"Haah…"
Saint Roselith Seraphina sat in silence and let out a quiet breath, unable to stop her eyelids from drooping.
How boring…
Watching a room full of kings and rulers discuss the fate of the world should have been important.
And yet, to her, it felt almost laughably hollow.
A gathering of incompetent monarchs debating world affairs would only make the world even more chaotic.
It seemed she had overestimated the actual capacity of the World Government.
And now, it also seemed that the reason the World Conference had been moved forward was not because of some earth-shattering global crisis.
At least, not the kind she had initially expected.
"The pirate era ignited by the extremely dangerous criminal known as Gol D. Roger has gradually begun to affect the order of the seas."
"At present, the World Government's proposed policy regarding the Seven Warlords of the Sea has already shown measurable results."
"Judging by the current situation, pirate activity in several key regions has already been somewhat suppressed."
"This is sufficient proof of the effectiveness and correctness of the Seven Warlords system."
"Therefore, the government has decided that it will further strengthen its support for the Seven Warlords of the Sea."
"And we will also accelerate the process of filling the currently vacant seats among the Seven Warlords."
"So we hope that, if your kingdoms encounter any of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, you will maintain friendly communication with them whenever possible, so as to avoid unnecessary conflict."
"However, please rest assured."
"If any member of the Seven Warlords causes trouble or behaves recklessly within your respective nations…"
"The Marines will be dispatched immediately to suppress them."
Chairman Moso's voice echoed through the conference hall with polished authority.
He swept his eyes across the room again, observing the reactions of the assembled kings.
No one immediately raised an objection.
And honestly, that was not surprising.
Because in this era, the Shichibukai system really did appear to be effective on the surface.
Since the World Government introduced the policy, the number of unaffiliated pirates roaming the seas had indeed been reduced in several regions.
This was especially obvious in the first half of the Grand Line.
At present, three of the six active Warlords had influence centered around that half of the sea.
The immediate results were difficult to deny.
Just by looking at the current members of the Shichibukai, one could already see why many kingdoms found the system acceptable.
One of them was Dracule Mihawk, better known as Hawk-Eyes.
He had little interest in ordinary piracy to begin with.
Though technically counted among the Seven Warlords, Mihawk did not act like a conventional pirate at all.
When he hunted pirates, it was usually just because they had inconvenienced him.
Then there was Gecko Moria.
After returning to the first half of the Grand Line and making Thriller Bark his lair within the Florian Triangle, he had largely remained there.
From time to time, unlucky pirates who drifted into his territory would simply disappear.
Whether by intent or by coincidence, that still reduced pirate traffic.
Then there was Sir Crocodile.
That man had already begun building his image in Alabasta as a so-called national protector.
Though Seraphina knew full well that his motives were far from noble, the image he projected to the public was still that of a "hero" who dealt with pirate threats.
And from the perspective of ordinary civilians, pirates were pirates.
Whether the one killing them had noble motives or not was often a secondary concern.
Then there was the Pirate Empress, Boa Hancock, who remained deep within the Calm Belt, rarely concerning herself with outside affairs.
There was also Bartholomew Kuma, who was still recognized publicly as the king of the Sorbet Kingdom.
And finally, Jinbe, the Knight of the Sea, whose influence and presence around Fish-Man Island helped stabilize a key region beneath the ocean itself.
Taken together, the Shichibukai system did indeed appear, for now, to be a relatively effective method of controlling pirate activity.
At least on the surface.
And so, none of the kings present had a compelling enough reason to openly oppose it.
Still…
Something about it always felt fundamentally wrong.
Using pirates to suppress pirates.
Employing outlaws to preserve law and order.
It was a method that worked in practice, but carried with it a rot that could already be smelled from the inside.
"If there are no objections, then the rights and privileges granted to the Seven Warlords of the Sea will be further expanded."
"This will allow them to more effectively assist the World Government in maintaining maritime stability."
"I agree!"
"Seconded!"
"Seconded!"
Voices of approval quickly rose from multiple sides of the hall.
And just like that, the system received even more political backing.
The policy was now being pushed even deeper into the world's structure.
Moso gave a satisfied nod.
"Then we shall now proceed to the fourth agenda item of this World Conference."
His expression became visibly more serious.
The atmosphere in the hall also shifted.
"Several member nations have submitted reports indicating that, in recent years, a mysterious force has been appearing in various regions."
"This force has actively participated in the destabilization and overthrow of legitimate governments recognized by the World Government."
"They call themselves…"
"The Revolutionary Army."
The moment those words fell, the conference hall grew noticeably quieter.
Moso then placed a bounty poster flat onto the long conference table for all to see.
The man in the image had short black hair.
And on the left side of his face was a striking red tattoo-like marking.
"What is his name?"
One of the kings asked with a frown.
"Dragon."
"Monkey D. Dragon."
Moso answered in a low, deliberate voice.
"What Revolutionary Army?"
"I've never even heard of them!"
"They're probably just a bunch of noisy clowns who know how to bully weak, insignificant countries!"
"There's absolutely no reason to make a fuss over this!"
As expected, Wapol was the first to loudly dismiss the issue.
His tone was arrogant and swollen with self-importance, as though he were desperate to make his presence known during the meeting.
To him, this was a perfect opportunity to posture.
Besides, in his mind, what was a "Revolutionary Army" supposed to be?
A group of rebels?
A mob of agitators?
