Chapter 215: Orders From The Holy Land
“Fire Fist, Portgas D. Ace, didn’t we say before to abandon this target? Why are you mobilizing an Admiral to Alabasta now?”
“Admirals are precious combat power, especially at this critical juncture. Dispatching an Admiral to the front end of Paradise—Sengoku, we need an explanation for this matter.”
Marie Geoise, Chamber of Power.
The Five Elders stared at Sengoku standing in the center of the room. It was quite helpless; the dignified Fleet Admiral of the Navy didn’t even have a seat here, standing like a lowly servant.
“How is the situation in the New World? With CP0’s intelligence, I shouldn’t need to say more, right?” Sengoku didn’t care about the issue of having a seat. Compared to quibbling over such trivial matters, he cared about the main topic being discussed.
“The Whitebeard Pirates are united as one from top to bottom, with no gaps to exploit. The Navy has already lost quite a few personnel in the New World, but up to now, they still have nothing to show for it. Several operations that seemed quite promising ultimately ended in failure······ If there are no other breakthroughs, no matter how tough the Whitebeard Pirates are, they must be tackled, but now there is another entry point······”
“Fire Fist?”
The old man with golden beard, golden short hair, reddish skin, and wearing a deep red suit spoke out that name.
“That’s right, Fire Fist.”
“Then why didn’t we include this Fire Fist as a target before?” The old man with white long straight hair and long whiskers, dressed in a deep blue suit, questioned.
“Because before, we weren’t sure which was easier to approach between the Whitebeard Pirates and Fire Fist, and at that time we also had no intelligence on Fire Fist’s whereabouts. Even if we mobilized the Navy in Paradise to hunt him······ To be honest, too much commotion would easily alert him. As long as Fire Fist isn’t stupid, he could just hide on any deserted island for a while and it would be enough to wear down the branch Navies in Paradise······”
“So the situation is different now?”
The bald old man wearing a white Taoist robe and glasses interjected.
“Yes, the situation is different now. The operations in the New World have been fruitless, and it’s unlikely we’ll find a better opportunity in the short term. In comparison, Fire Fist’s whereabouts in Paradise have been exposed. According to intelligence from my subordinates, Fire Fist seems to have clashed with Prince Elus’s subordinates and is currently engaged in a fierce battle in the desert of the Alabasta Kingdom.”
Sengoku maintained his consistent calm and seriousness. “I have already ordered the subordinates who discovered Fire Fist to keep a close eye on his movements. Vice Admiral Gumir, commander of G2 branch, has also received orders and is heading to Alabasta. As long as Gumir can get into position and hold Fire Fist until Kuzan arrives······ we might be able to capture Fire Fist alive.”
Hearing this, the Five Elders exchanged glances with each other. If that’s the case······ it wouldn’t be bad.
Provided that this time it really succeeds.
As Sengoku said, the Navy and CP have been stirring in the New World for so long but have never been able to do anything to the Whitebeard Pirates. A Four Emperor is immensely powerful on their own territory, like a fish in water. Unless the Navy and CP launch a full-scale assault, small maneuvers alone won’t achieve their goals at present.
“Of course, besides that, there is actually an even more reliable method.” Sengoku brought up a new possibility as if he had more to say.
“Stop beating around the bush, Sengoku. Speak plainly.”
“Seven Warlords under the King.”
“You mean······ Sokachio Elus?”
The old man wearing a black hat with fluffy white curly hair and whiskers slightly furrowed his brows.
They controlled the CP organization, and their intelligence was even sharper than Sengoku’s by a few degrees. Monsters like the Black Prince, who could easily disrupt the balance on the Sea, had always been a key focus. They knew all about Elus’s situation in Alabasta.
However,
Sengoku had indeed proposed an extremely reliable method.
If Elus could be made to act, taking down Fire Fist shouldn’t be difficult. After all······ even the Golden Lion was slain by Elus. Fire Fist was the Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, but he wasn’t even in the same league as the Golden Lion.
“Elus······ that arrogant brat!” The bald old man holding a sword in his arms reached out to touch his shiny bald head, his expression not looking good. “Wanting to make that brat exert effort isn’t something that can be done just by talking.”
