The praise from the people around them did not diminish in the slightest.
Especially Sengoku—his face was practically blooming with joy.
"Hahaha! With results like this, I can finally report to the Five Elders!"
"The funding issue is no longer a problem!"
"Such incredible weapons must be mass-produced! This is the future of the Navy!"
"To hell with the so-called Great Pirate Era! The future belongs to the Navy! Hahaha!"
Sengoku was in an extremely good mood.
Oh?
So they were going to meet the Five Elders?
Those men stood at the peak of power. The resources and wealth they could mobilize were dozens of times greater than what Fleet Admiral Sengoku could access.
Such a perfect opportunity to request funding…
Xia Yu absolutely had to seize it.
A flash of excitement appeared in his eyes before he spoke in his childish voice.
"Uncle Sengoku, actually… these Seraphim aren't the strongest ones yet."
"I've almost cracked the technology for Admiral-level Seraphim."
"I think they can be completed within a week."
Originally, Xia Yu had said it would take half a month.
But that was because he had no funding at the time.
Now he had 50 billion Berries in his hands.
Not only could the system unlock stronger technologies, but his research speed had also greatly increased.
With these resources—
Admiral-level Seraphim could absolutely be completed within a week.
"Oh?"
Hearing this, Sengoku became even more delighted.
Just the Warlord-level Seraphim were already incredibly powerful.
Now even Admiral-level Seraphim could be produced ahead of schedule.
If the Navy possessed several Admiral-level Seraphim…
Even the Four Emperors, one of the three great powers of the sea, could be shaken by the Navy.
This was no small matter.
Throughout the past several centuries, the balance between pirates and the Navy had constantly shifted.
Neither side had ever managed to completely destroy the other.
Thus the world widely acknowledged the balance of the three great powers—the Navy, the Four Emperors, and the Seven Warlords.
Their conflicts maintained the equilibrium of the seas.
But now—
Sengoku wanted to say it outright.
Balance?
What nonsense.
It simply existed because the Navy lacked enough power.
But in the future… it wouldn't be long.
The Navy would wipe out the other two forces entirely and bring peace to the seas.
When that happened, the entire world would undergo a tremendous transformation.
To witness such a glorious era as the Fleet Admiral of the Navy—
That would be the greatest honor of his life.
And yet…
The one who would cause this world-shaking change was an eight-year-old child.
If such a thing were written in the history books, future generations probably wouldn't believe it.
Even Sengoku himself, witnessing this unbelievable genius in person, still found it hard to accept.
So it would be perfectly reasonable if people in the future doubted it.
Looking at Xia Yu in front of him, Sengoku felt deeply emotional.
The other high-ranking Navy officers also wore excited expressions.
Admiral-level Seraphim.
The impact such weapons would have on the world was unimaginable.
Tsuru, Aokiji, and Garp looked at Xia Yu with proud smiles.
With Xia Yu as the Navy's trump card—
How could pirates possibly compete with them in the future?
Kizaru's excitement was even more obvious.
Even Admiral-level Seraphim would be produced ahead of schedule…
As expected of my little brother Xia Yu!
Moreover, mass-producing Warlord-level Seraphim was an enormous contribution to the Navy.
And since Xia Yu was his biological younger brother—and he himself had recommended Xia Yu to the Navy Science Division—
Didn't that mean he deserved some credit too?
No…
Later he would have to talk to Sengoku properly.
At the very least, he deserved a bonus for recommending such talent.
Thinking of that, Kizaru couldn't help but grin happily.
On the Red Line, in the Holy Land of Mary Geoise, inside a mysterious office villa—
Five elderly men sat solemnly together.
Each of them had a different appearance.
One had white curly hair and a scar on the left side of his face.
Another had long straight white hair.
The remaining three were equally distinct—one with blond hair and a scar across his chest, one with a mustache shaped like the character "八," and another wearing glasses and a white kimono while holding a sword.
Do not underestimate these five men.
Even the Fleet Admiral of the Navy had to respectfully obey their orders.
They were the men who stood at the pinnacle of power within the World Government—
The Five Elders.
At that moment, an intelligence officer knelt before them, hardly daring to breathe.
"Speak. What is it?" asked the elder holding the sword as he narrowed his eyes.
The intelligence officer felt as if he had been granted amnesty and hurriedly reported.
"Report, esteemed Five Elders!"
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku has arrived with ten children and requests an audience!"
Hmm?
Hearing this, the five elders' eyes briefly flickered with interest before their expressions returned to normal.
"Let them enter," one of them said calmly.
"Yes!"
The intelligence officer withdrew.
The Five Elders exchanged glances.
Each of them could see a hint of surprise in the others' eyes.
As the supreme authorities of the World Government, they were naturally aware of Xia Yu's situation.
Previously, Sengoku had hinted that he wanted them to allocate funding for the project.
But they had brushed him off.
If they were to provide funding, they first needed to see the effectiveness of the Seraphim.
Now, only three days had passed—
Yet Sengoku had already arrived with ten children.
They began discussing it quietly.
"If they're children… then those must be the Seraphim," the long-bearded elder said thoughtfully.
"Most likely," said the elder with white curly hair.
"When Sengoku first described them, he mentioned the Seraphim were child-like and there would be ten of them."
"That matches perfectly."
"But… they were completed so quickly?"
"Didn't Sengoku claim these machines would greatly surpass the Pacifistas?"
"A mere eight-year-old child creating weapons stronger than Vegapunk's technology…"
"I still find it hard to believe."
The elder holding the sword shook his head skeptically.
"Indeed. Vegapunk's technology is said to be five hundred years ahead of the world."
"To think a child could surpass him? I certainly don't believe it."
The blond elder spoke with obvious disdain.
"Even so, I know Sengoku well," the mustached elder said calmly.
"If he didn't have confidence, he wouldn't dare come here."
"Once Sengoku arrives, we'll know the truth."
At that moment—
Sengoku entered the chamber.
Behind him stood ten Seraphim.
"Greetings, esteemed Five Elders!"
"These ten child-like machines behind me are the Seraphim I mentioned before."
"Please examine them."
Sengoku spoke confidently.
It was clear that he had absolute faith in the war machines he had brought.