One piece: Establishing a Pirate Family

Chapter 128: The Arrangement of the Five Elders

"Alright! I've said everything that needs to be said. This matter must not be leaked. Dismissed!"

Charlotte glanced at his gathered crew and gave his final orders.

The crew saluted before dispersing. Charlotte had unshakable trust in his five captains—they had proven their loyalty time and again. After all, with Charlotte's ability to read minds, betrayal was an impossible feat for them to conceal.

After the meeting, Charlotte spent time with his family. His gaze softened as it landed on the four-month-old baby cradled in Martha's arms.

"How's Tesla? Has he been giving you any trouble?" Charlotte asked lovingly, referring to his third son, Rockefeller Tesla.

The names he gave his children were inspired by renowned figures from his previous life, a nod to his memories of a world long past.

"No, Tesla's been an angel," Martha replied warmly, looking at her baby with pride. "He eats, sleeps, and rarely fusses."

"That's good. But if he ever causes trouble, I'll make sure he shapes up when he grows older!" Charlotte chuckled, teasingly wagging a finger at the wide-eyed baby.

"Stop scaring him," Martha said with a roll of her eyes, though her smile betrayed her amusement.

Charlotte turned his attention to the rest of his family. Esdeath, now three years old, was as energetic as ever. She spent her days running around the ship and occasionally causing a ruckus with her Cold-Cold Fruit powers. Panis, Gillian, and the other women often found themselves cleaning up the chaos Esdeath left in her wake.

Meanwhile, his one-and-a-half-year-old son Caesar babbled happily, entertained by Alice's gentle coaxing. The sight of his growing family filled Charlotte with joy.

In the three and a half months since his return, Nell and Gillian had also conceived, further expanding his lineage. Charlotte couldn't help but feel proud of the legacy he was building.

While Charlotte enjoyed a rare moment of peace, the rest of Beehive Island was abuzz with activity.

"Quick! Move those cannons carefully! If you damage one, you'll answer for it!"

"Make sure Lady Charlotte's provisions are loaded without delay! Do you want to lose your head?"

Pirates scurried across the docks, hauling supplies and readying their ships. The air was thick with tension and anticipation.

However, this surge of activity did not go unnoticed. Spies from various factions kept a close eye on the commotion, their minds racing to decipher Rocks' plans.

"Look at this intelligence from Beehive Island."

The elder wearing a black hat handed the dossier to the others.

"What is Rocks planning?" the blond elder asked with a frown. "Is he preparing for war?"

"Could he have learned about the Valley of the Gods?" the elder holding a sword asked darkly.

"Impossible," the elder with a birthmark on his forehead interjected. "Only we know of its location. It's a closely guarded secret."

"Then what is he plotting?" the elder with long white hair mused. "Could he be targeting our remaining naval bases in the New World?"

"Very likely," the blond elder replied.

"We must act decisively," said the elder holding a sword. "Notify Cyborg Kong to increase vigilance and prepare defenses immediately."

The others nodded in agreement.

The Den Den Mushi connected with a series of clicks.

"Moshi Moshi!" Kong's voice echoed through the line.

"Kong," the elder holding a sword began, "the Rocks Pirates are mobilizing. They may be planning an assault on our New World bases. Be on your guard."

"Yes, understood," Kong replied, his tone serious. "I'll deploy Zephyr and Sengoku to reinforce the New World bases immediately."

The elder's voice grew firm. "After this mission, we plan to officially appoint you as Fleet Admiral. Additionally, the ranks of Admiral will be expanded to include three new members: Garp, Sengoku, and Zephyr. This should bolster our ability to deal with the growing pirate threat."

The news stunned Kong into silence for a moment. When he finally spoke, his voice was brimming with excitement.

"Thank you for the World Government's support. I won't let you down!"

"Good. Now get to work," the elder said, cutting the call.

As the Den Den Mushi went silent, Kong let out a triumphant laugh, the sound reverberating throughout Marineford. For the first time in a long while, he felt optimistic about the Navy's future.

Back in Mary Geoise, the Five Elders returned to their deliberations.

"We must ensure everything is prepared for the Valley of the Gods," the blond elder said gravely.

The elder wearing a black hat nodded. "I will personally oversee the arrangements. Vice Admiral Garp will accompany us, along with a detachment of CP0 agents. The Valley of the Gods is only accessible via the record pointer, so it's unlikely anyone outside of us will know its location."

"Good," the elder with long white hair replied. "But we must be cautious. Lord Imu has expressed significant interest in this matter."

"And the Celestial Dragons?" the elder with a birthmark on his head asked.

"Everything has been arranged. Their presence is accounted for," the blond elder confirmed.

The elder with the birthmark sneered. "Those fools have grown more insufferable lately."

No one responded. The room fell silent, heavy with unspoken thoughts. Finally, the elder with the birthmark sighed and turned his attention to other matters.

"All right. Let's move on to the Kingdom of Yaz's petition to join the World Government…"

The stage was set. The forces of the Rocks Pirates and the World Government moved like pieces on a chessboard, each preparing for the inevitable clash that loomed on the horizon.

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