One piece: I,Akaino will not die easily

"Empty, this is an important matter. Let's reconsider it." The Five Elders did not give a direct answer, easing the somewhat tense atmosphere.

"In that case, we will return to Marineford to carry out our mission first." Kong took the step down that the Five Elders had offered and did not say more, turning around and leaving. Sakazuki took a deep look at the five silent old men, then slowly saluted and turned to follow Kong.

This proposal was, in essence, Sakazuki's way of testing the extent of the Five Elders' authority and the World Government's bottom line regarding the treatment of the Celestial Dragons.

However, the Five Elders' ambiguous attitude toward the proposal left Sakazuki somewhat puzzled.

They neither outright rejected it nor showed any sign of agreeing to it. As a vice admiral with a decent political mind, Sakazuki considered things from the perspective of the World Government and the Navy, realizing that they would never directly issue a formal statement on the issue of the Fish-Men's human rights. That kind of upheaval would be far too great.

For example—Oh, so you righteous Marines are addressing the issue of Fish-Men's rights while dealing with pirates? Then shouldn't we, the oppressed races, also pressure the Marines and the World Government?

Shouldn't the enslaved workers of Tequila Wolf rise in rebellion as well? The mess and crimes accumulated over the years by the World Government and the Celestial Dragons were practically too numerous to document. Even the military was rife with corruption and embezzlement, offering a glimpse into the true state of the World Government.

With so many places where nobles extorted and ruled as tyrants, doing nothing under the pretext of non-interference in internal affairs, was the World Government really going to intervene in Fish-Man Island's internal affairs and Fish-Men's rights?

Once a precedent was set, it would be impossible to control.

Looking at it from the Five Elders' perspective, Sakazuki realized that the issue of Fish-Man Island's slave trade could only be addressed indirectly through other means—it could not be made into an official decree.

And yet, this was precisely why the Five Elders' response was intriguing. From the perspective of maintaining stability and political power, this plan was absolutely impossible to implement. Sakazuki did not believe that these five shrewd politicians, at the pinnacle of the world, could fail to see that.

But the Five Elders did not give a clear or direct rejection. Instead, they even acknowledged and supported it from a military strategy standpoint.

"Interesting… What exactly are they trying to do?" Thoughts raced through Sakazuki's mind, though he dared not voice them.

Kong, ever considerate, did not interrupt Sakazuki's contemplation. He simply stood quietly on the warship, waiting for his subordinate. Only when Sakazuki finally reined in his confusion and came back to his senses did he notice that his superior had been waiting for quite some time.

"My deepest apologies, Fleet Admiral Kong," Sakazuki said apologetically. Making his superior wait was an immense breach of etiquette. As a vice admiral with a strong sense of responsibility, he felt deeply guilty and uneasy.

Kong waved a hand dismissively, entirely unconcerned. "No need to apologize. Having subordinates who think for themselves saves us old men a lot of trouble. At least Sengoku and I can worry a little less."

The Fleet Admiral then smiled and changed the subject. "Sakazuki, what are your plans next? Will you return to Marine Headquarters with me to rest, or continue your mission to hunt down pirates?"

The iron-blooded warrior, known for his violent tendencies, grinned darkly. "Since my warship is still on standby at the Sabaody Archipelago, I'd appreciate it if you could drop me off there, Fleet Admiral. After all, there's no point in idling around. And more importantly, we can't just leave all those high-bounty criminals roaming free, can we?"

"Alright. If there's any news from the Five Elders, I'll inform you immediately." Kong readily agreed to Sakazuki's request.

Meanwhile, in the chamber of the Five Elders, one of them watched Kong and Sakazuki board the warship from the window, arms crossed, before speaking.

"What do you all think of that proposal just now?" The high-ranking official with pale golden hair asked.

"Hmph, that arrogant brat dares to turn the tables and question us?" The Elder in a kimono still seemed displeased. "Does he see the Celestial Dragons' authority as a mere toy?"

