Mariejois, inside the former World Government Headquarters building. The former office of the Gorosei.
This space had been temporarily requisitioned by the Navy to serve as their internal meeting room. The office was vast, so there was no need to worry about it being cramped. Previously, it would have been impossible for the Navy to station a large-scale force in Mariejois, but now, the Navy was the undisputed leader of the new era.
While Marineford remained the primary Headquarters, Mariejois was set to become the Navy's secondary development hub, providing formidable security for the Pan-Global Covenant United Organization.
Inside the office, Fleet Admiral Sengoku sat on a sofa, perusing a document. The day's Reverie proceedings had concluded, leaving them in a period of "free time." However, everyone was so busy that "free time" was a mere formality. Garp, Tsuru, Gion, and others were all present.
Even though some time had passed, Diarmuid still felt a sense of cognitive dissonance every time he looked at the rejuvenated Tsuru. It was as if her original, steady aura had vanished along with her wrinkles; seeing her looking so young made her feel somewhat "unreliable," though he knew that was just an illusion.
"We can settle these matters internally. The Commander-in-Chief's view is that the future garrison of Mariejois should be jointly managed by the Navy, the Revolutionary Army, and the CP agencies. I believe this is acceptable; if the Navy were to handle it alone, the various Royal Families might not feel entirely at ease," Sengoku said, putting down the file and looking at the group.
After all, Mariejois was not Marineford.
Tsuru nodded. "That is logical. There is little else to say on the matter."
The others had no major objections either. Diarmuid, however, had zero interest in participating in these administrative discussions. He sat on a separate sofa, casually cleaning his ears with an ear pick.
"So many things to rebuild. I never realized Mariejois was plagued by so many complications. I'm simply not suited for this; many of these matters are beyond my expertise..." Sengoku sighed.
The systems were fundamentally different. Back at Marineford, he always felt that the people in Mariejois were just idling away, doing nothing but collecting money. But now that he was actually dealing with the affairs of the Holy Land, Sengoku felt a massive headache coming on. He was a Fleet Admiral, but above all, he was a soldier. He truly couldn't handle these messy international affairs.
He already wanted to leave this cursed place.
Diarmuid flicked away a bit of earwax and spoke up bluntly: "This shouldn't be our concern anyway. Hurry up and delegate. Isn't Dragon the Secretary-General now? He's handed his military authority over to the Commander-in-Chief. I'd say he has a real knack for this stuff. Let him handle the arrangements, form a cabinet-style team, and quickly elect the first 'Top Boss' of this Pan-Global Covenant United Organization. Once that's done, we can wash our hands of these trifles."
"You think I don't want to get this settled? But that first 'President' seat is a red-hot position. Countless eyes are on it. Coordinating the interests of all parties to get them to elect someone quickly is basically impossible," Sengoku said helplessly.
Currently, the broad framework of the Reverie had been established. They were now in the "haggling" phase. With the birth of a brand-new global organization, every position was a lucrative prize. No one wanted to back down.
According to the previous treaties, the Navy could not seize the most vital seats, but they did have a delegation, and a significant one at that, to represent the Navy's will. This was only natural; if the Navy meddled too much and took too many positions, it would clearly skew the organization's direction, which didn't fit the future global landscape. Besides, the Navy had no intention of getting too bogged down in such politics.
Without the Navy taking the lead, the others naturally refused to yield to one another. It was a free-for-all. It wasn't just the "Kings of the hundred nations" anymore; all former affiliated nations of the World Government were responding to the call of the Pan-Global Covenant United Organization, along with a massive number of previously non-affiliated nations seeking to join.
Representatives were rushing to Mariejois from all corners of the globe.
"Who are currently the most likely candidates for the 'President' position?" Diarmuid asked.
"The Commander-in-Chief, Stussy-san, Dragon, King Sarunbel, and..." Sengoku listed.
Kong, Stussy, and Dragon needed no explanation. The others were various kings with significant prestige among the affiliated nations. In truth, had Cobra not died and Alabasta not fallen into such chaos, he would have carried immense weight as well. This proved that prestige was one thing, but actual capability was another.
Commander-in-Chief Kong was clearly looking to transition into this new field, and the Navy naturally supported him. However, Kong himself had stated he didn't intend to be the first President. He knew his background as a soldier made his style too rigid for the role. He planned to start as a Vice President, learn the ropes, and perhaps aim for the top spot later.
