《One Piece: Rising》Chapter 17: The Five Elders! Imu!

Meanwhile, in the round table conference room of Marine Headquarters.

Sengoku remained seated in the Fleet Admiral's chair, his dignified posture unchanged despite the circumstances. Hound and various Marine officers loyal to Xayuki were positioned strategically around the room, their vigilance evident in their stance.

The conference room was shrouded in a suffocating silence, broken only by the heavy breathing of soldiers whose adrenaline still coursed through their veins.

These men—soldiers and officers who had pledged their loyalty to Xayuki—stood in a place they never imagined entering. This hallowed chamber had always been restricted to Rear Admirals and above. Yet now they had not only breached this sanctuary but had also escorted the once-untouchable Fleet Admiral here as a captive.

Though tension gripped them, an unprecedented pride burned within their hearts.

"Bang!"

The massive doors of the conference room suddenly burst open with explosive force.

Vice Admiral Maynard stormed in, his face contorted with fury, followed closely by Vice Admiral Yamakaji.

"Fleet Admiral Sengoku?"

The moment Maynard entered, his eyes widened in disbelief at the sight of Sengoku seated at the head of the table. For several seconds he stood frozen, before his shock transformed into rage. He whirled toward Hound, his voice rising to a thunderous pitch. "Hound, what is the meaning of this? Have you joined this treasonous rebellion as well?"

Hound offered a casual shrug, his tone deceptively calm. "Maynard, I suggest you compose yourself. If you continue this outburst, I won't hesitate to act simply because we're colleagues. Too many have already died tonight—if you wish to join them, I'm happy to accommodate."

Incensed by the casual threat, Maynard lunged forward with murderous intent.

"Maynard!"

Before he could reach Hound, Sengoku's commanding voice cut through the tension. "Sit down!"

Simultaneously, Yamakaji stepped forward, placing a restraining hand on Maynard's shoulder before taking a seat to Sengoku's right.

Maynard remained standing, his glare fixed on Hound with undiminished fury.

As if reading Maynard's thoughts, Hound took a deliberate step forward, meeting his gaze with equal intensity. "Maynard, I order you to sit down. Otherwise, this room will become your tomb."

At Hound's signal, the soldiers lining the walls raised their rifles in unison, the cold steel barrels aimed directly at Maynard's heart.

"Fleet Admiral Sengoku!"

"Treason! It's treason! Xayuki has betrayed the Marines!"

Urgent shouts suddenly echoed from the corridor outside.

Before anyone could react, several figures rushed into the conference room.

Leading the group was Vice Admiral Stiles, followed closely by Vice Admiral Urban—distinctive with his flowing hair and prominent fangs—and Rear Admiral Red King, whose six chins quivered with each hurried step.

The three men, who had entered in a state of panic, froze upon sensing the knife-edge tension permeating the room.

Exchanging wary glances, they swallowed nervously before silently taking seats to Sengoku's left.

Seeing this strategic regrouping of allies, Maynard finally relented, choosing to sit beside Yamakaji.

This wasn't surrender—it was tactical patience. With more allies now present and Sengoku himself maintaining a calculated silence, Maynard decided to bide his time and assess the evolving situation.

Just as the new arrivals settled, the distinct sound of measured footsteps echoed from the corridor.

Vice Admiral Gion strode confidently into the room, her bearing regal and composed. Under the astonished gazes of those present, she took a seat directly across from Sengoku—a position that, by protocol, was not hers to claim.

As she seated herself, two Rear Admirals and more than a dozen elite soldiers filed in behind her, assuming formation with military precision.

"Gion, what is the meaning of this?" Maynard's expression darkened as he processed the implications of her chosen seat. "Have you also aligned yourself with this insurrection?"

Gion ignored Maynard's question entirely. Instead, she turned to Sengoku, her eyes reflecting genuine regret as she offered a respectful bow. "Fleet Admiral Sengoku, I must apologize for tonight's events. For the sake of true justice, I have chosen to follow Lord Xayuki."

Her declaration left Maynard, Yamakaji, Stiles, and the others in stunned silence.

When Gion first entered, they had assumed she too had been coerced by the rebels. Her words revealed not only that she had willingly sided with Xayuki, but that she addressed him with honorifics reserved for superiors.

This wasn't merely alliance—it was complete allegiance.

The revelation was particularly shocking given Gion's status. As a candidate for Admiral, she was among the most promising swordswomen in the Marines, widely expected to ascend to the ranks of the Three Admirals. For someone with such a brilliant trajectory to pledge loyalty to a relatively new Vice Admiral like Xayuki was almost unfathomable.

"True justice?"

A flicker of genuine curiosity crossed Sengoku's eyes. More than anyone else in the room, he seemed interested in understanding Gion's reasoning.

"Yes, true justice," Gion confirmed, her voice steady and resolute. "Lord Xayuki shared with me certain truths about the World Government. Initially, I dismissed his claims as alarmist speculation. Even when I followed his suggestion to verify these claims with Vegapunk in the science division, I remained skeptical."

"It wasn't until my rotation of duty in Mariejois that I realized everything Lord Xayuki had told me was disturbingly accurate."

Sengoku's expression subtly shifted. "Vegapunk? Mariejois? What exactly did he reveal to you?"

Rather than answering directly, Gion posed a question of her own. "Fleet Admiral Sengoku, have you ever entered the royal palace in Mariejois? The one constructed 800 years ago when the twenty kings established the World Government? Within that palace's great hall stands the Empty Throne."

"We all know the Empty Throne must never be occupied. It symbolizes the equality among the twenty founding nations of the World Government—a representation that no single entity can claim absolute authority as a dictator."

"However, based on what I've uncovered, someone has been actively seeking to claim that throne for years."

"That's impossible!" Sengoku surged to his feet, his eyes locked onto Gion's composed expression. In his agitation, he reverted to using her code name. "Momousagi, these are fabrications engineered by Xayuki to manipulate you into supporting his rebellion! Surely you realize that Xayuki's ability to seize control so efficiently tonight isn't due to desperation over his impending transfer to Enies Lobby—it's because he has been meticulously orchestrating this coup for years!"

"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, I am no naive child," Gion replied, her composure unshaken. "Lord Xayuki shared these revelations with me three years ago. At that time, he cautioned me against hasty verification, warning that such inquiries could endanger my life. Nevertheless, I've been conducting discreet investigations throughout these years. Four months ago, I finally uncovered evidence that confirmed his assertions."

"The so-called supreme rulers of the World Government—the Five Elders—are nothing more than elaborate puppets."

"Because behind them lurks a hidden manipulator with ambitions of absolute dictatorship!"

For the first time, Gion's carefully maintained composure showed signs of cracking. She rose slowly to her feet, her next words delivered with the gravity of a death sentence:

"This shadow ruler resides within Mariejois in a chamber known as the Room of Flowers. The Five Elders themselves address this entity as... Lord Imu."

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