"Suspend all operations against the North Blue!?"
Saint Figarland Garling froze in place as the words came through the Den Den Mushi. His eyes widened slightly in disbelief.
What are those five old geezers thinking?
The fleet had already reached the North Blue, and the flying fleet couldn't possibly intercept them all at once. They were just about to crush Daren's entire foundation and influence... and now, at the very last moment, the Holy Land was ordering a stand-down!?
"Why?"
Garling took a deep breath, forcing himself to stay calm and suppress the fury bubbling up inside. But his tone turned icy.
"Even if we're halting the operation, I deserve a proper explanation."
"You may hold the highest authority in the World Government, but as the current deputy commander of the God's Knights, I have the authority to oversee all Celestial Dragons."
There was a long silence on the other end of the Den Den Mushi.
It was as if the entire world had gone still.
Then, in the midst of that suffocating silence, the mouth of the Den Den Mushi opened and closed. The message it relayed made Garling's pupils contract. His expression turned stiff, then pale.
One second.
Two seconds.
Three seconds.
"So... you're just going to give in like that!?"
Garling's eyes suddenly flared red as he roared into the military Den Den Mushi.
"What happened to your pride as Celestial Dragons!?"
"What about the World Government's 800 years of power and legacy!?"
"That Daren bastard doesn't have the guts to actually go through with it—he's just posturing!"
"Give me three hours—no, two! I can wipe out everything he's built in the North Blue! In the end, we'll still be the ones laughing!"
The voices of the Five Elders came through the Den Den Mushi, cold and unyielding:
"No, we don't have two hours."
"If that brat really makes a move, we won't even have ten minutes."
"Yes, we know he's bluffing. But the government can't afford to take that chance."
"Saint Figarland Garling... There will be plenty of chances to eliminate Rogers Daren. This doesn't need to happen now."
"This decision is final."
"Thank you for making the trip."
"We truly appreciate your dedication to the government's work—"
Crack!
Garling crushed the Den Den Mushi in his hand with a furious grip, breathing heavily, eyes blazing.
"Damn it!"
I was just about to unleash hell on the North Blue, and those old fossils surrendered first!?
"Hahahahaha! How amusing... really, how amusing!!"
Garling suddenly burst into a fit of laughter, shoulders trembling with rage.
"Rogers Daren... you've really got some nerve."
With a vicious glare, he cast a glance at the thousands of civilians shivering in the wind and snow. His hand clenched and released around the hilt of his Western sword before he suddenly turned and strode into the ship's cabin.
"Tell the other ships—halt all operations and await further orders!"
...
Twenty minutes ago...
Red Line—Mary Geoise, Pangaea Castle.
Inside the World Government's main conference hall.
"Reporting to the Five Elders—forty-five warships under government command have entered the North Blue one after another. They are advancing toward their targets in stealth mode!"
Kong stood rigidly as the report came through the military Den Den Mushi, as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over him. A chill ran through his entire body.
He still couldn't believe it. The mighty World Government was really going to stoop this low?
"You heard that, Kong?"
Saint Saturn lightly rubbed his weathered cane with both hands, a sinister smile creeping across his lips.
"No one can obstruct our will."
"Rogers Daren has reached the end of the road. Once we wipe out his forces, without the backing of economic support, his fleet won't last long before it collapses under the weight of military expenses."
The other Five Elders—some seated, others standing—also wore smug smiles, clearly proud of the scheme.
Even Kong had to admit, it was brutal—but effective.
No matter how powerful an organization is, it cannot function without strong financial support. Pirates can rely on plunder for quick resources, but that's far from sustainable.
Looting brings unstable returns. It might keep a loose crew afloat, but it's nowhere near enough to sustain a disciplined, well-organized fleet's daily operations.
That's why major pirate crews in the New World—like the Whitebeard Pirates, the Big Mom Pirates, and the Beasts Pirates—fight to claim resource-rich countries and islands as their own territories, maintaining their operations and expanding their military power.
This move by the Five Elders was a direct strike at the North Blue Fleet's economic lifeline.
The World Government wouldn't even need to locate or confront the fleet in battle—they could dismantle it effortlessly without lifting a sword.
Warcury, calmly sipping his tea, looked at the tense Kong and smiled.
"Now do you see our wisdom?"
"The World Government has ruled these seas for eight hundred years. We've sat above the clouds for ages uncounted. No matter the hardships or twists, they're nothing more than fleeting clouds in our eyes."
"Kong, we must admit—Rogers Daren is not to be underestimated."
"His power and influence have grown to a point we can't ignore. But an insect is still an insect. If he's managed to make us take him seriously, that's already more than enough for him to be proud of."
"We don't even need to act directly. We just remain seated here above the clouds, issue a single command, and everything he's built crumbles."
"That is the legacy of the World Government's '800 years of foundation.'"
Kong clenched his teeth at those words.
"Brr... Brr..."
Suddenly, a Den Den Mushi on a nearby desk rang.
"Must be one of the warships reaching its target—probably requesting permission to attack," Warcury said, glancing at Kong with casual indifference.
He had noticed it.
Not just him—the others had as well.
Since the bombing of Philseque Island and Mary Geoise, Kong's loyalty to the government had started to waver.
That wouldn't do.
Kong was a valuable asset. He had executed countless missions for the government over the years and was about to be promoted from Fleet Admiral to Commander-in-Chief of all World Government forces.
The Five Elders couldn't afford a Commander-in-Chief who doubted the government's authority.
They had to reestablish their absolute power in Kong's eyes.
To do that, they needed their next move to be overwhelming—a clean, decisive victory.
With that thought, Warcury's smile widened as he picked up the call.
"Speak."
He leaned back in his chair, still smiling.
A panicked voice burst from the military Den Den Mushi.
"R-reporting to the Five Elders—we've found the North Blue Fleet!"
"Oh?"
The Five Elders paused for a moment, then chuckled dismissively.
"So they've finally made a move? Looks like they're trying to intercept ships entering the North Blue. Pointless. That brat Daren really can't do any better than this..."
"No..."
The voice on the other end faltered, filled with sheer, indescribable fear.
"The North Blue Fleet... is right now overlooking one of our member nations!"
The Five Elders froze.
The smile on Warcury's lips vanished.
...
(100 Chapters Ahead)
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