The President position would rotate every four years through a public vote, with a limit of two consecutive terms, meaning a maximum of eight years. This rotation would occur during each Reverie. Since Kong had bowed out of the first term, the Navy's direct bid went quiet. Otherwise, no one else would have even had a chance to audition for the lead role.
Stussy was also clearly transitioning. She currently held what was arguably the highest authority in Mariejois. She was the local "power player," controlled the auxiliary armed forces, and maintained excellent relations with the Navy. Everyone knew the Queen and the Navy were partners now. Thus, her word carried immense weight. She was moving from being a "spymaster" to a high-level civil administrator.
Her thirst for power had always been a blazing fire. Unlike Kong's "start as a deputy" approach, she was gunning straight for the position of the "First President" of the Pan-Global Covenant United Organization.
Frankly, Stussy held the greatest advantage. With Kong out of the race, Diarmuid could already see her straightening out the situation, rallying enough support, and ascending to the "Pinnacle of Power." If she truly took that seat, her life story would become a literal legend.
An orphan raised by a secret agency to become a top-tier spy, walking through the darkness while maintaining her sense of justice... cooperating with the Navy at the critical moment to lead the CP agencies in overturning the World Government... and finally, as a woman, becoming the first leader of the Pan-Global Covenant United Organization.
If that wasn't legendary, what was?
The Navy, while not officially endorsing her since Kong's withdrawal, clearly favored her. The various Kings were barely qualified; listing them as "candidates" was mostly a formality to make the process look fair and transparent.
The first leader had to be chosen from those who contributed to the fall of the old Mariejois system; only they had the prestige to command the room. The first choice would have been Kong, followed by the Queen, and finally the former Revolutionary leader, Dragon.
Dragon actually had more prestige than the Queen. But prestige aside, he couldn't possibly win over the crowd at this stage. Think about it: the head of the world's former largest criminal organization becoming the "Top Boss" of the new United Organization overnight? The affiliated nations would never accept that; it would be a blow to their dignity.
Dragon couldn't suppress that kind of opposition. Landing the Secretary-General position was likely the result of some heavy backroom trading. For this term, the top spot was impossible for him. Perhaps in seven or eight years, once his identity was fully "whitewashed" and he had proven his administrative prowess and gathered more supporters... then he might have a shot.
So, with Kong choosing a deputy role and Dragon's inherent "background flaw" disqualifying him for the first term, the other Kings were just there for show.
The only one with the prestige and qualifications to be the first leader was the Queen. Diarmuid saw this clearly. As for whether she was fit for the role or had the ability, Diarmuid wasn't worried. She was already a vital part of the Mariejois system, and her background in intelligence made her more familiar with global mechanics than anyone. She might lack specific administrative experience, but she would learn fast.
Besides, the position of "Top Boss" was brand new. Everyone's expectations and tolerance for the first leader would be relatively high. As long as she didn't do anything to incite public outrage, people would give her time to organize and grow.
"I'd say Stussy is a lock for the election. With the Commander-in-Chief staying out of it, the others aren't even in her league," Diarmuid said without hesitation.
Sengoku and the others were momentarily stunned, but they didn't pursue the topic further.
Just then, there was a knock on the door of the Gorosei's office.
"Come in," Diarmuid said immediately, acting as if he owned the place.
The door opened, and Hina hurried in holding a document. She went straight to Sengoku. "Fleet Admiral, an urgent dispatch from Admiral Sakazuki on the front lines."
"Urgent?" Sengoku was taken aback. His expression turned serious. Had something gone wrong on the front? They hadn't even finished their squabbling here!
He took the file and scanned it. He breathed a slight sigh of relief before looking at the group. "Sakazuki says the allied fleet of Whitebeard, Big Mom, and the Beasts Pirates has vanished from radar. Intelligence suggests a potential surprise attack is imminent. Faced with the three of them joining forces, he can't cover all bases alone and is requesting reinforcements."
In the current climate, it wasn't surprising that the pirates would go to ground to observe the situation. Conversely, it would be equally logical for them to stake everything on a new war while Mariejois was in a state of relative flux. With the "central hub" severed, it was the perfect time to strike during the chaos.
Looking at the report, Sengoku agreed that a surprise attack was possible.
"I'll go!" Diarmuid raised his hand.
Sengoku: "???"
"You've all seen it, I have absolutely no interest in these meetings at Mariejois. I have no opinions to offer; I'm just a glorified mascot here. You guys stay and finish the summit while I head out. I won't waste any more time here. I'll rendezvous with Sakazuki and we'll hold down the New World together. You'll be able to focus on your meetings much better that way, won't you?" Diarmuid said with absolute confidence.