Chapter 67 Calling the Five Elders
A time was established to assist Tesoro in transporting the goods, and after bidding him farewell, Brett dispatched an fishman to retrieve Tesoro's offerings.
Brett returned to his office and plunged into profound contemplation.
'Am I, somewhat blind?'
Regardless of whether it involved reading manga in his past life or being a fish-man in this current one, Brett held no favorable view of the World Government and instinctively perceived them as his primary enemy.
While this perspective may hold some truth, it does not imply that the World Government is an unequivocal foe.
The Navy undoubtedly aimed to apprehend him, and this time, the World Government granted their approval, that much is certain.
However, it appears that the government is reluctant to sever ties with Jinbei; it merely seeks to apprehend him discreetly, which clarifies the situation.
The government's Warlord initiative endured for more than two decades, remaining intact until Vegapunk developed astonishing new weaponry.
The Warlords serves as a crucial enhancement to the government's military capabilities, alongside the Navy.
They might be thinking that if he were captured, they could leverage his situation to coerce Jinbei.
Isn't this the dynamic that exists between the government and the Warlords?
The empress declined the summons and they threatened to launch an assault on her nation.
The government granted the Warlords protection, simultaneously attempting to devise means to capture them, only to subsequently deploy them.
Moreover, even in failure, Fish-Man Island would not dare to sever relations with them. Indeed, this is the reality.
Value is paramount; Tesoro is correct, the government only prioritizes this aspect.
Ultimately, the rationale behind the government's approval of this operation was that the demonstrated value was excessively low.
Eliminating over 10,000 pirates?
Only a handful of these pirates could endure beyond a year after venturing into the New World, not to mention the government had already renounced the New World.
What the government requires is a figure like Jinbei, who possesses strength and can provide assistance during critical moments.
Upon realizing this, Brett understood the origins of the future that Shyarly had envisioned.
From the outset, the only individual in jeopardy was himself, and Fish-Man Island would remain unaffected.
Nonetheless, one issue persists: the Five Elders likely did not foresee his own strength, as he killed all but one of the attacking Marines.
Yet, this is inconsequential; merely attaining greater value suffices.
Brett set out to locate Jinbei, and together they proceeded to find Neptune.
"I wish to speak with the Five Elders " Brett declared.
He concisely outlined his thoughts.
"Is this truly alright? " Neptune expressed concern.
"Regardless, let's attempt it," Jinbei responded with a sense of ease. "In any case, the situation cannot deteriorate further. "
Neptune hesitated for a moment, then consented, "Very well! "
Jinbei retrieved the transponder snail, upon becoming a Warlord, he received contact details for both the navy and the government. Given Jinbei's location on Fishman Island, it was challenging to inform him about any developments.
This time, Jinbei initiated a call to the government.
The call was promptly answered by a composed male voice, stating, "Is this Mr. Jinbei? What seems to be the issue? "
Jinbei shared a glance with Brett before taking a deep breath and declared, "I need to get in touch with the Five Elders. I demand an explanation from them! "
The person on the other end of the line was momentarily taken aback, then responded courteously, "I apologize, Mr. Jinbei. The Five Elders are currently occupied with matters, and unfortunately, I cannot connect you with them. If there is something else you wish to discuss, please let me know. "
"I have already stated that I wish to speak with the Five Elders!" Jinbei retorted angrily. "If they refuse, I will resign from from being a Warlord! "
". . . "
A silence ensued on the line.
"I am Neptune! "
Neptune picked up the phone and shouted assertively, "If the Five Elders do not provide an explanation today, I will withdraw the Dragon Kingdom from the World Government and simultaneously inform the press to reveal the government's disgrace to the world! "
"Th-this--"
The person on the other end of the phone immediately became flustered and stammered, "I, I will notify my superiors at once. Please, do not lose your temper. "
In unison, Jinbei and Neptune exhaled in relief.
Brett gave them a thumbs up.
Both of them are gentle by nature, yet displaying such anger is out of the ordinary for them.
Shortly, the person on the line changed, stating, "Mr. Jinbei, King Neptune, the Five Elders have agreed to speak with you. Please hold for a moment. "
Before long, the face of the transponder snail altered, and a long beard emerged.
"Jinbei, Neptune, you dare to issue us threats. " The voice, sounding aged yet full of vigor, maintained a composed demeanor.
Brett took the phone bug from Neptune's hand, his tone growing irate, "You should first provide us with an explanation. Five Elders, what is the reason behind the navy being dispatched to Fish-Man Island to assassinate me. "
The Five Elders on the other line was slightly taken aback, asking, "Are you the fishman, Brett? "
Mary Geoise.
Upon hearing the voice on the phone, the expressions of the other four Five Elders shifted dramatically.
"Failed? "
The blond Elder, Saint Ju Peter shook his head, stating, "They were useless "
"Indeed."
In Dragon Palace, Brett affirmed.
"Navy? What navy? "
The voice on the other end of the call exhibited a calm demeanor, stating, "Initially, I believed that executing a Navy rear admiral was audacious enough, but I did not anticipate your audacity in casting blame on the government now."
This aligns with expectations.
Brett responded with a sneer, saying, "Murdering a rear Admiral? What are you referring to? I have no recollection of such an act."
"In contrast, although I eliminated the bald leader and the three unfortunate individuals, the red-haired one remains alive. He has already provided a detailed account of their backgrounds and their plan, of apprehending me. Ha, you truly do not regard us with any seriousness whatsoever. "
Mary Geoise.
The five elders were taken aback once more.
"Is Balian dead? " inquired Saint Valcurie the bald Elder, astonished.
