Holy Land, Mariejois.
In a conference room with a heavy atmosphere, the Five Elders sat on sofas, their faces gloomy. The one-armed Kong stood respectfully to the side.
After the Battle of God Valley ended, Kong was seriously injured and comatose. He stayed at a Marine branch in the West Blue for a few days. Upon waking, he hurriedly returned to the New World.
During this period, he dispatched Vice Admirals from the branch to lead warships to raze God Valley to the ground, sinking it completely into the sea!
Not a single trace was left.
"That's roughly the situation..."
Kong said in a deep voice.
"Bastard! Is this the explanation you give us?!!"
"A bunch of useless things! A whole 200 Celestial Dragons, and not a single one survived?! What is the use of us feeding you Marines?!"
"You're all trash! Rice buckets!!"
"Kong! You have disappointed us greatly!""With this level of incompetence, how can we trust you to lead Marine Headquarters?!"
Learning that only one Celestial Dragon—and a member of the God's Knights at that—had returned from God Valley sent the Five Elders into a thunderous rage.
Their furious roars echoed throughout the entire Mariejois.
"I never expected even Saint Garling to fail!"
Upon hearing the news, even the Five Elders were stunned for several seconds.
They knew Saint Garling's strength all too well.
None of the Five Elders present dared to say they could beat him in a one-on-one fight.
And this time, the entire order of God's Knights had been deployed.
Yet, even in such circumstances, they had been completely wiped out by Reynolds.
"We originally thought Rocks was the greatest threat to the World Government. Who knew it would be that bastard Reynolds!!"
The blonde member of the Five Elders felt no joy over eliminating Rocks; instead, he felt the situation had become even more troublesome.
To take down a mere Rocks, they had sacrificed so many people. This was a massive loss for them.
"In any case, the events of God Valley must not be leaked. This part of history must disappear!"
"Kong, we leave this matter to you. Handle it beautifully."
"This..." Kong's face fell instantly upon hearing this.
Leave it to him? Wasn't this making things difficult for him?!
Although he had done plenty of cover-ups before and could be considered an old hand at it, was this situation the same as the others?!
True, their operation this time had been highly secretive.
But don't forget, in the Battle of God Valley, aside from the Navy and World Government, three other factions were present: the Rocks Pirates, the Roger Pirates, and the Reynolds Pirates.
Even if he could silence others, could he silence these people?!
Although the vast majority died in the battle, a considerable number survived. If they deliberately spread the news, even he would be helpless to stop it.
This matter was completely beyond his capabilities.
"Hehehehe... Kong, you failed in your duties at God Valley, causing heavy losses to the Navy and the Celestial Dragons. If you can't even handle such a small matter, then there's no need for you to continue as Fleet Admiral."
Seeing Kong hesitate, the short-tempered blonde Elder glared at him viciously.
"I understand."
"Kong, this matter isn't as difficult as you imagine. Even if the Rocks Pirates or other pirates deliberately spread word of God Valley, who would believe them?"
"In the eyes of the people, they are heinous criminals. Even if they spin a fantastic tale, who would believe the words of a pirate?!"
"We represent justice. What you need to do is make the majority believe you."
"As long as you say nothing, the ordinary civilians will believe that these events never happened."
The reminder from the sword-wielding Elder instantly lit up Kong's eyes.
That was true.
God Valley no longer existed.
Let those pirates talk until their throats were dry; probably very few would believe them.
"Kong, you have disappointed us many times. I hope this is the last time."
"If there is a next time..."
Clang.
As he spoke, the sword-wielding Elder lightly swung the Kitetsu blade in his hand. A flash of sword light pierced directly through the wall, flying into the distance.
"Once you handle this matter, the rest has nothing to do with you."
"The Navy suffered heavy losses this time. We will allocate a batch of funds to you. For the time being, rest, recuperate, and recruit new soldiers."
"With Rocks dead, we are missing a huge threat. The others don't require special attention, but this Reynolds is somewhat troublesome."
"Kong, return to Marine Headquarters for now."
At that moment, the long-bearded Elder waved his hand, signaling Kong to leave.
Relieved as if granted a great amnesty, Kong hurriedly exited the room. He hadn't wanted to stay in Mariejois a moment longer.
After he left, the group continued their discussion.
Mentioning Reynolds' name cast a shadow over the faces of the Five Elders.
Unknowingly, this brat, whom they had previously ignored, had grown to such a terrifying level.
They had thought that after eliminating Rocks, they would solidify their rule once more, bringing the sea back under their control.
