One Piece: The user of the Nen-Nen Fruit, who overturned the sea.

Mary Geoise, between powers.

The five elders sat upright in their respective seats, with battle reports from the Navy Headquarters spread out in front of them.

silence.

Dead silence.

After a long silence, Topman Vochuli, the "Legal Warrior" dressed in a black suit and sporting a mustache, spoke first.

"The Wano Country Plan has failed."

His voice was low and deep, filled with suppressed anger.

"CP0 Chief seriously injured, elite squad wiped out, Kurozumi Orochi captured."

"The Seastone mine has fallen into Kaido's hands."

"Kaido and Roy have formed an alliance to share Seastone resources."

"Tell me, what's next with the cover?"

As Topman Vochuli finished speaking, Satan, the "God of Scientific Defense," put down the battle report in his hand.

"Not only that."

"Shiki the Golden Lion launched a surprise attack on the G-1 branch, joining forces with Barrett to cause huge losses to the Navy."

"Garp was forced to return to reinforce, and the battle situation in Wano Country completely spiraled out of control."

"We lost this round."

"We lost to a young man in his early twenties."

Upon hearing this, the expressions of the other four people turned extremely ugly.

Yes, we lost to a young man in his early twenties.

They lost to a nobody pirate who was unknown just a few years ago.

Lost to one—

They used to look down on them like ants.

"Roy..."

"Environmental War God" Marcus Mars Saint, with his blond hair and thick beard, said in a deep voice,

"This child has become a great threat."

"It must be eliminated."

"How do I remove it?"

"The Farming God of War," Shepard X. Pitt, dressed in a dark green suit and sporting a long beard, said coldly..."

"The Navy's influence in the New World has been reduced to its limit."

"The G-1 branch was severely damaged, Akainu was injured, and Garp had to guard the entrance to the New World."

"Kizaru and Aokiji are still hunting pirates all over the world and cannot leave for the time being."

"And the Roy Pirates are still growing in strength."

"Hawkeye, Barrett, Tesoro, Crocodile, Kuma..."

"Which one isn't a monster?"

"Plus, there's Kaido as an ally, and the seastone resources of Wano Country..."

"What are the chances of winning with a direct, forceful attack?"

Another silence followed.

They all knew that a direct, head-on attack would not yield a high chance of success.

Even if we win, we will pay a heavy price.

The navy cannot afford that price.

Even world governments cannot afford it.

"So, you're just giving up like this?"

Topman Volchli Saint Uncando

"Are we just going to hand over the sea stone resources like this?"

Satan shook his head.

"No, we can't give up."

The importance of sea stone needs no further explanation.

"But a direct assault won't work, so we can try another approach."

The other four looked at him.

"In what way?"

Satan pushed up his glasses, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes.

"Although Wano Country has fallen into Kaido's hands, are those samurai and those people truly content with it?"

"Although the remnants of the Kozuki family have either fled or died, the prophecy of Kozuki Toki has already spread among the people."

"Twenty years later, nine shadows fell from the sky, and Wano Country was opened to the world."

"This prophecy will become a seed."

"Buried in the hearts of those who resist, it took root and sprouted."

"Twenty years from now, when those who were sent to the future return, Wano Country will surely fall into chaos once again."

"That will be our opportunity to intervene."

Marcus Mars Saint frowned.

"Twenty years? That's too long."

Satan Saint Card looked at him, his voice indifferent.

"For us, twenty years is just a blink of an eye."

"We've endured eight hundred years of waiting, what's another twenty?"

The other four remained silent.

Indeed, for beings who have lived for hundreds of years, twenty years is really not a long time.

"and--"

Satan continued,

"We have another way."

"What road?"

"Make a deal with Kaido."

Upon hearing this, the other four were all stunned.

"A deal? With that madman?"

Topman Vochuli said incredulously,

"He just went to war with us, killed our people, and plundered our resources. Now you want to make a deal with him?"

Satan Saint said calmly,

"In the face of self-interest, there are no permanent enemies."

"Kaido is a pirate, not a revolutionary. He only cares about power, territory, and wealth."

"He'll be willing to do business with us as long as we offer a high enough price."

"He needs to find a market for sea stone."

"And we are the biggest buyers."

Marcus Mars Saint pondered,

"That...is a possible solution."

Shepard X. Pitt Saint also nodded.

"Indeed, rather than letting Seastone flow into the black market and be divided up by those underground forces, it's better for us to buy it back ourselves."

"It's embarrassing, but it's better than losing everything."

The "Financial God of War," Zambaron V. Nassshuro, who had remained silent until now, adjusted his glasses.

"I agree."

In business, there are no permanent enemies.

"It's worth paying some money to buy back the sea stone."

Topman Vochuli's face turned ashen, but he finally nodded slowly.

"……All right."

"Let's do it that way."

Satan continued,

"Furthermore, inform Sengoku that the naval reinforcement plan must be expanded."

"We must firmly control the first half of the Grand Line and the four seas."

"We can put the New World aside for now and let those pirates fight and fight for territory."

But the first half absolutely cannot be lost.

"That is our foundation."

The other four nodded in agreement.

"besides--"

Satan paused, a complex light flashing in his eyes.

"Increase funding for Vegapunk Labs."

"Have him finish that research as soon as possible."

"That... research that could change the world order."

Upon hearing this, the expressions of the other four people became serious.

That study...

If it really succeeds...

"it is good."

Topman Vocuri said in a deep voice,

"I will personally oversee this."

The five elders reached a consensus.

The direct attack on the Roy Pirates has been temporarily suspended.

But the vigilance and hatred towards Roy will not diminish as a result.

They just used a different method.

A more covert, more insidious, and more deadly method.

…………

After the meeting of the powers concluded, Saint Satan remained alone in the temple.

He stood by the window, looking down at Mary Geoise, a complex light flashing in his eyes.

Roy...

This name is deeply imprinted in his mind.

At twenty years old, he was able to stir up the winds and waves of the entire new world.

How much will he have grown in twenty years?

Satan took a deep breath and turned to leave.

He still has a lot to do.

The Navy's reinforcements, Vegapunk's research, the secret deal with Kaido, and—

Continuous surveillance of the Roy Pirates.

This war is far from over.

It's just continued in a different form.