PIRATES: I WORK IN NAVY FROM NINE TO FIVE

Surrounded by countless judging eyes, Mahā, the CP0 agent, showed no fear.

Facing Sengoku's fury, he casually retrieved a second scroll from his robe and forced a smile.

"Heh heh... Fleet Admiral Sengoku, I almost forgot.I have a second document from the Five Elders."

"They stressed this one should be delivered without fail.It contains a 'more reasonable' proposal—along with the selected location for the second battlefield.Please, take a look."

"You—!" Sengoku's breath hitched with anger.

He hadn't expected it—clearly, the Five Elders had planned this from the beginning. Their earlier 'proposal' wasn't mere rhetoric.

But now that things had come to this, Sengoku, as Fleet Admiral, could only suppress his displeasure and take the scroll.

Yet the moment he read its contents, his expression turned stone cold.

"They've chosen Impel Down as the second battlefield?

And they're sending Magellan into combat?"

"They'll support it with fifty Pacifistas from the Science Division?

And suggest assigning a 'junior admiral' alongside a few supporting officers to form the defensive line?"

Sengoku's voice exploded with rage as he crushed the scroll in his hand.

"Mahā, have the Five Elders lost their minds?!

Impel Down as a battlefield?"

"Even if Magellan's strength rivals an Admiral's, this is still suicide.The defenses will fold like paper against Kaido of the Beasts!"

"And now, you want me to assign Luo Yu to lead the defense?That's not just sending him to die—it's practically inviting someone to use the chaos to break into Impel Down!"

"Don't forget what monsters are imprisoned in there.If even a few of them escape, the whole Grand Line will plunge into chaos!"

"Is that what the World Government wants to see?!"

The other admirals and vice admirals read the scroll for themselves.

And the phrase "junior admiral" left little room for guessing—it was Luo Yu. The Five Elders didn't even bother hiding it.

Just short of spelling out his name directly.

No one expected this level of malice from the Five Elders, even if Luo Yu's behavior had been... unorthodox.

Sure, he'd launched Tenryuubito into the sky.

Sure, he'd trampled on protocol.

But this? This was blatant political targeting.

Mahā merely laughed.

"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, the Five Elders are fully aware of the stakes."

"Otherwise, why would they risk exposing the latest scientific prototypes early?"

"Fifty Pacifistas—each costing a billion Berries in R&D—have been allocated to this mission.That's proof of their sincerity."

"Of course… if you choose to reject this proposal and not open a second front—

The Pacifistas will not be wasted on Marineford."

Mahā's voice dropped a notch, eyes flashing with amusement.

"Besides… even if you don't fully trust Magellan, surely you believe in your personally promoted admiral, Luo Yu?"

"I'm sure he'll hold out until reinforcements arrive…

And Kaido is crushed like the wild beast he is."

His words echoed like poison through the war room.

The implications were dire.

According to Tsuru's intelligence, Kaido's mobilized forces rivaled Whitebeard's—if not exceeded them.

Even if Magellan matched an Admiral in strength, pairing him with only one newly promoted admiral against such power…

That wasn't a counteroffensive—it was a sacrifice.

Sengoku's face darkened visibly.

He could already see it—this was a setup for Impel Down to fall.

Mahā smirked as he turned toward the door.

"What's the matter, Fleet Admiral Sengoku?Are you rejecting the Five Elders' good will?"

"Very well. I'll return and deliver your answer—"

But just as he took his first step, a lazy drawl interrupted the tension.

"Heh… Fleet Admiral Sengoku—free stuff should never be refused."

"We'll take the fifty Pacifistas.

And I, Luo Yu, will accept the second battlefield."

Like a thunderclap in the war room, the words shattered the silence.

Every officer's nerves went taut as they whipped their heads toward the voice.

Even Mahā froze.

Standing at the entrance, a long-absent figure had appeared.

Holding a gourd of wine, his casual demeanor remained utterly unchanged, unaffected by the storm he had just walked into.

It was Luo Yu.

And his signature insolent calm still clung to every step.

Mahā's expression dropped.

The carefully laid psychological momentum he had orchestrated—undermined in seconds.

This… was not good.

But Mahā forced a grin and stepped forward, suppressing his irritation.

"Heh… so we meet at last, Admiral Luo Yu.

I thought I'd have to wait until the battle itself to see you."

"It seems you've made your decision too hastily.Perhaps you didn't fully understand the proposal."

"Let me give you a second chance—read it carefully before committing."

Mahā extended the scroll.

Luo Yu took a swig from his gourd, then lazily waved it off.

"No need. I already know how it ends."

"But look on the bright side, Fleet Admiral—

I just earned us fifty Pacifistas. That's got to be worth, what, twenty million in bonus pay?"

"Twenty million bonus pay?!"

Sengoku's eye twitched.

The tension etched on his face cracked ever so slightly.

Of course. This was Luo Yu's usual madness—the man never missed a chance to talk about money.

Strangely, that familiarity… broke the ice.

Even the oppressive atmosphere in the chamber lifted a little.

Some of the senior officers who had previously worked with Luo Yu felt their eyes brighten.

Even his irreverence had a way of making people believe again.

Vice Admiral Burning Mountain glanced sideways at Rear Admiral Smoker.

"Hey, weren't you just panicking five minutes ago?Now that Admiral Luo Yu's agreed to take the suicide mission, you look like you've won the lottery."

Other officers noticed too.

Wasn't this the same second battlefield everyone was terrified of?

Why was Smoker smiling?

Smoker rolled his eyes and lowered his voice.

"You don't get it…"

"When Admiral Luo Yu mentions bonus pay,

It means he's already figured it out."

"He might offend everyone—Celestial dragons included—

But if there's one thing he never does…"

"…he never messes up when it comes to money."

"That's what we call the damned security of cold, hard pay!"

And with that, the tides began to turn.