OPKOTW Chapter 287/291

Chapter 287: Ending Whitebeard’s Era?

As the meeting commenced, Claudius began outlining the details of the operation, including the plan to collaborate with Marshall D. Teach in capturing one of Whitebeard's division commanders.

At the same time, Claudius made it crystal clear that he had no true alliance with Teach.

"Let me emphasize this once again, Marshall D. Teach is not my subordinate.

"I am merely using him."

"At the same time, I strongly advise caution when dealing with him."

"This man is an ambitious schemer. He will never submit to our authority."

"We can make use of him, but we must never let ourselves be used by him.

He rapped his knuckles against the table for emphasis.

Despite Claudius' serious tone, Sengoku quickly noticed that neither Nusjuro nor Gis seemed to care all that much.

After all, at the end of the day, Teach was just a small-time figure.

Did the World Government really need to concern itself with someone like him?

Throughout history, every pirate who had risen to prominence had done so only after decades of struggle.

The so-called "Worst Generation" didn't even exist yet.

As far as Nusjuro and the others were concerned, even if Teach did become a threat, it wouldn't be for another ten or twenty years.

But Claudius knew better.

If Teach played his cards right, he could rise to power overnight.

Still, he had done his part. He had warned them.

If they ignored his words and regretted it later, that was their problem.


---

Kong leaned forward, his expression thoughtful.

"The preliminary preparations seem sound.

But if we want to guarantee success, this won't be easy.

We're not the only ones watching the pirate world, those pirates and the criminal underworld are also watching us.

If we concentrate too much of our forces, our enemies will take notice.

And once they do, they'll become wary of our movements."

The others nodded in agreement.

The Seven Warlords of the Sea were one thing—after all, they were just a collection of pirates, so their mobilization wouldn't attract much attention.

But Marine Headquarters?

The Marines were the undisputed rulers of the sea.

Every single one of their actions was monitored by the world.

If the Marines suddenly began massing their elite forces, people would take notice.

Even those uninvolved would grow suspicious and begin preparing defenses, something they wanted to avoid.

Kong's concerns were valid, but the question remained, how could they disguise Marine mobilization?

After a brief silence, Nusjuro turned to Gis.

"Gis, can your CP agencies assist in covering our movements?"

Gis' expression darkened slightly.

"Is he joking?"

The CP agencies were powerful, but they weren't that powerful.

Covering up the movements of a few hundred Marines? Possible.

But tens of thousands? Possibly a hundred thousand?

That was insane.

How was he supposed to hide that?

"At best… we can minimize the exposure," Gis finally said, choosing his words carefully.

Nusjuro nodded slightly, he understood the limitations.

The room fell into silence as everyone pondered the issue.

Then, Claudius cleared his throat.

The moment he did, Nusjuro's eyes brightened, and the others turned their attention toward him.

"You have an idea?" Nusjuro asked.

Claudius smiled.

"Perhaps.

It's not a perfect solution, but I think it's worth considering."

"Let's hear it," Nusjuro said.

Claudius took a slow sip of tea before speaking.

"Next year, we're hosting the Reverie, the World Summit.

Every time the Reverie is held, the Marines make major deployments.

Their presence is required for security, escorting the various royal families, and maintaining order."

The moment Claudius mentioned the Reverie, Nusjuro's eyes flashed with understanding.

Across the table, Sengoku and Kong also began to smile slightly.

Claudius continued.

"That alone serves as an excellent cover.

During the Reverie, it's normal for Marine forces to mobilize.

If we slightly exaggerate that mobilization, no one will bat an eye."

Sengoku stroked his beard.

"You're suggesting we mask our true movements under the pretense of escort duty?"

Claudius nodded.

"Exactly.

At the very least, it'll make things far more convenient for us."

Kong considered the idea for a moment before nodding.

"The strategy is solid… but it still might not be enough."

Claudius grinned.

"Then why not expand the Reverie?"

Silence filled the room.

Unlike before, this wasn't something Marine Headquarters or CP could decide.

