As soon as Topman Warcury spoke those words, the other four Gorosei froze. For a moment, they simply stared at him—bewildered, and in some cases, outright incredulous.
"Topman, are you seriously suggesting that?"
"You're talking about the Marines—the enforcement arm of the World Government!"
It wasn't that they believed the Marines lacked the strength to act against a Celestial Dragon—it was that they would never dare.
The Marines were the World Government's most powerful and visible enforcement organization. While they had been established as a relatively independent military force with their own internal command structure, the truth was they were heavily reliant on government funding—and thus firmly under the World Government's control.
Forget about ideology—just the financial leash alone was enough to keep the Marines tightly bound.
If there was anyone in the world who wouldn't dare raise a hand against a Celestial Dragon... it was the Marines.
"Topman... are you absolutely certain about this suspicion of yours?"
The voice was rasped and dry. It came from the bald Gorosei, who until now had been silently polishing his blade.
Clad in traditional samurai robes, he sat cross-legged on the floor. Laid across his knees was a long katana, wrapped in dark purple-black flame-like patterns. Under the dim light of the villa, the sword shimmered with a cold and ominous gleam.
A cursed blade—without question.
As he raised his head, the sinewy muscles of his thin, veined arms flexed slightly. Behind the frameless glasses, his murky, shadowed eyes locked onto Topman Warcury—his closest friend, a man he had grown up with, trained alongside, and risen to power beside.
"I understand your concerns," Warcury said calmly.
Though short in stature, he emanated a pressure that seemed to tower like a mountain—steadily rising and pressing down on the room.
"On the surface, it may seem impossible for the Marines to have had anything to do with the attack. But... that isn't absolute."
He let out a quiet, cold laugh.
"After all, even the Marines still have fools among them clinging to that ridiculous concept they call 'justice.'"
"And more importantly..." Warcury's tone sharpened, "some of our fellow Celestial Dragons have... a history of committing deeds that could incite divine wrath."
"That's the basis of my suspicion."
The room fell into momentary silence, then erupted with protest.
"Topman!! What are you implying!?"
"Don't forget—the very power and position you hold now was granted through the will of our noble bloodline!"
Warcury met their outrage with a calm, unmoved gaze.
"I'm not slandering anyone," he said. "I'm simply stating facts."
"I come from one of the weakest bloodlines among the Nineteen Families. Climbing to where I am now—none of you understand our kind better than I do."
"Surely, you all know this to be true."
The others fell silent.
They knew. Deep down, they knew the truth about the depravity of the Celestial Dragons.
Born into unimaginable wealth, status, and power, with no need to strive or struggle—they had long since abandoned any concepts of virtue, dignity, or self-discipline.
Their pursuit of pleasure had become perverse, grotesque, and unhinged—crossing lines that even the Gorosei themselves could no longer stomach. But for the sake of politics and unity within Mary Geoise, they had long chosen to turn a blind eye.
"Topman... there's no issue in investigating the Marines," the samurai Gorosei—Saint Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro—said quietly, resting his calloused hand on the hilt of his cursed blade.
"But it must be done with caution."
"...And with limits."
Warcury smiled faintly. He understood exactly what his old friend meant.
First, investigate—but do it carefully, in secret.
Second, don't dig too deep. Push too far, and you'd stir up more trouble than it's worth.
"Of course," Warcury said. "Sengoku's withdrawal has already put Kong on edge."
"If the Marines get wind that we're investigating them, the backlash could be... significant."
"That said, this may lead nowhere. It's just a possibility we're exploring—I won't cling to it if there's no substance."
The other three Gorosei exchanged glances.
"In that case... who will conduct the investigation? The CP divisions would be too conspicuous."
"If we move CP, the Marines will grow suspicious immediately."
"It would be best to find someone within the Marines."
Their gazes naturally drifted back to Topman Warcury.
Among the elite Celestial dragon, Warcury was known as a symbol of strategic brilliance.
It was precisely because of this reputation that the others were now willing to even entertain his proposition.
Feeling their eyes on him, Warcury lifted his chin with pride. A confident smile tugged at his lips.
"If we're to choose someone, they'll need to meet a few criteria."
He began listing them off with practiced ease.
"First, they must be intelligent, cautious, and highly capable. Only then can they conduct an undercover investigation without detection."
The others nodded in agreement.
"Second, they must possess a deep hunger for power. Ideally someone who came from the lower ranks—that kind of ambition makes them easier to control."
The others chuckled knowingly.
"Third..." Warcury's gaze darkened slightly.
"They must not reek of that nauseating stench of 'justice.'"
His aged eyes glinted with cunning brilliance.
"And finally—the ideal candidate would be someone with an infamously bad reputation. A Marine known for corruption, brutality, and submissiveness toward the Celestial Dragons."
"That way... we can eliminate them as a suspect from the start."
He reached for a personnel file from the nearby stack and flipped through the pages swiftly.
His hand slapped down on a page.
"He's the perfect candidate."
The other Gorosei leaned in. They stared, then slowly nodded in agreement.
"Hmm... as expected from Topman."
The file page displayed a photo of a young Marine officer—short black hair, sharp features, and an arrogant smile.
Position: Supreme Commander of the North Blue Marines, Commander of 321st Branch; Marine Headquarters Captain
Assessment: Extremely power-hungry, greedy, womanizing, exploitative of civilians, infamously poor public reputation. Nickname: The Greatest Disgrace in Marine History.
As his colleagues murmured in approval, Topman Warcury smiled with pride.
He stared at the photo of the black-haired Marine.
Something about the face... felt oddly familiar.
As he had said, his own family was one of the weakest among the Nineteen Families.
From a young age, he had sworn to be different.
He had endured the harshest education, survived brutal training, and even joined real wars under a false identity—his body bore the scars of countless battles.
He had mastered the art of strategy, climbed over rivals, and carved his way through the blood-soaked path of politics to claim his seat among the Gorosei.
And now... he had to prove himself.
Prove that he was more cunning, more powerful, more worthy than the others.
Only then could he solidify his place—without the support of the Celestial Dragon Assembly.
Only then could he ascend beyond the rest...
...and become first among the Gorosei.
To the others, this attack on a Celestial Dragon may have been a crisis.
It was an opportunity.
He stared at Darren's arrogant smile in the photo, and felt as if fate itself... was smiling back at him.