Chapter 46: Pandora's Box

After that, the Five Elders continued asking Claudius a few more questions to gauge him thoroughly. Claudius answered each of them appropriately he didn't appear to be incompetent, but his performance was just right for someone of his age and standing. This balance left the Five Elders quite satisfied, even more so than they had anticipated.

The bald elder, seemingly the leader, finally spoke up. "It seems you're a young man unwilling to fade into the background, with a clear ambition to rise."

Claudius chuckled, now feeling more at ease after the intense questioning. "It's true, I'm not one to sit idle. As for ambition, I'd say I have just enough to keep things interesting."

"There's no need to be modest," the bald elder said with a smile. "We are family after all, fellow Celestial Dragons. You don't have to hide your ambition or tone down your confidence in front of us."

Claudius found this a bit amusing. These Five Elders were indeed more approachable than he initially expected. But then again, it made sense he shared the same bloodline, the same elite status. He was one of them.

The elder with the mustache then chimed in. "You've shown that you're far from idle. Helping Marine bring down John and even forcing Golden Lion Shiki to retreat is no small feat. You've damaged the power of these pirates and reinforced the World Government's authority in the process. That's no small contribution. Combining these merits, it's only right that we offer you a reward. So, tell us, what do you want, Claudius?"

Claudius had anticipated something like this. Before all of this, he had thought long and hard about how to maneuver himself into the Five Elders' good graces, to place himself in their line of sight. After all, while being a Celestial Dragon gave him a status few could touch, it didn't grant him automatic influence over the internal workings of the World Government. Gaining favor with the Five Elders, however, would change that. Now that he'd unexpectedly gained their attention through his role in these events, it was the perfect opportunity.

As soon as the mustached elder finished, the blond elder, who hadn't spoken much yet, laughed and added, "You seem to be close to both Zephyr and Sengoku. They hold you in high regard. Maybe you're thinking of joining Marine, hm? Hahaha!"

Sengoku, standing nearby, laughed as well. "If His Highness were to join the Marines, I would be the first to welcome him. There's always a need for more talent in our ranks. In my opinion, His Highness has the potential to rise to the rank of Admiral."

"An Admiral, huh?" The bald elder raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "Seems like you think highly of Claudius, Sengoku."

The mustached elder, however, shook his head with a sigh. "As good as that sounds, it's not appropriate for someone of Claudius' standing to join the Marines."

Claudius had briefly considered the idea, but he knew joining Marine was not the path for him. Five Elders wouldn't approve of a Celestial Dragon lowering himself to serve, and besides, the thought of merely being an Admiral didn't hold much appeal for him. Even sitting on the Marine's top seat, like Sengoku, didn't particularly entice him. He was after bigger things.

Sengoku, sensing the mood, nodded with some regret. "Yes, I suppose that's true. It is a pity, though. Having someone like His Highness in Marine would have been invaluable."

Claudius smiled and spoke up. "Joining Marine is indeed out of the question, but I do have some ideas that I'd like to discuss."

The elder with the tufted hair raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Well then, let's hear it. Don't hold back. For someone like you, we are always open to hearing new ideas and proposals."

Claudius hesitated for just a moment, then said, "I have a bit of an unconventional idea, one I think could be of great value to the World Government."

"Go on," the bald elder urged. "We have time today, and we're eager to hear your thoughts."

"Well," Claudius began, "I'd like to propose forming a new organization, or perhaps a new department."

The room quieted. "A new organization?" the bald elder asked, puzzled. "What exactly do you mean?"

"For now, let's call it 'CP-X.' It would be an offshoot of the current CP system but with a different focus."

Claudius could see he had their interest, so he pressed on. "As you all know, being a Celestial Dragon, I've had regular contact with the CP organizations. In fact, one of my trusted subordinates, Stussy, is a member of CP-0, though I've had her assigned to protect me personally now. Through this relationship, I've gained a deeper understanding of the CP's structure."

Seeing no objections yet, Claudius continued. "While Marine's main focus is to maintain stability across the seas, the CP agencies deal with matters that require more discretion, handling tasks that cannot be made public and protecting Celestial Dragons. But both Marine and the CP have their limits."

The bald elder nodded. "That's correct. So, what exactly do you have in mind for CP-X? Strengthening the current CP forces?"

Claudius shook his head. "Not quite. The CP organizations are already powerful enough. In fact, they might even overshadow Marine in some aspects, right Sengoku?"

Sengoku chuckled softly, nodding. "Yes, sometimes the CP can overstep, given their direct ties to the Celestial Dragons."

"Exactly," Claudius said. "My proposal is for CP-X to be independent of the CP system. It would act as a hidden backup plan for the World Government—an organization that operates in the shadows, capable of stepping in when neither Marine nor the CP can handle a situation."

The Five Elders exchanged glances. Sengoku and the elders both smiled at the idea, though Claudius could tell they weren't taking it too seriously. In their minds, a situation that both Marine and the CP couldn't resolve would be an extreme one, something beyond Claudius' reach. But still, they didn't dismiss his idea outright. He was a Celestial Dragon, after all, and for them, that meant he was trustwort.

The bald elder glanced around the room, reading the faces of his colleagues. Finally, he spoke. "It's good to see you thinking this way, Claudius. Young people like you should have ambitions, ideas that drive them forward. As your elders, we're happy to see you contributing to the World Government's future."

He paused, then added with a smile, "Your idea is a bit unconventional, but we're willing to give you a shot. We'll authorize the creation of this CP-X, and provide you with some initial resources—money, personnel, whatever you need to get started."

Claudius was delighted but stayed composed, nodding in thanks.

"However," the bald elder continued, "after that, you're on your own. We won't be lending you any more support beyond this initial investment. Whether you succeed or fail will depend entirely on your own efforts. Do you understand?"

Claudius smiled, the wheels in his mind already spinning with the possibilities. "I understand perfectly, and I'm grateful for the opportunity."

The elders exchanged a few more words, approving the idea without much concern. In their eyes, this was merely a small-scale experiment. If Claudius succeeded, great—it could serve the World Government well. If he failed, well, he'd learn a valuable lesson about ambition.

But Claudius saw it differently. To him, this was an opening, a chance to begin building something far larger and more powerful than they could imagine. This Pandora's box, he thought to himself, you've opened it yourselves.