Deputy council speaker

The Sacred Court's temporary offices were located in a row of old buildings on the east side of Mary Geoise.

Those buildings used to be the residences of the Celestial Dragons, and they were emptied out before they were repainted.

Traces of old wallpaper remain on the walls, and in some places, half of it has been removed, revealing the gray-white stone wall underneath.

At the end of the corridor hung a crooked oil painting of Celestial Dragons, Dragon casually took down and put in the warehouse on his first day.

Later I thought about it and hung it back up, just straight now.

He thought that this painting might still be useful in the future, at least to let future generations know what the Celestial Dragons looked like.

The office was located in the largest room at the end of the corridor.

Dragon sat behind the innermost table, with a map of the entire Four Blues spread out in front of him and three stacks of folders of different colors next to him.

Red indicates "Urgent", yellow indicates "To be done", and gray indicates "Filed".

The red stack is the tallest.

Ivankov came in from outside and placed a stack of new files on the corner of the table.

"The statistics from the North Blue are in. Of the seventy-six kingdoms, we have a clear understanding of forty-three. The remaining thirty-three are either too remote or have already been swept up by the Whitebeard Pirates, so the data is incomplete. We need to send people down to re-count them."

Dragon took the file and flipped through it. "Did Whitebeard's side leave any records of population and resources after their sweep?"

"They kept it, but it's very rough. What they recorded was 'who governs this kingdom, how many soldiers there are, and how many people are left after the war.' It's enough, but not detailed enough. If we need to send people there to handle administration, we can't make plans based on this little bit of data."

Dragon closed the file and placed it on the stack of "pending" folders.

"Let's North Blue like this for now. Have someone organize the existing data by region, mark the missing parts, and we'll send people down to fill in the gaps later. We'll prioritize South Blue right now."

"The South Blue?" Ivankov tilted his head. "Isn't the South Blue simpler than the North Blue? The islands are scattered, the kingdoms are small, and it didn't take much effort to clear them out."

"The kingdoms of the South Blue are small, but the clans there have many powerful forces." Dragon pulled a report from the table and handed it to Ivankov.

"The White Sand Archipelago consist of three islands connected together, inhabited by more than a dozen clans. Each clan has a clan leader, clan rules, and private soldiers."

When our people went up to the Qing nobles, those clans didn't say a word, but as soon as our people left, they started to establish their own rules on the island.

One clan occupied a local port and set up a tollbooth to collect tolls. Two other clans were locked in a standoff over a fishing area, with hundreds of people involved.

Ivankov flipped through the report.

"Isn't this just like the behavior of nobles?"

"Even more troublesome than nobles," Dragon said. "Nobles are in the open; if you kill one, you kill one. Clan is underground; if you kill a clan chief, his son takes over. Besides, clans have connections with the common people; they have ancestral halls, clan lands, and Clan Academy, and the common people recognize these connections."

He paused, his tone flat. "But that's not our concern."

Ivankov looked up at him.

"Natsu Yin's rules are already set. The Sacred Court is only responsible for conveying and executing them." Dragon pulled a notice bearing the Uchiha Clan Crest from the table.

"It was drafted three days ago. All clans are required to register at the Sacred Court within ten days, submitting lists of private soldiers and weapons, and all clan rules must be submitted for review."

All articles of the Uchiha Code that conflict with it are hereby nullified. The clan head must personally come to Mary Geoise to sign and seal the decree; failure to do so will be considered a refusal to submit.

What should be done with those who refuse to submit?

"First warning. Anyone who dares to cause trouble after this warning will be slaughtered. Uproot them completely, leave no one related by blood." Dragon spoke these words calmly.

"Natsu's exact words were, ' The Uchiha Clan has no time to play cat-and-mouse games with these local bullies. It's either submission or death. There is no third way.'"

Ivankov put the report back on the table.

"That clan that occupies the port in the White Sand Archipelago..."

"It's been dealt with," Dragon said. "It was a message from the Nightingale Guard the day before yesterday."

The clan head didn't take the notice seriously after receiving it. He posted it at the entrance of the ancestral hall and left it to dry in the sun for two days, treating it like waste paper.

On the third day, the Heavenly Star Guard men arrived on the island and dragged his entire family out in front of the ancestral hall.

The clan chief himself, his three sons, two brothers, and several cousins were executed one by one in front of the entire island's population.

The ancestral hall was burned down, the clan's fields were confiscated, and the remaining clan members were no longer allowed to gather in the name of the clan.

The other dozen or so clans on the island sent representatives to the Sacred Court that afternoon to submit their registration applications.

Ivankov paused for a moment.

"Have you handed them all in?"

"They all handed it over. Not one dared to delay," Dragon said. "One clan chief had a bad leg, so his son carried him twenty miles to the dock and then took a boat here."

Upon reaching the gates of Mary Geoise, he dismounted from my back, Earth Flow the registration desk, and his hand trembled violently as he signed, yet the pen never stopped.

