In the room.
After CP0 left, silence descended.
The expressions of the Five Elders varied; some showed killing intent, some were calm, others solemn.
"To kill that silver-haired fellow, we can only send that one."
The blond Five Elder turned his head and stared grimly at the white curly-haired Five Elder.
"For a mere pirate, is it truly necessary to send him?"
Just then, the only one standing in the room, looking more like a butler than someone at the pinnacle of power, the long-bearded Five Elder, also turned his gaze towards the white curly-haired Five Elder and spoke.
"Indeed! Considering his age, this mission might be his last. After he's gone, who knows when we'll be able to find that fruit again."
"Then..."
*Thud!*
The curly-haired Five Elder struck the ground forcefully with his cane, then swept his gaze across the blond and long-bearded Five Elders.
He said calmly, "Then what do you propose we do about that silver-haired fellow? Let him continue to disrupt the world's balance?"
"I never said we should let him go unchecked."
The long-bearded Five Elder narrowed his eyes and said calmly, "That guy doesn't kill indiscriminately. This time, Crocodile must have run into the silver-haired one's path."
He paused and then added, "Didn't that silver-haired fellow just fight with Hawk Eyes? Weren't they getting along well?"
Few knew of the clash between the silver-haired one and Hawk Eyes, but the Five Elders did.
"Why don't you mention that he's already killed two kings of World Government member nations!"
"Ugh..."
The long-bearded Five Elder was rendered speechless by this.
While they didn't care much for these kings, they were still monarchs of World Government member nations who paid protection fees. For a king to be killed, the World Government would have to provide an explanation.
Even if that country had a new king.
The explanation wouldn't be for that country, but for the kings of other member nations.
And the best explanation would be to eliminate the villain who killed the king of a member nation.
"In any case, I am not in favor of mobilizing 'that one'. If he leaves, the Holy Land's defenses will have a significant void."
The white curly-haired Five Elder didn't necessarily disagree with eliminating the silver-haired crew, but he didn't want "that one" to be involved.
However, if they were to eliminate the silver-haired crew, he couldn't find a suitable candidate, which was troublesome.
"Then let's vote!"
The white curly-haired Five Elder's gaze swept across everyone in the room and he slowly said, "I, for one, want to resolve the issue of the silver-haired crew as soon as possible. If we let this guy continue to grow, and he truly reaches the New World and clashes with top-tier powerhouses like the Four Emperors."
"Then I cannot predict the increase in his strength."
He paused here, then continued, "That silver-haired fellow is unlike other pirates. In terms of threat to the World Government, I believe he is far more dangerous than the Four Emperors. Moreover, 'that one' won't live much longer anyway, so let him contribute one last time to the World Government!"
"Mm!"
The bald, sword-bearing Five Elder nodded, pushed up his glasses, and a flash of killing intent flickered in his small pupils.
"I also agree to eliminate the silver-haired crew immediately."
He had always advocated for the swift elimination of anyone or any force that threatened the World Government.
In fact, when the silver-haired crew was still in the East Blue and their notoriety first spread throughout the world, he had proposed sending CP0 to eliminate them.
But he was vetoed by the other four Five Elders.
They felt there was no need to make such a fuss over a pirate wandering the Four Seas. Even if this pirate had killed the legendary pirate Golden Lion Shiki, in their eyes, such a pirate was nothing.
But who knew this silver-haired fellow would have such a personality!
The things he did after entering the Grand Line were nothing a pirate should do.
If you wanted to champion justice, you should have become a Marine!
But you chose to be a pirate, and on top of that, you constantly opposed the World Government.
Yes, from the World Government's perspective, the actions of the silver-haired crew were all acts of defiance against the World Government.
Why are you targeting the World Government so much? You're not the Revolutionary Army, you're just a pirate!
When the World Government wanted to kill this guy, they discovered that his strength was utterly monstrous.
Even the most troublesome Admirals in the Navy, along with five elite Vice Admirals, were no match for the silver-haired crew.
This was infuriating!
They initially thought that Bass Island was an anomaly.
It was just that the silver-haired crew happened to choose that island, and it coincidentally coincided with the outcome at Bass.
Who would have known that after disappearing for four months, the first thing this guy did upon reappearing was to kill the king of a World Government member nation.
Let him kill!
They didn't particularly care about these kings.
But the fact that this guy killed the Shichibukai Crocodile was something they could not tolerate.
The Seven Warlords of the Sea were, on one hand, created by the World Government to maintain balance in the seas, and on the other hand, they were a form of prestige for the World Government.
Now that their face had been slapped, if they did nothing, where would their honor lie, and where would the World Government's authority stand?
Of course, these were all superficial reasons.
The deeper reason lay with the Poneglyph guarded by the Nefertari family in Alabasta.
Why would Crocodile, a pirate, know such crucial information? Did he truly learn it by chance?
Of course not.
It was deliberately leaked by the World Government.
They wanted him to find that Poneglyph so that they could then legitimately take it from Crocodile.
Since the World Government knew, why didn't they retrieve it themselves?
Do you really think the Nefertari family is useless?
Just as Crocodile couldn't directly capture Nefertari Cobra and force him to reveal the location of the Poneglyph,
The World Government couldn't use such methods either!
They could only force Nefertari Cobra's hand through indirect means, and it was better to have a pirate commit these misdeeds than for the World Government's CP0 to do it.
If they succeeded, they could then legitimately take it from the pirate, saving both time and effort. Why not?
Now, Crocodile is dead. According to intelligence from spies in Alabasta, that woman Nico Robin is still in Rain Dinners, and she's entangled with the silver-haired crew. This is the reason for their fury.
If the silver-haired crew were to obtain the Poneglyph and have that woman Nico Robin decipher its contents, it would be something they absolutely did not wish to see.
"I also agree."
The Five Elder with the goatee and bald head glanced at the blond Five Elder and the long-bearded Five Elder and stated calmly, "Don't forget that Nefertari Vivi is also with the silver-haired crew. No one can guarantee that Nefertari Vivi won't lead the silver-haired crew to the Poneglyphs."
"Fine!"
The blond Five Elder shrugged helplessly. "It's not that I disagree with eliminating the silver-haired crew; I just don't want 'that one' to be sent."
"Since you all agree, then I have no objections."
Seeing everyone's attitude, the long-bearded Five Elder could only nod in agreement.
He stroked his beard, a glint of sharpness in his eyes, and then said, "Since 'that one' is to be sent, let's be thorough and send an Admiral as well!"
As he spoke, he straightened his back, and killing intent appeared in his eyes. "An Admiral, an Admiral, plus 'that one'. This time, we will surely send the silver-haired crew to hell."
...