As far as he was concerned, such people could be crushed at any time as long as a proper royal army was deployed.
"Wapol!"
"The Revolutionary Army is not as simple as it appears on the surface."
King Nefertari Cobra of Alabasta immediately spoke up.
His expression was grave.
He could already sense the dangerous misunderstanding spreading through the room.
And he did not want Wapol's stupidity to influence the judgment of the other kings.
In Cobra's understanding, there had indeed been many so-called "revolutionary" groups throughout history.
Some had claimed to fight for the people while behaving no better than pirates.
That much was true.
But that did not mean every anti-government movement should be dismissed as insignificant.
As one of the rulers of one of the Twenty Founding Nations' descendant lines, Cobra understood better than most that unrest did not emerge from nowhere.
Sometimes, rebellion was not born from ambition.
Sometimes, it was born from despair.
"You incompetent king!"
"You're just afraid your precious throne will be overturned by a few common rabble, aren't you?!"
Wapol immediately lashed back when he realized it was Cobra who had contradicted him.
His face darkened in irritation.
To him, Cobra publicly disagreeing with him in this setting was an insult.
A direct challenge to his dignity as a king.
And Wapol was not a man who tolerated even the smallest slight.
"I think it should be taken seriously."
"Indeed… if they are capable of toppling nations, then that cannot be ignored."
"We should at least remain cautious."
"They're still only rebels."
"Even so, caution is better than carelessness."
Several other kings gradually began murmuring among themselves.
Unlike Wapol, not all of them were fools.
And not all of them were so confident in the stability of their own kingdoms.
Some were already unsettled.
Some were frightened.
Some were merely calculating.
As for Seraphina…
She had remained silent from the very beginning.
But when she heard that name
Dragon
something in her gaze sharpened ever so slightly.
Outwardly, her expression did not change much.
But inwardly…
Her interest had finally been stirred.
She could feel it clearly.
Chairman Moso, who had maintained his polished calm throughout the earlier agendas, was now emotionally tense.
His tone had become tighter.
His eyes sharper.
Even his breathing rhythm had changed ever so slightly.
So that was it…
This was the real reason the World Conference had been called early.
Not taxation.
Not relief funds.
Not the Shichibukai.
No.
The true focus of this conference had finally revealed itself.
The Revolutionary Army.
And more specifically
Monkey D. Dragon.
How interesting…
Monkey…
Wasn't that the same family name as Vice Admiral Garp?
And then there was that letter.
D.
That mysterious initial.
The name carried by figures scattered throughout history like sparks waiting to become wildfire.
The so-called Will of D.
At last, Seraphina understood exactly what kind of man was being discussed in this room.
Because she had once used her privileges as a World Noble to access classified Marine records.
And from those files, she knew the truth.
The man in the photo
The man these kings were only now beginning to fear
Was none other than the future greatest enemy of the World Government.
A former Marine.
The son of Monkey D. Garp.
And the father of the boy who, one day, would shake the entire world.
Monkey D. Dragon.
The founder of the Revolutionary Army.
The most dangerous man yet to fully rise.
The moment the thought settled in her mind, a faint smile almost appeared at the corner of Seraphina's lips.
The Revolutionary Army…
What a wonderful name.
What a dangerous name.
What a hopeful name.
This was the voice of the people of this world.
Still weak.
Still scattered.
Still barely more than a spark.
But sparks…
Sparks were never to be underestimated.
Because a single spark
Could set an entire prairie ablaze.
One day, that tiny flame of resistance and freedom would spread across every sea, every kingdom, every island, every rotten throne, and every gilded cage.
One day, it would become a fire no one could extinguish.
Dragon…
Let me see it.
Let me see just how deep your resolve truly runs.
Let me see whether your ideals are real
Or whether they are merely another fragile dream destined to be crushed beneath the weight of this world.
Show me…
How far your longing for freedom can reach.
Show me…
How much love you truly carry for this broken world.
"Silence!"
Chairman Moso suddenly struck the time bell with force.
"The morning session of the conference is now in recess!"
"After all attending nations have finished lunch…"
"We will reconvene and continue the second half of the World Conference!"
His voice pulled the hall back into motion.
The atmosphere loosened.
The gathered rulers began to stir once more.
The World Conference had always been divided into two parts.
The first half was reserved for policies proposed and enforced by the World Government.
The second half, however, was meant for diplomatic exchange between the kingdoms themselves.
That included discussions of interstate disputes.
Territorial grievances.
Requests for intervention.
Negotiations over trade, aid, alliances, and political mediation.
And above all else
The maintenance of so-called "world stability."
Because what the World Government needed more than anything else right now…
Was stability.
Not justice.
Not fairness.
Not truth.
Only stability.
One by one, the kings and royal attendants began to leave the conference hall.
Some departed in silence.
Some whispered urgently among themselves.
Some already looked deeply troubled by what they had heard regarding Dragon and the Revolutionary Army.
Seraphina slowly rose from the seat that had been specially arranged for her.
She casually brushed invisible dust from her immaculate clothes and prepared to leave with the rest.
"Eh~?"
"Seraphina, you were here too?"
A familiar lazy voice drifted over from the side.
Only then did Admiral Kizaru, Borsalino, finally seem to notice her among the crowd.
His tone was as leisurely and slow as ever, as if the entire conference had nothing to do with him at all.
Seraphina turned her head slightly toward him.
And for the first time since the meeting had begun
Her boredom had truly disappeared.