Only the Five Elders had the authority to make such a decision.

And now, all eyes were on Nusjuro.

Nusjuro, for his part, remained deep in thought.

Expanding the Reverie would serve as an excellent cover.

With so many royal families gathered, the world's attention would be focused entirely on Mariejois.

The World Government could secretly deploy troops under the guise of "ensuring global security."

But at the same time, expanding the Reverie was no simple matter.

The more kings and queens gathered, the greater the risk of Revolutionary Army infiltration.

Even so, the idea was tempting.

And Claudius wasn't done yet.

"If we expand the Reverie, then Marine mobilization can begin immediately.

We'll have at least six months to prepare.

And before the Reverie even begins, we'll have already wiped out the Whitebeard Pirates in one swift strike.

Then, at the Reverie itself, we can announce our victory before the entire world."

Nusjuro's gaze flickered.

The past several Reveries had been boring.

There were no major developments, just the same old debates about the Revolutionary Army.

And even that was frustrating.

Despite the CP agencies' efforts, the Revolutionary Army had only grown stronger.

If they could eliminate the Whitebeard Pirates before the Reverie…

It would be the perfect political move.

For years, the world had believed that this era belonged to Whitebeard.

If they killed Whitebeard, then in a symbolic sense…

The Great Pirate Era itself could be declared over.

Even if piracy wasn't completely eradicated, the message would be clear.

"The World Government has tamed the strongest beast of the sea."

The alliance nations would finally see results.

They would see that the World Government wasn't just sitting idly by, it was actively shaping the future.

Claudius leaned back, his smirk widening.

"Whitebeard is the turning point of this era.

If we eliminate him, we end the Golden Age of Piracy itself."

Silence filled the room.

Then, slowly, Nusjuro's lips curled into a smile.

The others had already made up their minds.

It was decided.

They would crush Whitebeard's legacy before the Reverie began.

And by the time the world gathered in Mariejois…

The World Government would stand before them, triumphant.

---------
Chapter 288: Battlefield—Marineford!

Ever since Roger ignited the Great Pirate Era, nations across the world had suffered under its influence.

There was no denying that Roger was an extraordinary man, full of ideals. His goal had been to sacrifice himself to usher in a new era, one that would ultimately change the world.

He had gambled everything on the hope that someone capable of bringing true change would emerge.

Claudius was one of the contenders in that game.

Because while it was the pirates who had started this era.

No one ever said that pirates had to be the ones to finish it.

However, no matter how noble Roger's intentions may have been, his actions had undeniably caused immense suffering.

Piracy had spiraled out of control, and countless innocent lives had been lost. The sheer collateral damage caused by his era was immeasurable.

In the eyes of history, Roger was a legendary figure.

But in the eyes of ordinary people?

He was a curse.

After all, in the original timeline, Ace had struggled with the weight of his father's legacy, so much so that it tormented him psychologically.

The entire world loathed the Great Pirate Era and everything it had brought upon them.

That was why the idea of ending Whitebeard's era was so tempting to the World Government.

It was an opportunity to declare the end of piracy's golden age, to prove that the age of reckless freedom was over.

However, while the plan to expand the Reverie as a smokescreen was appealing, Nusjuro wasn't in a position to approve it alone.

Even the Five Elders as a whole couldn't make such a decision lightly.

So, after some thought, Nusjuro rapped his knuckles against the table and said,

"We'll put this proposal on hold for now.

I need to deliberate further before making a final decision.

That said… it's a very tempting strategy.

For now, proceed as if we're implementing it."

His wording was careful.

Essentially, he was saying: I can't officially approve this yet, but go ahead and move forward, there's a good chance it'll be greenlit.

Claudius smiled.

He was fairly confident that the plan would pass.

Expanding the Reverie wasn't just about Whitebeard, it was about his own ambitions.

After all, he planned to make his move against the World Government at the Reverie itself.

The more countries present, the greater the impact of his revolution.