The person identified as Balian is a seasoned Vice Admiral within the navy, with a tenure surpassing most in the Navy.
Even though his prowess is not at the pinnacle among standard Vice Admirals, he is certainly not to be underestimated.
"Did he manage to kill him? " The bearded Elder, Saint Mars expressed with surprise.
"While I suspect it may be Jinbei, does this fishman possess any motivation to fabricate such a claim at this juncture? " Saint Ju Peter furrowed his brow, "Is that young man truly that powerful? "
The expression of Saint Mars shifted slightly, yet his tone remained composed, "Cease feigning ignorance, Fishman Brett; the government is already aware of your transgression. You may take pride in the absence of evidence, but you must recognize that in numerous situations, our assessment serves as the evidence. "
Dragon Palace.
"Are you intending to breach the Warlord agreement? " Jinbei approached, expressing his anger.
"Additionally, Brett is an official of the Dragon Palace Kingdom! " Neptune vociferously declared, "The government lacks the authority to act against him."
"It is the fishman who has contravened the Warlord agreement, and Neptune, the killing of naval officers cannot be concealed. " Saint Mars's tone remained even.
"In that case, we shall engage in a fight to the death! " Neptune bellowed, "From this point onward, Jinbei quit being a Warlord and the Dragon Kingdom will dissociate from the World Government. We will obliterate the barrier around Fish-Man Island to prevent any human from setting foot on it! "
"Five Elders, your government should brace for retribution from the depths of the sea! "
Mary Geoise.
Saint Mars experienced a twitch at the corner of his mouth.
Saint Nusjuro, the bald elder with spectacles and white robes shook his heads in resignation, moving closer to take the transponder snail, "Enough of this tedious banter; there is no need for subterfuge. Let us address the matter directly: Neptune, Jinbei, and Brett, who do you believe is safeguarding you? "
"Jinbei, the offense committed by Brett is sufficient grounds for your expulsion from being a Warlord. However, Brett, your actions have now constituted an even greater crime. You ought to commence preparations for the navy's counteraction. "
Dragon Palace.
Brett's lips formed a smile as he remarked, "Are you finally conceding that you dispatched the navy to eliminate me? "
"I never stated that. "
Saint Nusjuro expressed, "My intention is for you to recognize your true identity. Only the government has the capacity to provide you with protection. In the absence of government support, there will be no safe harbor for you across the entire ocean. "
Brett felt an overwhelming sense of relief, nearly laughing aloud, "Do we need to express our gratitude to you? "
"Unless you desire to provoke a war."
"The government acts out of benevolence, Jinbei. We have but one request. Should you comply with orders moving forward, we can choose to overlook this incident. " said Saint Nusjuro in a serious manner.
"If you cease to cause disturbances, I certainly will have no motive to breach the agreement," Jinbei's tone had mellowed significantly.
"Excellent, remember your words. Should you violate the agreement once more, Fish-Man Island will be expelled from the World Government for providing refuge to criminals, thereby inviting a governmental crusade,"
He continued, "As for you, Fishman Brett, you claimed to have eliminated a group of criminals masquerading as the navy and requested we communicate with the surviving person. If the circumstances are as stated, we cannot ignore this. You have shown mercy. "
Brett smirked slightly, "Really? Do you truly wish to inquire of that 'criminal'?"
Brett swiftly returned to the immigration bureau, subsequently handing the phone to the red-haired marine, requesting him to converse with the Elder privately.
"Your Excellency? "
Bastiu felt a profound sense of shame. The mission had failed, leaving him as the sole survivor. Now, should he allow the Five Elders to negotiate with the Warlord to ensure his safety?
"Bastiu. "
Saint Nusjuro, who had consistently claimed ignorance regarding the events, asked, "Is Balian dead? What transpired previously? "
Bastiu felt weighed down but responded earnestly. "The five of us attempted to ambush Fishman Brett and located him. He was alone, situated far from the town, and we ensured he had no opportunity to summon assistance. We chose the place and time. "
"However, I cannot comprehend how he uncovered our plan. He incapacitated me instantly upon our encounter. When I regained consciousness, it became evident that Vice Admiral Balian and the others had perished at his hands. "
The five elders exchanged glances.
"Bastiu's abilities are quite average, yet he holds the rank of Rear Admiral at our headquarters. He should have dispatched him effortlessly. That fishman must possess the strength equivalent to a Vice Admiral in our ranks. "
Saint Ju Peter contemplated, stating, "Since this was an ambush, Jinbei would not have accompanied him. It appears he did not fabricate his story; Balian was indeed killed by him."
"In that case, does he even possess strength nearing that of a Warlord?" Saint Valcurie expressed his astonishment, stating, "That fishman is still quite young, correct? He likely possesses greater potential than Jinbei."
In this scenario—
"Bastiu, please pass the transponder snail to that Fishman." Saint Nusjuro instructed.
After retrieving the transponder snail from the grasp of the red-haired marine, Brett received a message from the Five Elders, declaring, "Brett, we are willing to overlook your transgressions, but as a member of the Sun Pirates, when Jinbei lacks sufficient strength or requires assistance, you are obligated to comply with the government's orders. "
"What is the implication of that? "
Brett responded with a smile, "I am clearly not a Warlord, yet I am expected to fulfill the responsibilities associated with being one? "
"You have the option to decline. "
"I am willing to assist Brother Jinbei, when needed. "
Brett smirked, "However, for me to acquiesce to this stipulation, the government must also consider my demands. "
"Are you attempting to extort us? "
"No, I merely wish to establish a business arrangement with the government. We have identified a significant iron mine located on the seabed. While we have numerous partners already, our production capacity is expandable. I am curious if you are interested. "
"Iron ore? "
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