"Killed the Warlord 'Gecko Moria', changed the future world trajectory, gained 15,000 virtual assessment points."
"Killed 'Three Terrors' Hogback, gained 1,000 virtual assessment points."
"Killed 'Three Terrors' Absalom, gained 2,000 virtual assessment points."
"Completely destroyed Thriller Bark, slightly altered future plot trajectory, gained 4,000 virtual assessment points!"
"Killed..."
The moment Shin pulled the trigger and watched the nuclear bomb, riding a stream of light, blossom over Thriller Bark, his ears were filled with the continuous sound of the system.
Gecko Moria was dead.
This West Blue hero, who should not have been killed, who along with his subordinates might have had a moment of glory in the future plot, died here just like that.
Including his large number of zombies and two elite subordinates, as well as Moria himself, Shin gained a total of approximately 23,000 virtual assessment points.
Barely breaking even, making a small profit of 3,000 assessment points.
It must be said that using this thing to attack Thriller Bark, a place that was bound to be destroyed eventually anyway, was a real waste.
If Shin had used it to bomb Dressrosa, the virtual assessment points he would have received would have at least tripled.
"66666, Moria nuked!"
"Moria's really tragic, just got hammered by Luffy and now hit by a mushroom cloud, tsk tsk tsk tsk."
"I remember sunlight comes from nuclear fusion, right? Sure enough, no demons or monsters can withstand the divine power of our ancestor Ivan."
The scrolling bullet screen reminded Shin that he was currently 'live streaming'.
He glanced at the dense bullet screen and retorted,
"I remember the time flow in the two worlds isn't connected, right? How are you doing real-time streaming?"
"What is presented before you is a compilation of later-stage overall comments," the system said flatly.
"I don't think you need to pay special attention to these minor details."
Shin pouted, took one last look at the mushroom cloud that had swept the sky, and had the Prayer guide the Barbatos away towards the sky island above the cloud sea.
On the other side, another Shin's Prayer, holding a Den Den Mushi, looked at the deeply wary Sengoku and Momonga, and smiled,
"I think such an answer is enough for me to become a Warlord."
Killing Moria or not was secondary.
This failed Warlord was already a recognized that the Five Elders wanted to eliminate.
The key was the strength Shin had demonstrated.
Suddenly, Sengoku's face changed drastically.
He immediately recalled the GP02 docked in Marineford harbor, which also carried a similar 'rocket launcher' and was aimed directly at Marineford!
"Don't worry, Fleet Admiral Sengoku." Shin saw through Sengoku's thoughts and reassured him preemptively.
"We're talking so well, there won't be any fighting. I can guarantee that as long as 'I' am alive, Marineford won't have any problems."
Which means if something happens to you, what just fell on Moria's head will fall on Marineford, right?
Sengoku's face darkened, he clenched his fists but said nothing.
After seeing such a terrifying weapon, Sengoku already understood - he had no say in what happened next.
"Let's re-discuss the terms between us, honorable Five Elders."
Shin clasped his hands, looking at the golden Den Den Mushi, and slightly tilted his head,
"I want the Warlord position. In exchange, I can hand over the technology you desire - including the weapon just now."
"At the same time, I request to meet Dr.Vegapunk. As fellow researchers, I wish to have a discussion with him. Of course, that will be under your supervision."
The other end of the Den Den Mushi was silent for a long time.
Undoubtedly, the Five Elders must have been arguing fiercely on their end.
About ten minutes later, the golden Den Den Mushi showed the face of the Five Elders' 'Gorosei'.
"Alright, we'll do as you say, Poltorto." 'Gorosei' said in a deep voice.
"From today, you are the new Warlord. But remember your promise, such a terrifying weapon is not something you alone can control."
"Of course, such technology must be held by a strong and powerful government." Shin replied smoothly, smiling,
"And I will not use such weapons recklessly. If necessary, I will apply to you for permission to use it - though I think you'll need to give me a Den Den Mushi that can directly contact all five sirs."
"...You are very good, you know your place, Poltorto."
The 'Gorosei' simulated by the Den Den Mushi showed an expression of appreciation.
"However, relatively speaking, I also hope that CP0 agents will not monitor me," Shin said calmly, crossing his arms.
"At least don't monitor me openly. To be honest with you sirs, I might need to do some business with certain people next, after all, I'm a newly appointed Warlord, so I need some ways to make money."
"...You may, but we hope you exercise discretion and do not act like those bandits; your so-called freedom will only become a burden transferred to the common people."
The Den Den Mushi closed its eyes, the Five Elders on the other end had already hung up, but as expected, there must have been a fierce argument on their side.
"Alright, mission accomplished." Shin stood up, stretched languidly, and extended his hand to Sengoku with a smile.
"From now on, we're colleagues. Please take care of me, Fleet Admiral Sengoku."
"Warlords are Warlords, Marines are Marines," Sengoku said flatly.
"I don't know what you're plotting, but remember, the World Government's foundation is not as simple as you think, your weapon is powerful, but it's by no means invincible."
"I know that, of course." Shin nodded accommodatingly, stepping back a few paces to leave.
But just before leaving, he seemed to suddenly think of something, and the corners of his mouth curved into a slight smile as he spoke to Sengoku,
"By the way, Fleet Admiral Sengoku, there's one thing I forgot to tell you."
"Remember what we talked about on the Den Den Mushi? Vice Admiral Garp has kept something from you, something he hasn't even told a third person~~~"
Sengoku silently watched him, but his eyes, shadowed by the brim of his hat, were anything but amiable.
