News of Luffy's arrival spread quickly through the administrative channels of Mariejois. The Five Elders, upon receiving word that he sought an audience, displayed uncharacteristic eagerness to meet him.

They had long been curious about this enigmatic young Marine—a man with perhaps the most complicated lineage in the organization's history and undoubtedly its most promising rising star in recent memory.

Under the guidance of his escort, Luffy traversed empty corridors, passed through gardens filled with exotic blooming flowers, and walked past the bustling offices of government officials without hindrance.

Eventually, they arrived at the imposing entrance to the council chamber where the Five Elders had agreed to receive him—the inner sanctum where these shadowy figures spent most of their time and exercised their unparalleled authority over world affairs.

The guards stationed on either side of the massive doors—easily ten meters tall—immediately sprang into action at their approach. With practiced precision, they pushed open the heavy portals, granting Luffy his first clear view of the chamber within.

Unlike the ostentatious displays of wealth that characterized most of Mariejois, the council chamber exhibited a more restrained aesthetic. There were no gaudy gold fixtures or excessive ornamentation—just enormous floor-to-ceiling windows that offered panoramic views of the city below, complemented by intricate carvings along the stone walls.

Though Luffy recognized that even this "modest" decor represented immense wealth, it was nonetheless the most understated design he had encountered since entering the Holy Land.

Adjusting his tie with deliberate care, Luffy stepped into this nominal center of world power, his expression carefully neutral as he approached the five most influential men in the world.

Within the chamber, three elegant dark green chairs were arranged in a semicircle. Surprisingly, all five elders were seated, including Saint Marcus Mars—the long-bearded elder who typically preferred to stand during meetings. Their penetrating gazes fixed upon the young Marine whose reputation continued to grow with each passing day.

Luffy approached with measured steps, stopping at a respectful distance before offering a slight bow of his head.

"Great Elder, it is an honor to meet you," he stated with perfect clarity. "I am Vice Admiral Monkey D. Luffy of Marine Headquarters."

His demeanor could not be classified as either particularly deferential or disrespectful. He displayed neither the reverence nor trepidation that typically characterized Marine officers in the presence of the Five Elders.

Yet he also avoided the casual indifference his grandfather Garp was infamous for, as well as the barely concealed contempt his father Dragon would have shown.

On balance, the fact that Luffy had initiated a proper greeting with a bow, however slight, seemed sufficient to satisfy the elders, even if it fell short of the subservience they might have preferred.

These five men, accustomed to absolute deference, were not particularly troubled by this moderate display of independence. After all, they understood the difference between a potential asset and a common subordinate.

For a man of Luffy's caliber and background, the well-informed Five Elders believed they possessed effective methods to ensure his loyalty—or at least his compliance.

The five elderly men exchanged significant glances as they assessed this young officer—potentially the government's most valuable weapon for the next half-century. Finally, Saint Jaygarcia Saturn, the bearded elder with the most scientific background, broke the silence:

"Vice Admiral Luffy, your accomplishments have been noted with approval. We have agreed to your promotion to the rank of admiral."

Saturn paused briefly before continuing, "However, before proceeding, I have a question for you: What are your views on the current World Government, the pirate epidemic, and the Revolutionary Army?"

Luffy remained silent for a calculated moment, organizing his thoughts before responding with careful precision. He shared his perspective on the pirates first—describing them as oceanic parasites that posed an ongoing threat to global stability. Regarding the Revolutionary Army, he characterized them as a disorganized band of malcontents lacking the resources and coordination to pose any significant threat to a unified Marine force.

As he concluded these observations, Saturn and his colleagues exchanged another series of glances, this time with subtle hints of satisfaction in their eyes.

Luffy then raised his head, meeting their gazes directly—a gesture that caused Saturn to frown slightly at the implied equality. But before any rebuke could be issued, Luffy continued:

"To be completely honest, I find myself frustrated with certain elements within the current government structure," he stated matter-of-factly. "Pirates are indeed the garbage of the seas, a problem we may never fully eradicate. As for the Revolutionary Army—they're merely a collection of underfunded insurgents. When the Marines can spare the resources, capturing Dragon would be a relatively simple matter."

The moment Luffy completed his first statement about government frustrations, Saturn's frown noticeably relaxed, his interest piqued by this candid admission.

However, the questioning was far from over. Saint Topman Warcury, the mustached elder seated in the center who specialized in legal matters, immediately adopted a stern expression.

"Young man," he admonished sharply, "be mindful of your station. The government is your superior authority, and you would do well to remember your responsibilities as a Marine officer."

Almost immediately, Saint Shepherd Ju Peter—the elder who appeared youngest among the five despite his age—spoke up in a more conciliatory tone:

"Vice Admiral Luffy, if you harbor concerns about governmental procedures or policies, you are certainly entitled to express them. As a valuable component of the World Government's military force, your perspective deserves consideration."

Observing this transparent good-cop/bad-cop routine from the two elders, Luffy had to suppress a smirk of derision. Instead, he maintained an outwardly respectful demeanor while strategically voicing grievances about the Cipher Pol organizations.

He focused particularly on CP-8's interference during his mission in Wano Country, leveraging this as a platform to air broader complaints about the longstanding friction between Marine operations and Cipher Pol intrusions.

With calculated precision, Luffy enumerated various scandals and operational failures attributed to Cipher Pol divisions, making sure to emphasize instances where their actions had directly undermined Marine effectiveness.

He further expanded his critique to include several prominent government officials, citing specific cases where these individuals had abused their authority by commandeering Marine resources for personal benefit or otherwise impeding legitimate Marine operations.

Throughout Luffy's carefully crafted litany of complaints, the Five Elders maintained impassive expressions, offering no visible reaction to even his most provocative assertions.