Seeing how open-minded Sengoku was, showing no attachment to his position and actively paving the way for him—Sakazuki didn't bother with unnecessary formalities. He simply nodded and said, "Then I'll take over, Commander."
Sengoku nodded with a smile, then turned to Kuzan and asked, "What about you, Kuzan?"
"Me? I'm resigning from the Marines. I'm transferring to the World Government, where I'll be responsible for restructuring the police and security forces. In a way, you could say I'll be a fleet admiral of my own," Kuzan replied with a grin.
Originally, Kuzan was supposed to be transferred to CP-X, but after two years of changes, his future had taken a different path.
The World Government was undergoing a massive restructuring. In fact, CP-X itself was being dismantled and reorganized under Claudius' direction.
Similarly, an organization akin to the Seven Warlords of the Sea was being redefined, establishing an entirely new entity.
Not to mention, Spandine had also consolidated the CP agencies, making CP-X somewhat chaotic at the moment.
Recognizing Kuzan's talents, Claudius assigned him to a new division, one focused on police and security forces.
Each country under the World Government had its own internal forces. While their military had varying degrees of autonomy, Claudius had significantly reined in their control, placing them under the command of the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.
In other words, from now on, the militaries of these nations would, in name at least, be under Sengoku's command.
Beyond the military, each country also had its own police and security forces.
Nami's adoptive father, Genzo, was a local patrol officer in Cocoyasi Village, while Lafitte, who now served under Shiki, was originally a security officer from the West Blue.
These two systems were disorganized and largely ineffective. They had functioned more like idle, ornamental forces.
However, Claudius saw the untapped potential in them. With proper organization, they could serve as the first line of defense in maintaining civil order across the World Government's territories.
Thus, his new government had begun the process of restructuring and managing these previously chaotic police and security forces.
Eventually, all of these powers would be centralized under the World Government, allowing for standardized deployment and coordination of law enforcement across all nations.
This initiative was not just about protecting the rights and well-being of citizens, it was also aimed at curbing disorder in the underworld. After all, it wasn't just pirates causing chaos; the criminal underworld was just as rampant, albeit less overtly dangerous.
Claudius understood that such elements could never be entirely eradicated, but at the very least, a specialized agency would now be tasked with managing them.
Kuzan would serve as the head of this new department, and he seemed quite interested in the underworld. Stussy was set to become his second-in-command, assisting him in establishing the division's framework.
This new department was tentatively named the "World Government Department of National Security." Its highest-ranking officer, above Kuzan, was still the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.
Holy Land – Mariejois
Within the headquarters of the World Government, what was once the Five Elders' Office had now become Claudius' Office.
Mariejois had been the first place to restore order following the reforms. Many former Revolutionary Army members, along with Claudius' loyal officials, were now serving as high-ranking government administrators.
Each had their own office, making it highly convenient for Claudius to summon them for discussions.
As for the "Domain of the Gods," the lavish residential area formerly occupied by the Celestial Dragons, it had now become the private property of the Donquixote family.
The luxurious palaces of the Celestial Dragons had been completely looted, then either demolished, sold off, or repurposed. The entire district was being transformed into a "city within a city."
It was an incredibly lucrative venture. After all, looting the Celestial Dragons was no small feat.
In the past, Claudius had engaged in occasional underhanded dealings, making a few opportunistic gains. But now, he had absolute authority. With the Celestial Dragons' entire class dismantled, he could do as he pleased, unchallenged.
The sheer amount of wealth the Celestial Dragons had accumulated over 800 years was astronomical.
To some extent, this had significantly eased the financial burden of Claudius' new government. In fact, they had an overabundance of resources, enough that they didn't even need to collect taxes for the next three years.
If needed, they could even distribute financial aid to allied nations, boosting their economies.
Furthermore, Claudius already had several fully developed industrial chains and a vast amount of capital under his control.
In short, the World Government was now financially secure, with no concerns about funding.
---
Inside his office, Claudius held a baton in his hand, gesturing toward a world map pinned to the wall as he spoke.
Gathered before him were Dragon, Crocodile, Tesoro, Doflamingo, and several other key officials.
Enel, Mihawk, and Hancock, on the other hand, had returned to their respective domains—Hancock to Amazon Lily, Mihawk to his lone fortress, and Enel to who-knows-where.
"Sabaody Archipelago has always been directly governed by the World Government, but that alone isn't enough.
The World Government needs to strengthen its influence and establish a foundation that is entirely its own.
Therefore, from now on, Water 7, Dressrosa, and Alabasta will also be placed under direct government control," Claudius stated firmly.
He didn't mention the Calm Belt, that region was already private territory belonging to the Donquixote family, serving as a key economic stronghold under his control.
Doflamingo had no objections. After all, he was now among the highest-ranking Celestial Dragons, Dressrosa no longer held the same significance to him.
Crocodile glanced at Claudius and casually responded, "No problem."
Claudius nodded. "This won't affect your position. Your thrones will remain intact, after all, we're all on the same side."
Dragon, however, frowned slightly. "Isn't this layout a bit… scattered? Dressrosa is in the New World, Sabaody Archipelago is at the end of Paradise, Water 7 is in the middle, but Alabasta is all the way at the beginning?"
"This has nothing to do with geography," Claudius explained. "It's about power and industry.
Alabasta possesses a strong military force, but more importantly, it has a fully developed military-industrial complex that supplies Marine Headquarters.
This has become Alabasta's primary industry, and in the future, we'll expand it even further.
It will become a true military production nation, providing high-quality equipment not only for the Marines, but also for the national militaries of all allied nations.
In short, the World Government must directly control this strategic resource."
Dragon nodded in understanding. "I see. Water 7, meanwhile, is the birthplace of the Sea Train system.
Even though its warship industry has shifted to Alabasta, it remains highly important, so it must also be under direct control."
"Exactly. As for Dressrosa—that's simply because it's the ancestral land of the Donquixote family," Claudius added with a smirk.
After a brief pause, he continued,
"Direct government control aside, we must also redraw the jurisdictional map of the world.
New World is its own beast, but the Four Blues and the first half of the Grand Line must be subdivided into regional zones under World Government authority.
This will allow us to project power more effectively and streamline governance."
In the past, the World Government had operated from Mariejois as a centralized authority.
But Claudius was now implementing regional administrative divisions, ensuring more detailed management and control over the world.
If the World Government were a country, then Mariejois would be its imperial capital, while these new regional divisions would function as provinces governing the kingdoms beneath them.
And now, Claudius was about to establish those "provinces"—laying the foundation for a new world order.
(To be continued.)
***
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