Finn and Fleet Admiral Sengoku's acting was remarkably convincing.
Except for Queen Stussy, who knew some inside information and watched their performance with an amused smile, the Five Elders appeared completely normal. Seeing Finn and Fleet Admiral Sengoku looking surprised, they felt helpless.
"Yes, that's exactly what happened. He also paid us five billion berries and informed us we could either make him one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, or he'd sink all the Heavenly Tribute into the ocean and fight us to the death." Saint Peter shook his head with visible dissatisfaction.
After a brief pause, Saint Peter continued, "So this time we also want the Marines' opinion. Stussy..."
Stussy was remarkably perceptive and continued with a smile. "We at the CP believe the Marines should have no problem dealing with Doflamingo. However, given Doflamingo's cunning nature, if anything happens to him, the Heavenly Tribute will inevitably be endangered as well. The top priority is recovering the Heavenly Tribute. We suggest exchanging the Seven Warlords position for the Heavenly Tribute's return, then dealing with Doflamingo when the opportunity arises."
The Five Elders listened to Stussy's words and nodded secretly in approval.
This was precisely why Stussy was present today. It was far better for her to speak than others, given her status.
Fleet Admiral Sengoku and Finn glanced at each other, both displaying expressions of disagreement.
Then Finn spoke. "I don't think it's appropriate. Doflamingo is clearly insatiable. What if we grant him the Warlord title and he still isn't satisfied? Besides, is he even worthy of the position? He's nothing but a despicable villain!"
Fleet Admiral Sengoku said nothing, simply watching Finn perform.
Queen Stussy also demonstrated her acting prowess at this moment.
She frowned immediately, looked at Finn, and said with impatience, "We at the CP agencies believe this is the safest choice!"
"The safest choice is to bow to pirates?" Finn asked Stussy angrily.
"It's merely temporary. This is to recover the Heavenly Tribute. Once we recover it—" Queen Stussy's voice carried weight.
But before she could finish, Finn interrupted. "That bastard Doflamingo won't release the Heavenly Tribute until he officially becomes one of the Seven Warlords. And once he does, even without the Heavenly Tribute threat, the Marines will have no legal basis to act against him. If we forcefully move against him and kill him, we'll undoubtedly undermine the Seven Warlords system's credibility. Then the entire institution will collapse..."
At this point, Finn's eyes brightened. He looked at the Five Elders. "Actually, this isn't a bad outcome. If we can truly take action against Doflamingo after recovering the Heavenly Tribute, I suggest we simply eliminate the entire Warlord system. After all, moving against just one would break our mutual trust. We might as well prepare and eliminate them all in one coordinated strike!"
The Five Elders looked stunned. Are we discussing this issue?
Aren't we discussing recovering the Heavenly Tribute?
How did this become about completely eradicating the Seven Warlords of the Sea?
We have no plans to eliminate the Seven Warlords!
After all, leaving aside the other Warlords, Smoker alone had brought tremendous benefits.
What's more, the New World war could erupt at any moment. If they moved against the Seven Warlords now, what would happen to the New World situation?
"Finn, don't be so impulsive. The Seven Warlords haven't brought the harm you originally imagined thus far. This proves the organization retains considerable reliability. Suddenly eliminating the Seven Warlords would affect the entire ocean's situation. It cannot be determined in a few words. Let's discuss the Heavenly Tribute today!" Saint Peter spoke firmly.
The Seven Warlords didn't cause any harm? What bullshit is that? Isn't it because I'm covering for them?
Although Finn thought this internally, he didn't show it externally.
"If we're discussing the Heavenly Tribute, I believe we absolutely cannot give Doflamingo this opportunity. If the lords have no intention of eliminating the Seven Warlords, then after he becomes one, we truly won't be able to touch him. This is a deadlock. Doflamingo has probably calculated all of this, so there's only one way to break the impasse—refuse to play the game. Deny him the Warlord position. Let's see if he dares actually sink the Heavenly Tribute. If he dares, make him pay with his life!" Finn spoke with conviction.
Before the Five Elders could respond, Queen Stussy spoke righteously. "Don't always use Marine methods to consider matters. This isn't Marine Headquarters. The five elders must consider far more impacts before acting than you do! If anything happened to the Heavenly Tribute and we couldn't recover it, do you know how much trouble that would cause? And the impact on the North Blue nations..."
Queen Stussy attacked Finn like a machine gun.
The Five Elders observed Queen Stussy with admiration.
Look—this was the CP member they needed, capable of withstanding Marine pressure and striking at the critical moment.
Stussy was genuinely loyal. There had been previous rumors she maintained good relations with Finn. They hadn't expected that facing such major issues, she remained remarkably sensible and stood firm.
Excellent! Excellent!
Finn hadn't expected the Queen to be so skilled at debate. He was so overwhelmed by her rapid-fire barrage he couldn't say a word.
Seeing Finn humiliated, Queen Stussy felt extraordinarily pleased. What a wonderful feeling! After so many years, she finally had the opportunity to openly confront Finn.
The key point was that after the confrontation, Finn would have to thank her.