If he could get a hundred nations to witness his reforms firsthand, then pushing forward with his plans afterward would be far easier.

Of course, there was always the chance of failure.

But even if things did fall apart…

At the very least, he would make sure that his downfall was one to be remembered.


---

With that topic set aside, Kong shifted the discussion forward.

"If we're dealing with Newgate, then we also need to be wary of Kaido, Shanks, and the others."

Taking on the Whitebeard Pirates alone was already a monumental task.

If any of the other major powers interfered, the situation could spiral out of control.

They couldn't afford to fight an unprepared war.

"We'll need to divide our forces," Sengoku agreed.

It wasn't possible to conjure extra manpower out of nowhere.

If they wanted to account for potential outside threats, they would need to split Marine Headquarters' forces accordingly.

At that moment, Claudius suddenly realized something.

Back in the original timeline, during the Battle of Marineford, it had seemed as though the Marines had gone all out…

But had they really?

Now that he thought about it, several key figures had been absent.

Gion and Tokikake hadn't participated.

Vergo and others had been missing as well.

Even among the active participants, only Akainu had fought with his full strength.

Kizaru had barely done anything.

Aokiji had fought, but his actions seemed off, almost as if he were holding back.

Tsuru had been present, yet she hadn't taken any direct action.

Despite the grand scale of the war, the Marines had only deployed about 70% of their true strength.

And now, listening to Sengoku and Kong discuss strategy, Claudius finally understood why.

Although it was never shown in the original story, it was highly likely that a significant portion of Marine forces had been stationed elsewhere to guard against Kaido and Shanks.

And the reason why figures like Garp, Kizaru, and Tsuru hadn't fought as aggressively as they could have…

Was because they needed to conserve their strength in case those other forces did intervene.

In the end, Shanks had arrived but it was unclear how he had managed to enter Marineford so suddenly.

Had he fought his way through?

Or had he exploited a gap in Marine's defenses?

Regardless, the Marines had definitely divided their forces to account for external threats.

And now, in this altered timeline, they were doing the exact same thing.

Most of the discussions from this point forward revolved around tactical adjustments.

As expected, Gion, Tokikake, and others were kept off the main battlefield.

Instead, they were designated as reserve forces, deployed to counteract any moves from Shanks or Kaido.

"If we're choosing the battlefield," Sengoku said after some thought,

"I suggest we hold the fight at Marine Headquarters—Marineford."

Kong nodded.

"I agree, it's the best location."

Mobilizing so many Marine forces would be conspicuous anywhere else.

But at Marineford, large-scale military movements were expected.

Compared to anywhere else, it was the least suspicious location for a major Marine operation.

"I have no objections," Claudius added.

At that moment, Gis sneered slightly.

"And what if Newgate sinks Marineford?" he mocked.

Sengoku didn't even bother responding to him.

He had long since stopped entertaining Gis' provocations.

But he did take the question seriously.

"Yes, we do need to account for Newgate's abilities," he admitted.

"That's why our scientific division recently developed a new type of earthquake-resistant alloy.

It should be able to mitigate the effects of his powers to some extent."

Claudius immediately recognized what he was referring to.

"The encircling wall, huh?"

In the original timeline, the Marines had used that exact mechanism to trap Whitebeard's forces.

And it had worked, Newgate had been caught off guard and suffered heavily because of it.

"That should work," Tsuru said with a smile.

"When we start construction, we can just tell the lower ranks that we're 'upgrading' the base defenses."

"It'll be tight on time," Sengoku admitted, "but we should be able to finish before the battle begins."

"Then let's finalize the fortifications as well," Kong added.

After all, they weren't just installing a wall, they needed to reinforce the entire base.

More cannons.

Stronger defensive structures.

They had to turn Marineford into a true war fortress.

Sengoku let out a small sigh.

"It's a shame our secret weapon isn't ready yet.

It would have been a great trump card."

Claudius raised an eyebrow.

"Secret weapon?"

Sengoku chuckled.

"It's an advanced combat weapon, a mechanized war machine.