"That being said, Sakazuki did have a point—'Are the Celestial Dragons' playthings more important than the stability of the regime?'" The Elder in a flat hat chuckled, agreeing with the sentiment. "That ignorant little fellow really dares to speak his mind!"

The Elder with long, flowing white hair seemed more concerned. "Ladrov remains our biggest concern. The struggle for supremacy among pirates in the New World is intensifying. Sooner or later, a powerful pirate group will rise above the rest and begin advancing toward the true history recorded in the Poneglyphs."

"The most likely candidate is Whitebeard. His vast influence puts him in the best position to obtain the true history. Moreover, with his reputation across numerous islands, we must be vigilant. If he gets ahead of us and gains control over the unstable Fish-Man Island..."

Before the Elder with the map-like birthmark could finish speaking, the golden-haired Elder leaning against the window interjected.

"…Then we can forget about launching a large-scale military campaign into the New World for at least twenty years. That troublesome region will only become harder to control. And if he manages to upend everything we've built, it wouldn't be out of the question either!"

"In fact, we could take advantage of this situation..."

"Hmm? You mean… Yes, that's indeed an excellent opportunity. We can use the Navy as cover." Though the conversation was vague, the five of them understood each other perfectly.

"But what about the Celestial Dragons?" The curly-haired Elder with the cane showed no emotion on his face, though his grip tightened around the wooden staff.

The long-haired politician rose to his feet, studying the massive world map. His gaze settled on the first half of the Grand Line.

"Aren't the Marines constantly troubled by the countless pirates across the seven routes? This is a perfect chance to start experimenting with the 'project' we discussed. We can try recruiting a certain pirate to divert the Navy and the Celestial Dragons' attention."

Catching on, the bald Elder began polishing his treasured sword with an oil-soaked cloth. "Those Marines won't be willing to compromise. But in the end, dogs still have to listen to their masters."

"We'll modify Sakazuki's proposal and issue him direct verbal orders. Even if the Celestial Dragons sense something amiss, they won't be able to trace it back to us." The white-haired Elder smiled.

"Right now, the world's attention is fixated on another major event. A small vice admiral's secretive personal operation… Who's going to notice?"

______________________________________________________________________________

"[Thunder Lord] Markugaii? His calculations are quite precise. Have the pirate crews he allied with been identified?"

Sakazuki was well aware of this pirate's name. In the original story, he had blocked Borman from pursuing the Straw Hats and was one of the first among Whitebeard's 43 subordinate captains to detect the Navy's scheme. With outstanding ability and rare intelligence, Sakazuki had no intention of letting him reach the New World to seek out Whitebeard.

"Yes, Vice Admiral. These are the two pirates planning to ally with him."

With the support of the Navy's stationed forces in the Sabaody Archipelago, Onigumo swiftly identified the two conspicuous pirates. He respectfully handed over the two freshly received bounty posters to his superior.

"Hmph. In that case, let's eliminate these two first… Hmm?"

Sakazuki was in the midst of formulating his pursuit strategy when his words were abruptly cut off by what he saw on the bounty posters in his hands.

"Onigumo... Are you sure you didn't give me the wrong documents?"

For a moment, Sakazuki's fingers trembled. Even someone as composed as him couldn't help but show a trace of agitation.

Onigumo looked at the Vice Admiral's reaction with some confusion. It was rare to see the ever-unshakable general display such a lapse in composure. He picked up the accompanying intelligence report to verify the information.

"The reports indicate that the small, thin cripple is a bomb maniac, while the tall, fat one in the Vice Admiral's hands is said to have a formidable grasp of Armament Haki."

"Onigumo, deploy the troops to hunt down [Thunder Lord]. I will personally deal with these two."

Without any change in his expression, Sakazuki calmly issued his battle orders. He narrowed his eyes, carefully analyzing the map that marked the reported locations of the two pirates.

The next moment, the Vice Admiral's figure blurred into an afterimage—vanishing in an instant.

"I could never climb the ranks in the past, and it was all because of you!!!"