At this moment, in Mary Geoise, Admiral Sengoku, Fleet Admiral Kong, and Chief of Staff Tsuru, along with several other key figures, had already arrived at the Holy Land.
The city before them was dazzling, like a paradise carved from marble and gold. Yet none of them had the mood to appreciate it. They never did. They knew all too well how much blood and filth lay hidden beneath that pristine beauty.
They stopped before a massive gate. Beyond it stood one of the most important palaces in the world, the seat of the Five Elders and the pinnacle of global authority.
Strong individuals like Sengoku could faintly sense gazes and auras lurking in the shadows around them. These were the Holy Land's guards. Though well hidden, they posed no real threat to those present.
At present, Mary Geoise had not yet suffered the slave liberation disaster of the future. Its defenses were lax, built more on arrogance than caution. The World Government simply could not imagine anyone daring to invade the Holy Land itself.
Only after that catastrophe would the defenses be reinforced and naval forces permanently stationed here.
"Please come in. The Five Elders are waiting for you," the official at the gate said politely, gesturing forward.
The gates opened.
Inside the vast hall, the Five Elders sat and stood in their usual positions. As Sengoku and the others entered, all five gazes fell upon them at once.
"What brings you here in person?" asked the elder with the fluffy white beard. "Couldn't this have been discussed over a Den Den Mushi?"
"It concerns the Navy, doesn't it?" said the elder with long, straight white hair. "There was an internal meeting earlier. Have you already decided on a solution?"
"Yes," Sengoku replied, nodding. "We have formulated concrete countermeasures. However, we require your approval."
He handed over five copies of the prepared proposal.
"This incident has dealt a severe blow to the Navy's credibility. It cannot be resolved in a short time. At its core, it is an internal Navy problem," Sengoku continued calmly. "But as long as we take decisive action and clean out the parasites within our ranks, the public will see our sincerity."
"With these measures, we are confident the Navy can regain public trust within a year."
The plan was concise and clearly structured.
Publicly execute Vice Admiral Makudi.
Publicly acknowledge the Navy's mistakes.
Establish a Supervisory Department to investigate, detain, and punish corrupt or criminal Navy personnel.
Only through visible action could trust be restored.
As the Five Elders read through the proposal, their expressions remained composed, until their eyes reached the section describing the Supervisory Department.
Frowns appeared.
The function of the department itself was straightforward. It would handle internal discipline, investigate misconduct, and punish errant personnel under Navy law.
In principle, there was nothing wrong with this.
However, by conventional procedure, Navy personnel who committed crimes were supposed to be handed over to Enies Lobby for judgment. Establishing such a department risked overstepping Enies Lobby's authority.
Even if Enies Lobby was weaker than Marine Headquarters or Impel Down, it was still a core symbol of the World Government. Together with Marineford and Impel Down, it formed the World Government's judicial triangle.
Moreover, Enies Lobby housed CP9 and more than ten thousand soldiers. The giant guards at its gates were no pushovers either.
Still, the Five Elders also understood the Navy's predicament.
The longer this crisis dragged on, the worse it would become, not only for the Navy, but for the World Government itself.
Several affiliated nations had already suffered devastating losses. Some had begun refusing to pay the Celestial Tribute. There were even rumors of countries withdrawing from the World Government altogether.
This was unacceptable.
Additionally, CP9 simply lacked the manpower to supervise the Navy. Forcing every minor disciplinary case through Enies Lobby would be absurdly inefficient.
Were sailors who deserved a few days of confinement really supposed to be escorted across the sea under heavy guard?
After a moment of silence, the elder with the golden beard spoke.
"Approved. However, all internal disciplinary actions must be reported to Enies Lobby on a monthly basis for review and stamping."
The stamp itself was meaningless, but the gesture preserved Enies Lobby's authority.
"I second that."
"Agreed."
The decision was unanimous.
Under normal circumstances, such a proposal might have been stalled or delayed. But Redyat's words had struck too deeply. The Navy's prestige was bleeding out, and the World Government could not afford prolonged indecision.
Stability and balance were paramount.
As for the Nightfall Pirates, chaos was precisely what they needed.
Chaos weakened oversight, spread resources thin, and allowed them to grow rapidly. Stability could wait until their power was firmly established.
