Chapter 385: Five Garlics and Ginger

"Action?!" Warship was stunned.

"Isn't it a bit too early to act now?"

Sending the Navy in large numbers to the Four Seas will inevitably alert the World Government; if that ruins Saint Saint Saiwen Saint's plan, we're done for.

Warship could kick himself till his guts turned black.

Losing the position of Navy Commander-in-Chief is minor; it's his precious son Rosinante's future that matters.

If his actions trigger the World Government's suspicion and cause Saint Saint Saiwen Saint's scheme to fail, Rosinante will likely lose his bright future as well.

"Are you stupid?!" Karp muttered: "Isn't the World Government about to collect Ten Thousand Gold?"

"I'll have Dragon lead the Revolutionary Army to stir up trouble in the Four Seas; you petition the Five Elders to dispatch troops to suppress it, then send Sakazuki's hardliners and Kuzan each to lead the Navy to quell the rebellion."

"The Five Elders won't find fault—they'll praise you again for finally doing something worthwhile."

Everyone inside and out is one of ours; Karp has no way to lose.

"This way, we quell the riots sparked by Saint Saint Saiwen Saint's uprising and the pirates and scoundrels in the Four Seas, while placing Sakazuki and Kuzan exactly where they're needed."

"And we can seize the Ten Thousand Gold to fund the military."

With that, Karp dug his finger in his nostril and asked: "Do you want them to support the World Government?"

Warship nodded, suddenly enlightened.

"Brilliant—no wonder it's you, Karp."

"Wait a minute," Warship suddenly realized: "Borsalino? Why aren't we sending Borsalino to suppress the rebellion in the Four Seas?"

"And you? Where are you going?"

Karp turned his head, lips curled.

"That kid's been Saint Saint Saiwen's man all along—otherwise, how did Saint Saint Saiwen and Mihawk escape from Borsalino's grasp when they first set sail?"

"And as for what I'm going to do?"

Karp grinned, showing two rows of white teeth.

"Back in the Valley of the Gods, the master of the Empty Wang Zuo kept Loxs tied up while he held me and Roger back—I never got to truly fight that guy."

"So naturally, I'm going to Mary Geoise to see for myself—otherwise, I fear I'll never get another chance."

"This…" Warship sank into depression.

His most trusted aide, a Navy Admiral, had been Saint Saint Saiwen Saint's man all along?

Is there no justice left!

"I've been fooled for years—Borsalino's hidden himself so well!"

As for Karp going to Mary Geoise to fight, neither Warship nor Tsuru chose to stop him—there was no point trying.

Even Zephyr didn't try to dissuade him; if not for his asthma, Zephyr would've gone to Mary Geoise too.

As Warship sank deeper into gloom, Tsuru voiced her doubt: "Karp, do you know something?"

Otherwise, why would you be so certain Saint Saint Saiwen Saint's uprising is imminent and the Navy must act now?

"Can't explain it in a sentence or two."

Karp shook his head—any other intelligence he could tell Warship and the others without issue; even if the World Government or the Five Elders found out, the Sea Pact ensured they'd never believe Saint Saint Saiwen was rebelling.

But Saint Saint Saiwen ignoring the pact's influence is too grave—a secret he can't reveal to anyone yet.

"Dragon told me."

Tsuru gave Karp a resentful glance—she knew he was hiding something, but as long as the intelligence was true, it didn't matter.

"Warship, follow Karp's suggestion—but don't proactively request to send troops to the Four Seas. Wait for the Five Elders' orders before acting."

Responding to the Five Elders' command to dispatch troops is less likely to draw suspicion than proactively sending the Navy to suppress the Revolutionary Army.

It avoids overstepping authority while lulling the Five Elders into complacency.

"Fine," Warship said, looking at Karp.

"Tell Dragon to launch his forces quickly—make a big commotion. I'm afraid Saint Saint Saiwen Saint will move too fast; we can't let the Navy fall behind."

The Navy's future rests on the shoulders of these four—if Saint Saint Saiwen Saint succeeds, the Navy will have earned the credit of stabilizing the Four Seas, at least avoiding being purged by Saint Saint Saiwen Saint.

For them, for Sakazuki and Kuzan, for every Navy officer—this may be the best arrangement and outcome.

Far better than the Navy supporting the World Government.

Given Sakazuki's temperament and the Navy's past grudges against Saint Saint Saiwen Saint, he might actually go to Mary Geoise to help.

But then he'd likely never return—and might even anger Saint Saint Saiwen Saint.

Better to send Sakazuki to the Four Seas—to protect civilians, eliminate pirates, and uphold justice.

"Alright, I'll contact Dragon right away."

Karp never imagined he'd one day, in front of three old comrades, call Dragon and order the Revolutionary Army to cause chaos.

Not sneaking around—but openly requesting Dragon's cooperation.

Karp felt every pore, every inch of him, euphoric—he wanted to scream to the heavens, "What a relief!"

"Hey, Dragon, this is your old man…"

Upon receiving his father Karp's orders, Dragon immediately contacted the Four Revolutionary Army Commanders and Ivankov, directing the Revolutionary Armies in the Four Seas and Paradise to rise up.

Dragon and Saint Saint Saiwen never expected ordinary Revolutionary Army soldiers to participate in the assault on Mary Geoise.

With Saint Saint Saiwen and Im's Haki intensity, anyone below Vice Admiral couldn't stay conscious.

Ordinary soldiers would just be dead weight.

Better to concentrate the main force for Mary Geoise, while letting the Four Commanders lead the troops to the Four Seas to maintain order and quell rebellions.

Dragon himself would go with the Red Count to Carley Bali Island to rendezvous with the Morning Star Group's main force.

Thus, almost as Saint Saint Saiwen arrived by ship at Mary Geoise, the Five Elders received applications from the Haigejia Alliance nations requesting aid to suppress the rebellion.

"Damn Revolutionary Army," Satan Saint cursed: "Damn Monkey D. Dragon—why the hell do you pick the one moment we're happiest to come get beaten?"

"Get the Navy moving—billions in annual funding aren't meant for them to loaf around."

"I second that." ×4

After the unanimous resolution passed, Satan Saint personally dialed Warship's telephone bug and roared.

"What the hell are you Navy doing? After all these years, you still haven't wiped out the Revolutionary Army—quickly coordinate with all member nations to crush the rebellion!"

Satan Saint was about to sign the Abyssal Pact; naturally, he paid no mind to the Navy.

Once the Morning Star Corps, Wano, and the giants of Elbaf arrive, the Navy will be utterly dispensable.

"Yes, Satan Saint."

Warship feigned humble fear, but inside he was overjoyed—everything was proceeding exactly as planned.

The Five Elders, meanwhile, remained completely in the dark.

They were truly nothing but five cloves of garlic and ginger.

Warship strongly suspected: the reason these five cloves of garlic and ginger became the Five Elders wasn't due to their strength, but because the World Government had exactly five vacant positions—and these five were close enough to fill them.

In terms of personal ability and power, these five cloves of garlic and ginger could at best rise to Vice Admiral in the Navy.

As Navy Commander-in-Chief, why should Warship bother with five garlic-and-ginger types who only had Vice Admiral-level ability?

Let the World Government fall—then he'd watch as the Five Elders were executed.

Warship's reaction delighted Satan Saint immensely.

"Do well—I won't let you down."