However, ten years was just the deadline Silas set for himself.
As for the World Government, Silas certainly could not really agree to their ten-year terms.
This was his bottom line, not the World Government's.
So after some bargaining back and forth, they finally set the time limit at twenty years. After twenty years, depending on Belly appreciation and depreciation, Sphinx would have to pay Heavenly Tribute equivalent to today's one billion Belly annually.
Both sides were satisfied.
World Government.
Atop the Red Line that separated the first and second halves of the Grand Line, in the holy city where the world's nobles, the Celestial Dragons, resided, within the Holy Land of Mariejois.
Five elderly men emanating the aura of supreme authority either stood or sat.
They appeared in the simply decorated council hall.
Creak!
As the hall's great doors opened, a figure wearing a white Marine Fleet Admiral cape, with a burly build like solid rock, walked in.
It was the current Marine Fleet Admiral, Elephant Yama!
And Elephant Yama, whose position had almost reached the pinnacle of this world, could only bow his head in respect before these five elderly men.
"Marine Fleet Admiral Elephant Yama pays respects to the Five Elders!"
Standing before Elephant Yama were the World Government's highest authorities.
The Five Elders!
"Yama, you should know why we called you here."
The first to speak was an elderly man in a black suit with a scar on his left cheek, white curly hair, and a bushy beard.
"We are very disappointed in you!"
Not only was important Heavenly Tribute plundered, but when they went to subjugate the pirates afterward, it actually resulted in an Admiral dying shamefully in battle and thousands of Marine soldiers being captured, bringing shame to the entire Marines and even the World Government.
As the World Government's highest authority, the Five Elders did not care about Marine casualties, but the Marines were the World Government's face. Slapping the Marines' face was equivalent to slapping the World Government's face.
"This is the first time, and also the last time."
The World Government did not accept threats. If that White Wolf Silas really thought he could coerce them with a few thousand Marine soldiers, he was gravely mistaken.
They would use thunderous fury to tell White Wolf Silas and his so-called White Wolf Pirates why the World Government had stood at the world's pinnacle for eight hundred years.
"Yes."
Facing the World Government's highest authority, even though Elephant Yama maintained Admiral-level strength, he still felt tremendous pressure.
This was not just in terms of power and position.
It was also in terms of strength.
Undoubtedly, as the World Government's highest authority, the Five Elders' strength was also top-tier, none of them inferior to him.
"Let Cyborg Kong be promoted to Admiral."
The Elder in a dark blue suit with straight white hair spoke indifferently.
"Then go resolve the White Wolf Pirates!"
"Sphinx can be a member nation, but the White Wolf Pirates must be annihilated. No matter who dares challenge us must pay the price!"
"What about Elbaf?"
The elder with a figure-eight mustache asked.
"Was that not where Von Braun Rona discovered White Wolf Silas?"
"Should we move against Elbaf?"
"We have been tolerant enough, giving those giants too much freedom."
Listening to the Five Elders' conversation, Elephant Yama felt his spine grow cold.
Were the Five Elders planning to move against Elbaf?
If the White Wolf Pirates really had connections to Elbaf, then hearing of Elbaf's trouble, the White Wolf Pirates would definitely go to rescue them.
They could set specific traps targeting the White Wolf Pirates.
If the White Wolf Pirates did not come, that was fine too.
As long as they conquered Elbaf, the World Government's strength would increase significantly. A White Wolf Pirates that retreated at such a time, even if they truly controlled Sphinx, would just be a group of cowardly weaklings.
A group of cowards was not worth their concern!
The World Government had long harbored thoughts of conquering Elbaf, which was why they had specifically sent people to stage a performance with Carmel.
"The CP0 agents previously sent to Elbaf were eliminated by the White Wolf Pirates, so we can deduce that Carmel had long since betrayed us."
"Capture her and judge her!"
"Let everyone know the fate of deceiving us, deceiving the World Government!"
The Five Elders' conversation completely ignored Elephant Yama's presence, yet did not give him a chance to interject. With just a few exchanges, they had decided on the plan to attack and conquer Elbaf.
Elephant Yama felt incredibly bitter inside.
Elbaf was the world's strongest nation. Even for their Marines, attacking Elbaf would require paying an extremely heavy price.
Obviously, this was the Five Elders' warning to them.
"These years, the Marines' strength has expanded too rapidly."
"The Marines do not need so many strong fighters."
"This world needs stability. Pirates are also part of maintaining stability. If the White Wolf Pirates had not challenged us, they should have been the best tools."
Only after Elephant Yama received his orders and left did the Five Elders' voices sound again.
Pirates weakening, Marines strengthening.
The result was large numbers of pirates being suppressed by Marines, unable to cause trouble.
If pirates did not plunder member nations, and those member nations did not need Marine protection, why would they obediently pay Heavenly Tribute?
So balancing the strength between Marines and pirates was something the Five Elders had been doing for eight hundred years.
Weaken the strong, support the weak.
Once uncontrollable anomalies appeared, they would personally eliminate them.
They had this confidence and this strength!
Meanwhile, after reaching an agreement with the World Government, Silas released the captured Marine soldiers as promised, allowing everyone to breathe a sigh of relief.
In fact, if the World Government had continued delaying, Silas would have become the one with a headache.
Because these thousands of Marine soldiers could really eat!
As if channeling grief and anger into appetite, the group of Marine soldiers completely made themselves at home, eating with abandon, forcing Silas to implement food rationing later.
As long as they did not starve to death, that was enough.
He was a pirate. Why should he treat a group of enemy Marines so well?
However, among the Marine soldiers, Silas saw many young and familiar faces.
Those were all children who had once lived in the House of Lambs.
"They have all grown up!"
Silas recognized them and knew they recognized him too.
But they were enemies.
Like two parallel lines that never interfered with each other. Once they intersected, there would only be slaughter.
So Silas did not disturb them. Even though he had more ambition than before, they too had their own goals and convictions.
He only hoped they would not forget their past teachings and would stay true to their hearts.
Two months later, Silas decided to return to Elbaf to welcome their little crew member.