The headquarters of the World Government, eighth floor, Ministry of Finance office.
At this moment, Tesoro was entertaining an important guest, though his expression was filled with bitterness.
Strictly speaking, as Tesoro, one of the highest-ranking officials within the World Government, he wasn't subject to administrative suppression even when dealing with the Supreme Commander of the Army.
In theory, aside from Claudius, there was no one above him.
However, the person sitting across from him today was indeed a big shot—after all, they had ties to His Highness.
That's right, the person currently in Tesoro's office was none other than Marine Headquarters Admiral "Momousagi" Gion.
"Gion, your Marine Headquarters has entered the New World.
The Ministry of Finance has already provided all the necessary funding and logistical support—warships, artillery, everything.
We've ensured that your Marine forces have everything they need," Tesoro said helplessly.
Sitting across from him on the sofa, Gion held a slender lady's cigarette between her fingers, her demeanor exuding an air of casual dominance.
However, she wasn't here to strong-arm him. Instead, she spoke with a perfectly reasonable argument:
"Tesoro, this has nothing to do with the New World. The funding I'm requesting is for something entirely different—it's for conducting actual field tests."
She paused briefly before continuing, "And I'll be honest with you. this is just the beginning. Once the field tests are completed, you're guaranteed to become a major financial backer for this project. You'd best be prepared."
"Field tests? How am I supposed to prepare for that?" Tesoro asked, visibly confused.
"The actual combat testing of new war weapons," Gion replied. "Due to confidentiality regulations, I can only report the specifics to His Highness—you don't have clearance. But what I can tell you is that this project is of utmost importance. The Marine has spent years developing this technology, and we're coming to you ahead of time to request funding out of consideration for you."
Gion spoke as if she was doing him a favor.
Tesoro was completely dumbfounded. You're asking me for money, and you're calling it consideration for me?
However, as a high-ranking official, he quickly regained his composure. After a moment of thought, he furrowed his brows slightly and asked,
"Gion, is this a big merit?"
"A huge merit," Gion answered without hesitation.
The war weapon Gion was referring to was the PX-Series Pacifista, a powerful battle weapon Marine Headquarters had been developing for years. Modeled after Bartholomew Kuma, these mass-producible units were designed for overwhelming combat efficiency.
For ordinary pirates, these war weapons were an absolute nightmare, an unstoppable force on the seas. Even notorious rookies, like the Supernovas, would be completely crushed by them.
Only in the New World, where strong individuals wield Haki, could the Pacifistas face limitations. However, even there, they were still a formidable tool in battle.
If the PX-Pacifista program succeeded, it would be a game-changer. Equipping just three units per Marine base could significantly impact the battlefield, and within three to five years, the results would be undeniable—the number of pirates could be greatly reduced.
If full-scale mass production became a reality, and every island under the World Government had at least two units, then the likelihood of pirate attacks could drop by at least 70%.
However, the cost of a single PX-Pacifista was astronomical—comparable to that of a warship, if not higher. It was clear that this was going to be an insatiable money pit.
Hearing Gion's words, Tesoro felt a twinge of temptation.
He reasoned that Gion had no reason to deceive him, so if she was emphasizing this merit, then it must truly be significant.
If the Ministry of Finance were to play a role in funding this, it could also mean gaining political leverage and influence in the future.
However, did Tesoro even need more merit? Not particularly.
Thus, he cautiously asked, "According to Marine estimates, if this project succeeds, how much will military expenditure increase?"
"Oh, not much," Gion said calmly after thinking for a moment. "At most… a 30–50% increase compared to current warship expenditures."
He slammed the table and exclaimed, "Gion, do you even know how much your Marine spends annually on repairing and building warships?!"
Gion scratched her head. She genuinely had no clue about these financial matters.
However, she wasn't just throwing out numbers randomly, the cost of the PX-Pacifistas wouldn't reach warship-level production numbers, otherwise it would become a burden even for the World Government.
Especially when it came to repairs—if a Pacifista sustained significant damage, it was often cheaper to replace than repair. Given their intended frontline combat role, the long-term maintenance costs were going to be another massive expense.
That's why Gion had roughly estimated that the necessary increase in military spending would be around 30–50% of current warship costs—any higher, and it would be unsustainable.
"I'd say… at least a hundred billion Berries, right?" Gion asked uncertainly.
Tesoro, as the Minister of Finance, answered without hesitation,
"A hundred billion? Gion, you're underestimating the Marine's expenses. Your Marine forces number over a million!
Just in the first half of the Grand Line and the New World, plus Marine Headquarters itself, you already burn through hundreds of billions on warships alone every year.
Let alone the entire world—especially in the past five to ten years, with your continuous military expansion.
And let me make it clear—that's just warship expenditures!"
"Alright, alright! I don't want to hear it anymore!" Gion interrupted, covering her ears. Then, she added seriously,
"But Tesoro, let me also make one thing clear, His Highness has been keeping a close eye on this project.
From the very beginning, ever since Marine Headquarters launched this research initiative, His Highness was already monitoring it."
Her tone carried a subtle meaning.
Previously, Marine Headquarters had assumed that this project was highly classified, known only to Fleet Admiral Sengoku, the Supreme Commander of the Army, and the Five Elders.
But after Saint Claudius seized supreme power within the World Government, Sengoku made a shocking discovery.
The basis of their Pacifista design, the "prototype", Bartholomew Kuma...
—was actually a member of the Revolutionary Army?!
If Claudius had no involvement in this, Sengoku wouldn't have believed it even if he were beaten to death.
However, since the two sides were now on the same team, Bartholomew Kuma had still undergone the transformation but his consciousness didn't have to be erased.
Hearing Gion's words, Tesoro's expression turned bitter.
"Why is it that every time you need money, you have to use His Highness as leverage against me?" he grumbled.
Gion chuckled. "Come on, Tesoro. This isn't a joke."
Tesoro sighed. "I may have mountains of gold and silver, but even that isn't enough to keep up with your demands."
"We're not just spending, you know. The Marine also seizes a lot of wealth every year," Gion said persuasively. "Once this war weapon goes into effect, piracy will decline, trade will prosper, and your Ministry of Finance will see an increase in revenue.
Not to mention, a significant amount of the funds will be recovered from the pirates we capture."
Tesoro rolled his eyes. Yeah, right. This is no "left-hand to right-hand" transfer. At best, it's partial cost recovery.
Still, seeing Gion's determined expression, he finally sighed and said,
"I can authorize funding for the field tests, but if this leads to mass production later on, without a direct order from His Highness, don't even think about getting more from me."
Gion laughed. "Relax, Tesoro. Claudius will be the one demanding funding once he sees the results."
"I sure hope so," Tesoro muttered, feeling a headache coming on.
(To be continued.)
***
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