Chapter 361: The Power That Cannot Be Ignored, the Power That Controls the World! (Two-in-One)
Sacred Land of Marinchoa.
The Five Elders had just reached a consensus a few days ago on how to deal with Yoriichi Tsugikuni and his new navy. Just a few days later, the situation changed again.
However, this change was not brought to the Five Elders by Yoriichi Tsugakuni and his new navy, but by the Navy Headquarters, which they thought they controlled.
At dawn, Sengoku, who was the Navy Admiral at the time, secretly told his thoughts to Sora, the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces who now serves in the World Government.
No one knew what was exchanged between the two men, but in any case, Steel Bone Sora, who had not been involved in the specific affairs of the Navy and the World Government in recent years, was persuaded by Sengoku to personally go to the Holy Land.
"What's the matter with you looking for us?"
"You know, the four of us are very busy. We've already given you a huge honor by gathering together specifically to meet with you."
"If you have anything to say, hurry up and tell me."
In a hall somewhere in Pangu City, Saint Jaygolucia Satan and the four other Five Elders except Saint Izambaron V. Nasujuro met with Kong Gukong.
As soon as they met, Saint Satan's face showed a bit of impatience and urged.
Although Kong is now the commander-in-chief of the three armed forces, the only truly powerful force in the World Government is the navy. As for the other two armed forces, they are actually in name only. As the commander-in-chief of the three armed forces, Kong is actually in a semi-retired state.
Moreover, Cybernetic Kong's foundation, the Marine Headquarters, has now been controlled by Sengoku. A large part of the many senior officials in the Marine Headquarters are Sengoku's comrades of the same period. The most advanced combat forces, the three admirals, are all disciples of Zephyr, and Zephyr is one of Sengoku's closest partners.
Today, Sengoku's control over the Navy Headquarters is even stronger than when Steel Bone Sora was in charge of the Navy.
Gang Gukong has lost his power, and he is also not young anymore. It won't be long before this man who once suppressed the Red Earl with his own strength disappears in the torrent of time.
For such a person, Satan Sheng and others thought that they were giving him a lot of face by taking the time to meet Ganggu Kong.
As Saint Satan spoke, Saint Topman Vochuli and the others took seats on the sofas in the hall. Several pairs of eyes turned to Gang Gu Kong, making no attempt to invite him to sit. Their demeanor and behavior towards Gang Gu Kong were filled with arrogance, and they didn't try to hide it at all.
Gang Gukong seemed oblivious to the indifference and contempt shown to him by Saint Satan and the others. After entering the main hall, he calmly walked to the opposite side of the Five Elders and others. He glanced around at them and saw that Saint Izambaron V. Nasujuro was absent from the Five Elders. His expression remained unchanged, and he spoke without further suspense:
"I came here today because I really have something very important to report to you all."
"Um"
"This morning, Zhan Guo came to me and told me something."
"I think his idea is very good, so I want to tell you about it. I hope you can seriously consider it."
Gang Gukong was wearing a dark red suit, and his face was full of marks left by the years. Although he was very old, he was quite strong. Standing in front of the Five Elders, he was full of momentum, and it was impossible to tell that this old man was a guy who had lost his power.
The aura that a person exudes often comes from his confidence.
When Saint Satan and his companions saw Gang Gu Kong's appearance, they couldn't help but sit up straighter, and their state was obviously much more serious.
"What does Zhan Guo think?"
"What's the idea? He could report directly to us, why would he pass it on to us through you?"
In just a few seconds, Saint Satan quickly adjusted his mindset and asked Cyborg Sora. Even though he had lived for many years as the highest authority in the World Government, he rarely encountered meetings that were clearly negotiation-oriented.
After all, who is qualified to negotiate with the Five Elders?!
"Hahaha, I guess Zhan Guo is too embarrassed to report directly to you guys!"
"It's impossible that he, as the Admiral of the Navy, is still controlled by me, his nominal leader, right?"
Gang Gukong laughed a few times when he heard Satan's question, and then spoke casually. However, it was his words that made Satan Sheng and others raise their heads. The eyes they looked at Gang Gukong changed from indifference and contempt to sharpness. But the next moment, the sharpness in their eyes also quickly disappeared.
It was not until now that the Five Elders began to take Gang Gu Kong seriously.
A former admiral of the navy who has fallen from power is not a big deal; but if Sengoku still remembers the old friendship with Kong Gukong, then it will be a big trouble for them.
The navy has developed to the point where it has formed its own system. The control of the Five Elders on the navy is actually not as great as others imagine.
Think about it, the Admiral of the Navy can freely manipulate the appointment and dismissal of any naval personnel. Such power is completely like a "frontier official". In the early decades, there were many factions in the navy. The generals and lieutenant generals at all levels were from different factions and then "attacked" each other.
Taking advantage of the internal conflicts within the navy, it is easy for the Five Elders to manipulate the navy and influence its decisions.
