Chapter 538: The Seven Warlords of the Sea (Part 2)
"I agree!"
"I agree!"
"I agree!"
Saint Shepherd Ju Peter's proposal received the unanimous consent of the others. Indeed, if Gecko Moria joined the Seven Warlords, it would be the equivalent of the World Government driving a nail into the New World. This would only benefit them.
"Very well, Gecko Moria will be added to the list of candidates. Does anyone else have a selection?" said Saint Marcus Mars, the plan's instigator, who had naturally become the facilitator of the meeting. "Besides Moria, are there any other candidates?"
His question sent the others into deep thought. The Seven Warlords of the Sea was not a title that just any stray cat or dog could hold. A candidate had to possess great fame, catastrophic destructive power, and a military force comparable to a nation. The goal was to create a power that could rival the three Emperors of the New World and to sow discord among the pirates. The recent alliance of the three Emperors had been a massive shock to the World Government. A single pirate crew might not be a concern, but when they united, the pressure on the World Government was immense. Therefore, any candidate had to meet these conditions.
"I originally had two candidates in mind," Saint Mars said, breaking the silence. "Sir Crocodile and 'Hawkeye' Dracule Mihawk. Both are infamous pirates. Crocodile challenged Whitebeard and, although he was defeated, he managed to survive. He also fought Douglas Bullet, the vice-captain of the Rockefeller Pirates, to a draw. He is absolutely qualified to be on this list."
"As for Dracule Mihawk, a master swordsman who challenged Rockefeller Charlotte and was personally acknowledged by him, he is also qualified. However, they are both now vice-captains of the Buggy Pirates, subordinates of that crewmate of the Pirate King. This makes things... difficult."
"Sir Crocodile and Dracule Mihawk," the other Elders murmured, pondering the names.
"The Buggy Pirates... a crewmate of the Pirate King. Where is he now?" asked Saint Topman Warcury.
"In the South Blue," replied Saint Jaygarcia Saturn. "After wandering the North Blue for three years, he suddenly went to the South Blue."
"The South Blue, you say?" Warcury mused. "Actually, the Buggy Pirates could also be invited. It's just that the status of 'Roger Pirate' gives one pause."
The Buggy Pirates lacked nothing in terms of fame or power. The only thing that gave the Five Elders a headache was that connection to the Pirate King.
"Pause? Why should we pause?" Saint Shepherd Ju Peter interjected suddenly. "Isn't the very reason we are creating the Seven Warlords to divide the pirates? To have a crewmate of the Pirate King himself join the Warlords... what could be a greater opportunity to create division than this?"
His words were a flash of inspiration for everyone present. That's right, isn't that the whole point? If even a Roger Pirate joined them, what could be more shocking? It would be a heavy blow to the pirates' arrogance and solidarity.
"I agree!" someone immediately seconded.
The selection was approved. Saint Mars, as the one who proposed them, naturally nodded in agreement. Seeing that everyone was on board, the choice was finalized.
"We now have two candidates. Are there any other recommendations?" Mars asked.
The meeting fell silent once more. After a long pause, no one could propose another name. The Great Age of Pirates was only five years old; many of the figures who would later shake the world had not yet appeared on the stage.
"In that case, we will wait for suitable candidates to emerge before discussing this further. The Warlord system is still in its infancy," Mars concluded. He then turned to the silent Saint Jaygarcia Saturn. "Saturn, you will be the one to inform the Navy. Do not let them interfere with the World Government's arrangements."
Saturn opened his eyes, looked at Mars, and gave a reluctant nod. "I will not allow the Navy to obstruct the orders of the World Government," he said.
The meeting ended. With the new orders given, the machinery of the World Government began to turn. The first priority was to preserve the remaining strength of the Navy. It would take at least a decade to recover from this defeat. For the next ten years, the Marines would have no power to launch another offensive into the New World. This would have a huge impact on the future global landscape. With the Navy on the defensive, countless ambitious individuals would have the opportunity to realize their dreams.
When Morgans' news report detailing the latest from the New World battlefield was published, the world was thrown into an uproar. The Navy, the unshakable institution of eight hundred years, had been defeated. Their full force—over fifty thousand elites, multiple Admirals, and even the Fleet Admiral himself—had been deployed, only to be defeated by the three Emperors of the New World after just one day of fighting.
What did this mean? It meant the Navy no longer had the power to suppress the seas.
For a moment, everyone who saw the newspaper was speechless. But when they recovered, the ambitious among them let out chilling, unsettling laughs.
"Zehahahahahaha!"
"Fufufufufufufu!"
"Gyahahahahaha!"
Countless laughs echoed across the world. The shackles above their heads had been loosened. The Sword of Damocles that had hung over them had vanished.
Aboard the Poseidon in the New World.
"Father, while we were pursuing the Marines, the Big Mom Pirates took some of our territories in the first half of the New World," Esdeath reported, walking over with an intelligence brief.
Charlotte took the report with a blank expression, glanced at it, and then tossed it aside.
"Where are the Marines now?" he asked, looking at Carter.
Carter immediately reported the organized intelligence. "The Fleet Admiral has returned to Marine Headquarters, taking a large number of officers with him. Currently, only Admiral Sengoku is stationed on the islands near the Red Line. It seems they do not intend to abandon their territories closest to the continent."
Charlotte leaned back in his main seat, closing his eyes.
"Return," he said suddenly. The single word caught everyone in the room off guard.
"We are turning back," Charlotte announced, opening his eyes, his voice filled with killing intent. "We will abandon the islands near the Red Line for now. We will focus all our efforts on dealing with the Big Mom Pirates' invasion. Drive them back!"
Charlotte Linlin had not abided by the terms of their agreement. Therefore, she could not blame him for being merciless.
"Yes, sir!" all the commanders said, rising in unison.
Another conflict was about to begin. On an island somewhere in the first half of the New World, a flag bearing the insignia of the Big Mom Pirates now fluttered over the war-torn landscape.
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