Chapter 46: Pandora’s Box

Chapter 46: 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 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.