The Five Elders Reject the Proposal

Garp spoke as if none of it bothered him.

He knew exactly how far the Marines had fallen behind Wano and Caius. Worrying about it in this room would change nothing.

That did not mean he had no concerns. He did. He simply had no answer.

Wano was stronger than the Marines. Even Rosha and Yelan had grown formidable. A few months earlier, Garp had fought Rosha and gained no ground; he had nearly been wounded himself.

Then he spotted Yelan coming to reinforce Rosha and withdrew. Wano's position was clear now.

Caius had held back against him before. That restraint was gone. If Wano found an opening to kill him, its people would take it. Garp had no intention of giving them the chance.

He was not an idiot. He would never have survived so many battles if he were.

Roger had approached him earlier with a proposal concerning Caius: join forces, or more precisely, have the Roger Pirates and the Marines unite against Wano.

They had talked at length. Both had reason to consider it. Caius stood in the Marines' way, but he also blocked Roger's path as Pirate King.

Roger had learned enough of the past to know he needed to make way for the one who would come after him. With Caius still in power, he could not be sure the man would spare that destined successor if he found him.

If a real opening appeared, Roger was prepared to move against Wano.

Garp did not know all of Roger's reasons, but he understood the balance of power. The Marines were weaker than they had once been, and much of what strength they had left rested on his shoulders. That was why they kept yielding ground.

Against Wano, at least.

The plan was still under discussion. Even together, the Marines and Roger Pirates would struggle to shake Wano's position, so Roger's side had begun looking to the World Government for support.

Garp knew nothing of those approaches yet. He could have investigated, but he had let the matter stand.

"Enough, Garp," Kong said. "I know what you're saying is true, but you're an Admiral. You can't talk like defeat is already certain."

Kong struggled to keep his temper in check.

"Garp, stop. If you keep going..."

Sengoku tugged at Garp's sleeve and lowered his voice.

Did anyone in the room really need the situation explained?

They all knew. Still, they had to hold the meeting. If they found an answer, good. If they did not, at least they could say they had discussed the problem.

For now, the harder task was admitting what they could not change.

None of them wanted to surrender the initiative, but a monster like Caius had emerged, and the Marines had no way to bring him down.

Numbers could no longer wear down a fighter at his level. Even those who had broken past their limits were being treated as expendable.

"Fine. Let's leave it there."

Garp went back to eating his rice crackers.

He looked unimpressed by the discussion, though he was every bit as troubled as the others.

Luffy did not exist yet. If he had, Garp might already have abandoned Marine Headquarters for Foosha Village.

The meeting ended without a decision.

In time, the latest uproar at sea died down as well.

Days passed quietly for Caius.

Then, at the end of the year 1486 in the Sea Circle Calendar, Wano stirred. Several great ships sailed out, carrying a remarkable number of powerful fighters.

Caius and his wives crossed the sea at speed. Their target was Roger.

Elsewhere,

in Mary Geoise,

the Five Elders gathered in a World Government office. Each had a copy of the same report: Garp and the Roger Pirates had submitted a joint proposal.

"Well? What do you make of it?"

Saint Top looked around the table.

"Garp and the Roger Pirates are asking too much. They want us to join an assault on Wano. That would be suicide."

"Lord Caius and Lord Imu would hardly thank us for it."

Saint Izan could already picture the consequences. The thought made him break into a cold sweat.

How had the two of them decided this was a sensible request? Did they have no instinct for self-preservation?

"Reject it," he said. "There's nothing to discuss."

"Agreed."

...

"You really went all out with those outfits..."

Caius looked at his wives and laughed despite himself.

"You're the one who doesn't understand fashion, darling. How is that our fault?"

"Exactly. You need to work on your taste."

...

They piled on until Caius had no defense left.

What could he say?

Nothing that would help.

He conceded the point.

After a while, the laughter died down and the women changed back into their usual clothes.

"We're going to deal with Roger's crew for good this time, aren't we?" Gloriosa asked.

"Will we get a chance to fight? Sparring every day only takes us so far."

"Pirates won't come near Wano anymore. And now that you're back, we'd rather stay close to home. We've been itching for a real fight."

She looked to Caius for an answer.

Tina and the others felt much the same.

Tina had broken past her limits, though joining this particular fight might still be a stretch for her.

"All right. If you want to take part, go ahead," Caius said. "It's only Roger's crew. He hasn't even reached Joy Boy's level, and he has nowhere else to turn."

He sounded unconcerned.

"Then may I join in?" Imu asked as she approached.

She gave Caius a gentle look.

"Well, my dear, you're in a different league. If you step in, then..."

He let the sentence trail off.

"All right. I'll stay out of it."

Imu laughed at his expression.

"Getting bold enough to tease me now, are you?"

Caius smiled, lifted her into his arms, and carried her toward the cabin.

...