Chapter 109
Elder Saturn sighed, leaning back in his chair. "Dressrosa's situation is complicated. We can't afford to forsake such a strategically important ally publicly, but we also cannot defy Imu-sama's will. For now, we will keep a close watch. Send a contingent to monitor the situation discreetly. If the Donquixote brothers overstep, we'll act, but until then, we must exercise caution."
The other elders nodded, albeit reluctantly. Elder Mars added, "Then what about the Riku family? King Riku has been repeatedly reaching out to the government for aid. With how things are progressing, I am sure those brats are planning to use Dressrosa as their main base. We can not have the World Government look weak, especially after all the recent chaos. We have almost completely lost balance in the New World. If this continues, our influence in the New World will be reduced to nothing."
Elder Ju Peter leaned forward, his expression thoughtful. "And what of the Marines? Should we alert them to the presence of these brothers?"
"Not explicitly," Saturn replied. "The Marines should be informed to keep an eye out for any significant shifts in power in the New World, but without drawing attention specifically to the Donquixote brothers. Let them operate under the radar as much as possible."
"Let's just send a Marine force to Dressrosa for appearances' sake. We do not want the other kingdoms to point out that we didn't lend support to one of our affiliated countries, especially with the Reverie coming up," Elder Mars suggested, his voice dripping with pragmatism.
"As for the fate of Dressrosa and the Riku family, let's not bother ourselves too much. It's just a single kingdom with not much to its name, and after all, it originally belonged to the Donquixote family. Let the kids play around with it."
Elder Saturn nodded in agreement. "A token force should suffice. It will keep up appearances and placate King Riku for the time being. We must ensure the other kingdoms remain confident in our support."
"Agreed," Elder Warcury added. "But let's not entirely disregard Dressrosa. Keep a discreet eye on the situation. If those brothers grow too bold, we'll need to reconsider our stance."
Elder Nusjuro's frustration simmered, but he understood the consensus. "Very well. We'll send a contingent and monitor closely. But we must be prepared to act swiftly if the Donquixote brothers become a threat."
"How about we invite those two teens to be part of the Shichibukai plan we're about to implement? We might even have a chance to get them to work for us. It's been close to two years, and the brothers have shown no signs of retaliation. Maybe they've realized they can't challenge the authority of the World Government," Elder Ju Peter suggested.
Elder Saturn snorted, finding the statement ridiculous. The idea of the kids letting go of their grudge was impossible. Whether they liked it or not, the blood of the celestial dragons flowed through their veins. Both brothers were blessed with immense luck and talent, and they had nearly faced death once.
Saturn was not naive enough to believe the kids would forgive and forget. He knew for a fact that the brothers were preparing. If not for Imu-sama's order, Saturn, given Warcury's high rating of the younger sibling, would have personally hunted him down to ensure the problem was nipped in the bud.
"Well, the brats are powerful enough. They've already taken out one troublemaker worth 500 million since they made it to the New World. We might as well extend them the offer," Elder Mars added.
"No, it's a waste to offer the position to those kids. They might not accept it, and even if they do, they are too cunning. They will have a hidden agenda, and we cannot risk it. Once they become Shichibukai, they will be acting in our name. Those brats are sure to dig a pit for us if we let them run around using our authority," Saturn commented, lightly tapping his staff.
Elder Nusjuro nodded, understanding the truth of the matter. The grudge between the two sides ran deep, and it wasn't something compromise could solve. Even if there were a compromise, it would simply be a facade.
"Well, we can just send them an invitation and see how they respond. This will help us gauge their attitude," Elder Warcury pointed out.
"So, who else are we considering for the positions of the Shichibukai?" Elder Nusjuro asked, placing a bounty poster of a pirate on the table. This was his pick.
"That's an interesting choice. He has caused substantial losses for the Marines in recent years. According to the last report from Marine HQ, he was able to fight evenly against Borsalino, who stated in his report that he wasn't holding back," Elder Ju Peter added as he saw the bounty poster presented by Nusjuro.