Only then would order become useful again.
Seeing the Five Elders agree, Sengoku and the others quietly exhaled in relief, though the weight on their shoulders did not lessen.
"When will you begin?" asked the elder with the handlebar mustache. "You don't have much time."
"Tomorrow," Sengoku replied without hesitation. "We will hold a global press conference."
"The establishment of the Supervisory Department will follow within one to two weeks. We will work day and night to finalize regulations and personnel. During this time, we will also clean out Navy personnel with serious misconduct and hold another press conference to announce the results."
Speed was essential. Anything less would invite disaster.
"Very well," the elder said. "Don't disappoint us."
Soon after, news spread across the world.
Marine Headquarters would hold a global press conference.
With the combined efforts of Navy and World Government media, public opinion began to stir. Everyone waited to see how the Navy would respond to Redyat's accusations and the Mandara Island incident.
If the Navy failed to satisfy the public, its collapse would be inevitable.
Some even predicted the Navy's downfall, speculating whether the World Government would dissolve it and create a new force entirely.
Most understood that was impossible.
Disbanding the Navy would leave the seas unchecked. In this era of chaos, such a move would be suicidal.
The dominant opinion was more extreme.
Purge the leadership.
Replace them all.
In the World Economic News Agency's video section, countless commentators appeared. Some predicted disaster. Others offered detailed advice. A few even accurately guessed the Navy's countermeasures, proposing the creation of an internal enforcement department.
Many, of course, were simply chasing views and money.
This topic was too hot to ignore.
Media outlets rushed overnight toward Marine Headquarters, eager to secure front-row seats.
Some hoped to witness the Navy embarrass itself.
After all, devising a solution in less than a day sounded absurd. Any attempt to deceive the public would only worsen the backlash.
And now, with video Den Den Mushi flourishing, analytical commentators had become frighteningly sharp. Masked and anonymous, they spoke freely, dismantling institutions with logic alone.
The Navy had no way to silence them.
That evening, as the Nightfall Pirates prepared their victory banquet, Teach read the latest news and burst into laughter.
"So fast?" he said. "I didn't expect the World Government to agree this quickly."
"They're efficient when they're cornered," Redyat replied, watching a popular analysis video. "This one's currently number one."
The commentator calmly predicted apologies, executions, and the creation of an internal enforcement body. He even suggested publicly punishing multiple corrupt officers alongside Makudi.
"This video was released before the Marine Headquarters meeting ended," Teach said, amused. "I wonder how embarrassed they'll feel."
"Being outplayed by a single man," Redyat said lightly. "But you know who he is. I told you before."
Teach raised an eyebrow. "That staff officer?"
"Yes."
"Then after we take St. Louis Island, let's borrow him for a while. I'm curious about his potential."
Redyat sighed. "You might be disappointed. Kaizer's physical talent is average at best."
Teach waved it off. "Then give him a Devil Fruit."
Meanwhile, back at Marine Headquarters, Sengoku and the others were staring at the same video.
"Who leaked this?" Sengoku slammed the table, fury flashing in his eyes. "Who leaked our meeting?"
Silence.
At last, a Marine officer stood.
"Admiral Sengoku, we thought the same at first. But please look at the upload time."
Sengoku paused and examined it.
His pupils shrank.
Even Tsuru and Kong stiffened.
"This… this was released before the meeting," Sengoku muttered.
"To be precise," the officer added, "ten minutes before the meeting began."
The room fell quiet.
Sengoku's anger drained away, replaced by embarrassment. He had accused everyone, only to realize the truth too late.
"What do we do now?" someone asked. "He predicted everything. And even more perfectly than us."
"Then we refine it further," Sengoku said after a moment. "Tomorrow's press conference must be flawless."
He looked at the commentator's uncovered face on the screen.
"Who is he? Can we recruit him?"
An awkward smile appeared beside him.
"I'm afraid not. His name is Abraham Kaizer. He is the Chief of Staff of the Dark Council's Staff Department."
"He answers only to the Speaker and the four ministers. The department was created by the Dark Council's first Speaker, 'Hades.' It gathers the sharpest minds in the West Blue."
"Kaizer's position is equivalent to a Navy Grand Staff Officer."
The implication was obvious.
Such a man would never look at the Navy.