial Dragons!"
The bald elder holding a sword heavily thudded the Shodai Kitetsu in his hand onto the floor, instantly leaving an indentation on the expensive carpet.
The blonde-haired, blue-eyed elder said decisively:
"The news must be suppressed! This must never be made public, otherwise the majesty of the World Government will be completely lost!"
The elder with the map-shaped beard tapped his fingers lightly on the table, producing a dull sound: "What does the Navy say? Although Onigumo isn't top-tier, he is still a battle-hardened Vice Admiral. How could he be defeated so easily?"
"According to the intermittent reports from the surviving Marine soldiers in Loguetown, the opponent is a young man. He seems to... have awakened Conquerors Haki and possesses an extremely powerful freezing ability."
"Freezing?"
The long-bearded elder's brows knitted together, "An ability similar to Kuzan's? It sounds like... the power of the Snow-Snow Fruit, but its potency is far beyond that."
"A coincidence? Another troublesome individual with such potential has appeared in the very town where Roger was executed." The sword-wielding elder snorted coldly, "And he possesses a power of unknown origin."
"Investigate!"
The blonde elder issued the command, and an invisible pressure enveloped the entire room. "Mobilize all the power of CP0 to uncover this Lorne's background! Whether he's from some kingdom or a descendant of the D. Clan, I want all the intelligence on him!"
He paused for a moment, a flash of ruthlessness appearing in his eyes.
"Additionally, dispatch the top teams for a secret pursuit. The Celestial Dragons's safety is the first priority, but if... and I mean if, the situation is beyond recovery, execute that sinner who profaned the gods on the spot! The face of the World Government is more important than the life of a useless Celestial Dragons!"
"Understood."
"As for the Marines..."
The map-headed elder picked up the golden den den mushi on the table and dialed the Marine Fleet Admiral's direct line.
"That fellow Sengoku must take responsibility for this! It's also time for the Marines to get some exercise."
...Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
Fleet Admiral Sengoku's face was ashen as he just hung up the den den mushi in his hand.
"Bastard!"
He slammed his fist onto the desk.
"Those old guys in the Five Elders only know how to apply pressure!"
"That idiot Saint Charlimako has caused a massive mess this time!"
He stood up, strode to the window, and cast his gaze toward the distant sea.
"Summon all officers at the rank of Vice Admiral and above! Convene a meeting immediately!"
On the floor below the Fleet Admiral's office, in a Japanese-style meeting room laid with tatami mats, the atmosphere was oppressively suffocating.
Over a dozen Marine generals draped in Justice coats sat on either side, their faces clouded with gloom.
Sengoku sat in the primary seat, clutching the top-secret intelligence, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force.
Beside him, the Marine Great Staff Officer, Tsuru, was resting with her eyes closed, seemingly oblivious to the low pressure around her.
"It is an absolute disgrace!"
A roar broke the silence as Sakazuki slammed his fist onto the low table in front of him. The hard wooden table was instantly scorched with a fist-shaped mark, emitting wisps of black smoke.
"A mere rookie dared to attack and kill a Headquarters Vice Admiral and kidnap a Celestial Dragons! This is the most thorough provocation to our Marine Justice! It is absolute evil!"
Magma churned on his right arm, and the scorching heat caused the surrounding air to distort.
"I propose! Immediately raise this scoundrel's bounty to the highest level! I will personally move to completely erase this criminal who has severely disrupted order from the sea!"
Sakazuki's voice was filled with unquestionable killing intent; the 'Thorough Justice' he upheld allowed for no stains.
"Ara ara~ calm down a bit, Sakazuki."
A lazy voice sounded. Kuzan was leaning against the wall with his hands in his pockets, looking as if he hadn't fully woken up.
He didn't look at anyone, merely gazing at the blue sky and white clouds outside through the window.
"The cause was Saint Charlimako wanting to publicly execute innocent residents, wasn't it? That kind of thing... really doesn't inspire much motivation."
His words were light, yet they made Sakazuki's anger burn even hotter.
"Kuzan! Are you questioning the World Government? Regardless of the cause, the result is that the Marines' prestige has been trampled! Evil must be purged!"
"How scary~"
Sitting on the other side, Borsalino crossed his legs and spoke slowly:
"A rookie with Conquerors Haki who can also use such troublesome ice... and can easily kill a Headquarters Vice Admiral; his strength is indeed not simple! However, such a troublesome fellow really cannot be left unchecked~~!"
His tone was frivolous and casual, but the gaze beneath those amber-tinted sunglasses held a trace of imperceptible sharpness.
As a staunch centrist, he only cared about whether the mission itself was a hassle and whether it would affect his ability to get off work on time.
"Dispatching an Admiral to deal with a rookie? Sakazuki, aren't you overreacting?"
A dove-faction Vice Admiral couldn't help but speak up.
"The movements of those fellows in the New World are becoming increasingly restless. If an Admiral is dispatched lightly, what if it causes a vacuum of power at Headquarters and those guys seize the opportunity?"
"A coward's excuse!"
Sakazuki scolded unceremoniously, "It is precisely because of your hesitant thinking that pirates are becoming more and more rampant!"
Just as the tension in the meeting room grew thicker, the den den mushi in front of Sengoku suddenly rang, 'Buru buru'.
The moment they saw that den den mushi, everyone fell silent. It was a direct line from the highest authority of the World Government.
Sengoku took a deep breath and answered the call.
"It's me."
From the other end of the den den mushi came the map-headed elder's majestic and cold words, devoid of any emotion.
"Sengoku, you should already know the situation. I don't care what method you use or what concerns you have."
"First, rescue Saint Charlimako."
"Second, if he cannot be rescued, make that kid named Lorne disappear completely."
"Third, and most importantly, this matter must be completed in absolute secrecy. I do not want to see a single word about a Celestial Dragons being captured in the newspapers tomorrow."
"Do you understand what I mean?"
"...Yes! I understand!"
Sengoku responded in a heavy voice, sweat trickling down his temples.
The call from the Five Elders was abruptly disconnected.
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