Elder Saturn's brow raised. A pirate who could hold his own against the Glint-Glint Fruit user was something. His curiosity was piqued, and he turned his attention to the poster on the table.
[WANTED]
[DRACULE MIHAWK]
[ALIVE OR DEAD]
[654,300,000 Belly]
"Dracule Mihawk," Saturn mused. "A swordsman of unparalleled skill and power. He would be a formidable addition to the Shichibukai."
"Indeed," Elder Nusjuro agreed. "Mihawk's presence would not only strengthen our ranks but also serve as a deterrent to those who might challenge us."
"Then it's settled," Elder Warcury concluded. "We extend invitations to the Donquixote brothers and Dracule Mihawk. Let's see how they respond. This will give us a better understanding of where they stand and how we can use their power to our advantage."
"So, who else do you have in mind?" Elder Saturn questioned. The formation of the Seven Warlords was inevitable. The stunt Roger pulled had completely caught them off guard. In recent years, after the fall of Rocks, the World Government has been continuously curbing the power of the Marines to ensure they do not grow too powerful.
However, with the sudden advent of the Pirate Age, their efforts to keep the Marines in check backfired. Until the situation stabilized, they needed a third power in the sea to form a balance, which would also act as a deterrent against the countries planning to use the chaos of the Pirate Age to reclaim authority.
Soon enough, followed by the first bounty poster, many others were placed on the table.
[WANTED]
[CROCODILE]
[ALIVE OR DEAD]
[381,000,000 Belly]
"Don't you think that's quite low for someone we're planning to use to keep other pirates in check?" Elder Saturn questioned while a particular poster caught his attention.
"He is a Logia ability user and a rookie. He's actively challenging the powerhouses of the New World, so he might be a decent addition. Currently, he has been challenging the cadres of the Whitebeard Pirates," Elder Mars pointed out.
"A mere upstart wanting to challenge Whitebeard? It's interesting; maybe the presence of these rookies will make a few powerful pirates go after their Warlord position, which will only make the Shichibukai stronger" Elder Saturn couldn't help but chuckle. There were only a handful of people in this world whom the elders considered truly strong, and Whitebeard was one of them. For Crocodile to challenge him, he must be either exceedingly brave or exceedingly foolish.
"He's young and ambitious, but his abilities are noteworthy. A Logia user with the power to manipulate sand can be a significant asset if we can harness his potential," Elder Warcury added, studying Crocodile's poster with interest.
"Indeed, his potential is there. If he continues to grow stronger and more cunning, he could be a valuable tool in maintaining the balance we seek," Elder Ju Peter agreed.
The elders nodded, acknowledging the potential of Crocodile despite his current lower bounty. They then continued to sift through the posters, evaluating each candidate.
[WANTED]
[GECKO MORIA]
[ALIVE OR DEAD]
[320,000,000 Belly]
"Moria has a formidable reputation as a rookie, and his powers to manipulate shadows are unique. He could be useful, especially if we need someone to operate in the shadows—literally," Elder Mars commented.
"His ambition to create a zombie army could also play to our advantage. Imagine having a disposable force at our command," Elder Warcury added with a hint of intrigue.
"He's powerful and ruthless. His past confrontations with the Marines have shown that he's not afraid to face overwhelming odds." Elder Ju Peter remarked.
The discussion continued as they assessed more potential candidates, weighing their strengths, weaknesses, and potential loyalty.
[WANTED]
[EMPRESS SHAKUYAKU]
[ALIVE OR DEAD]
[940,000,000 Belly]
"Oh, you intend to revive her bounty? Hasn't she quit her pirate ways after making some sort of deal with Garp?" Elder Nusjuro questioned as he eyed one of the two posters presented by Elder Saturn.
Shakuyaku was a notorious pirate during the era of Rocks D. Xebec, a formidable figure with a bounty close to a billion when her bounty was retracted.
