One Piece: King of the World-Chapter 356: Digging Another Pit for the Five Elders!
Hearing Claudius's words, the bearded elder pondered for a moment before speaking.
"You say the world is in chaos and the Reverie is right around the corner.
It's true that we shouldn't stir up unnecessary trouble, and in the end, this isn't something Sengoku alone should be blamed for.
However, an incident is still an incident, and someone must take responsibility.
That is unavoidable."
Sengoku's eyes lit up at those words.
"Exactly! If we can delay it, we should delay it. By the time we get around to it, it'll be too late to pin it all on me!" he said.
"After the Reverie is over, we'll settle the score with you, Sengoku," Nusjuro, the bald elder, said with a nod.
With that, Claudius had successfully deflected the issue of Sengoku's punishment, pushing it off until "autumn." But whether that season would ever arrive was another matter entirely.
"Now, let's focus on the most pressing matter, what's the status of Marineford?" Nusjuro asked.
Sengoku shook his head.
"The island's foundation is completely destroyed. Simply put, Marineford is going to sink gradually. With the floating island mechanism, it won't go under completely, but the landmass has been torn apart, turning it into an archipelago."
"In other words, it's unusable?" Nusjuro asked, a hint of emotion in his voice.
After all, Marineford had been the Marine Headquarters for 800 years. Even though they had been prepared for the worst before the war, now that it had actually happened, it still felt somewhat surreal.
Sengoku nodded.
"Yes, it's no longer viable as Marine Headquarters. However, with some modifications, it could still serve as an important Marine base to help protect Mariejois."
"Then preparations must be made accordingly. Since Marineford is no longer an option, we must establish a new Marine Headquarters. Do you have any plans?" Nusjuro asked.
"According to our strategic plan, eliminating the Whitebeard Pirates was just the first step in the Marines' efforts to end the Great Pirate Era.
The next phase will focus entirely on the New World.
Whether it's Kaido, the prison escapees, Shiki, or Big Mom, we will systematically eliminate them.
To demonstrate the strength and determination of the Marines, we've decided to relocate Marine Headquarters to the New World.
What do the Five Elders think about G-1?" Sengoku explained.
The Marine plan to suppress the Great Pirate Era wasn't a secret. The Five Elders had been aware of it for years, and it had been in the works for over a decade. Only now was significant progress being made.
Eliminating the Whitebeard Pirates was like toppling the greatest pillar of this era's pirate forces. With this accomplished, it was only natural to keep up the momentum.
Sengoku's proposal made perfect sense.
"G-1's location is quite favorable," the bearded elder nodded in agreement.
"Are you certain?" Nusjuro asked again.
Sengoku nodded.
"From the moment we planned to take down the Whitebeard Pirates, we allocated forces to G-1 in preparation for using it as a forward base to enter the New World.
Additionally, if something happened to Marineford, we needed a backup plan to maintain Marine Headquarters' authority.
We prepared for both outcomes, if Marineford remained intact, G-1 would be our stepping stone into the New World. If Marineford fell, G-1 would serve as the new Marine Headquarters."
Updat𝓮d from frёewebnoѵēl.com.
Of course, Sengoku was just saying this to pacify the Five Elders. In reality, his main goal had always been to relocate Marine Headquarters. But it was easier to present it this way and go along with the flow.
The Five Elders saw no reason to doubt him. Seeing how well-thought-out his argument was, they all nodded.
"Very well, G-1 it is. This must be executed as soon as possible—Marine authority cannot be diminished!"
"Understood!" Sengoku responded immediately.
"Also, the Reverie is fast approaching. Make sure the Marines are prepared," Nusjuro added.
"Yes!" Sengoku replied.
"So, what are your plans for the New World after the Reverie?" the bearded elder asked.
At that moment, Claudius interjected.
"I have some thoughts on that."
"Oh? Let's hear them," Nusjuro said with a smile.
The Five Elders had a favorable impression of Claudius.
The war against the Whitebeard Pirates had fully demonstrated his capabilities on the battlefield.
Aside from the unexpected incident at Impel Down, the overall war had played out precisely as Claudius had envisioned.
From instigating Blackbeard, Marshall D. Teach, to the moment Whitebeard fell at Marineford, every step of the plan had been executed flawlessly.
The Whitebeard Pirates had been crushed through strategy rather than brute force alone, a testament to Claudius's brilliance.
Because of this, his words carried considerable weight.
"Whether it's Charlotte Linlin or Golden Lion Shiki, neither of them can be allowed to roam free.
Right now, they're likely gathering intelligence, trying to catch up on what's happened in the world during their absence. But this adjustment period won't last long.
Once the Reverie ends, they'll probably start making big moves.
Kaido and Charlotte Linlin are bound to clash at some point.
Much of Shiki's old territory was taken over by Kaido and Big Mom. Given his personality, he won't just let that slide.
A pirate civil war could break out.
The Seven Warlords of the Sea might serve as a key force in all this, playing a crucial role in the upcoming conflict," Claudius said thoughtfully.
The Five Elders nodded. His analysis was straightforward, nothing surprising. But that didn't mean it was meaningless.
"And what do you propose?" the bearded elder asked.
"I haven't worked out the specifics yet, but since I probably won't be attending the Reverie, I'll have time to refine my plans.
I intend to gather the Seven Warlords of the Sea for a meeting and make strategic arrangements based on the current situation.
There's still one vacant spot in the Warlords, so we'll need to fill it. I'll also take this opportunity to hear their thoughts," Claudius said casually.
His tone was completely nonchalant, and the Five Elders didn't detect anything unusual. However, Sengoku's gaze lowered slightly.
"Is His Highness planning to bring all the Warlords to Mariejois in broad daylight?" Sengoku mused inwardly.
Mariejois held a unique status, and normally, the Warlords wouldn't be allowed to set foot there so easily, especially not during the Reverie.
Given Mariejois's security systems, sneaking them in unnoticed would be difficult.
Naturally, Claudius needed a way to make this gathering seem "legitimate."
Under normal circumstances, the Five Elders wouldn't agree to this.
But with Claudius backing it, things were different.
Besides, four of the current Warlords—Doflamingo, Crocodile, Boa Hancock, and Enel—were all members of CP-X, meaning they were essentially under Claudius's control.
As for Dracule Mihawk and Bartholomew Kuma—one had cooperated with Marine science for years and would soon become a mindless war machine, while the other was a lone swordsman with no particular allegiance.
Still, the Five Elders hesitated slightly. Something about this felt… off.
Noticing this, Claudius casually added,
"Doflamingo was already attending the Reverie as Dressrosa's king, so it's not an issue.
Crocodile will likely finalize his control over Alabasta before the Reverie, fully bringing the country under the World Government.
As for the Pirate Empress, I plan to arrange for Amazon Lily to become an official member of the World Government.
And Enel—well, he's just an adventurer.
That only leaves Mihawk and Kuma, who aren't exactly 'our people,' making them a bit trickier to handle."
By framing it this way, Claudius subtly implied that the majority of the Warlords were already aligned with them—so there was nothing to worry about.
The Five Elders thought about it.
Doflamingo would be at the Reverie anyway.
If Amazon Lily could join the World Government, that would be beneficial.
This would also be a good time to discuss Alabasta's situation.
Seeing the logic, the bearded elder finally said,
"Very well."
