"Admiral Akainu can't be healed?"
The Five Elders were stunned upon hearing the subordinate's report.
After so many days, he still couldn't be treated?
"Why can't he be healed?" Saint Nusjuro frowned at the CP member standing before him. "Explain in detail."
"Yes."
The CP member swallowed hard before speaking. "We've tried numerous methods to heal the hole in Admiral Akainu's abdomen, but each time it reverts to its original state."
"It's as if... as if there's some invisible energy affecting Admiral Akainu's body."
They had attempted countless approaches—Devil Fruit abilities, special medical equipment, even some of Vegapunk's machines—but unfortunately, none could change Admiral Akainu's current condition.
Hearing this, the five elders' expressions darkened.
After a moment of contemplation, Saint Saturn asked, "Have you tried Sea Stone?"
Though the Blood-Eyed Ninja wasn't a Devil Fruit Ability User, Sea Stone might still have unexpected effects.
"That..."
"Speak!"
"Vegapunk said Admiral Akainu's condition is unique. Using Sea Stone might kill him on the spot," the CP member replied.
Saint Saturn fell silent, then nodded. "That is indeed a possibility."
If that energy remained attached to Sakazuki's body, using Sea Stone would indeed be suicidal. After all... without the ability for Elemental Transformation, such injuries would be fatal to Akainu. So avoiding Sea Stone was the right call.
"Very well. You're dismissed," Saint Nusjuro waved his hand.
"Yes!"
The CP member bowed respectfully and left.
Once he was gone, Saint Warcury spoke up. "If Sakazuki truly can't be healed, we'll need to adjust our plans."
"Indeed," Saint Mars rubbed his temples. "We can't have an incurably wounded man as the Marine Fleet Admiral."
They had high hopes for Sakazuki, but if he couldn't fulfill the role, those hopes were meaningless.
"Are we supposed to let Aokiji become Fleet Admiral instead?" Saint Shepherd frowned. "I'm not satisfied with him."
During the Buster Call on Ohara, that man had privately released Nico Robin, the Devil's Child! This proved his ideals were flawed, so he had no desire to see him as Fleet Admiral.
"I also oppose him becoming Fleet Admiral," Saint Saturn said.
Saint Saturn knew Aokiji well.
Lazy Justice?
No!
That was no Lazy Justice at all!
That guy clearly disagrees with the World Government's methods, which is why he reacted that way!
Someone like him can serve as an Admiral, but absolutely cannot become Fleet Admiral!
He can be the blade, but never the hand that wields it!
"So what should we do?" Saint Nusjuro frowned. "Are we supposed to make Borsalino the Marine Fleet Admiral?"
As soon as these words were spoken, the other four fell into silence.
Then, an image of Borsalino involuntarily surfaced in all five of their minds.
(How terrifying~)
The Five Elders: "..."
"He somehow feels even less suitable than Aokiji," Saint Shepherd remarked with a twitching lip.
That guy's level of slacking off far surpasses Aokiji's. Who knows how this bastard ended up like this.
"Borsalino is indeed unsuitable," Saint Saturn stated.
As he spoke, Saint Saturn glanced at the other four old men and continued, "That man ate the Glint-Glint Fruit and became the Glint Man—the Marine Admiral with the greatest mobility."
"Having someone like that become Fleet Admiral and remain stationed at Marine Headquarters would be a tremendous waste."
In his view, someone like Borsalino was best suited to remain a mobile Marine Admiral, as that would maximize his usefulness!
Saint Warcury pondered for a moment before nodding. "That makes sense."
The Holy Land might also require the support of Marine Admirals, so Borsalino—the fastest among them—truly couldn't afford to become Fleet Admiral.
"Then let's not consider him. We should focus on Sakazuki instead," Saint Nusjuro said.
Borsalino's personality is just too damn infuriating. Making him Fleet Admiral would be a disaster.
Besides... given his temperament, he might not even be willing to accept the position. So Sakazuki is the better choice.
"That may be true, but the problem is his injuries can't be treated right now," Saint Warcury pointed out.