We call it the Pacifista Project—PX Units."

Claudius' eyes gleamed.

"So, they have been developing the Pacifistas."

Although they wouldn't be ready in time for this battle, he knew that eventually, they would be complete.

And once they were…

If he could mass-produce them?

The entire New World would be forced into submission.

A future where the Great Pirate Era was crushed beneath an army of PX Units…

Was one step closer to becoming reality.


---------
Chapter 289: Sengoku—"I Didn't Plan to Rebel… I Was Tricked!"

A meeting of this scale, one that would determine the course of global warfare wasn't something that could be wrapped up in a single day.

In fact, it stretched across several consecutive sessions.

On the third day, Nusjuro officially confirmed at the meeting that the World Government would expand the scale of the upcoming Reverie, inviting a hundred nations to participate.

This decision would serve as a cover for the impending "War on the Top."

That's right, the official codename for the operation had been decided.

"The War on the Top"—a battle among the strongest forces in the world.

…Though, personally, Claudius found the name to be a bit pretentious.

At the end of the day, they were just dealing with pirates.

Was it really worthy of being called a world-shaking war?

Regardless, he still took the operation extremely seriously.

To him, this war was the prelude to a new era.


---

Now, back in his palace at Mariejois, the strategic meetings had finally concluded.

Everything that needed to be discussed had been covered, multiple contingency plans had been formulated, and now…

All that was left was to execute.

No battle ever unfolds exactly as planned, but with the level of preparation the World Government had put into this, they were ready to handle almost any scenario.

The rest would depend on performance in the field.

Most of the high-ranking Marines had already left to begin preparations.

However, Sengoku had remained behind, seemingly in no hurry to leave.

Instead, he had opted to sit down for afternoon tea with Claudius.

Sipping from his teacup, the Fleet Admiral let out a sigh.

"Fifty billion Berries in funding… should be enough to fortify Marineford properly," he mused.


---

For a battle of this scale, there was no way the Marines would be expected to fund everything themselves.

Thus, the World Government had allocated an additional 50 billion Berries on top of the standard annual military budget.

This money was specifically earmarked for war preparations, including the large-scale reconstruction of Marineford.

And depending on how things developed, more funding could still be allocated in the future.

In the past, Sengoku would have celebrated such a sum.

But now?

Now, after working so closely with Claudius, he barely found it impressive.


---

Over the past few years, Calm Belt development had surged forward.

With the cooperation of the Marine Science Division and the Water 7 engineers, the first-ever sea train line through the Calm Belt had been completed.

This development had massively improved Marine logistics, reducing their reliance on warships for transport.

Although the current rail line only connected Amazon Lily and three key resource islands, the benefits were already immeasurable.

At present, a total of seven islands in the South Calm Belt had been successfully developed:

Two were iron-rich islands.

One was a copper mine.

Three were used for large-scale agriculture, serving as food supply bases for the Navy.

The final island… was the most valuable of them all—a gold mine.


Although gold extraction was still in its early stages, even the small amount of production so far had been hugely profitable.

With just four mining islands, the Marine forces had already established a massive secondary income source.

Compared to that…

50 billion Berries?

Sengoku barely even considered it a large sum anymore.

"Hahahaha!" Claudius laughed at his reaction.

"What's this? Now even 50 billion is 'too little' for you?

Marine Headquarters really is thriving, huh?"

Sengoku chuckled.

"With our current revenues, 50 billion is just about two months' worth of earnings from the Calm Belt project.

Honestly? It doesn't even feel like that much anymore."

Then, with a sigh, he added,

"If only we could develop the Calm Belt without restrictions… our progress is still painfully slow."


---

The truth was, they had barely scratched the surface.

The Calm Belt was massive, spanning hundreds, possibly even thousands of undeveloped islands.

Even if they only counted resource-rich islands, there were at least 500 major targets for future development.

And that was just in the South Calm Belt.

If properly utilized, the total annual income from full-scale development could reach into the trillions.

