Sengoku took the sealed bundle of documents wrapped in oil‑proof paper, and the officer withdrew as instructed.
He untied the cord and opened the folder to read.
• The Red‑Hair Pirates have entered the mid‑region of the New World; they are suspected of aiming for the position of Emperor.
• The Donquixote Pirates have entered the New World!
• Location of Dyna Stones confirmed: three islands in the New World, all outside the territories of the Four Emperors. Full development estimated to take 3–5 years.
As he read the bold headlines, Sengoku's frown deepened. At the very bottom lay another document, marked on the side with a large, stamped seal bearing only two words: TOP SECRET.
• The Pacifista Project is nearing completion and has now entered its final phase.
"The Pacifistas…"
In his mind, Sengoku pictured the upright, stern‑faced man with purple hair.
Gritting his teeth, he left his office, fed the papers to his pet goat, and headed straight for the Fleet Admiral's quarters.
"Admiral Sengoku — Fleet Admiral Kong has been summoned to Mariejois."
That was the answer he received upon arrival.
---
Meanwhile, in a chamber deep within Mariejois…
"If the truth about the Government's human weapons were to come out, how do you think Zephyr would react?"
Kong stood before the Five Elders, his face flushed with anger and his eyes bloodshot.
"Did you lose your minds after that humiliating defeat at Grimm's hands?!"
In his frustration, he did not hold back his sharp words.
"Watch your tone and choice of words, Kong," said the Elder with glasses and a sword, his own eyes also red with irritation.
Kong spoke the truth: the morning's news had made the Government look utterly foolish after their failed strike against Grimm.
But there was no easy way out. The mere possibility that Grimm controlled Poseidon — one of the Ancient Weapons — was enough to send the World Government into a panic.
In their haste, they had lost their composure; and an army without calm judgment was always destined to fail.
The argument between Kong and the Elders today centered on the Pacifista Project — the creation of human weapons modeled after Zephyr himself.
Kong had originally intended for these units to remain hidden, much like the Cipher Pol organizations: operating in the shadows, unseen by the public.
That way, Zephyr's pride would not be wounded, and there would be room for explanation if he ever found out.
But the Government wanted mass production — as many units as possible, enough to form entire armies.
Their reasoning was clear: if Grimm's subordinate Luke could field thousands of mechanical soldiers, why could they not do the same with the Pacifistas?
Kong was firmly opposed. It would be nothing less than trampling Zephyr's pride into the dirt.
"Which matters more to you, Kong — the fighting strength of the Government, or the pride of a former Admiral?" asked the Elder with curly hair, narrowing his eyes.
Kong still held deep respect and affection for Zephyr, but the Elders felt no such sentiment.
To them, it was merely a matter of one man's ego — hardly worth considering compared to the military power of the entire World Government.
After two hours of heated debate, Kong finally stormed out in frustration. He could not overturn the decision of the Five Elders.
And once the truth came out, he could not predict how Zephyr would respond.
"Kong is growing arrogant and difficult to control," the sword‑wielding Elder remarked as soon as the door closed.
"Ever since the failed operation against Grimm, he has become overly cautious — so cautious that he refuses to take any risks or make necessary sacrifices. He no longer deserves to hold the rank of Fleet Admiral."
The other Elders nodded in agreement. Kong, once too eager to rush forward without listening to Tsuru's advice, had swung too far in the opposite direction after the defeat.
Now he hesitated at every turn — "thinking twice" was the polite way to put it; "paralyzed by fear" was the blunt truth.
Either way, his leadership no longer served their interests. It was time for a change.
Once they had settled the matter of Kong, the conversation turned back to the Pacifistas.
"Let us place the Pacifistas under the command of Kizaru. With his Glint‑Glint Fruit abilities integrated into their design, I believe he is the most suitable choice," suggested the Elder with blond hair.
"But Kizaru is currently stationed as base commander of G‑2 in the first half of the Grand Line," the Elder with the curved blade replied.
"Should we send the first batch of prototype units there for field testing?"
The long‑bearded Elder thought for a moment, then nodded.
"Kong may be too hesitant, but for now we still need Zephyr's Guerrilla Division to maintain stability in the New World. We must keep an eye on him until the Pacifistas are fully operational. I agree — send the first‑generation models to Kizaru for testing."
"Then it is decided. The project remains classified until the units are ready for active deployment. When they finally enter combat, they must achieve maximum effectiveness."
---
In the world of piracy, aside from the Four Emperors, two crews had risen to the most notorious fame — not counting the Government's lapdogs, the Seven Warlords.
Currently, the Seven Warlords numbered five: Dracule Mihawk, Sir Crocodile, Gecko Moria, Bartholomew Kuma, and Jinbe — the Knight of the Sea — who had recently volunteered to join the system in order to secure protection for Fish‑Man Island.
The captain of the Red‑Hair Pirates had crossed swords with Mihawk more than a hundred times, though the outcome of their duels remained unknown.
He had once been considered a strong candidate for the Warlords, but when the Government sent an invitation, he had turned it down outright.
Though he avoided unnecessary conflict, he wanted nothing to do with their alliance.
Now, his fleet had sailed past the outer edge of the New World and was steadily advancing into the central region — the territory of the Four Emperors.
As for the Donquixote Pirates, led by Donquixote Doflamingo — known as the "Heavenly Demon" — his status as a former Celestial Dragon made the nobles of Mariejois wary of him.
His bounty already exceeded 300 million Berries, yet he was still far from matching the influence of Red‑Hair.
Doflamingo focused more on building his underground criminal empire than on conquering the seas, which left him lagging far behind in terms of power and territory compared to figures like Mihawk or Shanks.
Following the usual routes through the New World, the first Emperor a pirate would encounter was Charlotte Linlin, also known as Big Mom.
From there, depending on their course, they had an equal chance of entering either Grimm's territory or Kaido's, before finally reaching the domain of Whitebeard.
But the Red‑Hair Pirates sailed a straight line, and the first territory they entered was Big Mom's.
The entire world watched with curiosity. Here was a man who had lost an arm in the East Blue, now sailing into the heart of an Emperor's domain.
Everyone wondered: would he become the fifth Emperor? Or would Big Mom beat him into submission, or even wipe out his crew entirely?
The whole world was waiting to see the Red‑Hair Pirates make fools of themselves.
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