Admiral Sengoku's voice carried through the conference room for more than half an hour, his speech starting broad before narrowing to actionable details. There was no bureaucratic fluff here, only substance. Every word held weight, every pause deliberate.
The message was clear: resistance to the World Government's Warlord plan was acceptable, even expected, but it couldn't be excessive. The pirates would mock any weakness. At the same time, the reality was inescapable. The plan would move forward whether the Marines liked it or not. What mattered now was damage control, how to minimize the losses this cursed system would inflict on the Marines, and more importantly, how to eventually seize control of it.
"I know you're all dissatisfied," Sengoku said finally, his voice dropping to a gravelly tone that filled the silence. "You think this is a concession to evil. To be honest, I feel the same way. Part of me wants to storm Mary Geoise right now and drag that person down to answer for this." His jaw tightened, the muscles along his neck visibly tensing. "But you all understand the position we're in."
The shame in his voice was unmistakable.
No one was foolish enough to challenge him. Anyone stupid enough to blame Sengoku for this mess would likely be beaten to death on the spot, and everyone knew it.
Fleet Admiral Kong rapped his knuckles against the polished table, the sound sharp and final. "Endure now so we don't have to endure later. Let's support each other through this."
The conference room found its rhythm. Curses gave way to constructive debate. These were not fools gathered here. They were the backbone of Marine leadership, and once they understood the battlefield, they adapted. There was no point in wasting energy on rage when planning could turn disaster into opportunity.
Soon even the Rear Admirals, Momonga among them, began voicing suggestions and observations.
Curiously, the most senior officers remained silent. Garp slouched in his chair, arms crossed, his expression unreadable. Zephyr's weathered face betrayed nothing. And Finn, leaning back with his eyes half-closed, looked almost disinterested.
"Mm..." Borsalino raised one hand lazily, as though the motion itself required effort.
Borsalino didn't bother with pleasantries. He tucked away the nail clippers he'd been idly using and spoke in that slow, drawling tone of his. "So these Seven Warlords of the Sea, they have responsibilities too, right? What exactly are those?"
"When the World Government calls on them, they cannot refuse," Sengoku replied, his voice steady. "Refusal means losing the title and all the privileges that come with it."
"Is that so?" Borsalino tilted his head slightly, his tone almost contemplative. "But the World Government isn't going to call on them very often, right? So from a cost-benefit perspective, the scales are completely unbalanced. The Warlords gain far more than they give. That's unacceptable." He paused, letting the words settle. "I suggest we secure the authority for the Marines to issue those summons. It would make controlling these pirates much easier."
Kuzan spoke up immediately after. "I agree with Borsalino. At this point, there's not much else to say, but that's the bare minimum we should fight for."
Sakazuki said nothing, his arms folded tightly across his chest. He was waiting. Waiting for Finn to reveal whatever 'dirty plan' he'd hinted at earlier.
But Finn remained silent, his expression unreadable.
Sengoku didn't press him. After considering the suggestions from Kuzan and Borsalino, he nodded slowly. "I was thinking the same thing. I'll push for that authority when the time comes."
He let the silence stretch for a moment before turning his gaze to Sakazuki. "Sakazuki, you have something to add."
Sakazuki blinked, momentarily caught off guard. Then he caught Finn's subtle nod from the corner of his eye. Without hesitation, he straightened. "Before the meeting, outside the conference room, I discussed some related matters with Vice Admiral Finn."
None of the other officers looked surprised. It was no secret that Finn often consulted with the rising stars before major meetings.
"Oh? Do you have any ideas?" Sengoku asked, feigning curiosity.
"We believe," Sakazuki said evenly, "that regarding the selection process for the Seven Warlords, the Marines should intervene. We can assist the World Government by eliminating candidates who are unsuitable for the role. After all, vetting pirates is precisely what we do, isn't it?"
Some stared blankly, not yet grasping the implications.
But the sharper minds in the room lit up immediately. Eyes gleamed with sudden understanding.
This wasn't just a vetting process. This was a chokehold. If the Marines controlled who could even be considered for the Warlord position, then the Marines would effectively control the entire system.
Brilliant.
Sengoku and Kong both glanced toward Finn. Seeing that he still showed no intention of speaking, they didn't push. Instead, Sengoku nodded approvingly. "A solid idea. We'll work toward a consensus with the higher-ups on that front."
The meeting continued, voices rising and falling as officers proposed amendments, identified loopholes, and suggested safeguards. Clauses were drafted to restrict the Warlords' power, policies shaped to keep them on a leash. By the time the sun reached its zenith, the framework was nearly complete.
"Should we call it here?" Sengoku asked, glancing at Kong.
Before Kong could answer, Finn raised his head. "We're finishing already?"
Kong caught the shift in Finn's tone and nodded. "You have the floor. Go ahead."
Finn straightened in his seat, his gaze sweeping across the room. "Everyone below the rank of Vice Admiral, you're dismissed. The meeting is over. I have confidential matters to discuss with the rest of the leadership."
Momonga and Gion both rose immediately, too proud to exploit their relationship with Finn for special treatment. Their departure set the example, and the other officers followed without complaint, filing out in orderly silence.
Within moments, only the true power players remained. Vice Admirals with real authority. Fleet Admiral Kong. Admiral Sengoku. Zephyr. Garp. Tsuru.
Sengoku poured himself a fresh cup of tea, took a slow sip, and exhaled. "Alright, we're all family here. Relax." He set the cup down with a soft clink. "I overheard you and Sakazuki whispering before the meeting started. Something about a 'dirty plan.' You didn't bring it up earlier because you couldn't speak freely, right? Well, now you can."