Claudius smiled.

He was well aware of the potential here.

But he wasn't about to hand all of it over to the Navy.


---

If Claudius ever fully seized power over the World Government, one of his first priorities would be reducing the Heavenly Tribute tax system.

It wasn't about eliminating it entirely after all, the Donquixote lineage still needed a legitimate reason to collect wealth.

However, milking the allied nations dry wasn't sustainable.

Instead, he planned to legitimize a new financial system, one that would keep most of the wealth circulating within the World Government's economy.

He knew that gaining support from more nations required more than just military power.

Economic incentives were just as important.

And the Calm Belt was his financial trump card.

If he could fully develop it, the World Government could become economically self-sufficient, no longer dependent on forced taxation.

Of course, that was all in the future.

For now, he needed to keep using the Calm Belt's wealth as a means to bind the Navy to him.

Ensuring their loyalty in the coming years.


---

Hearing Sengoku's complaints, Claudius smirked and casually remarked,

"Well… maybe in the future, we'll get that chance."

Sengoku's eyes flickered slightly at those words.

Sengoku wasn't a fool.

He knew that Claudius had been investing heavily in the Navy.

And he also knew that Claudius wasn't doing it for nothing.

For a long time, he had tried to figure out what Claudius' true goal was.

At first, he had assumed that Claudius was simply trying to strengthen the World Government's grip on power, securing his own political standing.

But over time…

He began to suspect that Claudius had grander ambitions.

Sengoku had no doubt that Claudius was destined to make history.

At times, he even wondered…

"Is he planning a coup?"

But whenever he truly thought about it, the idea seemed ridiculous.

Why would a Celestial Dragon want to overthrow the World Government?

It made no sense.

At the same time…

If he wasn't planning rebellion, then what was he building all this power for?

In the end, Sengoku settled on the most logical explanation.

Claudius wasn't trying to destroy the World Government.

He was trying to take over Five Elders' authority.

Of course, Sengoku still wasn't aware of Imu's existence, if he had been, his entire perception of the power structure would have been different.

Right now, all he knew was that Claudius was gathering strength, and that, somehow, Marine Headquarters had been pulled onto his side without even realizing it.

And at this point…

It was too late to back out.

The Navy was already tied to Claudius.

They had taken his funding.

They had joined in his Calm Belt project.

Even if Sengoku tried to separate himself now, Five Elders would never trust him again.

If Claudius lost, the entire Marine leadership would be purged.

So now, Sengoku had only one choice.

Stay the course.

No matter what Claudius was planning…

He had no choice but to see it through to the end.


------
Chapter 290: I Had a Choice Before, But Now I Don’t!

Fortunately, Sengoku wasn't alone in this predicament. He knew that most of the Marine higher-ups, like himself, were siding with Claudius. While they didn't think too deeply about it, at least he wasn't a commander without support.

When it came to "conspiracies," Sengoku truly believed that if this situation played out seriously, Claudius actually had a strong chance of winning perhaps even a very high one!?

Just as Sengoku was lost in these thoughts, Claudius took a sip of tea and casually said, "By the way, Sengoku, do you know what the Five Elders told me after the meeting?"

Sengoku raised an eyebrow at that, then chuckled and shook his head. "How would I know?"

Claudius smiled faintly and spoke softly, "They said that after dealing with Newgate, they would introduce me to a very important figure."

"Ahahahaha! A big shot? Is there anyone more important than the Five Elders? Or bigger than you?" Sengoku laughed.

But as he laughed, his expression gradually stiffened, because he realized Claudius wasn't joking.

After a brief silence, Sengoku's face darkened slightly. He took a deep breath and said, "Your Highness… this…"

"Oh, you've heard of the legend of the Empty Throne, right?" Claudius suddenly sighed and asked.

Sengoku's expression changed slightly. Something flashed in his mind, and his face twitched before he replied in a deep voice, "Of course I have."

Eight hundred years ago, twenty kings came together to establish the World Government. They raised the throne high above the void, proclaiming it a symbol of equality.

