Eliminate All Impossibilities

The next day.

Batia Island, government office conference room.

After a full day of intelligence gathering and investigation, the final inquiry meeting regarding the attack on the Celestial Dragons officially began.

Everyone took their seats.

The conference room was deathly silent, quiet enough to hear a pin drop, save for the rustling sound of Sengoku flipping through intelligence files.

The others remained silent, waiting patiently.

A few minutes later, Sengoku closed the file, looked up, and swept his gaze across the room.

"Let's hear your opinions."

He rubbed his temples and spoke.

The group looked at one another, and in the end, it was Borsalino who spoke first.

He said with a beaming smile:

"I still hold the same view. Based on the surveillance footage, this incident is highly likely to have been nothing more than an accident."

"While the probability of a Sea King attack isn't high, it is by no means impossible."

Sengoku rolled his eyes upon hearing this, choosing to ignore the slacker's input entirely, and turned his head toward the supreme commander of the North Blue Navy.

"Darren, what is your opinion?"

Darren weighed his words carefully before speaking in a deep voice:

"Admiral Sengoku, I agree with the perspective of Rear Admiral Borsalino."

"There is a saying in my hometown: 'When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.'"

"In fact, there is no one in the North Blue capable of destroying a World Government official ship in an instant, and we have already ruled out other potential suspects... Since that is the case, the only logical answer is indeed an attack by a Sea King."

Sengoku frowned.

At this moment, Darren suddenly looked toward Gion and her partner.

"Perhaps Major Gion and Major Gion's partner have different thoughts?"

Gion and her partner felt a jolt in their hearts; meeting Darren's calm gaze, they felt a sense of trepidation.

"Do you two have any different ideas?"

Sengoku also shifted his gaze toward the two of them.

"I..."

Gion's partner opened his mouth.

In his mind, the image of the little girl's father kneeling on the ground, crying his heart out in utter despair and collapse, surfaced.

"I agree with Colonel Darren's opinion," Gion suddenly said coldly.

Her hands were clenched tightly, her knuckles turning pale.

Gion's partner turned to look at Gion in astonishment, unable to react for a moment.

Sengoku watched their abnormal reactions with surprise, but quickly understood, sighing inwardly.

To watch helplessly as the civilians they were meant to protect were snatched away as "slaves" by the Celestial Dragons, yet be powerless to stop such atrocities—for those who uphold justice, this must be a heavy blow indeed...

Sengoku shook his head.

So, could the final truth really be as Borsalino said?

Thinking this, he turned his head to look at Borsalino, who was sitting to the side with his mind wandering, and his expression suddenly turned strange.

He always felt something was off, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

Was it really... a Sea King?

Temporary office.

"So, this is your investigation result, Sengoku?"

"...An attack by a Sea King?"

The CP0 agent, dressed in white silk robes, sat opposite Sengoku, his tone icy. His eyes, hidden behind a bizarre mask, stared hollowly at him.

"Are you sure this isn't a joke? The masters will not accept such a result."

Sengoku felt uncomfortable under the suspicious gaze of the CP0 agent and gave a light cough:

"Yes, that is correct."

As if to emphasize his own credibility, he paused and added:

"There is a saying in my hometown: 'When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.'"

The CP0 agent said coldly: "Sengoku, do you really think the masters will accept this conclusion?"

Sengoku fell silent at once.

CP0 pondered for a moment before suddenly saying:

"What about that little girl's father? I believe he should be interrogated; he has a motive for the crime, after all."

Upon hearing this, an inexplicable surge of anger welled up in Sengoku's heart, and he gritted his teeth.

"This old man does not believe that man has any issues; he is merely a commoner."

He had already secretly gone to observe the little girl's father.

His face was gaunt, his eyes hollow, and he looked as if he had lost his soul, like a walking corpse.

He was exactly what a middle-aged man who had lost his beloved daughter should look like.

What was there to be suspicious about?

As for a motive?

Of course, the man had a motive!

Saint Childers had forcibly snatched the man's daughter away. If the former were not a Celestial Dragon protected by heavy security, that man would absolutely have hacked Saint Childers into pieces if he had even the slightest opportunity.

However, CP0 remained unmoved, merely saying coldly:

"This incident involves the World Nobles; one cannot be too cautious."

"Sengoku... do not forget that this is an order from the government. You are a Marine Admiral and should obey unconditionally."

"--This old man is currently executing the government's orders!" Sengoku interrupted CP0 without a hint of courtesy.

He braced his hands against the desk and slowly rose from his chair, leaning forward. A powerful, overbearing aura radiated from his body as he loomed over the CP0 agent, his voice stiff and gravelly.

"According to your logic, everyone on Batia Island has a motive. Are we supposed to arrest the entire population of the island and subject them to torture!?"

"--If it is necessary," CP0 replied coldly.

Sengoku looked at the CP0 agent before him and suddenly laughed, a laugh that sounded somewhat absurd.

"I am sorry, but this old man cannot do that."

"An attack by Sea Kings... that is the conclusion this old man has reached through his investigation. As for that man who lost his daughter, he is nothing more than a pathetic wretch."

"Report this to the Five Elders."

CP0 looked at the resolute and unyielding Sengoku, remaining silent for a moment.

"Very well."

Holy Land Mary Geoise.

World Government headquarters, the small mansion.

Boiling green tea continuously emitted plumes of hot steam.

The Five Elders, the highest authority of the World Government, stood or sat with grim expressions, the air heavy to the point of suffocation.

"My lords, this is the response provided by Sengoku."

The hoarse voice of the CP0 agent emanated from the Military Den Den Mushi.

"We are aware. Continue to await further instructions."

The Blonde Five Elder said expressionlessly.

"Yes, my lord."

The communication via the Den Den Mushi was then severed.

"How truly absurd," Saint Damocles suddenly sneered.

"Actually, it is not impossible," the Blonde Five Elder remarked out of the blue.

"This old man is well aware of the possibility, but the family of Saint Childers will not accept this result," Saint Damocles shook his head.

Upon hearing this, the other Five Elders all fell into silence.

Although they, as the Five Elders, represented the interests of the World Nobles, the Celestial Dragons, they did not actually care if a good-for-nothing Celestial Dragon died.

What they cared about was appeasing the fury of the Celestial Dragon families within the Holy Land.

While Saint Childers himself was a waste, the family he belonged to held significant influence in Holy Land Mary Geoise.

So-called "investigating the truth" was, in plain terms, just providing them with a scapegoat.

"Perhaps... we should expand the scope of the investigation."

Saint Damocles suddenly said.

As soon as these words were spoken, the other Five Elders frowned in unison.

A cold, sinister glint flickered in the aged eyes of Saint Damocles:

"This old man has experienced countless wars in his lifetime and has summarized one lesson."

"...That is to say, there is no such thing as an 'accident' in this world."

The other Five Elders raised their eyebrows.

"What do you mean?"

Saint Damocles sneered:

"Although Sengoku's investigation results are absurd, at least one thing he said makes sense... 'When you have excluded the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth'."

"Since we have ruled out pirates and civilians, there is only one possibility left for who could have done it."

The other four were stunned.

"Could it be..."

"...That's right, I suspect, well, of course it's only a possibility..."

Saint Damocles narrowed his eyes.

"Could the person who did it be..."

He slowly spat out a word that caused the expressions of the other Five Elders to change slightly.

"...the Navy?"

Seeking everything, I am eternally grateful.