Of course, they knew Sakazuki was more suitable, but the issue was his wounds couldn't be healed!
"Just because they can't be treated now doesn't mean they won't be treatable in the future," Saint Saturn countered.
"But Sengoku has already submitted his resignation!" Saint Mars interjected. "At most, we can delay it for another month or two."
"Then we'll make the decision in a month or two!" Saint Saturn declared. "If Sakazuki still can't be healed by then..."
He paused, then sighed. "We'll have no choice but to go with Aokiji."
Although he wasn't particularly fond of Aokiji as a Marine Admiral, if Sakazuki couldn't take the position, Aokiji would have to do. After all... Aokiji was far more competent than Borsalino!
As for parachuting in an outsider as Fleet Admiral—that was out of the question. Without sufficient prestige, no one could hold that position securely. The Five Elders had never even considered that option from the start.
The other four old men fell silent for a moment before nodding. "It seems we have no other choice."
They could only hope their top candidate, Sakazuki, would recover soon, so they could have the most obedient Fleet Admiral possible!
Once this matter was settled, they turned their attention away from it.
Then, their gazes shifted to the Wanted Poster on the table—the one belonging to Meiser.
The Five Elders were discussing the situation when Mars remarked, "This guy's abilities are quite bizarre. There's a high probability they can affect our Undying Bodies."
"Most likely," Saturn nodded in agreement. "His powers seem to involve time or space, which could indeed suppress our Undying Bodies."
"If we fight him... it's best not to get pierced by that spear of his."
Even though they wouldn't die if cut in half, being unable to regenerate would still render them combat ineffective.
At that point... whether they were killed or not wouldn't make much difference.
"Easier said than done," Mars sighed, rubbing his temples.
Their Haki was indeed formidable, but that brat was no pushover either!
After all... he had wounded two Marine Admirals during the war!
Just then, a series of explosions echoed from outside, as if someone was bombarding Mary Geoise.
"Boom!!"
"Boom!!"
"Boom!!"
"Hmm?"
Glancing toward the window, Mars frowned. "What's going on? Where are those explosions coming from?"
Were the Celestial Dragons setting off bombs in the Holy Land, or had the slaves revolted?
"Something's wrong... very wrong!!" Saturn said, his eyes closed as he used Observation Haki to sense the situation outside. "There are many unfamiliar presences out there. Those sounds are coming from their artillery fire."
"Unfamiliar presences?!"
Hearing Saturn's words, their expressions immediately darkened.
Had the Revolutionaries they'd been worrying about stormed Mary Geoise?
Damn it, what were the guards outside doing? Why hadn't they received any reports?
"Useless fools," Nusjuro said, standing up. "They didn't even notice the Revolutionaries breaking in."
"Not necessarily the Revolutionaries," Warcury muttered, frowning. "I think it's more likely the slaves have rebelled."
"Rebelled?"
"That's impossible!" Saturn retorted. "Without outside help, those slaves couldn't possibly—"
He cut himself off mid-sentence, his face twisting in disbelief. "Unless... it's that—"
Before he could finish, the door to the room suddenly slammed open, and a voice shouted from outside, "Elders! I have urgent news to report!"
Interrupted, Saturn fell silent for a moment before growling, "Enter!"
"Bang!"
The door was thrown open, and a man rushed in, dropping to his knees in reverence.
"Elders, the slaves have revolted," the man reported, bowing his head.
"So it's true..." Warcury murmured, his frown deepening.
This matched what he'd sensed with his Observation Haki—the slaves had indeed risen up.
He then asked, "Have you determined the cause?"
"N-not yet..."
"Not yet?!" Warcury's voice rose sharply. "What the hell are you all doing?"
If the commotion had reached them here, it meant the slaves had been active outside for some time.
In this situation... Have these idiots still not figured out what's going on?
Were all their previous orders given in vain?
What a bunch of useless trash!
"We only know someone freed those slaves, but we don't know who yet."
"Have the Celestial Dragons been secured?" Saint Nusjuro asked.
"We've already sent men to protect the nobles, but..."
Upon hearing this "but," Saint Nusjuro's expression darkened, and a bad premonition arose in his heart.