The other Five Elders nodded in agreement.
That brat dared to fight CP0 members outright the first time he came to the Holy Land, showing no awe even when meeting them. He was arrogant to the point of giving headaches, yet his strength was genuinely formidable—formidable enough to affect the power balance on the Sea. They had to admit he had the capital for his arrogance.
“The Seven Warlords under the King are directly managed by the World Government. Although I have the authority to conscript them,······ Prince Elus and the other pirates are not the same. Even if he rejects my orders, I have no means to punish him, so······”
Sengoku didn’t finish his words, but the meaning was clear.
The Seven Warlords under the King were something directly under the World Government meant to dilute the Navy’s power, and compared to him as Fleet Admiral of the Navy, the Five Elders’ orders took priority over his. If the Five Elders could make Prince Elus act, there would be no need for Kuzan to make this trip.
It’s just—
“We will contact that brat Elus, but Sengoku, don’t pin all your hopes on this. Kuzan······ have Kuzan move faster. Don’t let Fire Fist escape.”
The Five Elders’ response left Sengoku quite helpless.
He didn’t expect that even the Five Elders couldn’t command Prince Elus······ He could only hope that Gumir could hold Fire Fist until Kuzan arrived······ If it dragged on too long, there would be too many variables. Sengoku actually didn’t have high hopes in his heart; he was just unwilling to give up like this and had to struggle a bit.
Moreover, if Elus could really be pulled into the fray, then when dealing with Whitebeard later, they could gain Admiral-level combat power, and the Navy’s sacrifices could be reduced significantly.
“In any case, please give it a try. Fire Fist and Prince Elus’s subordinates are engaged in a fierce battle. If some conflict arises between Fire Fist and Prince Elus······ it might be a good opportunity.”
“We will give it a try.”
The Five Elders nodded.
Indeed, no matter what, they couldn’t just give up without trying. That brat Elus enjoyed the conveniences brought by being a Seven Warlords under the King, so it was only right for him to pay the corresponding price.
————
Alabasta Kingdom.
In the castle at the oasis outside the capital Alabarna, Elus sat on a rocking chair on the terrace, his eyes gazing at the battle between Ace and Isca hundreds of kilometers away. At this moment, the personal Den Den Mushi on the nearby coffee table rang. He reached out and picked up the microphone,
“Old Man Zephyr, what is it this time?”
“One hour ago, Kuzan left Navy Headquarters.”
“······Is there a problem with that?”
“Kuzan’s destination is Alabasta.”
“······I see, it’s for Ace—no, more precisely, for Whitebeard······” Elus’s gaze crossed hundreds of kilometers, as if personally watching the battle between Ace and Isca. “The Navy’s recent actions have all revolved around targeting Whitebeard as the main guideline, right? The reinforcement training for young officers at Navy Headquarters, the activity of CP and Navy intelligence units in the New World—it’s surprising you only tell me now······”
“I didn’t figure out before why the Navy suddenly targeted Whitebeard. This time, I’ve been busy training students and gathering intelligence!” On the other end of the Den Den Mushi, Zephyr stood in a corner of the training ground, with exhausted officer cadets lying scattered all over the training field.
“Any gains?”
“The orders to deal with Whitebeard weren’t a decision from Navy Headquarters; this is a formal secret order from the World Government.”
“Five Elders?”
“Uncertain. I previously probed Sengoku’s stance, and from his tone, it seemed even the Five Elders were not calling the shots······ However, I’ve never heard of anyone standing above the Five Elders before, so I’m not sure if it’s true or false. You’ll have to judge for yourself.”
“Nine times out of ten, it’s true. The Five Elders······ calling them puppets might be a bit excessive, but some matters are indeed not up to them. Whether the World Government or the Navy······ they’re all just someone’s chess pieces.”
Elus, lying on the rocking chair, slightly narrowed his eyes.
Destroying the Whitebeard Pirates······ is that Im’s will?
“What do you know?” Zephyr lowered his voice. This former Marine Admiral’s knowledge of the World Government was superficial; he had spent his time either educating students or hunting pirates······ Compared to scheming Sengoku and Tsuru, his understanding of the World Government was truly scant.
