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One Piece World, Jura-Tempest Federation
One day before the execution.
"Benimaru, are all the troops assembled?"
Kaito set down his teacup and looked up from the head of the table.
Benimaru rose immediately. "Kaito-sama. The First Legion, Fourth Legion, Fifth Legion, Sixth Legion, and the Academy Guard are all assembled and ready."
"The Wolf Rider Patrol remains stationed in Alabasta for security."
"We also received word from Alabasta that King Cobra has dispatched Chaka to lead fifty thousand Royal Army soldiers in support. They will arrive within a few days."
"As for our senior combatants, we have the Legion Commanders of each unit. Myself from the First Legion, Rigur from the Fourth, Gabil from the Fifth, and Ultima-sama from the Sixth. Additionally, Souei commanding the Covert Mobile Unit, Zegion as captain of the Academy Guard, and Ranga as vice-captain. Including the vice-commanders of each legion, I believe our senior combatant strength is more than sufficient."
Kaito listened to the full rundown and quietly felt that he might have overdone it slightly. This was the lineup they had assembled to deal with the World Government. He was fairly certain they could have gone toe to toe with the Eastern Empire with this and still had something left over.
"Very good. Impressive showing all around."
He paused.
"I genuinely did not expect Cobra to actually send troops. That man keeps surprising me."
"Kai-chan, King Cobra is someone who repays every kindness," Rimuru said from the seat beside him, smiling.
"He is. A king willing to put himself at risk for his country. Vivi really did get a good father."
He turned his attention down the table.
"Souei."
Souei rose. "Yes, Kaito-sama."
"You're sitting this war out. Take Souka with you and keep a close watch on Alabasta. If anything develops, I trust I don't need to spell out what to do."
"Understood."
Souei gave a small nod and vanished from the room without another word.
Kaito leaned back and let a slow grin spread across his face.
"Since we're already doing this properly, we might as well do it thoroughly. Sakuya, bring the Imperial Guard Corps as well." He drummed his fingers lightly on the table. "After we execute that fat pig, we'll move directly on Mary Geoise. If those pigs can sit at the top of the world, so can we."
The room came alive. Every person at the table rose to their feet.
"Yes, Kaito-sama! We will see your ambition through!!!"
"Wow, Kai-chan! I had no idea you were thinking that big! I'm genuinely impressed!"
Kaito looked at the room, then looked at Rimuru, and raised a hand quickly.
"Easy, easy. I was being a bit loose with my words. Don't take it that seriously."
He stood, turned his back to the room, and pointed at the characters emblazoned across the back of his cloak.
Everyone read them.
Doing Nothing.
The energy that had ignited two seconds ago went out completely.
"Ahem. That said," Kaito continued, turning back around, "we do need actual governing authority over this world eventually, so don't be too deflated about it."
"Yes, Kaito-sama! Understood!"
"Kai-chan, you are genuinely the least ambitious person I have ever met. I worry about you sometimes." Rimuru shook her head.
Kaito looked at her with an expression of pure disbelief. "Of everyone in this room, you are the absolute last person with any standing to say that to me."
Rimuru's expression shifted. The warmth left her face entirely, replaced by something cold and imperious. She rose slightly from her seat and addressed the room.
"Hmph! I am the Queen of the Jura-Tempest Federation. After this war, I will be the Queen of the world. Tremble before me, mortals. I am destiny itself. I am your empe—"
Flick.
"Ow! Kai-chan, what was that for?!"
Kaito looked at her, expression flat, as she rubbed her forehead. "We are in a meeting. Stop doing the whole chuunibyou thing and be serious."
Around the table, the general consensus was unanimous and entirely internal: You are the least serious person here.
"Kaito-sama." Kagaya spoke up once the laughter had settled. "There is something I need to report, and it concerns everyone here."
"Go ahead. These are all people I trust."
"Very well." He folded his hands. "On the day you confronted the Celestial Dragon, Fleet Admiral Sengoku reached out to me. We came to an arrangement, and I'm bringing it to you now. If you find any part of it unsuitable, I'll go back to Sengoku."
That caught everyone's attention. Kaito leaned forward.
"Let's hear it."
Kagaya explained. It took about as long as a cup of tea.
When he finished, the room was quiet in a way that meant everyone was doing the same mental arithmetic.
The arrangement was straightforward. The bulk of the forces the Marines would deploy were personnel who owed their positions to the World Government rather than to the Marines as an institution. Sengoku's position, simply put, was that the Jura-Tempest Federation was welcome to deal with them however it saw fit.
He would brief his own senior combatants, who would appear on the field and do nothing meaningful. As for any elite forces the World Government itself chose to dispatch separately, the Marines were prepared to cooperate with the Jura-Tempest Federation in removing them.
Kaito sat back.
Sengoku was using this war to clean house. The World Government would take the losses, the Marines would emerge with their corrupt elements quietly removed, and it would all look like the fortunes of battle. The World Government could hardly complain. They had sent their people. Their people had died bravely in service of the cause. What more could they ask for?
"Hahaha. We haven't even started fighting and half the enemy strength is already gone. The World Government has really made itself unpopular, hasn't it."
He let the smile settle.
"That said, we don't extend full trust to Sengoku. This could itself be part of his strategy. When engaging the Marines' senior combatants, watch carefully. The moment something feels wrong, don't hesitate. All of them. Is that clear?"
"Yes, Kaito-sama!"
Bang.
"Wahahaha!!! Kai-chan, I'm back! Let's play!"
The door flew open. The laugh arrived before she did.
"Milim! You're back!"
"Hehe! And I brought someone with me!"
From behind Milim, a tiny figure came sailing out on a pair of delicate fairy wings, barely the size of a hand.
Rimuru stared.
"Ramiris! How on earth did you get here?!"
"Rimuru! You're here too!"
Rimuru looked at her with the expression of someone running low on patience. "Did I not tell you that I'm the Queen of the Jura-Tempest Federation? I live here."
"Oh, was that right?! Ehehe, I forgot!"
Ramiris scratched the back of her head, wings fluttering with mild embarrassment.
Kaito watched her and felt a familiar sensation in the back of his mind.
The organization was probably about to get a little bigger.