No one was allowed to sit on the Empty Throne. It represented a principle the World Government had upheld for eight centuries.

Claudius nodded. "Yes, I used to believe that too until I discovered a certain secret."

"What secret?" Sengoku asked, his gaze sharpening.

"There is, in fact, someone sitting on the Empty Throne," Claudius said with a calm smile.

As soon as he said this, Sengoku's expression became complicated. He hesitated for a moment, then forced a smile and said, "Your Highness… please don't joke about something like that."

"I'd like to think of it as a joke too," Claudius replied, reaching out to pat Sengoku on the shoulder.

The Marines had always upheld the banner of justice. Although people often mocked them as nothing more than the World Government's enforcers, attack dogs used to maintain their rule, Sengoku had always believed in his heart that they stood for justice.

Even if they were maintaining the World Government's rule, it was for the sake of global stability, for the protection of nations.

But now, Claudius was telling him that someone actually sat on the Empty Throne…

Did that mean the Marines were nothing more than tools used to maintain a dictatorship?

Undoubtedly, this left an uncomfortable feeling in Sengoku's heart.

"Ahahaha, though I don't think I'm joking, I don't have any concrete evidence in my hands," Claudius suddenly laughed. "It's just speculation based on various clues. But after hearing what the Five Elders told me, I made some deductions."

He looked at Sengoku and continued, "Think of it as just a story I'm telling you Sengoku, no need to take it so seriously."

Sengoku's mind was racing, but in the end, he forced a smile and said, "Your Highness, you can't go around making baseless claims without proof."

"Yes, yes, I understand," Claudius nodded.

This kind of thing was enough to bring up, but Claudius knew it wouldn't be enough to completely turn the tide. There was no way Marine would immediately jump to his side just because of this revelation. That would be ridiculous.

To put it bluntly, this was just a way to plant the idea—an excuse, a reason. A grand banner needed to be raised. Interests alone weren't enough; there had to be a lofty ideal behind it. This was just an excuse for Sengoku to convince himself: I am not fighting for personal gain, I am fighting for justice for the truth of the world.

And when framed that way, it certainly seemed to elevate the cause beyond mere self-interest.

"Well, let's not talk about such rumors anymore," Claudius suddenly changed the topic with a smile. "Tomorrow, the World Economy News will publish the announcement about the expansion of the Reverie. That means the Marines can start taking action."

Sengoku, who didn't want to dwell on the previous discussion, nodded and said, "Understood. If the summit is doubling in scale, we Marines will begin preparations in advance. It makes sense for us to carry out the so-called 'security mission.'"

He smirked slightly and continued, "Even though the CP agencies don't get along with us, in situations like this, they wouldn't dare interfere too much. They'll do their best to cover our actions."

After saying this, Sengoku paused for a moment before asking with a smile, "Your Highness, when do you plan on summoning the Seven Warlords of the Sea?"

"Hahaha, no rush. We'll wait until you Marines are ready," Claudius laughed.

"Can you really take down Newgate?" Sengoku asked with an expectant smile.

"Don't worry, we won't lose," Claudius said confidently. "And this is only the beginning. The real work still lies ahead."

Sengoku lowered his gaze slightly and murmured, "Yes… this is just the beginning. Your Highness, with you leading the way… we will bring an end to this Great Pirate Era, won't we?"

Claudius smiled and looked at Sengoku. "Of course. I promise you, Marine will be the one to bring this era of piracy to an end."

"Then, Your Highness, I'll be counting on you," Sengoku said with a smile.

Although neither of them explicitly stated it, both men were intelligent enough to understand what the other meant.

It was clear now, Sengoku had no choice but to stand with Claudius. And Claudius had provided enough incentives to solidify that alliance.

The promise he had made was simple: Support me, and I will ensure Marine has the power to end the Great Pirate Era.

It sounded straightforward, but in practice, it was a major commitment. After all, wasn't this essentially a blank check, one that guaranteed more resources, influence, and authority for the Marines?

