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"My view is that we should initiate a period of strict enforcement."
"Those countries have been absorbed into our nation, but there are always small factions causing trouble behind the scenes."
Onigumo spoke with his usual sharp expression.
"I think Onigumo has a point. The military reorganisation has taken up most of our attention, and as a result the cleanup of those factions has fallen behind."
Tsuru, unusually, found herself in agreement with him.
"What do the rest of you think?"
Benimaru rested his chin on his hands and looked around the table.
"My position is simple. Mobilise the full army and sweep the seas clean once and for all." Sakazuki did not hesitate. "The Academy City students are also due for another round of off-campus internships soon. A clean sea is safer for them."
"Hahaha! Sakazuki, the lengths you go to for your sister!"
Garp, working through a senbei, looked at him with open amusement.
"This is entirely for the stability of the Jura-Tempest Federation. It has nothing to do with my sister."
"I think Sakazuki's concern for his sister is perfectly reasonable. Ness is such a sweet child. Who would not want to look out for her?"
"Rimuru-sama! Kaito-sama!"
Everyone at the table rose and saluted as Rimuru and Kaito walked in.
Kaito took in the scene with a faint sense of having been here before.
"Please, sit."
The two of them made their way to the head of the table and settled into two of the ornate chairs that had been left empty.
"We will keep this brief. I heard someone was causing trouble — no need for further discussion on that front. Go ahead with Fleet Admiral Sakazuki's plan."
"Yes, Kaito-sama!"
The assembled generals responded together.
"Now, my reason for coming. Benimaru, is the army reorganisation complete?"
Benimaru stood immediately.
"Yes. Complete and ready to deploy at any time."
"Good. One more thing. The method for rating strength will need to be updated."
"This is the new rating system. Place your hand on it and it will display your strength level."
Kaito raised his right hand, and a piece of parchment appeared in front of each person at the table.
In the bottom right corner of each sheet, a line of small text read:
To view personal information, please record your fingerprint first. Thank you for your cooperation!
No one said anything about the small text. With Kaito watching, they pressed their hands to the parchment without complaint.
"I am only Mid-tier Fourth Stage?!"
"I am Pseudo-Fifth Stage — actually, that is better than I expected."
Two Rear Admirals stared at their results with expressions that sat somewhere between surprise and relief.
"Pseudo-Sixth Stage. So the Admirals are at least Sixth Stage."
Momousagi studied her sheet with a composed expression.
"Mid-tier Sixth Stage."
Sakazuki looked at his rating with quiet satisfaction, then glanced across at Borsalino.
"What is yours?"
"Scary, I am only Mid-tier Sixth Stage as well. I thought I would be higher."
Sakazuki's expression flattened. You are the same rank as me. What exactly is there to be dissatisfied about?
Benimaru, meanwhile, was staring at his sheet with a puzzled look.
"Pseudo-Seventh Stage? Is that actually a rating?"
Kaito heard him and looked out at the murmuring table. He cleared his throat once.
The room went quiet immediately.
"I think everyone has had a chance to see their results. This rating is a reference point, not an absolute measure of strength."
"To briefly explain: each stage is divided into four levels — Elementary, Mid-tier, High-tier, and Peak. If you are rated at Peak, the sheet will display 'Pseudo-Next Stage,' meaning you already carry some of the capabilities of the tier above."
"Is that clear?"
"Yes!"
Kaito nodded. Before he could continue, Milim threw her hand up with an expression of genuine distress.
"Kai-chan, Kai-chan, where is mine? I want one too!"
Kaito's expression stiffened. He had actually forgotten about her.
"Here. And one for you as well, Rimuru."
A sheet appeared in front of each of them. Milim slapped her hand on hers immediately.
"Wahahahaha! Mid-tier Seventh Stage! As expected of me!"
She stood up, planted her hands on her hips, and laughed without the slightest restraint.
"Kai-chan, I am Mid-tier Seventh Stage too!"
Rimuru looked at her result with a surprised expression.
"But Kai-chan, I have a question."
"What?"
"Why parchment? Could it not be something else?"
"It could."
Rimuru stared at him.
"Then why not something more practical? A data panel, a crystal screen, anything."
"Because parchment has a sense of ceremony."
Kaito stood, revealing his most satisfied expression, and announced this to the room at large.
"Ha!"
Every person present turned to look at him with an expression of complete disbelief. Kaito, meeting their collective gaze, felt, for once, a genuine flicker of embarrassment.
"Ahem. Moving on. Pay no attention to the details."
"Benimaru, after the meeting, distribute these to the relevant units and have them tally the strength ratings across their ranks."
The moment he finished speaking, something resembling a slot machine appeared on the table in front of Benimaru, accompanied by a stack of space capsules.
"You had a machine this entire time?!"
The room erupted.
Kaito adopted the expression of a man who had been caught but was choosing to brazen it out.
"The meeting was not that serious. I was just keeping things lively."
"Back to the main point. A new world is about to open up. One where what people call gods and demons actually exist. I would like you all to be mentally prepared for that."
"Gods and demons. That sounds genuinely dangerous."
Borsalino said this in his usual unhurried tone, his face showing no particular concern.
"Hmph! Any enemy of Rimuru-sama and Kaito-sama is my enemy!"
Gobta, wearing his Admiral's cloak, shot to his feet with energy that could have powered a small city.
Kaito looked at him with genuine warmth.
"Gobta, you have really grown. Sakuya would be relieved to see it. What do you say, Hakuro?"
Hakuro, seated nearby, chuckled.
"You are right. Watching my disciple reach this point, I feel as though I could retire in peace."
"Hakuro, you cannot retire!" Zephyr, sitting beside him, cut in quickly. "If you retire, I have no one to serve as Vice Dean!"
Hakuro's current position had been transferred from General Instructor of the entire army to Vice Dean of the Royal Military Academy.
"Hahaha, Dean Zephyr, Hakuro was joking. Look how worried you got."
Laughter spread around the table, warm and unforced.