That made her exceptionally happy!
Queen Stussy spoke at length, citing numerous examples and analyzing the matter from various angles—the overall situation, minute details, the North Blue circumstances, and Doflamingo's psychological demands.
In the end, Finn was left speechless.
Finn was genuinely furious. His eyes grew increasingly ferocious as he looked at Stussy, as if he'd break her neck if no one else were present.
The Five Elders observed this scene and felt it had gone far enough. In fact, they didn't want the CP agencies represented by Stussy and Marine Headquarters to genuinely fall out. The current dynamic was already excellent.
So just as Stussy was about to continue her assault, Saint Saturn cleared his throat. "All right, all right, Stussy. I believe Admiral Finn has understood your meaning..."
Stussy was remarkably perceptive. She immediately displayed obedience and stopped talking. Then a smile returned to her face. "Admiral Finn, I was only speaking objectively. I had no intention of targeting you personally. I hope you don't mind or take offense. I also hope this won't cause any conflict or misunderstanding between us."
The Five Elders secretly gave Stussy a mental thumbs-up.
This woman was extraordinarily skilled at handling matters. Now that she'd said this, if Finn still held a grudge, his vision and bearing as a Marine Admiral would appear petty. Moreover, Stussy, as a woman, had said this. As a man, would Finn really have the face to make trouble?
As expected, the Five Elders watched Finn's face turn pale, then flush, as if profoundly aggrieved. But ultimately, he forced a smile and said, "Of course. We're simply discussing facts. We're all working for the greater good."
Queen Stussy displayed a smug smile and said happily, "Thank you for your understanding, Admiral."
She was utterly shameless!
Finn's face twitched. He said nothing more.
He genuinely wasn't acting anymore. He was contemplating how to give that damn woman Stussy a proper beating when no one was around. He'd beat her until she cried for mercy!
"Regarding this matter..." Saint Warcury pondered momentarily.
At this moment, Finn still spoke frankly. "I still reserve my own opinion. I think—"
But before he could finish, another actor who'd been silent in the room suddenly came online.
It was Fleet Admiral Sengoku!
"Enough! Finn!" Fleet Admiral Sengoku suddenly shouted angrily.
Finn actually looked startled. What's happening? Could you give some warning first?
As Finn and the others watched in astonishment, Fleet Admiral Sengoku spoke gravely. "I've already told you—when you reach your position, you need to think from a broader perspective. Don't always limit your thinking to Marineford's viewpoint. I know you're dedicated to justice and unwilling to compromise with bastard pirates, but some things depend on consequences. Now, honestly—would granting Doflamingo the Warlord title bring greater harm and impact, or would having him sink the Heavenly Tribute bring greater harm and impact?"
Finn stared at Fleet Admiral Sengoku with disbelief. Then a look of helplessness and desolation filled his eyes, perfectly portraying someone no one understood. After a long moment, Finn seemed to finally relent. He sighed. "If the Heavenly Tribute were lost, the harm and impact would be far greater."
He wasn't lying. Even if Doflamingo became one of the Warlords, he wouldn't cause such catastrophic consequences.
If anything happened to the North Blue nations' Heavenly Tribute, the entire North Blue would inevitably plunge into tremendous turmoil. Mary Geoise's authority would be undermined, and if a chain reaction occurred, it would be truly disastrous.
Seeing Finn's surrender, Fleet Admiral Sengoku patted his shoulder. "Finn, we're all extremely optimistic about you. You're intelligent, powerful, and possess excellent vision. However, because you've been in the Marines for many years and haven't had extensive contact with the five lords, you haven't been able to see many matters from outside the Marine perspective. You must remember today's lesson. If you want to advance further in the future, you must think from higher and more far-reaching perspectives!"
Fleet Admiral Sengoku's words were obviously hinting at something. After all, Finn was already a Marine Admiral. What else could he become?
Of course, the next step was Fleet Admiral!
The Five Elders also suddenly realized it was highly likely Sengoku planned to train Finn as his successor.
Judging from their impressions of Finn, he possessed capabilities, but was somewhat stubborn...
But if Sengoku could train him properly, it would be quite suitable.
After all, although Finn had flaws, looking at that Borsalino and Sakazuki, whose temper was even more volatile than Finn's... well, Finn remained more suitable.
Therefore, the Five Elders also spoke. "Yes, Finn, we're all optimistic about you. You're excellent and outstanding in every aspect, but you still require more training and development. Fortunately, you have Sengoku teaching you step by step. We're all confident in your dedication, and we all look forward to your future performance."
It would be inappropriate for Finn to continue playing obtuse at this point. He immediately pretended to have an epiphany. A hint of joy flashed in his eyes, and he nodded immediately. "Yes, thank you, Fleet Admiral and the five lords, for your guidance!"
Fleet Admiral Sengoku nodded, then looked at the Five Elders. "Then let's discuss Doflamingo becoming one of the Seven Warlords, and how to recover the Heavenly Tribute..."
Hearing that the Marine Fleet Admiral had approved, the Five Elders felt relieved and nodded. "Well, this matter still requires proper procedures..."