One Piece: Max-Level Observation Haki from the Start

Holy Land Mary Geoise— in a quiet garden at the very heart of the World Government.

Five elderly men, each with distinct features and a commanding air of authority, were seated around a tea table, casually enjoying a fragrant afternoon tea.

The elder wearing a black flat hat (Saturn) sipped his tea and said calmly,

"Marine Headquarters, the Seven Warlords of the Sea, the Four Emperors… the balance we painstakingly built across the seas—has been utterly shattered by Roya. What do you all think?"

A blonde elder (Peter) gave a disdainful snort.

"Sengoku's incompetence and cowardice are the true causes of this defeat."

"Roya may be stronger than Whitebeard, but there's no way he's as powerful as Akainu described—ending the war alone? Absurd."

A bald, beardless elder (Nusjuro) said coldly,

"Let's not forget—the real purpose of this war we orchestrated was to eliminate Whitebeard, and make room for new blood to rise on the seas."

"And the result? Whitebeard lives, and we've lost both the Fleet Admiral and a legendary Vice Admiral. The Shichibukai system is all but dissolved!"

The long-bearded elder (Mars) nodded in agreement.

"That's true. But on the other hand—Roya has inherited and replaced Whitebeard's reputation and position almost seamlessly. In that sense, our intended outcome was at least half-achieved. The price was just… steep."

The elder with the walrus mustache (Warcury) frowned deeply.

"Then we must act swiftly to restore balance across the seas."

He paused, his voice suddenly laced with fear:

"If this imbalance continues and alarms Imu-sama, I don't need to explain the consequences..."

At the mere mention of Imu-sama, the Five Elders—those who held the highest authority in the world—all fell silent, their expressions turning grim.

At that moment, a nervous attendant approached, trembling as he kneeled and bowed deeply.

"Reporting to the esteemed elders—Blackbeard, one of the remaining Seven Warlords, has requested passage through the Holy Land, en route to the New World."

The flat-hatted elder's eyes lit up.

"Why not go with the flow? Give that ambitious man a little help. Let him grow faster."

"With his personality, he's sure to wreak havoc across the seas. That could buy us the time and space we need to clean up Sengoku's mess."

The others nodded in agreement.

The flat-hatted elder instructed:

"Grant him passage. Also, prepare three flagship-class warships at the New World entrance. Tell him this: 'I want to see the New World drenched in pirate blood.'"

The attendant shivered from head to toe, bowed again, and retreated backward out of the garden.

The bald elder suddenly let out a sigh.

"If not for the need to keep the World Government functioning… these clowns would never have been allowed to run wild on the seas."

The long-bearded elder glanced at the blonde one and said with a deep voice,

"I have a hunch. Roya may be coming for us next. Compared to him, the so-called threat of the Will of D is insignificant."

The walrus-mustached elder added solemnly,

"An Observation Haki bordering on omniscience… mysterious replication and control abilities... This Roya—he may not even be fighting at full strength yet."

"If we place a six-billion bounty on his head, could that stir competition among the Four Emperors? Make them turn on each other?"

The others nodded slowly.

The Five Elders fell into a heavy silence—only the faint clinking of tea cups remained, echoing with unreadable intent.

---

Baltigo, the White Earth Island

Standing side by side in the wind were Emporio Ivankov and Monkey D. Dragon.

Dragon pondered aloud,

"So, your assessment is… Roya is a supporter of order?"

Ivankov nodded.

"He definitely leans toward order and authority. Otherwise, he wouldn't have deliberately left Vice Warden Hannyabal alive."

"Plus, the way he killed Shiryu without hesitation, and showed zero sympathy for the majority of the prisoners... It's clear—he has no tolerance for truly vile criminals. He's not like Blackbeard, who recruits scum just to grow stronger."

Dragon nodded slightly.

"While I value freedom, my real issue is the rottenness of today's World Government. The world's worst criminals are a byproduct of the Government's tyranny and exploitation."

"So in truth, Roya and I are not ideologically opposed."

"This world does need true order—but certainly not the kind the Celestial Dragons are willing to give."

Ivankov nodded repeatedly.

"Roya must have known who I was—yet he still sent Squard to save me personally."

"But… he also made sure I stayed away from the Marineford war. I wonder if that was intentional?"

Dragon thought for a moment and said cautiously,

"Maybe… He anticipated that the war would end in a one-sided rout and didn't want the World Government thinking we'd already allied."

"We still need time to grow. And likely, so does he. So for now—it's better not to pressure the World Government too hard."

Ivankov's wide eyes sparkled with surprise.

"You mean… he might provoke the one who sits on the Empty Throne?"

Dragon drew in a deep breath.

"Exactly. The Empty Throne."

"That individual… is the true foundation of the World Government."

"The Celestial Dragons are nothing but inbred parasites, feeding off their ancestors' legacy."

"But that one person—the one who's ruled from the shadows since the era of the Twenty Kings—that is the real tumor festering on the world."

"Only by killing them, can we truly overthrow the World Government, and return the world to true freedom and order."

"It's because I learned of their existence that I gave up on reforming the Navy from the inside—and chose to launch a revolution from the outside instead."

Ivankov was deeply shaken—and even more fired up.

He bowed low.

"Then I'll set out immediately—to continue the search for Nico Robin. If the legends are true, and we find the three Ancient Weapons, we might really be able to end the Celestial Dragons' corrupt reign!"

Dragon gave a noncommittal nod.

"No matter what—find Nico Robin. Bring her to me. Thank you."

Ivankov saluted and departed quickly.

Left alone, Dragon's fierce expression gradually softened. He looked up at the sky—and let out a silent sigh.

---

Back aboard the Moby Dick…

The celebration continued in full swing.

At the stern of the ship stood Whitebeard and Sengoku, shoulder to shoulder, watching the now-distant silhouette of Marineford shrink into a speck on the horizon.

On Sengoku's face was a look of peace—something never seen before.

He said with a smile,

"It's strange… Looking at that building from a pirate's perspective now—it really does look like a prison."

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