101. Loyal Dog

The meeting was gradually coming to an end. The work of Sengoku and others was now more about summarizing and filtering the proposals, while the analysis and suggestions throughout the meeting were completed by officers at various levels.

Kong took the meeting minutes from Sengoku's hands, held the several pages of the document upright, and lightly tapped them on the table to align them.

The Fleet Admiral stood up and looked around at the generals in this vast military conference room.

Many of them were veteran officers who had fought alongside him across the seas, battle-hardened and experienced. These people were the foundation and backbone of the current Navy.

But there were even more young and vigorous war generals who had been promoted directly from the front lines of battles against pirates.

These rear admirals and vice admirals, who had climbed step by step over the corpses of pirates, might still be somewhat inexperienced for now, but with time and the trials of war, they would gradually become the Navy's pillars of strength.

These people were the future of Marine Headquarters.

Whether a force could sustain itself was never about how powerful it was at the start, but whether it had a sufficient influx of fresh blood to replenish and continue its growth.

As the supreme commander of the entire Navy, Kong was not most worried about the establishment of the Warlord system itself—he feared that the Navy would have no successors.

While their generation of senior officers could indeed deter enemies for now, what the Navy truly needed was a strong enough force of young and middle-aged officers and a continuous influx of new talent.

Even if they, the old veterans, were to die in battle while carrying out their duties, Marine Headquarters would still have enough capable generals to immediately fill the gap. That was the true foundation of a powerful force.

His heart was filled with pride. With veterans like Garp, Sengoku, and Zephyr standing steadfast, and with a new generation of outstanding Navy officers such as Sakazuki, Borsalino, and Kuzan stepping up to take charge, what was there to fear, even if the Warlords of the Sea doubled in number?

Kong spoke in a deep voice: "I will submit the compiled revision proposals to the Five Elders, but until the Warlord system is officially announced, no one here is allowed to leak any related information to the outside world. This will be treated as top-secret. Understood?"

"Yes, sir!"

Even though the meeting had concluded and it was already nighttime, Kong insisted on immediately submitting Marine Headquarters' reform proposals regarding the Warlord system to the Five Elders.

Although the difference between doing it today and the next day was not significant in terms of time, the signal it sent to the Five Elders was entirely different.

The sooner they submitted the revision plan, the more it would demonstrate the Navy's serious attitude toward this matter. In turn, it would apply subtle pressure on the Five Elders during the upcoming negotiations.

——

"Here is the revision plan drafted by Marine Headquarters. Please review it."

Standing opposite the Five Elders, Kong carefully observed their reactions, ready to explain and clarify any specific details within the proposed revisions.

The Five Elders meticulously flipped through the document. After a long silence, the five rulers of the world exchanged a glance.

The white-haired elder, as always, maintained his unhurried and composed demeanor, as if no matter what happened, it would not affect his state of mind.

He slowly rose from the sofa, took a few steps toward Kong, and said, "Delivering this revision plan so late at night—what hard work."

Kong responded with neither arrogance nor servility: "It is the duty of the Navy. The officers at Headquarters naturally give their all to fulfill the mandates of the World Government."

The elder in front of him naturally understood the implied meaning behind Kong's words. These kinds of high-level diplomatic subtleties were crystal clear to the Five Elders.

To translate Kong's words: The Navy works for you, and when you give orders, we run ourselves ragged to carry them out. But this proposal represents the collective effort of all the Navy's officers, so you should at least weigh it carefully before making a decision.

The elder with hair as white as flowing silk nodded slightly. Before informing Marine Headquarters about the establishment of the Warlord system, they had simulated several possible reactions from the Navy.

The most likely scenario was that Marine Headquarters would strongly oppose it, followed by submitting a petition with signatures from all officers to express their protest.

And based on the current situation, it seemed like part of Marineford's hardliners opposed it, but the very next day, they had already brought a revision plan.

This outcome was within their expectations. However, the speed at which Marine Headquarters unified its stance and delivered the proposal to Mary Geoise was something that left the Five Elders quite satisfied.

As for whether they were pleased with the revision plan itself? That was not the Five Elders' main concern.

What they really wanted to assess was whether Marine Headquarters respected the authority of the World Government and obeyed the Five Elders' commands.

"Was there any opposition within Marine Headquarters during this revision process?" The bald elder asked tentatively.

The Fleet Admiral let out a faint chuckle but answered tactfully: "Of course. Many officers in Marine Headquarters have objections to the Warlord system."

The long-haired elder nodded. This was within expectations. From an authority standpoint, this policy would inevitably weaken the Navy's influence, so opposition within the Navy was expected.

If Kong had told them that Marine Headquarters was completely united and accepted it in a cheerful and harmonious atmosphere, then that would have been the real problem.

"I suppose that kid who accompanied you to the Holy Land last time was among the objectors?" The curly-haired elder wearing a flat hat chuckled, tapping an empty seat beside him with his wooden cane. "Come, sit down and tell us about the situation in Marine Headquarters."

The Five Elders were in no rush to discuss the revision plan for the Warlord system. Instead, they casually struck up a conversation.

For them, the Warlord system might have some room for negotiation and compromise, but it was an already decided matter.

However, as the most shrewd politicians, the Five Elders were accustomed to breaking problems down into separate parts to analyze the distribution of benefits.

And the revision proposal from Marine Headquarters was precisely the kind of interest-based negotiation that they were most familiar with.

So while they did not take it lightly, they also did not regard it with the same level of importance that Kong, a battle-hardened soldier, might have imagined.

To those in power, what truly mattered was the Navy proving its loyalty—showing that it remained a force under their control, an obedient dog that would not defy their orders.

After hesitating for a moment, Kong still chose to sit on the sofa. "The one who came with me last time... You mean Sakazuki? Indeed, he is opposed to this policy. After all, in a sense, the Warlord system is a compromise with pirates."

The bald elder and the bearded elder with a birthmark on his forehead exchanged a meaningful look. This was exactly the information they needed for their next plans—how to use Sakazuki as a chess piece.

"Compromise? No, Kong, haven't you realized? When you started recruiting the Giant Warrior Pirates' leaders into the Navy, you were already compromising."

The long-haired elder shook his head, extending a hand to brush over the international chessboard placed nearby.

He picked up a white knight, carefully examining its intricate carving. "The World Government's recruitment of giants was already laying the groundwork for the Warlord system."

Kong finally understood why the Five Elders had been so invested in the ceremony welcoming the giant leaders into the Navy and why they had mobilized dozens of media outlets to extensively report on the recruitment of the Navy's giant division.

"If the Navy can accept the Giant Warrior Pirates joining the World Government, then accepting a few Warlords of the Sea shouldn't be an issue in the eyes of the public." The white-haired elder placed another knight in his palm, as if weighing it.

The game of power was unfolding.

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