Deep within Pangea Castle, in the Holy Land Mariejois.
Inside the Hall of Authority, luxury and majesty coexisted. Ancient murals on the walls silently watched the center of the room.
There, a specially designed projection Den Den Mushi clearly projected the final scene from Sakapachi Island onto the pristine floor.
In the image, a charred giant pit emitted wisps of smoke, and the vitrified ground reflected an eerie glow.
Gern dragged his body with difficulty, finally collapsing beside Kuzan.
His voice, tired yet incredibly clear, said: "It seems… today my 'Tremor' slightly overpowered your 'Ice Age', Kuzan."
These words seemed to pierce through space, echoing faintly in the silent hall, then slowly extinguished along with the image.
The projection Den Den Mushi closed its eyes wearily, and the room fell into a longer, more profound silence.
On three sofas, the Gorosei, the highest authorities of the World Government, stood or sat in various postures, but each face was shrouded in an unshakeable solemnity.
Previously, they might have held some anticipation for this "performance" they orchestrated, coldly observing the internal attrition within the Marine.
But now, those emotions had been replaced by deeper considerations.
Especially since this was the first time the Gorosei had directly witnessed Gern's battle.
"Hoo…" Topman Warcury Saint, dressed in a dark suit with white curly hair, was the first to break the silence, making a crisp tapping sound.
"What a… battle between monsters.
Kuzan's strength is already considered to be at the pinnacle of the sea, but I didn't expect…"
"I didn't expect the power of 'Heaven Quake' could tear through and suppress the extreme of 'Ice Age'," Saint Marcus Mars interjected, habitually stroking his long beard.
"Especially that last move, transforming the vibration into extreme high temperature…
Heh, that Devil Fruit's ability is far more dangerous than we initially assessed."
"It's merely a qualitative change in the manifestation of energy."
Satan Saint's low voice rang out, with an inhuman calmness.
As a scientist, he saw things more clearly.
"It's not impossible to derive thermal effects using high-frequency vibrations, but to combine both characteristics and instantly unleash them to the extent of breaking Kuzan's defense…
It's not just the Devil Fruit's ability, but also the terrifying talent of the user driving it.
After all, there are very few who can control a Nature Type to such an extreme on the high seas."
"Talent? Hmph!" Shepherd Ju Peter Saint snorted, his tone filled with unconcealed apprehension, "This is the most troublesome part!
A fellow who possesses such power, yet lacks reverence for the descendants of God, even openly insults them, and feigns compliance with the World Government's orders!
Allowing him to continue wielding such power is itself a risk of losing control!
We initially pushed for this 'Admiral War' to see if Kuzan could suppress him.
Or at least result in a mutual defeat, but now…" He paused, his gaze sweeping over the other four.
"Should we still proceed with the original plan? Or should we go with the flow and let him be promoted to Admiral? But once he gains greater power and freedom…"
His last words were left unsaid, but the meaning was self-evident.
A Gern whose strength surpassed that of a quasi-Admiral (Kuzan) and who was uncontrollable was not something they wished to see.
"This matter indeed requires careful consideration," Saint Izanbaron V. Nasujuro said, adjusting his glasses, his eyes glinting behind the lenses.
"After all, promotion or not concerns the balance of the Marine and even the World Government.
Gern Reginald Sigma's combat power is a double-edged sword; used well, he will be an indestructible shield for the World Government against pirates, but if not…" He shook his head.
Just as the atmosphere grew heavier and the scales of judgment seemed to tip,
Satan Saint spoke again, his tone still calm and unwavering: "Regarding Gern's promotion and subsequent arrangements, perhaps we don't need to rush to a conclusion.
Before you arrived, I received a communication request from Sengoku."
"Sengoku?" Warcury Saint frowned, "Is he looking for us about Gern?"
"Exactly," Satan Saint slowly said, "According to him, Kong seemed to have issued a decision before stepping down that greatly shocked and was difficult for him to accept.
This decision directly concerns Gern Reginald Sigma."
"Kong?" Mars Saint's eyes flashed with a hint of doubt, "What kind of trick is that old man trying to pull before retiring?"
"Sengoku requested to present the specific details in person," Satan Saint's gaze swept over his colleagues.
"He claims that this matter concerns the stability of the Marine's future structure and must be discussed personally with the five of us.
After all, in a few months, the Marine will officially be under his command."
"Power is such a thing…" Peter Saint scoffed, with a cynical insight into human nature.
"Once anyone holds it, they are unwilling to share it, especially with such an uncontrollable subordinate.
It seems that even 'Fleet Admiral' Sengoku cannot fully tolerate the 'legacy' Kong left behind."
The hall fell into a brief silence once more.
The Gorosei exchanged glances, unspoken information flowing between them.
Finally, Warcury Saint made a decision: "Since that's the case, let's hear what Sengoku has to say.
Perhaps he can offer us a… new approach to handling 'Heaven Quake'.
Send word, arrange for Sengoku to come to Mary Geoise as soon as possible."
As he spoke, his gaze returned to the now-extinguished projection Den Den Mushi, as if he could still see the island that had been ravaged by destruction.
"Before hearing the Marine's 'internal opinion', all decisions regarding Gern Reginald Sigma are temporarily suspended."
Just as he finished speaking, the side door of the room was gently knocked. After receiving permission,
a CP0 member, dressed in a white uniform with a masked face, silently entered and quickly walked to Satan Saint, whispering a few words and presenting a thin report.
Satan Saint's usually unruffled expression stiffened almost imperceptibly upon hearing a certain phrase.
He dismissed the CP0 member, his gaze sweeping over the keywords in the report:
"Ohara," "poneglyph," "breakthrough progress in the study of the Void Century."
In an instant, the solemn atmosphere in the hall, which had revolved around Gern, abruptly changed.
A deeper, more absolute, and inviolable cold majesty emanated from the five of them.
Compared to the taboo represented by the "Void Century," even the world-destroying power Gern displayed
seemed to become a relatively "secondary" problem that could be temporarily set aside at this moment.
"Ohara…" Nasujuro Saint's glasses flashed with a cold light, his voice terribly low: "Those scholars, are they still unwilling to be docile?"
"It seems there are more urgent matters to deal with than the internal power distribution of the Marine," Mars Saint's tone became incredibly cold, all previous considerations seemingly instantly forgotten.
"Eight hundred years of absolute prohibition, brooks no defiance."
Warcury Saint's eyes no longer held any consideration for the value of combat power, only absolute ruthlessness.
"Anyone who attempts to pry into that history must be completely eliminated."
Although Peter Saint and Satan Saint did not speak, their eyes conveyed everything.
Gern's problem was important, but Ohara's actions touched the most fundamental bottom line of the World Government's existence, making it the highest priority, absolute event.