However, in recent decades, after Sora became the Admiral of the Navy with his absolute strength and achievements, the two admirals who took office before and after him, Sengoku and Zephyr, have been closely connected partners.
The factional conflicts within the navy were also suppressed when the generation of Sengoku and Zephyr came to power.
Later, after Zephyr retired from the position of admiral and devoted himself to the construction of the Naval Academy, naval power began to be concentrated as never before.
When Akainu, Aokiji, Kizaru and the four admirals Tsugakuni Yoriichi came to power, the power of the Warring States officially reached its peak, and the strength of the navy also reached an unprecedented height.
To be honest, although the Five Elders have always maintained the dignity of their superiors when dealing with Zhan Guo, in their hearts, they have always been very cautious in dealing with Zhan Guo.
This cautious attitude allowed them to ignore the fact that his son Garp joined the "Junior Brotherhood" at an early age, to ignore the fact that Sengoku adopted a former Celestial Dragon as his adopted son, and to tolerate Zephyr who raised a rebel like Tsugikuni Yoriichi.
In fact, if the Five Elders had not been afraid of Tsugakuni Yoriichi's own strength and the power he could mobilize, they would have eliminated him when he first attacked the World Government before Tsugakuni Yoriichi had fully grown up.
The Five Elders' cautious attitude towards the powerful Marine Headquarters continued to later generations.
Until Satan thought he had mastered the core skills of Seraph; until Zephyr died; until Garp, Sengoku, and Tsuru's generation were truly old; until Admirals Akainu and Aokiji split, and the factional struggle in the Marine Headquarters once again came to the fore; until there was a lack of successors in the Navy, and there was no one to succeed the position of Admiral.
The Five Elders became condescending and arrogant again in their treatment of the navy.
Marshal Akainu's strength is only in the eyes of outsiders; and the seemingly soft Marshal Sengoku is only because he has mastered the "art of compromise."
When Sengoku was in charge of the navy, the older generation including Garp, Zephyr, and Tsuru were shining; the three admirals of the Mesozoic era, Akainu, Kizaru, and Aokiji had also grown up, and there were also many capable vice admirals who worked diligently; the younger generation also included Kake, Gion, Smoker, Tina and other outstanding juniors.
By the time Akainu came to power, not only had the veterans died off, but his three admirals also had their own thoughts.
Green Bull is a die-hard fan of the Celestial Dragons; Borsalino is a contemporary of Sakazuki, and follows "ambiguous justice". His true stance is not to say that it is contrary to Akainu, but it can be said that they are "on different paths"; and Fujitora has a strong personal will. After Aokiji left, Fujitora had close contact with Sengoku and it is very likely that he took over some of Aokiji's political legacy.
The navy under Akainu is actually full of contradictions.
Akainu's way of resolving these conflicts is very simple, which is to create a powerful enemy for the navy.
Moving the headquarters of the navy from the first half of the Grand Line to the New World where pirates abound is both Akainu's explanation of his own "justice" and a way to resolve internal conflicts within the navy.
This method can indeed allow Akainu to control the navy, but the consequence is that the navy's own strength will be weakened, and the Five Elders' control over the navy will also be strengthened.
These reasons also enabled the Five Elders to scold Akainu to his face, "What is your face worth!"
Compared to Akainu, the navy under Sengoku's control is the existence that the Five Elders are afraid of. If Sengoku himself had not wanted to retire from the position of marshal after the Battle of Marineford, the Five Elders would not have had any good way to deal with Sengoku.
As Gang Gukong finished speaking, the hall fell into a brief silence.
At this moment, the Five Elders seemed very patient, quietly waiting for Gang Gukong's next words.
After a brief pause, Gang Guikong smiled slightly and continued:
"Zhan Guo is looking for me. It's about the Seven Warlords of the Sea."
"Aren't you all worried about the Seven Warlords of the Sea? So far, only the Iron Wall Pirates of the East China Sea have become Seven Warlords; and there's one more person, the super rookie from the first half of the Grand Line, Crocodile."
"Aren't there still five vacancies?"
"There are several candidates in the Warring States Period who I would like you to consider."
When they heard Kong Zigong mention the Seven Warlords of the Sea, Satan and the others' expressions softened.
What? It turns out you really came here to talk about serious matters.
Some people thought that Gang Gukong was dissatisfied with his retirement position as the commander-in-chief of the three armies and wanted to seek some changes by taking advantage of the Warring States Period.
Since we are talking about serious matters, it’s easy to talk about.
"That Sengoku guy really should pay more attention to the matter of the Seven Warlords of the Sea."
"This is a policy that could change the world. As a naval admiral, how could he just ignore it like before?"
"Tell me about the candidates he proposed."
Satan's expression eased a little, and he sat in a more relaxed posture.
"I have a few wanted posters here. Let me show you."
"I think you are familiar with these people."