"With 200 Celestial Dragons dead and only one member of the God's Knights remaining, this matter is no small triffle. We must awaken Lord Im."
After a moment of contemplation, realizing the gravity of the situation, the sword-wielding Elder stood up abruptly.
If it were Marines, they wouldn't care how many died.
But these were Celestial Dragons—people like them—and the number reached 200. If they didn't report this in time and Lord Im blamed them later, having ten lives wouldn't be enough to pay for it.
"Let's go. To Pangea Castle to see Lord Im. Let Lord Im decide on this matter."
The other Elders, looking grim, slowly stood up.
...
Pangea Castle.
Having awakened Im, the Five Elders knelt respectfully on the floor, not daring to lift their heads.
Before going into slumber, Im had entrusted all affairs of the World Government to them.
Now, due to their incompetence, they had to awaken Lord Im prematurely. They truly deserved death.
On the Empty Throne, Im, shrouded in shadows, fell into silence after hearing their report, saying nothing.
Sweating profusely, the blonde Elder summoned his courage to speak slowly:
"Lord Im, we have already sent people to erase everything about God Valley completely, leaving no trace."
"This matter will not impact us. We can handle the others, but only Reynolds..."
"Reynolds..."
A somewhat ethereal voice slowly sounded from the Empty Throne.
"Find him."
The kneeling Five Elders instantly felt joy in their hearts.
As long as Lord Im took action, be it Rocks or Reynolds, weren't they just dead men walking with a countdown on their lives?!
"Yes, we will do it immediately!"
"Do not disappoint me this time."
"Yes, Lord Im!"
As the voice fell, the ethereal figure vanished again, as if it had never been there.
Seeing this, the Five Elders breathed a sigh of relief simultaneously, bowed deeply to the Empty Throne, and left the hall one by one.
In the dark room, Im slowly picked up a wanted poster and spoke softly:
"No one can shake the rule."
...
Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
Compared to usual, the number of soldiers in this impregnable military stronghold was much lower, and the sounds from the training grounds were not as loud as before.
In the large office, all the Vice Admirals stationed at headquarters were present.
Looking at the office, which wasn't even half full, Kong sighed inwardly.
The Five Elders might not care about the lives of the Marines, but he had to.
Of the hundred Vice Admirals who went to God Valley, only half returned, and all bore injuries of varying severity. Some were so serious that they were still lying in hospital beds.
The atmosphere in the office was heavy. All the high-ranking officers lowered their heads, saying nothing.
This incident had been a massive blow to them.
Reynolds' appearance had changed the entire situation of the battlefield. Five thousand Marine elites were wiped out in an instant. Even now, thinking back to that terrifying scene, they still felt lingering fear.
The joy of eliminating Rocks had long since vanished.
Cough, cough, cough...
Kong's gaze swept over every high-ranking officer present. He broke the silence first, speaking in a deep voice:
"I have already reported this matter to the Five Elders. Once we clean up this mess, we will initiate a World Military Draft to replenish our troops."
"Tsuru, have there been any changes in the outside world recently?!"
Vice Admiral Tsuru, who had prepared beforehand, stood up slowly and spoke calmly:
"During this time, the structure of the New World has indeed undergone some changes."
"First is the Rocks Pirates. In the Battle of God Valley, Captain Rocks fell at the hands of Vice Admiral Garp and Roger. a few days later, the Rocks Pirates announced their disbandment."
"According to intelligence, the former Division Commanders of the Rocks Pirates have withdrawn one after another, leading their respective members away from Hachinosu."
"The disintegrated Rocks Pirates have split into roughly three factions. One part is led by Whitebeard and Stussy; another by Shiki; and the last by Captain John, Wang Zhi, and Silver Axe."
"After leaving their main base, they have already begun searching for new territories in the New World."
Neither Kong nor the others were surprised by this.
These guys had joined the Rocks Pirates under the pressure of Rocks' power in the first place.
In the Battle of God Valley, it was obvious that these so-called Division Commanders were basically slacking off, none of them doing any real work.
Now that Rocks was dead and the group was leaderless, naturally, no one could suppress them. Going their separate ways was inevitable.
"There is also good news for us."
Seeming to feel the atmosphere was a bit oppressive, Tsuru couldn't wait to mention the next item.
"The news of Rocks' death has already spread within pirate circles, causing many pirates who originally wanted to flood into the New World to retreat. Furthermore, pirate activity on the seas has noticeably decreased recently."
