"That catgirl… her learning ability and evolution speed are way too terrifying." Marcus stared at Neferpitou, who was fighting Sengoku—her movements and attack patterns growing more and more tricky and uncanny by the second. His eyes were full of wariness. "And that Enel—he's pushed the Rumble-Rumble Fruit to the limit. Even Topman can only barely keep him in check."
Saturn-sei leaned on his cane, the tip tapping the ground with a heavy, dull knock. The face that was usually expressionless was now covered in storm clouds. "The key is Ronan. Not only is his own strength growing at an outrageous pace—what's even more frightening is how he can command these monsters. Every single one of them is a threat level that doesn't lose to a Marine Admiral. And yet they all take orders from him. Where the hell did these powerhouses come from?"
They had originally believed that sending the God Knights plus Marine Admirals would be more than enough to crush Lulusia with ease—to kill a chicken and scare the monkeys. Reality, however, had slapped them hard.
The enemy not only held the line—they executed nineteen Celestial Dragons, then turned around and stormed into the Holy Land, Mary Geoise, inflicting real, tangible wounds on the five Gorosei themselves.
In eight hundred years since the World Government was founded, there had never been such a disgrace.
"This… can't just end like this!" Peter-sei's eyes flashed with viciousness. "We must mobilize everything and wipe them out completely!"
Marcus shook his head, his tone heavy. "Wipe them out completely? Easier said than done. You saw it—they have the ability to directly threaten Mary Geoise. If we force them into a corner and they decide to go down with us… the consequences are unimaginable."
Saturn-sei fell silent for a moment, then spoke at last—voicing the greatest fear in all three of their hearts.
"Most importantly… this cannot reach Imu-sama's ears."
The instant the name "Imu-sama" was spoken, all three Gorosei wore the same expression—reverence mixed with unease.
They remembered it vividly. The last time someone dared offend the Holy Land, it had been the pirate called Rocks. And the wrath Imu-sama had unleashed back then… it had been beyond terrifying.
Even now, it remained a nightmare they refused to revisit.
And this time, it was even worse than the Rocks incident.
The enemy hadn't merely entered Mary Geoise—they attacked the Gorosei directly, causing massive chaos and losses. Many Celestial Dragons had died. This wasn't a "provocation" anymore—this was a direct blow to the very foundation of the World Government's rule.
If Imu-sama learned that, under the governance of the five of them, such a vile incident had occurred—one so severe it might require Imu-sama to personally intervene—they couldn't even imagine the outcome.
Imu-sama's anger was not something they could bear.
As long as they didn't report it, Imu-sama—deep within Pangaea Castle—wouldn't know. Because they understood clearly what Imu-sama truly feared… and what Imu-sama truly watched.
"Eight hundred years of dignity… cannot be stained with such a massive blemish in our hands…" Saturn-sei's voice sank lower and lower. "Reporting to Imu-sama means admitting our incompetence—admitting that the World Government has encountered a crisis we cannot resolve on our own. You should all understand: the turmoil that brings may be even more lethal than Lulusia's rebellion itself."
Peter-sei tugged irritably at his tie. "So what, we just let it go? We let them leave? Where does the World Government's face go? What will the other member nations think?"
"Of course we can't just let it go." Marcus's gaze was cold, carrying a hint of slick calculation. "But the method must change. Ronan and the forces under him have already proven they possess the qualifications to 'talk' with us on a certain level. Forcing extermination—the price is too high, and the risks can't be controlled."
He looked toward the distant battlefield, still raging, and spoke slowly.
"Perhaps we change our thinking. Acknowledge Lulusia—or rather, acknowledge the special status of the force Ronan represents. In some form, bring them into our system… or at the very least, stabilize them within a controllable framework. As long as they no longer openly challenge the World Government's authority, and no longer invade the Holy Land… perhaps we can tolerate their existence for now."
For the Gorosei, it was an extremely humiliating decision—meaning the World Government would have to bow its head to the Lulusia Kingdom.
But when they thought of Imu-sama's wrath, they decided that a temporary compromise was not unacceptable. Sometimes, stepping back on the surface… was for the sake of ruling longer.
"We need to rewrite and reassess the Lulusia Kingdom's threat level. We must find out whether there's some unknown power behind them!" Saturn-sei made the final call. "And before we understand their background and find a reliable response, we shouldn't escalate contradictions any further."
"This incident will be limited to: the God Knights and the Marines successfully repelled an unidentified force's harassment of the Holy Land."
He directly classified an invasion of Mary Geoise that left the Gorosei severely wounded as "harassment." For politicians like them, only the result mattered. The process could be ignored.
Peter-sei and Marcus listened in silence for a moment, then both nodded slowly.
At least in their view, this was the best choice—one that maintained the World Government's surface-level dignity while avoiding further loss of control.
"…And as for Morgans—withdraw the order to capture him for now." Saturn-sei understood clearly that an attack on Mary Geoise couldn't be hidden from the outside world. "Offer him his freedom, and have him run this as the headline—publish it."
As long as Morgans reported according to the World Government's requirements, they could use it to dilute the impact of Ronan's assault on Mary Geoise.
Immediately afterward, three figures—barely hiding their exhaustion—rushed in from the distance and arrived before Ronan.
The moment they appeared, an icy figure stepped in front of Ronan.
Alicia's eyes held not the slightest trace of emotion as she locked onto the three of them. If they made any move at all, Alicia would strike first.
The atmosphere tightened to its limit.
Yet, contrary to everyone's expectations, Saturn-sei—the one in front—showed no intent to attack, and none of his usual arrogance. He raised a hand, signaling that he posed no threat. Those deeply weary eyes bypassed Alicia and looked straight at Ronan behind her.
"Ronan-heika." Saturn-sei's voice was hoarse—forcing those words out clearly cost him. He paused, then continued.
"This conflict in Mary Geoise…"
"Must end."
(End of Chapter)
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