At the same time, in the Chamber of Power in the Holy land, Mary Geoise.
The Five Elders gathered around a small glass round table, sitting in a circle.
"It's been a while since the God Valley Battle. I imagine the conflict between the Rocks Pirates and the World Government forces must be at its peak right now!"
The blonde-haired elder sat cross-legged on the sofa, his hands resting on his thighs, looking relaxed and content.
"By this stage of the God Valley Battle, the captains of the Rocks Pirates must have suffered heavy casualties!"
"We've not only deployed the Navy top fighters but also numerous experts from Enies Lobby and Impel Down, totaling over ten thousand elite World Government troops!"
"With more than fifty vice admirals and rear admirals, such a force could crush any pirate crew, even the Rocks Pirates!"
"Moreover, with the addition of the Roger Pirates, joining forces with us to take on the Rocks Pirates, we've effectively compensated for any lack of high-level combat power. In this battle, the World Government can't possibly lose!"
The long-bearded elder stood by the round table, stroking his beard with a faint smile on his face.
The Rocks Pirates indeed had countless strong fighters, especially Rocks himself, who was far superior to the rest.
But the World Government was no pushover either.
With all their top fighters mobilized, they could hold their own against the entire Rocks Pirates.
Not to mention, they had the Roger Pirates, the second strongest force in the New World, on their side.
No matter how you looked at it, it was impossible to imagine the World Government losing.
"According to our orders, the Navy has focused their efforts on Rocks. If all goes as planned, that guy should already be dead in God Valley!"
The Rocks Pirates had many strong fighters, but in the eyes of the Five Elders, the real target was their captain, Rocks.
If their spiritual pillar fell, the Rocks Pirates would be scattered and could be defeated one by one.
"I wonder how Bob is doing. Within the Rocks Pirates, his strength is not to be underestimated!" The elder in a kimono, holding the Shodai Kitetsu, said gravely.
Although he was very confident about the God Valley Battle, he couldn't quite gauge Bob strength, which made him a bit worried.
All of Mary Geoise forces had been dispatched to God Valley, leaving the headquarters vulnerable.
Considering the scale of this mobilization, it must have already caught the attention of other pirate crews.
If not for the need to prevent other pirate crews from taking advantage of the situation, he would have liked to personally participate in the God Valley Battle.
After all, since becoming one of the Five Elders, he had never once taken action.
For a swordsman, this was an incredibly lonely existence.
"Bob strength is probably slightly above Edward, but such power won't change the outcome of the God Valley Battle!" The curly-haired elder, leaning on a cane, said.
"He might have already been taken out by the Navy concentrated efforts!"
Based on past information from the Navy, Bob had once fought with Zephyr and was slightly stronger than him.
He had also clashed with the great pirate Redfield, though the outcome was unknown.
But according to the Navy accounts, since Redfield body was never found, it was likely that they had only fought to a draw.
Including these two months, Bob strength has improved compared to before, but how much could he really improve in such a short time?
At best, he might be slightly stronger than whitebeard.
However, this still wouldn't change the inevitable outcome of the Rocks Pirates' downfall.
Hearing the words of the Five Elders, the old man in a kimono nodded, feeling that his worries were somewhat unnecessary.
"With so many powerful figures in God Valley joining forces against the Rocks Pirates, not only Rocks and Bob but also Edward, Shiki, Charlotte Linlin, Wang Zhi, John, Silver Axe, and Kaido—all these key members—will fall in God Valley!"
"Moreover, the internal relationships within the Rocks Pirates are far from harmonious!" The bald old man, with his fingers interlocked and resting on his chest, sat on the green leather sofa and said.
"After the battle of God Valley, the Rocks Pirates will cease to exist!"
"The Rocks Pirates, who have been a thorn in our side for so long, are finally going to meet their end!" The blond old man smiled faintly.
"Speaking of which, after the fall of the Rocks Pirates, how should we manage the situation on the seas?" The old man in a black suit, crossing his legs, glanced at the others around him.
Although there was no news of victory from the Marines at God Valley, they all believed it was only a matter of time.
"After the fall of the Rocks Pirates, the only major pirates left in the New World will be Roger and his crew. We just need to keep an eye on their movements" the old man in a kimono said slowly.
"After all, compared to Rocks, they are just minor players with some strength. They can't shake the foundation of the World Government!"
"Don't eradicate these pirates completely, maintaining a delicate balance is enough!"
After the fall of the Rocks Pirates, the World Government full strength would be more than enough to wipe out all the major pirates in the New World.
But the reason they allowed the pirates to remain at large was that they had no intention of killing all of them.
Firstly, pirates are endless—once one group is eliminated, another will quickly emerge.
Secondly, if all the pirates in the New World were completely eradicated, the affiliated nations of the New World would no longer pay the Heavenly Tribute to the World Government.
The reason why so many nations in the New World willingly pay the Heavenly Tribute each year, seeking protection, is precisely because the pirates in the New World are too numerous, too powerful, and too brutal.
To protect their kingdoms and maintain peace within their borders, they have no choice but to pay the Heavenly Tribute to the World Government—it's essentially a form of protection money.
But if all the pirates were wiped out, would the New World still be dangerous?
Without danger, the affiliated nations would have no reason to pay the Heavenly Tribute.
For the World Government, this would mean a significant loss of revenue.
The extravagant lifestyle of the Celestial Dragons would take a hit, something the World Nobles could never accept.
Thus, for the World Government, pirates are merely tools for extracting wealth.
As long as a delicate balance is maintained, it is the most advantageous state of affairs.
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