This was exactly what Marine Headquarters wanted. As long as Claudius could deliver on this promise, it would be enough.

With that, Sengoku didn't linger much longer. He had only come to get a feel for the situation, and now that the Marines were about to go up against the Whitebeard Pirates, he had plenty of work to do.

After obtaining the "direction" he was looking for, Sengoku took his leave.

Claudius personally saw him out of the palace.

As Sengoku disappeared from view, Stussy, who had been standing beside Claudius, asked softly, "Your Highness, do you think Sengoku will truly stand with us?"

Claudius smiled knowingly and said, "The Marines might still have options, but Sengoku doesn't. He's already been marked as part of my faction. If we fail, do you think he'll have a good ending? He has no choice but to stand with us."

The Marines had a safety net, even if Claudius failed, the World Government would never completely dismantle Marine Headquarters. At most, there would be a purge or restructuring.

But Sengoku? He had no such guarantee.

Luckily, as Fleet Admiral, he still held full control over Marine Headquarters. At least for now, before any fallout occurred, he had the ability to steer the Marines' direction.

This was precisely why Claudius had invested so much effort in winning him over back when he was still just an admiral.

"Looks like Sengoku was tricked by Your Highness," Stussy chuckled playfully.

"Hahahaha, what trick? It's mutually beneficial. He can't expect to take my resources for free, can he?" Claudius laughed.


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Chapter 291: Dragon: Could It Be That Something Happened to Me?

The world outside was in turmoil. The Marines were making big moves, and the World Government was preparing for an unprecedented World Summit. Meanwhile, Claudius, having played his part, was leisurely enjoying his time.

Despite having nothing urgent to attend to, Claudius chose not to leave Mariejois during this period, as unexpected events could arise at any moment.

Fortunately, his palace was large enough that it didn't feel too boring.

At this moment, in the courtyard lawn, Claudius was playing badminton with Stussy.

Both of them were highly skilled, sending the shuttlecock flying at incredible speeds. The game was so intense that the birdies were breaking one after another in rapid succession.

As Stussy got into the game, her figure moved gracefully, creating a dazzling spectacle that nearly made Claudius miss the shuttlecock several times. Then again, who knew what ball he was really trying to catch?

At the same time, Spandine had returned to Mariejois and was now standing at the edge of the court, clapping enthusiastically from time to time, like the ultimate sycophant.

"Spandine, make sure to coordinate with CP and have our people assist the Marines in covering things up. Understood?" Claudius said while swinging his racket without even turning his head.

Spandine immediately responded, "Understood, Your Highness. I've already arranged everything."

"Hehehe, that's what I like about you, you're quick-witted and save me a lot of trouble," Claudius replied with a smile.

"We'll also be spreading some misleading information through Happy Street," Stussy added as she caught the shuttlecock and grinned.

Because Stussy's movements were too eye-catching, Claudius found himself distracted by certain aspects of the game and ended up losing.

Casually tossing his racket aside, Claudius took the towel draped over his shoulders, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and smiled. "Anything interesting happening on the seas lately?"

"Interesting?" Spandine touched his chin, then shook his head. "Not really. But now that you mention it, there is a group of bounty hunters who aren't capturing pirates but are instead gathering intel about Your Highness."

Claudius raised an eyebrow in surprise. He rarely dealt with bounty hunters, as their overall quality was unimpressive.

Though their numbers were vast, high-caliber bounty hunters were few and far between. They weren't exactly villains, but they weren't exactly honorable either. A mixed bunch.

So it was odd that bounty hunters were specifically seeking him out.

"Huh? Bounty hunters? Looking for me? Why? Did someone put a bounty on my head?" Claudius asked curiously.

Spandine had initially suspected that some fool in the underworld had placed a bounty on Claudius. However, after thoroughly investigating the black market, he found no such thing.

"Of course not. Who would have the guts to put a bounty on Your Highness?" Spandine scoffed. "But I was curious too, so I dug deeper. Turns out it's not about money, they seem to be looking for you for a different reason. Almost as if they know you."

