The next day.
Holy Land Mary Geoise, Room of Authority.
The Five Elders looked at the battle report that had just been delivered, remaining silent for a long time.
The heavy room was so quiet that only the faint breathing of the Den Den Mushi could be heard.
On the table, the title of that battle report was exceptionally glaring.
[The Beasts Pirates' Three Calamities launch a surprise attack on Rift Horn Island!]
[Marine Admiral Kizaru deployed!]
[Jack the Drought critically wounded and near death; King the Conflagration and Queen forcefully rescue and withdraw!]
[Beasts fleet suffers devastating losses; large numbers of pirates annihilated!]
The lines were not long.
Yet the weight contained within them was enough to shake the entire sea.
After a moment, Nusjuro Saint slowly spoke.
"One of the Three Calamities nearly died."
His voice was not loud, but it made the atmosphere in the room even heavier.
Peter Saint's expression darkened. His gaze remained fixed on the report, yet he could not offer any rebuttal.
"The pirates took the initiative to attack a Marine war zone."
"Kizaru merely counterattacked normally."
This time, the World Government truly had no grounds to criticize the Marines.
The Marines had been clearing pirate strongholds around the outer reaches of the Three Emperors' territories.
Yet the Beasts Pirates had actively dispatched the Three Calamities to raid Rift Horn Island, attacking Marine fleets, hospital ships, and civilian evacuation zones.
Under such circumstances, a Marine Admiral launching a counterattack was justified anywhere.
In fact, the Marines had already given the World Government enough room to say nothing publicly by not pursuing the fleeing King and Queen.
But the problem was—
Jack had not died, but he had come within a hair's breadth of it.
Saint Saturn tightened his grip around his cane, his