Lava Island.
"Commodore, the prison ship for Loguetown is already on its way. It's expected to arrive in two days, but according to their report, that ship can only accommodate about 400 more pirates!"
"However, Captain Smoker has already sent an emergency request to Headquarters for a backup prison ship. That one might take twenty days to arrive."
"Meanwhile, to ensure things stay under control here, several nearby branches have already dispatched warships and Marines. They will assist us in guarding the pirates until the second prison ship arrives," Lucci reported as he approached Sean.
"Mm, let it be. What about Kalan?"
"He seems quite excited. He claims he will definitely bring enough Belly within three days and asked that we refrain from targeting other companies in the meantime."
"Fine. Additionally, dispatch another squad of Marines to conduct a thorough search of Lava Island. Don Krieg definitely has assets hidden here—find every last bit of it!"
"Understood!"
'Purupurupuru...'
Just as Lucci left, Sean's Den Den Mushi began to ring.
"This is Sean."
"Commodore Sean! This is Morgans. I heard you have some explosive news?"
"I do. It's definitely explosive, but do you dare publish it?"
Hearing this, Morgans burst into loud laughter.
"I am the King of News! Even if the Five Elders were hooking up with some cleaning lady for nightly revelries, I'd still dare to print it!"
"So, don't worry about whether I 'dare' to. The only question is whether your information is explosive enough to be worth my reporting!"
As the News King of the pirate world, Morgans had plenty of confidence.
"News that the high-ranking officials of the World Government slaughtered the first-class nobility of the Zumeida Kingdom to embezzle their massive fortune... is that explosive enough?"
"Really?"
"Of course it's real."
"Quickly! Tell me everything! This is big news—absolutely explosive big news!"
"Four years ago..."
Over the next half hour, Sean recounted everything to Morgans, including the details Kuro had investigated and the names of all the key figures involved.
"Hiss..."
"A favorite of the Five Elders conspired with the Marine and other nobles four years ago to murder Ross Campbell and his wife, then split their assets—over ten billion Belly! Every clue, every person, detailed to the last drop... this is indeed massive news!"
Morgans' excited voice continued to blare through the Den Den Mushi, accompanied by the sound of frantic scribbling. Clearly, the man couldn't contain himself and had already started drafting the article.
"Morgans, I expect my name to be kept out of this. Do you understand?"
"Relax, I'm a professional!"
"Fine. I'll leave it to you then. I'll be waiting for tomorrow's paper."
Hanging up the Den Den Mushi, Sean was in a very good mood.
'The Five Elders... I wonder how you'll handle this once it breaks?'
'''
Inside the secret headquarters of the World Economic Journal.
Morgans was writing with feverish intensity.
"Ross Campbell... Sean Campbell..."
'No wonder he didn't mention a payment for the tip. So that's how it is!'
The youngest Commodore in the history of the Marine!
'Tsk tsk', the boy will likely be the center of even more explosive news in the future.
"Forget it, I'll treat this as an investment. I'll add a little more spice to this story!!!"
With a strange cackle, Morgans buried himself back into his manuscript.
The next day...
The World Economic Journal printed double its usual volume for a special edition. Countless news birds carried the latest issue, flying in all directions across the globe.
The events that had occurred in the East Blue over four years ago triggered a massive uproar worldwide.
[The World Government Murdering Affiliated Nobility to Seize Their Fortune]
[Panic Grips Affiliated Nations: Is the World Government System Collapsing?]
[Spandine's Madness: Condoned by the Five Elders, or Were They Participants?]
[The Marine's Supernova: The Dark Past of the Youngest Commodore in History]
One exaggerated headline after another occupied the most eye-catching positions on every page. To maximize the shock value, Morgans had even written that the World Government system might collapse.
As more and more people bought the newspapers, the situation began to spiral out of control.
'''
Mary Geoise.
The Room of Authority.
"That bastard Morgans! How dare he spread such rumors? What is he trying to do—shake the foundations of the World Government's rule?"
"We can deal with Morgans in a moment. The priority is how to handle this. Many affiliated nations have already contacted us to confirm if this is true; they're terrified we'll move against them next."
"Deny everything!"
"That's easier said than done! Morgans wrote the article in far too much detail, even listing every person involved. Do you really think a simple denial can suppress this?"
"Then what? Are we just going to sit back and do nothing while Morgans spreads lies?"
The Five Elders were absolutely livid. In their eyes, the entire thing was simply a fabrication by Morgans. After all, based on the content, much of the reporting was indeed sensationalized and based on conjecture.
Just then...
'Knock, knock, knock...'
"Enter!"
The doors opened, and a man in a white suit wearing a mask stepped inside.
"What is the status of the investigation?"
"While it hasn't been officially confirmed yet, based on what we've found so far, it's not far off from what Morgans reported."
"What? You're telling me this is true?" the blonde member of the Five Elders stared with wide eyes.
He had assumed Morgans was lying, only to be told it was a reality?
"Yes. And according to the news, the source was a diary left by one of Spandine's former subordinates. We have confirmed this. Shortly after the incident, that confidant did indeed die under suspicious circumstances."
"Most importantly, we discovered that Spandine has been hoarding a massive amount of wealth—at least ten billion Belly."
Upon hearing this, the Five Elders fell silent.
A full minute of oppressive silence passed.
"Number Three, arrest him immediately. Also, take control of every other person mentioned in Morgans' report!"
"Yes."
With a nod, the masked man retreated from the room.
"Now what?"
"The people must be dealt with, but we still cannot admit that this happened!"
"Exactly. Every affiliated nation is ruled by nobility. If it were proven that high-ranking officials of the World Government murdered nobles to seize their assets, it would trigger massive instability across the member nations. In the worst-case scenario, some might even withdraw from the World Government entirely. We cannot allow that to happen!"
"And what about the sole heir of the Campbell family? How shall we handle him?"
"Our priority is placation. Once we've dealt with Spandine, we can consider returning a portion of the assets to him—but he must agree to keep his mouth shut about this entire affair!"
"Agreed!"
"I also... hm?"
Just then, all five of them froze. A voice resonated simultaneously within their minds.
"Come to me at once!!"
'''
A few minutes later.
In the forbidden zone deep within Pangaea Castle, the Five Elders entered a great hall.
Towering steps led up to a singular throne. A figure sat upon it, their features completely obscured by the shadows. The only discernible detail was a pair of eerie, rippling eyes.
Upon reaching the foot of the stairs, the Five Elders knelt in unison.
Had anyone else in the world witnessed this, they would have been utterly shell-shocked. These five men, who wielded the absolute authority of the World Government, were kneeling before another—their bodies even trembling slightly.
"Lord Imu!"