"Sengoku! Watch your tone and remember your place!"

Saint Saturn and the other Five Elders were visibly heaving with rage, struggling to keep their fury in check.

Peace talks... That bastard Sengoku actually suggested negotiating with that damned brat Daren!

Does he even realize what he's saying?

Peace talks?

Are we just going to forget about the hundreds of elite Celestial Dragons slaughtered on Philseque Island, or how the Holy Land Mariejois was nearly reduced to rubble!?

"As an Admiral of Marine Headquarters, your foremost duty is to uphold the dignity of the World Government—not to take the side of a traitor and criminal, making excuses for him or pleading for his right to live!"

Saint Saturn looked down on the Admiral before him and said coldly,

"If you had stopped that Navy brat earlier, he'd be dead by now, and we wouldn't be dealing with this mess."

Sengoku froze, staring at the Five Elders in disbelief, anger flaring up inside him.

You old fossils are the ones who caused this disaster, and now you expect me to clean up after you!?

The five of you, with your so-called 4,000 years of wisdom, couldn't even stop Daren yourselves. If it weren't for his Indestructible Body, he'd have been crushed long ago—and now you're blaming me for not doing enough?

And you expect me to stop Daren? With what!?

Forget physique and strength—his Conqueror's Haki already surpasses mine!

Suppressing his growing fury, Sengoku stiffened his tone.

"I have never once tried to shield or excuse Daren... I merely wish to remind you, my Lords, that provoking Daren without absolute certainty will bring consequences beyond imagination."

"Rogers Daren once served under my command, so I know better than anyone how vengeful he can be... Corner him too hard, and it'll backfire."

"And don't forget—Daren, as a former high-level decision-maker in the Navy, has been involved in numerous external operations. He knows our internal structure, our secrets, and even the World Government's military outposts like the back of his hand... With his strength, the might of his fleet, and that intelligence, he could easily wipe every one of those out."

"Do any of you really want to wake up one day and find that, aside from Mary Geoise, every stronghold the World Government has across the seas has been completely obliterated?"

The Five Elders paused, their expressions flickering as they fell into silence.

Sengoku took a long breath.

Strangely, watching these arrogant old men—so high and mighty—left speechless gave him a strange sense of satisfaction, like gulping down an ice-cold Coke on a sweltering summer day. Every pore in his body felt like it was letting out a sigh of relief.

Of course, he knew that bringing up peace talks at a time like this, when the Five Elders were fuming, was far from ideal.

One wrong move, and his political career could go up in smoke.

But Sengoku had no choice.

He genuinely feared that, with their arrogance and pride, they might end up doing something truly irrational.

Daren's current power and influence had far surpassed anything Sengoku had anticipated.

No matter what, Sengoku didn't want to make an enemy out of such a terrifying opponent.

And the most frightening part—Daren knew the Navy inside and out.

Who knew what other cards he had up his sleeve?

Just as Sengoku was deep in thought, Saint Saturn spoke again.

His voice was raspy, yet held an unshakable finality.

"Sengoku, maybe your suggestion holds some logic—but you've forgotten one thing."

The Five Elders raised their heads together, their eyes icy and full of disdain.

"We... do not negotiate under threat."

Sengoku faltered for a moment, clenching his jaw as he tried to push his point—but Saint Saturn raised a hand and cut him off coldly.

"This discussion is over."

"Your elite Marine units are to return immediately and secure Marineford."

"No matter what it costs, you must keep Amatsuki Toki under control in Marineford!"

Sengoku trembled.

He stared at the five old men in front of him in disbelief, as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing.

They... actually intended to use Toki's life to threaten Daren!?

This was nothing short of... courting disaster!

Don't they realize that if they push Daren too far, he'll go completely berserk and plunge the entire world into chaos!?

…

At the same time...

Red Line, Mary Geoise.

The flames still roared across the land, and thick black smoke billowed into the sky.

The dim world was bathed in a crimson glow from the inferno, like a vision of hell on earth.

Thousands of Holy Land guards were rushing to carry out rescue operations, hauling in water to battle the blaze. Medical personnel darted back and forth, stretcher after stretcher carrying burned Celestial Dragons wailing in agony.

And yet, amid the chaos and panic, the law enforcement squads led by the God's Knights enforced an immediate curfew, launching intense patrols through every street of Mary Geoise.

"Seal the city walls! No one goes in or out!"

"Hand over all communication devices... Smash every Den Den Mushi!"

"This is a gag order! Everything you saw or experienced tonight—none of it happened, understood!? There was never any floating fleet above Mary Geoise. This entire disaster was simply caused by Fisher Tiger infiltrating the Holy Land and starting fires everywhere!"

With a loud slap, a law enforcement officer slammed a document in front of the civilians, his voice ice-cold as he issued the ultimatum.

The crowd—civilians, merchants, officials—stared at the document in stunned silence, too terrified to speak.

No flying fleet?

No city-leveling bombardment?

All of this... caused by one Fishman sneaking in and setting a few fires?

How could that be possible!?

Are they really trying to erase everything we've just lived through?

Trying to rewrite truth into lies?

But...

That invincible floating fleet—everyone saw it!

Still, under the weight of the World Government's oppressive rule and the cold, unblinking barrels of the law enforcement team's rifles, the people gave in. One by one, they handed over their communication tools and recording devices.

"Hey, what are you doing!? Put down that telegraph machine!"

Suddenly, a panicked shout rang out from the crowd.

Saint Figarland Garling's expression shifted, and in a flash, he moved.

Slick!

A flash of deadly steel split the air, nearly slicing the man dressed as a reporter clean in half.

"What do you think you're doing!?"

Saint Figarland Garling strode over, Western sword still dripping with blood, and grabbed the dying man by the collar, eyes blazing with fury.

"Heh... You can't... bury the truth..."

"You... are afraid..."

Blood poured from the reporter's mouth as his life slipped away—but the grin on his face never faded.

"From today on... it won't just be the World Government looking down on this world! Hahahahaha!"

He burst into wild, unrestrained laughter.

Crack!

Saint Figarland Garling snapped his neck on the spot, then turned back with a grim, murderous glare.

A trembling law enforcement officer hurried over, holding the broken remains of a telegraph machine.

"S-Saint Figarland Garling-sama... The photos... The photos and the information... they've already been sent out..."

"We... we can't stop it!"

...

(100 Chapters Ahead)

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