"The impact of Rocks being killed should last for a while. We can use this time to recruit soldiers and buy horses."
Hearing this, the Vice Admirals nodded one after another. This could indeed be considered good news.
However, Sengoku was not as optimistic as they were. He adjusted his glasses and spoke seriously:
"Things might not be as simple as we think."
"Rocks' death is indeed a good thing for us, but don't forget."
"It was precisely because of Rocks' existence that guys like Whitebeard and Shiki were suppressed. In the Battle of God Valley, they were unharmed. Now that they are operating independently, once they find new bases in the New World, these guys will likely start making moves."
"After all, they experienced the Battle of God Valley and are very clear about our losses."
Here, Sengoku paused, his expression graver than ever.
"Whether it's Whitebeard or Shiki, they are existences no less formidable than Roger."
"Once they start developing their own forces and preparing to cause trouble in the New World, the impact will likely be no less than that of Rocks."
"And besides them, there is an even more terrifying guy... Reynolds!""This guy disappeared without a trace after the Battle of God Valley. No one knows where he went." "Just like when he defeated Rocks six years ago, he vanished into thin air."
"Compared to an enemy in the open, an enemy in the shadows is the most terrifying."
"None of us know what Reynolds is plotting, but I have a vague feeling that he wants more than just to be a pirate."
Sengoku's analysis was like a bucket of ice water poured over the heads of every high-ranking Marine officer. It dragged those holding onto wishful thinking down to the eighteenth level of hell.
Hearing this, Fleet Admiral Kong frowned slightly and waved his hand to interrupt:
"We don't need to worry about Reynolds for now; the Five Elders will handle him personally."
"There are only three things we need to do right now."
"First, handle the God Valley incident properly and minimize its impact as much as possible."
"Issue wanted posters for Whitebeard, Shiki, and the members of the Reynolds Pirates. As for the God Valley incident itself, suppress all reports."
"Second, initiate a global conscription. While replenishing our troops, discover potential talents."
"By the way, if I recall correctly, aren't there two promising recruits in this batch?"
"One named Sakazuki, the other Borsalino."
"Pay special attention to them. If they grow properly, they might become two new Vice Admirals."
"Third, send people to watch those guys we just mentioned. If they make any unusual moves, report to me immediately!"
"Yes, Fleet Admiral Kong!" "Understood, sir!"
...
The Navy mobilized quickly.
Through various channels and methods, they frantically suppressed the spread of the 'God Valley Incident'.
The good news was that due to the lack of reports, the incident didn't spread among ordinary civilians. Even if some heard rumors, they treated them with skepticism.
After all, under the subtle influence of the World Government over eight hundred years, the Navy's justice was deeply rooted in people's hearts. Without an official statement, why would they believe the words of pirates?!
The bad news was that the incident had already spread like wildfire among major powers, underground emperors, and powerful nations across the Four Blues, the Grand Line, and the New World.
These forces had their own intelligence networks; verifying the truth of such a massive event was easy.
'Garp and Roger teamed up to kill Rocks!'
'Reynolds used thunderous means to annihilate a hundred Celestial Dragons, five thousand Marine soldiers, and execute two members of the God's Knights!'
'The Rocks Pirates have crumbled, and the Division Commanders have gone their separate ways!'
...
A series of shocking news bombarded everyone.
And that name, which had gradually faded from their memories, once again demanded their attention.
Intelligence networks of countless major powers across the six regions—the Four Blues, Grand Line, and New World—began to operate frantically.
They all launched investigations into Reynolds.
Those who didn't know his background started digging; those who did began searching for his whereabouts.
For a time, Reynolds became the center of the storm.
...
Wano Country.
In the spacious courtyard of the Shogun's Palace.
After spending a month with Flame Flower in the West Blue, Reynolds returned to Wano Country with Linlin.
He could guess pretty accurately what impact the Battle of God Valley would have.
But he had no interest in those matters.
He went to God Valley solely for the Fish-Fish Fruit.
Killing those 200 pig-like Celestial Dragons and the Marines was just something he did in passing.
As for expanding his territory during this time, he had even less interest.
So what if he became the world's number one pirate?
Endless wealth? Unlimited women? Power and status?
Speaking of wealth, aside from the World Government, probably no one was richer than him. With Hajrudin handling things, surpassing the World Government was only a matter of time.
Women?! He wasn't lacking any right now.
Power and status?!
What status did the "Number One Pirate" have? Just being the target of more spit from the public.
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