Bab 104: Chapter 104: The Anger of the Five Elders
Chapter 104: The Anger of the Five Elders
The morning after the battle, the reporter who had been hiding to record the fight between Charlotte and Admiral Kong was found dead, caught in the aftermath of their clash.
Although Charlotte had been defeated and gravely injured, he had still managed to escape—a feat that would undoubtedly dominate the headlines of the day.
As Admiral Kong returned to Navy Headquarters, the once-bustling Island No. 1 lay in ruins. The devastation was evident as survivors crawled out from beneath the debris, staring blankly at their destroyed homes and lives.
Many cried silently, mourning loved ones lost in the chaos. War, as always, left the civilians to bear the heaviest burden.
---
In his office, Admiral Kong hesitated before picking up the Den Den Mushi that connected him to the Five Elders.
Beile Beile!
Beile Beile!
"Moshimoshi! Kong, what's the status?"
The voice of one of the Five Elders came through, calm but expectant.
"Failed… Charlotte managed to escape," Kong admitted, suppressing his frustration.
"What?! How could you fail to capture a mere division captain? You're an admiral, yet you let him slip away? How can you continue holding this position?"
The Five Elders holding a sword shouted in anger.
Kong clenched his fists tightly, the veins on his hands bulging as his frustration built.
"Enough," said the bearded elder, silencing his colleague. "Kong, explain the situation. Why did you fail? Charlotte shouldn't be that strong."
Taking a deep breath, Kong replied, "Charlotte is stronger than he seems. We fought for an entire day. His skills are near-perfect, and while he's still young and hasn't reached his peak, if given time, he could become a figure as fearsome as Rocks D. Xebec."
The Five Elders fell silent, their expressions darkening.
"Kong! Don't use this as an excuse for your incompetence. Charlotte is barely in his twenties, and you're trying to justify your failure with such claims?"
The Five Elders holding the sword snapped again, their tone sharp.
Kong held back his retort, knowing it would do no good.
"Stop. We need to focus on how to deal with Charlotte moving forward. He's proven to be different from most pirates. According to intelligence, he often intervenes to rescue slaves and disrupts the slave trade in the New World. This has already caused friction with the Celestial Dragons," said the bearded elder.
The Five Elders with the birthmark added, "He's also known to keep the most beautiful slaves for himself, using them as maids. This shows he has weaknesses—lust and compassion. If we can exploit those, he won't pose much of a threat."
The Five Elders nodded in agreement.
"Send CP0. Have them infiltrate his ranks or create opportunities to exploit his weaknesses," suggested the blond elder.
"Agreed!"
"Agreed!"
"Agreed!"
"Agreed!"
The decision was unanimous.
"Kong, leave Charlotte to us for now. Focus on reorganizing the navy. The current force is too weak to effectively counter the growing threat of pirates."
"Yes, we're recruiting new soldiers across all branches to bolster our numbers, but training takes time," Kong replied, though he couldn't help but feel a pang of resentment.
For years, the navy's growth had been deliberately stifled to prevent it from becoming too powerful. It was only the rise of Rocks that forced the World Government to finally support naval expansion.
---
In Mariejois, within the grand office of the Five Elders, tension was palpable as they reviewed the latest newspaper.
"Damn Morgans!"
The elder with the sword slammed the table, veins bulging on his forehead.
The newspaper headline read:
"Admiral Kong Faces Defeat! Bloodied Escape of the Bloody Great Swordsman!"
"In the Sabaody Archipelago, Admiral Kong and Charlotte of the Rocks Pirates' Eighth Division clashed fiercely. Despite heavy navy reinforcements, Charlotte broke through their encirclement, exposing the navy's inability to deal with even a single division captain."
The Five Elders were livid. This public humiliation could not be ignored.
"Kong failed to capture a single pirate. How can the navy hope to deal with Rocks himself if they're this incompetent?"
"Order CP0 to capture Morgans immediately!"
The elder with the hat barked, furious.
"Pointless," the blond elder interjected. "Morgans likely anticipated this and has already fled."
"Find him anyway!" the elder with the hat roared.
As the Five Elders issued their orders, CP0 agents across Mariejois began mobilizing to hunt for Morgans.
---
In a hidden lair once used by Morgans, CP0 agents scoured the area.
"Captain, Morgans is long gone," one agent reported.
The captain's gaze landed on a note amidst the scattered papers.
It read:
"You can suppress the truth, but you can't stop it from spreading. Big news always finds a way!"
The captain crumpled the paper, his face dark with anger.
---
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