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

Mary Geoise, Between Powers.

The five elders sat around a round table, the atmosphere extremely oppressive.

The golden-haired old man in the form of Pitsaur-Izuzen had his wings folded, but his fingertips were unconsciously tapping on the table, each tap heavier than the last.

Mars Saint—the bespectacled man in the form of a sandworm—adjusted his glasses and stared at the detailed report on the Warhead Island incident in front of him, his brows furrowed.

The Saint of Vochuli—a silent giant in his sworn form, with his arms crossed over his chest, his rugged face expressionless, but the white steam billowing from his nostrils betrayed his inner anxiety.

Nasujuro Sei – a swordsman in the form of a horse bone, his fingers are always pressed on the hilt of the first generation Kitetsu, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force.

And the new member sitting in the original seat of Saint Satan—Saint Figarand Garin, the leader of the Knights of the Gods.

"I told you so."

Piet Saint slammed his fist on the table, the sound making the teacup on the table jump.

"After the Marineford War, we should have dealt with Roy at all costs! If our World Government were to go all out—"

"You and I both know what happened back then."

Mars adjusted his glasses, his tone calm to the point of being almost indifferent.

"Satan was beheaded, the navy was crippled, and Roy even broke the Black Domination in public."

"With our strength, if we rashly invade Beehive Island, it's uncertain whether we can even make a complete retreat!"

"There's no point in dwelling on the past now."

Sacred Vochuli interrupted their argument.

Vegapunk knows too many secrets.

The blank century, ancient weapons, bloodline factors—if this knowledge falls into Roy's hands, the consequences will be unimaginable.

If we don't act quickly, Beehive Island will soon become stronger.

By then, even if the World Government and the Navy mobilized their entire forces, they might not be able to conquer Beehive Island.

Nasujiro gripped the hilt of the Onikiri tightly, his knuckles cracking.

"I propose that we deploy all our forces to launch a devastating attack on Beehive Island."

While Vegapunk is still fully integrated into Hive Island, we still have a chance of winning if we fight now.

If this drags on any longer, we really won't be able to win.

"agree."

Garin Sei stroked the long sword at his waist and gave his first opinion.

"I disagree!"

Mars tapped the table lightly with his fingers.

"Move all forces to attack Beehive Island now."

"Let's not even talk about whether we can win."

Even if they win, the navy will be completely crippled.

At that time, Kaido will still be alive, and Shanks will still be squatting in Elbaf.

Revolutionary armies are instigating rebellions around the world—who can stop them?

Should the five of us personally participate?

"So we're just going to watch Roy grow stronger?" Garin asked rhetorically.

The debate lasted for nearly an hour.

Saints Galin and Nassullan advocated sending troops immediately, while Saints Pitt and Vocuri preferred to observe the situation first, and Saint Masju opposed sending troops.

In the end, neither of them could convince the other.

The divisions within the Five Elders have been laid bare at this moment when unity is most needed.

Piet Saint finally stood up.

"Let's consult Lord Im."

The room fell silent.

The other four Elders simultaneously looked up at him, their eyes flashing with different expressions—

There was surprise, hesitation, and a barely perceptible fear.

"Decisions at this level are beyond our control."

Among the flowers.

The most mysterious forbidden area in Mary Geoise, which even the Five Elders cannot enter at will.

This garden, located deep within Pangu City, is unguarded, without any surveillance equipment in operation, and even the air seems heavier than outside.

A black figure shrouded in a long robe sat atop a throne in the void.

The five elders knelt on one knee, lowering their heads that were usually held high above them.

Saint Piet was kneeling at the very front, his forehead almost touching the ground.

"Lord Im."

Piet Saint's voice echoed among the flowers, but the flowers seemed to absorb the excess sound waves, making his voice sound more muffled than usual.

He reported all the threats from Beehive Island:

"Admiral Kizaru was completely suppressed on Warhead Island and nearly died in the line of duty."

All of Vegapunk's research materials, including some design blueprints for ancient weapons and core data on lineage factors, have fallen into Roy's hands.

After Piet Saint finished speaking, a long silence fell between the flowers.

The silence was so heavy it seemed to have a physical form, making the five elders breathe cautiously.

A moment later, Im, sitting on the Void Throne, seemed to snap out of his thoughts.

A pale, almost transparent hand emerged from beneath the long robe, with extremely long fingers and neatly trimmed nails.

The hand moved extremely slowly, as if shooing away an eyesore of a flying insect—the sleeve was gently flicked.

A wanted poster floated out from the sleeve, twirled a few times in the air, and landed in front of the kneeling Five Elders.

The wanted poster featured a boy wearing a straw hat and grinning foolishly—it was none other than Monkey D. Luffy.

The bounty was clearly printed on the wanted poster, but to Im, the amount meant nothing.

What's truly significant is the arrest warrant itself—the one that Im kept personally.

A wisp of pitch-black smoke billowed from Im's body.

The smoke condensed into an arrow in the air, pointing straight at Luffy's wanted poster.

Im didn't say a word from beginning to end.

But that silent will was clearer than any words—

Beehive Island is not important.

Roy is not important.

The one to be dealt with first is this little brat wearing a straw hat.

When the five elders left the Flower Garden, each of them had a look of confusion on their face.

Walking through the long, empty corridors of Mary Geoise, their footsteps echoed on the stone slabs, their rhythm chaotic and heavy.

"Lord Im—are we being told to prioritize dealing with Straw Hat Luffy?"

Mars Saint pushed up his glasses, his tone full of disbelief.

Piet Saint clenched his fist.

The fingernails dug into the palm, oozing out a few fine beads of blood.

He had personally experienced the Marineford War and witnessed Roy behead Satan Saint with a single blow.

That was the first time in the eight hundred years that the Five Elders had died in battle.

Now, Lord Im doesn't mention a word about the murderer who killed Saint Satan, but instead wants them to deal with a supernova who has only been in the New World for two years.

"Straw Hat Luffy".

Piet Saint's voice was hoarse and deep.

"A supernova who just entered the New World, his bounty isn't low, but compared to that monster Roy—"

"Lord Im's decisions are never wrong."

Garin Sei-sei interrupted him.

Although the newly appointed Five Elders also frowned, there was no doubt in his tone.

"Perhaps the threat posed by the Straw Hat Pirates is greater than we realize."

Nasujuro Sei gripped the hilt of the Onikiri tightly, his knuckles turning slightly white:

"That rubber fruit—we've repeatedly confirmed in our intelligence reports that no one has been able to awaken it in the last eight hundred years."

But Lord Im's level of attention to it—"

The five walked silently down the corridor, and none of them spoke again.

But they all knew in their hearts that someone Im personally named could not possibly be just an ordinary supernova.

This fruit, coveted by the World Government for eight hundred years, may hold secrets that are even more dangerous than the monsters on Beehive Island.