Spandine smirked as he spoke.

"Oh? Is that so?" Claudius rubbed his chin. Unable to think of any obvious connections, he asked, "What are their names?"

"The group is small. Their leader is a swordsman named Roronoa Zoro, and another is a navigator named Nami. The rest are just some small fry," Spandine recalled.

Claudius was momentarily stunned.

He had expected his actions in East Blue years ago to have long-term consequences, but he never imagined that by 1517 of the Sea Circle Calendar, Roronoa Zoro and Nami would already be traveling together.

They've already set sail? Judging from Spandine's report, it sounded like both of them had already entered the Grand Line.

"Interesting…" Claudius murmured to himself.

Zoro was one thing, but Nami… wasn't she supposed to be Luffy's first real crewmate? If she had already left, could Garp's grandson even make it to the Grand Line?

Would he still end up crossing the ocean in a barrel of all things?

At this rate, the kid might just get himself killed before I even step in, Claudius thought to himself.

He didn't need to look into it further, chances were, the so-called Straw Hat Pirates had already failed before they could even form. Even if Luffy had managed to set sail, his crew lineup would be nowhere near as strong as in the original timeline. Maybe, at some random point, the Marines had already taken him out.

"Your Highness, do you actually know those people?" Spandine asked when he noticed Claudius' slight reaction to the names.

Claudius snapped out of his thoughts and smiled. "I do. They're promising talents."

He then added, "Keep an eye on them, but don't interfere. Just observe them from the shadows. If the opportunity arises, see if they're willing to join CP-X as external operatives. If not, then just let them roam free."

"Understood, Your Highness," Spandine nodded with a smile, accepting the task.

At that moment, Nia approached with a Den Den Mushi in her hands. The device was still ringing.

"Your Highness, it's Dragon," Nia said softly.

Claudius nodded, handed his towel to Stussy, then picked up the Den Den Mushi and walked toward the tea table.

"Dragon? What, did you screw something up again and need me to clean up your mess?" Claudius answered with a playful grin.

On the other end, upon hearing Claudius' voice, Dragon rolled his eyes. "What do you mean again? That's never happened, okay?"

"Hahahaha," Claudius laughed before asking, "So, what is it? Calling me out of the blue?"

"Can't I just check in? Aren't we good friends?" Dragon replied with a chuckle.

Claudius sat down in his chair, took a sip of tea to moisten his throat, and then said, "I won't deny that we're good friends. But every time you call, you always have something going on. So let's cut the act, shall we?"

"…You're as cold as ever," Dragon muttered helplessly.

But soon, his expression reflected in the Den Den Mushi turned serious. His voice took on a grave tone.

"Your Highness, I need to ask you something."

"Oh? What is it?" Claudius asked with amusement.

"Why has the World Government suddenly decided to expand next year's Reverie to include 100 participating nations? Is something happening? Or is there a major plan in motion?" Dragon asked in a deep voice.

Pirates wouldn't care about how many nations attended the World Summit. Even if all 170+ member states joined, it wouldn't change much. It wasn't like they were meeting just to discuss pirate suppression.

But Dragon was different. He closely monitored international affairs, especially the World Summit since it was an event the Revolutionary Army always sought to exploit.

Now, with 100 countries gathering at once, how could he not be concerned?

Could the World Government be planning something big, perhaps even a decisive move against the Revolutionary Army?

He had spent the last two days investigating and analyzing the situation but found no clear answers. Reading the headlines in the World Economy News only made him more uneasy.

At first, he didn't want to lower himself to ask Claudius for insight. But the feeling that something massive was brewing wouldn't go away, and for the sake of the Revolutionary Army's future, he finally swallowed his pride and reached out.

"Ahahahaha! What, did that scare you? Come on, it's just a meeting with 100 countries. Just think of it as two conferences happening at the same time," Claudius laughed.

"You say that like it's nothing," Dragon muttered helplessly.