Kong rapped the table again. "If you've got something good, spit it out."
Finn allowed himself a faint smile, his eyes moving deliberately from face to face. "Regarding the Seven Warlords of the Sea, I have a different approach in mind."
Sakazuki leaned forward. "Then hurry up and say it. I've been waiting this whole time."
"Patience," Finn murmured. He took a sip of tea, letting the suspense build. "From the moment we learned about this plan, we've been angry. And because of that anger, we've been thinking in only one direction: how to stop it, how to minimize the damage, how to keep the Marines from being humiliated."
He set the cup down, his fingers tracing the rim. "But last night, I tried something different. I looked at the Warlord plan from another angle." His voice dropped, gaining an edge. "And I realized something. This plan, as much as we hate it, could become the second critical support pillar for the Marines to break free from the World Government's control."
The room fell silent.
Sengoku's eyes sharpened. Vice Admiral Jonathan leaned forward. "What do you mean?"
Some of those present already understood what Finn meant by the first pillar. The Calm Belt. The closed-loop resource development that was slowly building the Marines' financial independence.
"I'll keep it simple," Finn continued. "Why don't we use the Warlord system as a shell?"
Several officers frowned, confused.
But Tsuru, who had been unusually quiet recently, looked up sharply. "You mean... inserting undercover agents?"
"Not just undercover agents," Finn corrected, his tone smooth and deliberate. "We shouldn't think so narrowly. What I'm proposing is that we subtly transform the entire Seven Warlords of the Sea into a peripheral organization, one known only to the Marines' top brass. A deniable asset. Something outside the official chain of command that can do the things we can't be seen doing."
He paused, letting the idea take root.
"I've been thinking about this for a while now. The Calm Belt initiative is maturing, but in a few years, we won't be able to keep consuming all those resources internally. We'll need to start converting them into liquid funds. And the moment we do that, the World Government will notice unless we have the proper cover." Finn's gaze hardened. "Only when we have sufficient independent funding, enough to supplement our own military budget, will we have the leverage to truly challenge the World Government's grip on us."
The other officers nodded slowly, absorbing the implications. No one interrupted.
Finn took another breath. "So far, the World Government hasn't noticed the Calm Belt operations because everything stays internal. But once resources start flowing outward, the risk of exposure skyrockets. I've been trying to solve that problem for months." He leaned forward, his voice dropping. "And then the Warlord plan dropped into our laps."
Understanding began to dawn in Sengoku's eyes. Kong's expression shifted from skepticism to interest.
"Here's what we do," Finn said. "Publicly, we oppose the Warlord plan. Loudly. Firmly. We make the World Government believe that the relationship between us and the Warlords is hostile, that there's deep-seated hatred between the Marines and these so-called 'Government-sanctioned pirates.' That perception is critical. It gives us room to maneuver."
"Maneuver how?" Borsalino asked, his usual laziness replaced with genuine curiosity.
Finn's smile widened. "Starting now, we identify promising talents. Marines we can trust absolutely. We give them a mission: leave the Marines, go to sea, and build reputations as pirates. We'll support them from the shadows, create opportunities, make sure their names rise quickly. In this era, new pirate crews appearing won't seem strange at all. And when the time is right, we arrange for them to be offered Warlord positions."
He leaned back, his voice calm and cold. "Once we have our people embedded in the system, we control it from within. The Seven Warlords become an extension of Marine intelligence and operations. And when the Calm Belt resources are ready to move, we use the Warlords as intermediaries. They'll be the ones selling to the black market, laundering the funds, feeding the money back into our budget. Two systems mature in parallel, and when both are in place, military funding will no longer be a chain around our necks."
The silence that followed was absolute.
Even Garp, who rarely paid attention to strategy meetings, was staring at Finn with something resembling respect.
After a long moment, Tsuru let out a low, incredulous laugh. "You really are a genius, kid."
Sengoku stroked his chin, his expression thoughtful. "We can't be too aggressive. If we try to take over the entire system from the start, it'll be too obvious. We need a mix. A few real pirates to maintain appearances, and a few of our own people embedded among them. Over time, we quietly phase out the outsiders and replace them with assets we control."
"That's the smart play," Kong agreed, a rare smile crossing his weathered face.
The mood in the room had shifted entirely. What had started as outrage over a Government power grab had somehow transformed into opportunity. That damned Finn had taken a disaster and turned it into a weapon.
This was exactly the kind of ruthless pragmatism the Marines needed.
Zephyr, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke up. "Come to think of it, I might have a suitable candidate. A difficult one, but his sense of justice is unshakable. I've been wondering how to handle him in the future."
Finn looked over, intrigued. "Who?"
"His name is Smoker," Zephyr said, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "He's strong, talented, and a Logia Devil Fruit user, the Smoke-Smoke Fruit. But his personality is... stubborn doesn't even begin to cover it. Letting him go undercover as a pirate actually fits perfectly with who he is."
Finn froze for a moment. Then a slow grin spread across his face. "How old is he now? Is the timing right?"
"Seventeen this year," Zephyr replied.
Finn's grin widened. Smoker had been fourteen when Roger was executed, which meant he'd joined Headquarters shortly after and had been training under Zephyr for three years now.
Seventeen years old. The perfect age to start a pirate career.
Finn had originally considered recruiting Smoker directly into his own forces, but plans changed. Opportunities shifted.
And right now, this was a better use of his potential.
"Let him become one of the Seven Warlords," Finn said, his tone decisive.
Piracy, after all, was about to enter its golden age. The next twenty years would see the seas explode with ambition, chaos, and opportunity.
It wouldn't be holding Smoker back.
It would be setting him up perfectly.
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