"Hmph, it was something Garp arranged. Why should we be bothered by it? She is someone we can be sure won't cause problems for us once she becomes a Shichibukai. We can always use Amazon Lily to keep her in check," Elder Saturn shared his plan.
"We only approved the deal back then because Roger and Silvers Rayleigh were supporting her. But now she is all alone with no support. Roger is dead, his crew has vanished, and as for Rayleigh, he hasn't been seen for years now. For all we know, he might be dead or in hiding. Leaving such a perfect asset unused would simply be a waste, and she will have no choice in the matter."
Elder Saturn's reasoning was met with contemplative nods from the other elders.
"She has experience and power, and with her former connections severed, she's less of a threat and more of a tool we can manipulate," Elder Warcury added.
"Let's proceed with extending the invitation to her as well. Her addition to the Shichibukai will not only add to our strength but also send a message to other potential threats about the reach and influence of the World Government," Elder Mars suggested.
The elders agreed, understanding that reviving Shakuyaku's bounty and recruiting her into the Shichibukai would serve multiple purposes. It would bolster their ranks with a powerful figure from a bygone era and act as a deterrent to those who might challenge their authority.
Elder Saturn then placed another bounty poster on the table, further solidifying their plans.
[WANTED]
[OCHOKU IRONJAW]
[ALIVE OR DEAD]
[729,600,000 Belly]
"Him? You want to bring this snake into the Shichibukai?" Elder Warcury asked in disbelief.
"Yes, have you forgotten? Others may not know, but it was this same snake that helped create more conflict within the Rocks crew back then. If not for his own crew betraying him at God's Valley, Roger and Garp would have stood no chance against Xebec. We might have had to expose many of our secrets to bring Rocks Pirates down." Saturn's words weighed heavily on the rest because Rocks was someone who came to expose all their secrets.
"Ochoku fears us, and although he is the lowest of the scum, he can be the perfect tool to carry out some of our plans in the future. We will just use him for all he is worth and then discard him. This goes for all the Shichibukai; the moment we feel they are no longer useful, we will just find a replacement," Elder Saturn commented, his tone cold and calculating.
Elder Warcury nodded, though reluctantly, seeing the logic in Saturn's words.
"Let's proceed with extending invitations to these candidates. We'll observe their responses and how they act once given the title. This will help us gauge their true intentions and capabilities," Elder Saturn concluded, the plan set in motion.
"Then it's settled," Elder Warcury agreed. "In addition, let's extend invitations to the Donquixote brothers. Let's see how they respond. This will give us a better understanding of where they stand and how we can use their power to our advantage."
"The Marines are sure to be heavily against the new system, especially Zephyr and Garp, but they will have no choice in the matter because they have been doing a subpar job at keeping the seas under control. Let's just send a draft with the names of all potential candidates to Kong. We don't want them thinking we took a decision without their input," Elder Nusjuro smirked, knowing that whether the Marines liked it or not, their word was law, and they could always throw the blame on the Marines for being incompetent.
Elder Saturn placed his hands on the table, his eyes narrowing with determination. "This plan will not only stabilize the seas but also give us leverage over some of the most dangerous individuals. Each of these Shichibukai will owe their position and power to us, ensuring their loyalty, even if it is temporary. The World Government will remain the ultimate authority."
The elders nodded in agreement, each contemplating the future moves that would need to be made. They knew the plan was not without its risks, but the potential rewards were too great to ignore. This new system of the Seven Warlords of the Sea was a gamble, but one they were willing to take to maintain their grip on the world.
As they adjourned, the elders were acutely aware that their decisions would soon ripple across the world, altering the balance of power. The Pirate Age had begun, and with it, new alliances and conflicts would shape the fate of the seas. The World Government needed to be prepared for whatever came next, and the Shichibukai would be a key element in their strategy.
Elder Saturn's eyes gleamed with a cold light as he thought of the future. "The seas are about to get a lot more interesting."
***********************
A/N:
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