“The Holy Land hides big shots! Big shots above the Five Elders. That’s all I know; I don’t have more details. But Zephyr, you’d best not investigate this deeply. I don’t want to lose the Eckmond Kingdom’s future Fleet Admiral Your Excellency.”
“I’m not one of those hormone-brained pubescent brats. I understand the reason of acting within my capabilities.”
Zephyr was not very pleased with Elus underestimating him and couldn’t help retorting.
“Yes, yes, you old man lost your hormones long ago. No more chit-chat; someone else is calling in.” Elus quickly hung up, not giving Zephyr any chance to counter, though it wasn’t a lie that someone else was contacting him.
Indeed, someone had dialed his personal Den Den Mushi’s number during his call.
“Greetings, esteemed Five Elders!”
Elus rolled his eyes, no longer watching the battle between Ace and Isca. There wouldn’t be any major changes for a while. Rather than wasting time here, better to focus attention on Luffy and the others. The Straw Hat Pirates, thanks to Ship Doctor Chopper’s ability to communicate with animals, had found a Moving Crab from the ‘Moving Club’ in the desert. For Robin’s sake, the Moving Crab was carrying the Straw Hat Pirates speeding toward their destination······
“Prince Elus, no nonsense. We have orders.”
“If it’s to capture Fire Fist? Please excuse my rejection. Eckmond Kingdom previously sought shelter under Whitebeard’s flag; I absolutely won’t do such an ungrateful thing.” Elus blocked the unspoken order with an extremely tough attitude.
“······Elus, do you realize what you’re saying? Seeking shelter under the Whitebeard Pirates? That’s a heinous crime of colluding with pirates.”
“Heh!”
Elus sneered coldly and directly retorted: “If the World Government and Navy weren’t incompetent, do you think Eckmond Kingdom would need to seek shelter under Whitebeard’s flag? You take so much Tenryuubito’s Tax from us every year, yet can’t provide reliable protection, and now you turn around to accuse us of colluding with pirates? You······ do you take me for a fool?”
“Elus, with those words alone, we could strip you of your Seven Warlords under the King status right now. You understand······”
“Do as you please. Don’t think you can fool me with that shabby title. Anyway, the Seven Warlords under the King status is becoming less and less useful to me. If you really dare to strip it······ that’s your freedom, but I also have my freedom. No one can make me do what I don’t want to do.”
“Arrogant brat.”
“Foolish old man.”
The conversation ended unpleasantly.
The Five Elders were infuriated by Elus’s defiant attitude, cursing his rudeness and arrogance repeatedly. However, none said to strip Elus of his Seven Warlords under the King status. If initially Elus needed the Seven Warlords signboard to boost his reputation, now it was the opposite.
Black Prince—Sokachio Elus was already a major signboard for the Seven Warlords under the King, no less than Hawk Eyes. It was precisely the existence of monsters like Hawk Eyes and the Black Prince that gave the Seven Warlords the power and prestige to balance the Navy and pirates.
Kicking the Black Prince out of the Seven Warlords under the King at this point—heaven knows what chaos this defiant brat would cause. If the Seven Warlords under the King fell into massive turmoil because of this······ it wouldn’t serve the Holy Land’s interests.
Better to tacitly accept this state for now and wait until finding someone who could replace the Black Prince before considering properly punishing this brat.
Similarly,
While the Five Elders vented their dissatisfaction with Elus through words, Elus was also mocking the old guys’ delusions—fantasizing about pulling him into the muddy waters, even wanting to use him as a shield against Whitebeard’s wrath. Truly like a monkey fishing for the moon in a well—wishful thinking!
“Hmph! A bunch of damn old bastards.”
Elus slammed the microphone down forcefully. “Just you wait; sooner or later, I’ll drag you all down from your positions!”
Once his anger subsided, he composed himself and regained his calm. His gaze looked remotely at the Straw Hats riding the Moving Crab toward an abandoned ancient castle not far from Alabarna. Farrug and Lucci had already set the stage, just waiting for the Straw Hat Pirates to walk right into it.