As he spoke, Gang Gukong reached into the inner pocket of his suit, pulled out a few wanted posters, and placed them on the coffee table in front of the Five Elders.
Satan Sheng and others just glanced at the wanted posters on the coffee table, and their faces suddenly changed.
After glancing at the wanted posters on the table, Topman Vochulisheng suddenly stood up, glared at Ganggukong, clenched his fists, and angrily asked:
"Are you kidding us? Cyborg Sora!"
"Tsugikoku Yoriichi, Jurakor Mihawk, Yixiao, Fishman Tiger, and Cyrus"
"These guys are the candidates recommended to us by Zhan Guo?!"
"And you said before that you agreed?!"
Topman Vochuli felt that he was being fooled by Kong Kong and Sengoku, and was furious. He had the worst temper among the Five Elders, and at this moment he simply couldn't contain his anger.
At the same time, Saint Satan, Saint Shepard ten Peter and Saint Marcus Maz quickly examined the wanted posters and looked at Ganggu Kong with serious expressions.
"joke?!"
"How is that possible?"
"Neither I nor Zhan Guo would joke about such a thing."
"Besides, who would dare to waste everyone's time just to make a joke?!"
“We’re serious!”
Gang Gukong was smiling at the first part of his sentence, but at the end, his expression turned serious.
"you"
Saint Topman Vochuli was about to break off the fight when Saint Shepard ten Pitt interrupted him from behind:
"Kyōbō Sora, you should know what Tsugikuni Yoriichi and his subordinates did, right?"
"Let these people become Shichibukai?"
"The dignity of the World Government is about to be shattered."
"Where will the reputation of our Five Elders be put?!"
Shepard ten Peter Saint was calmer. He wanted to explore the real thoughts in Cyborg Kong's heart. Was it just to disgust them or did he have other purposes? Personally, he was inclined to the latter.
"Hehehe"
"Not only did they break into the Holy Land, kill countless Celestial Dragons, and free the slaves, they even captured Impel Down."
"The majesty of the World Government? The face of the Five Elders? Those things no longer exist!"
"In order to protect something that doesn't exist in the first place, are we going to give up this powerful fighting force?"
"The World Government's previous decision regarding Tsugakuni Yoriichi was a major mistake."
"Or rather, from the very beginning, you underestimated Tsugikuni Yoriichi's will and strength. It is precisely because of this that the World Government has lost face!"
"Do you know? When Tsugekuni Yoriichi first became the Admiral, when the Navy Headquarters received the news that Tsugekuni Yoriichi was planning to return to the Navy Headquarters, the first thing they did was to clear out the Sabaody Archipelago!"
"It's all about stability!"
“Sometimes I really can’t figure it out—”
"Even though they clearly hold supreme power, why can't the Celestial Dragons even show a false sense of sympathy when facing ordinary civilians?"
"Do we have to deprive others of their freedom and trample on their dignity in order to truly enjoy the pleasure of power?"
At this point, Ganggukong suddenly smiled and shook his head, muttering to himself somewhat sarcastically:
"I don't think it's any use telling you this."
"If they could change, they wouldn't continue to act as they did after suffering such a massacre."
As he spoke, Steel Bone Sora looked out the window.
The holy land of Marinjoa has long since returned to its former "prosperity", and the surviving celestial dragons are still living the life they want. The massacre that took place in the holy land that year has long been swallowed up by desire, and here, there are new victims and new slaves.
When Ganggukong was speaking, Satansheng and the others looked very unhappy. After Ganggukong finished speaking, Satansheng slowly said:
"This world is so unfair."
"As descendants of God, the Celestial Dragons deserve such rights."
"Ordinary people, just live under God's rule!"
"Gang Gu Kong, you talk too much today."
"We will not accept Zhan Guo's proposal!"
Saint Satan refused bluntly, but upon hearing this, Kong Gu was not surprised. His smile remained unchanged, and instead he clasped his hands behind his back and said casually:
"You may not know."
"The news that CP0 killed the Impel Down jailer and released the prisoners could not be concealed."
"By now, the officers of the Navy Headquarters probably already know everything."
"And they also know that the cause of the incident was that the World Government captured Cyrus' wife and daughter."
"What will the people below think of the World Government? What will they think of the Marine Headquarters? What will they think of Yoriichi Tsugikuni and his New Navy?"
"Please seriously consider the opinions of Zhan Guo and me."
"This is a last resort to repair the relationship."
"In other words, if you don't want to see huge chaos in the world, you should seriously consider this proposal."
"The power that Tsugikuni Yoriichi possesses now is comparable to that of the Rocks Pirates back then."
Ganggukong didn't say anything else. He just left this sentence and left the hall without waiting for the Five Elders to respond.
"That damn bastard!!!"
After Gang Gukong left, the angry curses of Saint Topman Vochuli were heard in the hall, and soon the hall returned to peace.
(End of this chapter)
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