Achieving Nothing, I Can Only Be the Pirate King

"By then, our forces will grow stronger and stronger! The Grand Treasure might not be beyond our reach! Comrades, let your passions ignite, fulfill our dream..."

Chop!

Mihawk sliced Buggy’s head in half, making him shut up, and then sat down again, "Don’t even think about it. In today’s sea, there are only three people who can understand the Poneglyphs. Sage, the Three-Eyed Race under his command, and his sister Nico Robin. This thing will indeed drive people to swarm the sea, but if no one understands it, it’s no different from having nothing. As for the treasure hunt you mentioned, I have yet to agree with it. Please stop talking about it."

Sage may be illiterate, but no one said Sage couldn’t understand ancient texts.

He even created Pluton.

He is also from O’hara.

At this point, do you really believe he doesn’t understand ancient texts?

It’s fine to fool yourself, just don’t fool them too.

"Hmm..."

Crocodile nodded thoughtfully, "But what he said earlier also has viable methods. Recruit more people, show the financiers we’re becoming stronger. When the world is in chaos, we can also imitate Sage, conquer a resource-rich member nation, and establish an Ideal Country."

"Now that the secret passage is open, we can enter the New World and Paradise without losses. Sage is also our financier and our relationship is quite good. When it comes to that, if we ask him for technology to cross the Calm Belt, we don’t even have to stay on the Grand Line; we can head to the Four Seas."

No matter how passionate Buggy’s words are, the problem now is, there’s a roadblocker, a fierce tiger, a giant tiger!

Blocking the New World.

No matter how you hunt for treasure, even if you get it, it won’t matter. These strong ones know that some things are different.

If it’s fame you’re after, then Buggy might have a chance. If their Cross Guild acts on this idea, maybe they could truly become the ’Pirate King’.

The key is holding onto it.

Sage is right there. If such a great treasure appears and can’t be found, so be it. Sage won’t bother looking, but if it shows up...he’ll definitely go for it.

"What’s the point of a hollow reputation, to end up on the execution platform like Roger?"

Crocodile glanced at Buggy, who looked unwilling, and said, "You could go up there, and if it comes to beheading, you can’t be killed."

This guy’s ability is peculiar, just like the Straw Hat isn’t afraid of blows, he’s not afraid of slashing at all. Not afraid of blows while able to have Haki, and even if slashes have Haki, it still only ’cuts’, as long as it’s cutting, Buggy doesn’t care at all.

"Let’s do it this way. But recently, be cautious. If there are newcomers provoking us, we must teach them a lesson to preserve the reputation of our Cross Guild, ensuring the financiers don’t doubt us."

The matter with Straw Hat, he keeps in mind for a lifetime!

Pirate discussions were underway, and the Navy was even busier.

"Can’t suppress it?"

In the Fleet Marshal’s Office, Akainu stared at a reporting Navy Officer and said sternly: "These are crimes! Involving forbidden great sins, how dare they publish! Arrest them all! The newspaper’s president, the staff, even the purchasers, all must be captured!"

"Fleet Marshal..."

The Navy Officer pursed his lips and said: "We lack the manpower, the issue is too widespread. The president has already stepped down, the staff all ’resigned’, but the newspaper is still printing. Those caught are all scapegoats, and as for the people...there are too many, we can’t catch them all."

It’s completely uncontrollable.

As soon as those papers reach ’Paradise’, they’re immediately controlled. But those alerted newspapers are like sharks smelling blood, no matter how much they’re banned, some still take the risk to produce the papers.

These are big news!

The hottest!

As for later consequences, someone would just bring a temp worker to face the music.

And will the papers be confiscated...even better!

Confiscate and print again!

Earn another wave of sales money!

Some newspapers to avoid trouble handed the president’s position to a temp worker.

Anyway, it’s just a spot, actual control remains with him. After the storm passes, it’ll be back again.

Registered leaders and actual shareholders are two different things. Though the sea’s financial sector hasn’t reached the point of having a concept like a shareholder, corresponding measures are present.

And catching newspaper purchasers...

It’s impossible.

Targeting them would mean even the families of Navy Headquarters would be caught, as they bought them too.

And to the Navy, the issue is major, too troublesome to resolve.

"Oh~ how truly frightening."

Kizaru was beside him, reading today’s fresh newspaper, which printed the details of the papers sent by the disaster with no missing words.

"But those ancient texts, wouldn’t those folks not understand them? Even Vegapunk, that brilliant mind, can’t comprehend them. Even Roger required actually seeing the Poneglyphs."

"But we have to be cautious."

Akainu clenched his fist, but finally, exhaled smoke from the cigar in his mouth, "You may go."

"Yes!"

The Navy Officer saluted and quickly retreated.

Once he left, Akainu’s clenched fist turned fiery red, creating a hole in the desk.

"That innately evil brat committed yet another heinous act!"

Akainu touched the huge scar on his chest and growled: "Why does he do this, didn’t he already sign an agreement with the top? A guy uninterested in becoming Pirate King, truly troublesome!"

It turns out that the so-called iron rule merely reflects insufficient numbers.

Eradicating an island, no problem.

Attacking fleeing ships, no problem.

Even Sengoku ordered years ago, chasing after Roger’s child in the South Sea, destroying that island along with neighboring ones, killing every child born during that period, yet it was not a problem.

Because it’s ’the minority’, compared to the worldwide minority.

This time is different.

Just like Vegapunk broadcasting to the whole world, revealing some truths about the sea, yet the World Government couldn’t ban it.

Similarly, Sage’s information involves too much, Akainu can’t issue arrest orders, no matter how iron-willed he may be.

How?

Destroy every member nation on the Grand Line?

Rather invite Sage with the Gate of Justice wide open.

"Impossible, Sakazuki."

Kizaru chuckled: "Rather wrap things up nicely, explain to those above."

"I can explain, but the Five Elders won’t, especially the newly appointed one, who wants to do just this."

The affair, even aggressive Akainu feels, is too aggressive.

Or perhaps, becoming Fleet Marshal, those eyes under the lowered brim now appear more benevolent.

The more he knows, even Akainu understands compromise.

People in their ranks hold copious knowledge, including everything Vegapunk said.

"It’s the only option since Sage’s stronghold was attacked."

Kizaru chuckled: "Why not let them fight, we prepare defenses for the Grand Line’s first half. Those pirates won’t stay here for long, definitely entering the New World. There, the World Government has no influence, let’s quietly observe, after all, extra pirates plus opportunistic Revolutionary Army, are our top priorities."

Sage’s unification holds mixed outcomes for the World Government.

The downside represents loss of control over the New World barring the area around the Red Earth Continent, the Navy’s territory, the rest unrelated.

Furthermore, the idea above becomes total release, leading Akainu back to Marineford.

This matter, he’s currently refusing, still resisting, yet aware, should Sage’s conflict prove advantageous, then the new headquarters will vanish eventually.

The upside suggests true separation from New World, allowing more freedom.

The Navy now has its own ’war’ to wage.

"It seems the Divine Knight Order has also mobilized."

Akainu exhaled steadily; his clenched fist slowly relaxed, "It has to be this way. The new generation’s leader is also not bad, let’s resolve this chaos together first!"

Once resolved, the sea holds only them and the New World’s victor.

Then surely, a great battle shall unfold!