Deep within the holy land of Mary Geoise, in the Five Elders' emergency conference room, the atmosphere was tenser than ever. The usually solemn chamber now simmered with almost tangible fury.
"Complete failure!" The leader of the Five Elders slammed a report onto the table, his purple eyes gleaming dangerously. "Not only did they take the Anchor Stone, Alfred was injured as well. This is an utter disgrace!"
Alfred sat to one side, the wound on his chest sealed by purple energy, though the crack remained plainly visible. He said in a low voice, "That Straw Hat brat... no, those two. Straw Hat Luffy and that phantom displayed Pattern Ability beyond our expectations."
The leader of the Five Elders stopped pacing and turned toward his colleagues. "Explain in detail."
"Purple patterns appeared on Luffy's body and resonated with the Anchor Stone." Alfred explained slowly, a rare hint of apprehension flashing through his eyes. "And that phantom—Lin Ye—seemed capable of briefly taking physical form. He even taught Luffy how to use Rune Energy."
The room fell silent. Every Elder understood what this meant—another potential Pattern Bearer had emerged, and he had already shown signs of being able to control his power. This was undoubtedly a tremendous threat to their plans.
The youngest Elder—the one who had frequently voiced objections lately—broke the silence again. "Perhaps this is a warning, a sign that we should reconsider the plan." He looked around, his expression grave. "Two Pattern Bearers emerging in such a short time, the Anchor Stone falling into their hands... this is no coincidence. It is fate guiding us."
"Fate?" The leader of the Five Elders sneered, his purple eyes fixed on the dissenter. "There is no fate. There is only strength and will. Are you afraid? Are you shrinking back when we