Ivankov turned to the last page of the report, glanced at the notes, and then put the report back on the table.

Who's keeping an eye on things in the South Blue?

"Sabo," Dragon said, "I sent him to the White Sand Archipelago for a few days to see the execution site and the reactions of the other clans."

When he came back, he said to me, "There's no need to talk to these people; just let them see it once."

I told him to keep an eye on the South Blue. If any clan dares to act in a veiled manner, report it directly. No need for formalities; we'll deal with it on the spot."

Ivankov nodded.

"This is much simpler than the Revolutionary Army's method. In the past, when we dealt with local forces, we would negotiate terms, build relationships, and sign agreements, which would take forever, and in the end, we still might not be able to rely on them."

"Times have changed," Dragon said. "The Revolutionary Army's methods are no longer effective; we don't have the overwhelming strength to defeat them. We can only negotiate."

There's no need to discuss the Uchiha Clan. They possess overwhelming strength, and their rules are set in stone: those who wish to abide by them can stay, and those who don't can leave.

Those who leave must leave their lives behind. Simple and clear.

He pulled the stack of "urgent" folders on the table to his face and opened the top one.

"How's the integration going with the former Revolutionary Army?"

"That's about it," Ivankov said. "The East Army South Army have been incorporated into the Earthly Chief Guard, while the North Army is still in the planning stages. Morley of the West Army has led his men to be integrated with the Nightingale Guard and has conducted a tour of the Four Blues, with positive feedback. Most people have adapted well, and Morley has managed to suppress the few who were throwing tantrums."

"What's the reason for your temper tantrum?"

"People who used to be free can't stand the discipline now that they're under control."

A former squad leader in the West Army complained Tenten that he used to be able to fight nobles however he wanted, but now he had to follow the rules, which was frustrating.

Morley scolded him, saying, "You used to beat nobles because nobles deserved to be beaten, but now you're following the rules because the rules should be followed."

"If you don't want to follow the rules, get out of here." The guy quieted down.

Dragon's lips twitched slightly.

"Morley's temper hasn't changed."

"Nothing's changed. With his size, no one dares to argue with him." Ivankov smiled, then composed himself.

"But Dragon, there's something I have to tell you the truth. The old Revolutionary Army may not say it, but they all have some reservations."

We used to be at odds with the World Government, but now we've been incorporated into the Uchiha Clan. Some people just can't get over it.

The day before yesterday, an old captain came to drink with me. Halfway through the drinks, he cried and said, "We've been fighting for so many years, and in the end, we've become subordinates of the Uchiha Clan. How does this work?"

Dragon did not respond immediately.

He lowered his head, looked at the map of the Four Blues on the table, and stared at it for a few moments.

"Even if you can't see the way, you have to." His voice was calm. "The World Government is gone, the Celestial Dragons are gone, the Navy is gone. Now there's only one rule on this sea, and that's the rule of the Uchiha Clan."

The Revolutionary Army's original goal was to overthrow the World Government, and now that the World Government has been overthrown, they have achieved half of their goal.

The remaining half is about establishing a new order. We can't build a new order with just our group; we only have guns, not a system.

We need to rely on the Uchiha Clan. They have power, a system, and people. Joining them isn't about bowing down; it's about continuing what needs to be done.

In the past, they would hold a gun to the heads of nobles and force them to change the rules; now, they sit at a table and discuss with people how to set the rules.

The method has changed, but the goal remains the same.

Ivankov leaned against the corner of the table, paused for a moment. "Did you say that to that old captain?"

"I haven't told him. You speak for him," Dragon said. "Give them some time. Once the new order is established and they see the results, that grudge will disappear on its own."

What you can't convince them with words, you can convince them with actions. Also, tell them that the Sacred Court doesn't tolerate idlers.

Anyone who sits there drinking and crying Tenten should go to the South Blue and see how things are handled there.

"Tell me about what's bothering you after you've finished watching it."

Ivankov nodded.

"Alright. I'll head back now. There's still a batch of files to archive at the East Army. Oh, by the way— Sabo sent a message saying he spent some time with Ace and they're both doing well."

Ace has recovered, and Whitebeard is also doing well. Sabo said he knows about the situation in the South Blue and is ready to leave at any time.

When Dragon heard the word "Sabo," his pen paused for a moment.

A very brief moment.

Then he continued writing annotations without looking up. "Understood. Tell him to come back and check on things after he's finished with the South Blue matter."

"Den Den Mushi."

"I'm busy," Dragon said.

Ivankov chuckled, pushed open the door, and left.

The door closed behind him, and the office fell silent again.

Dragon finished writing the annotations in his hand, put down his pen, leaned back in his chair, and glanced out the window.

Outside the window were the streets of Mary Geoise, the cobblestone streets spotless. Several new recruits of the Earthly Chief Guard were training in formation in the distance, their commands muffled as they drifted in through the window.