"Speak!"
"Several Celestial Dragons have already been killed," the man said with a grim expression.
As he spoke, beads of cold sweat appeared on his forehead, clearly under immense pressure.
With so many Celestial Dragons dead this time, he might...
"What about their guards?"
"They're dead too."
This statement left the Five Elders completely silent.
After a moment, Saint Warcury spoke: "To think someone could silently kill multiple Celestial Dragons...
"Who could have done this?"
Someone capable of freeing large numbers of slaves while simultaneously killing several Celestial Dragons...
Their strength must be formidable!
"Could it be that guy?" Saint Saturn interjected.
He'd had this thought earlier but hadn't voiced it until now.
"You mean the Blood-Eyed Ninja?"
"Yes."
Saint Saturn nodded. "That guy possesses several special abilities well-suited for infiltration. It might very well be him." Beyond this, Saint Saturn couldn't think of anyone else who could sneak into Mary Geoise undetected.
After all... the place is swarming with guards!
"Could it really be him?" Saint Warcury frowned.
Would the Blood-Eyed Ninja they'd been searching for actually come to Mary Geoise to cause trouble?
Does that make sense?
At that moment, an armored guard came running and shouted, "Elders! We've identified the enemy who came to the Holy Land this time!"
Hearing this, the Five Elders' eyes lit up.
Not even bothering to reprimand the guard for his breach of protocol, Saint Warcury immediately demanded, "Speak! Who is it?!"
"The Blood-Eyed Ninja!"
"That man is currently in the eastern sector of the Holy Land!" the guard reported quickly.
He'd seen it clearly—the man striking that strange pose was none other than the Blood-Eyed Ninja they'd been monitoring closely!!
The Five Elders: ???
Wait, it's really him?
"That bastard's got more nerve than I imagined!" Saint Warcury slammed the table. "To actually dare cause chaos in our Holy Land!!"
"Is he trying to emulate Fisher Tiger's liberation of Mary Geoise's slaves?"
Recalling that Fish-man's face, Saint Warcury's eyes turned icy.
"It appears so," Saint Saturn said grimly.
He couldn't think of any other reason for the ninja to come to Mary Geoise.
"You two—go alert the Holy Land's soldiers immediately and have them suppress those slaves," Saint Mars said with chilling finality. "No survivors. Understood?!"
They could always capture more slaves later, so he wasn't concerned about losses.
"Yes!"
The two men kneeling on the floor nodded, then turned to leave.
"The slave situation is manageable; the guards should be enough to suppress them," Saint Saturn said. "But that Blood-Eyed Ninja..."
Though he didn't finish his sentence, the other four understood his meaning.
Relying on the guards' strength alone, it would be impossible to capture that Blood-Eyed Ninja with an Undying Body!
After all, that guy's power is truly formidable!
Only by mobilizing a Marine Admiral or the God's Knights would there be a chance to take him down!
"Notify the God's Knights," Saint Nusjuro said. "Send someone to assess the situation."
They needed to see if the Blood-Eyed Ninja's abilities could truly counter their Undying Bodies!
If they were indeed countered, these five old men wouldn't risk going out carelessly. But if not... then they would make sure this guy witnessed the terror of demons firsthand!
The others grasped Nusjuro's intent and nodded in silent agreement.
"Not only should we notify the God's Knights, but we must also have the Marines dispatch an Admiral for support!" Saint Warcury said coldly. "This time, we'll ensure that damned Blood-Eyed Ninja stays for good!"
Since this bastard had delivered himself to their doorstep, there was no need for courtesy.
They would simply move to capture him outright!
"Absolutely right!" Saint Saturn sneered. "This time, he'll become my experimental specimen."
"Even dead is fine!"
As long as they obtained that guy's body, they could clone a Blood-Eyed Ninja!
Who knows—perhaps they could even create a Seraphim with Ninjutsu abilities. Saint Saturn mused inwardly.
As if struck by inspiration, his eyes gleamed with excitement.
"Seconded!"
"Then it's settled—we must capture that Bloodline Ninja!"