No matter how great a storm the World Government's secret Shichibukai recruitment plan stirred up across the seas, the Reverie in the Holy Land of Mary Geoise continued smoothly.
It was not that the kings of these nations had not received the news. In fact, they were among the first to know.
The Five Elders were not only testing the pirates on the seas. The kings of these nations were also a key target.
The newspapers from the World Economic News Agency appeared on the desks of the kings earlier than anywhere else.
The result was just as expected. Almost every king showed no reaction at all, aside from a very small minority.
For example, when the King of the Drum Kingdom saw the news, he angrily tore the newspaper to shreds on the spot.
However, he was clearly overthinking things. Even if the World Government recruited Whitebeard as a Shichibukai, the Sky Pirates would never be among the candidates.
The moment they killed a Celestial Dragon, any possibility of the Sky Pirates being recruited was completely cut off.
As for Yemu, who was in the Holy Land of Mary Geoise, he was slightly surprised when he saw the newspaper. Then he could not help laughing.
"The Five Elders really are arrogant to the extreme..."
And so, on the final day, the agendas of forty-eight of the fifty nations had already been discussed, leaving only the last two.
However, inside the grand conference hall, everyone's mind was already elsewhere.
First, the last two nations were the Ryugu Kingdom, ruled by fish-men monsters, and the Kingdom of Flevance, which was on the verge of being wiped out by an infectious disease. Both had maintained a very weak presence during this Reverie.
Second, after every Reverie concluded, a banquet to celebrate its successful end was indispensable. Most of the kings of these kingdoms might not be skilled at governing, but when it came to eating, drinking, and enjoying themselves, each one was better than the last.
"Well then..."
As chairman, Cobra looked toward the Kingdom of Flevance and the Ryugu Kingdom and said, "Today is the final day of the Reverie. According to the order, the Kingdom of Flevance will speak first, followed by the Ryugu Kingdom. Philock VII, are you ready?"
But to everyone's surprise, including King Neptune's, Philock VII looked at them all with a sinister gaze and an unsettling smile, then spoke loudly.
"Forget it. What use would there be in saying anything? Whether it's the Celestial Dragons or those five old bastards in the World Government, how could they possibly let Flevance go...?"
The moment those words came out, everyone was shocked. Even the guards and escorts outside trembled in fright.
"Hey, Philock VII, have you gone mad?"
"I didn't mishear that, did I...?"
"Can Flevance's infectious disease make people lose their minds too?"
...
Visible to the naked eye, most of the people present had gone deathly pale, cold sweat pouring down their faces.
Even for the kings of these nations, the Celestial Dragons were practically taboo, let alone the Five Elders.
Cobra instantly sensed that something was wrong. Fortunately, Philock VII seemed very satisfied with everyone's reaction and burst out laughing.
"Hahahaha, looks like everyone is quite scared. In that case, I'll shut up. Cobra, next."
Cobra froze for a moment, then regained his composure and looked toward King Neptune.
"Then, King Neptune of the Ryugu Kingdom, is there anything you wish to say...?"
At that moment, everyone was still rather afraid that this fish-man would say something shocking as well. Fortunately, King Neptune's words did not go beyond what most of them expected.
King Neptune looked at Philock VII with some nervousness.
Unlike the others, he knew exactly why Philock VII had become so reckless.
However, he did not forget the serious matter at hand. Although he did not hold much hope in his heart, he still voiced the ideas he had discussed with his queen.
"The demands of the Ryugu Kingdom are simple. There are three in total. First, abolish the slave trade of fish-men. Second, prohibit discrimination against fish-men in the human world. Third, allow us fish-men to live on land."
As soon as these three demands were raised, most of the kings in the conference hall began to laugh.
"Heh heh heh, those three demands aren't simple at all..."
"Don't be ridiculous. You're nothing but fish-men, and you still want to live on land? The bottom of the sea is where you belong..."
"If you're fish, isn't it only natural for you to live in the water? Hahahaha..."
"Do they not know they carry infectious diseases? Are they trying to kill us humans?"
...
As the kings spoke with undisguised discrimination, King Neptune's expression grew uglier and uglier, and his fists clenched tightly in anger.
Seeing this, Cobra, as chairman, struck his gavel and made everyone quiet down before speaking to King Neptune.
"King Neptune, I understand your thoughts. As a show of support, Alabasta can agree to your first two conditions. However, the third is not something we have the authority to decide. If possible, we can discuss the first two demands for now."
King Neptune could only nod.
After that, the arguing began again.
Clearly, fish-men were already close to infamous in this world. Aside from the kings of a few nations who expressed welcome toward fish-men, the vast majority refused.
Fish-men equaled monsters. Fish-men equaled fish.
In this world, that had already become a kind of common understanding. Even Philock VII voiced his opposition to accepting fish-men.
Perhaps this was exactly why the Five Elders were so confident that fish-men and humans could not coexist.
And so, once all forty-nine nations had stated their positions, only five countries, including Alabasta, agreed to King Neptune's first two conditions and said they were willing to accept fish-men. As for the rest...
With the final nation's agenda concluded, the Reverie finally came to a successful close.
Next came what everyone had truly been waiting for: the banquet.
...
Pangaea Castle, Social Plaza.
With a dazzling array of delicacies laid out before them, the kings and queens of every nation raised their glasses and mingled, while beautiful music echoed throughout the plaza.
Watching it all, King Neptune could not help feeling disgusted. If he had been able to leave, he would have returned to Fish-Man Island long ago.
Beside him, Queen Otohime also showed a trace of disappointment on her face, but she still comforted her husband with hope in her voice.
"At least five nations are willing to accept us fish-men. That is already progress..."
Just then, the bright, sunny world suddenly darkened.
Before anyone could react, they instinctively raised their heads.
Then, an unbelievable scene unfolded before everyone's eyes.
"The... the sun disappeared..."