There were a pile of headaches to deal with: a newly appointed Warlord, a powerful weapon that changed the balance of the sea.
And the problem he currently had to deal with was Garp's grandson.
He had originally intended to reserve Moria's position for him, though he knew the possibility of recruiting him to be a Warlord was low.
Sengoku had already extended an invitation when Fire Fist went to the New World; after becoming Whitebeard's son, he probably wouldn't agree even more.
Seeing Sengoku's expression, Shin's lips curled into a mischievous grin.
"Vice Admiral Garp's grandson isn't actually named Portgas D. Ace; that's his mother's surname. Under normal circumstances, you should call him-"
"Gol D. Ace."
...
"This person is too dangerous, he must be eliminated!"
As soon as the Den Den Mushi was hung up, the Five Elders' 'Gandhi' spoke.
"His weapon is too terrifying, its destructive power is far greater than that of Dynamite Rock. If he spreads the manufacturing method, the World Government's rule will be fundamentally shaken!"
Compared to how to eliminate pirates, how to sweep away those bandits, the Five Elders undoubtedly placed more importance on the 'stability' of order.
Pirates are not necessarily enemies to the World Government.
Pirates are not revolutionaries aiming to replace the World Government; even the Four Emperors rarely have such ambitions.
Keeping pirates also helps the World Government to deter and force other non-World Government affiliated countries to join the World Government under the rampage of pirates.
Unlike the Marines, the Five Elders prioritize 'stability'.
The Seven Warlords were established to make the sea more stable, with seven powerful 'legal pirates' occupying the various sea routes from the Four Seas to the Grand Line.
Most promising pirate rookies who were lucky enough to reach the Grand Line were either defeated or taken in by the Seven Warlords.
Even if powerful pirates occasionally appeared who defeated a Warlord, the World Government would extend an olive branch to them to become a Warlord.
For a pirate, 'legal plunder' was a temptation too difficult to refuse.
The Five Elders always pursued political stability, so even though they possessed powerful weapons like Dynamite Rock that could change the world situation, and even guarded important nodes like END POINT, they would choose to seal these things for stability.
However, they also wouldn't refuse new technologies that could make their rule more stable.
Vegapunk, who researched forbidden knowledge, is the best example of being absorbed by the World Government.
And now, Shin has presented a - arguably several - powerful technologies that could fundamentally change the world.
For the Five Elders, it would be best to incorporate these technologies.
If 100% absorption isn't possible, they would rather destroy them!
"Eliminate him? We can't do that." 'Gorosei' said with clasped hands and a deep voice.
"He has more than one 'machine', at least two or more, which means he has accomplices, and I even suspect he has a whole team behind him providing scientific research and industrial supplies."
"The one who came to Marineford today is very likely not the one who developed these technologies at all. This guy is different from Vegapunk; he has his own ambitions and goals. We cannot treat such a person as a pure scientist."
"Just do as he says, let him be a Warlord. As long as he hands over his technology and knows his limits, it'll be fine," 'Lincoln' said flatly, crossing his arms.
"With such world-changing technology, he still chose to trade with us to become a Warlord, which means what he seeks is definitely not the collapse of order."
"Whatever he wants, just give it to him. Status, reputation, money. If these mundane things are the price, then it's not a problem at all."
"I just fear he's not pursuing such simple things." 'Castro' narrowed his eyes.
"He wants to meet Vegapunk, which is indeed risky. It might be good to put some pressure on Vegapunk; his work progress has been too slow recently."
"If their two technologies could be combined, perhaps we could create a new army to guard the seas for us, replacing the Marines."
"Hmph, without him, the entire sea would have slowly calmed down," 'Gandhi' snorted.
"Even though he's not of the D. family, he's still a source of chaos."
The Seven Warlords, the Four Emperors, the Marines - the seemingly 'chaotic' situation of the sea today has always been under the control of the Five Elders.
Ever since Roger's death initiated the Great Pirate Era, the Five Elders began formulating policies to pacify the sea.
They allowed the Four Emperors in the New World and established the Seven Warlord system, using these two most formidable barriers to trap the heroes of the Four Seas at the chokepoints.
This was indeed the case.
With the advancement of Vegapunk's technology and the growing strength of the Seven Warlords and Four Emperors, the number of truly 'heroic' pirates on the sea became increasingly scarce.
This sea was supposed to 'die' slowly, as the Five Elders had envisioned.
But the appearance of the Steel Giant, especially its devastating blow to the Four Emperors, who were thought to be invincibly mythical, showed countless wandering pirates in the New World a so-called 'hope'.
The balance is slowly being broken.
If he continues to recklessly spread the technology in his hands, the situation on the sea could be even worse than the Five Elders imagined.
But thankfully, he chose order, he chose the World Government.
Although the peaceful and orderly situation has been broken, it is still the optimal solution under bad circumstances.
Just then, the Den Den Mushi on the table, which had been quiet for a while, suddenly rang.
'Gorosei' frowned as he picked it up, and immediately, Sengoku's agitated voice came from the other end.
"Is Portgas D. Ace really Roger's biological son?"
The Five Elders fell silent, exchanging glances.
Clearly, none of them had leaked the secret.
In fact...they themselves had only just found out about this.
CP0 agents, after multiple comparisons and investigations, discovered that Roger's wife, Portgas D. Rouge, had given birth to a child on Bartila Island in the South Blue.
However, the CP9 agents responsible for the investigation at the time had mistakenly compared the birth date of Roger's son.
No, actually it can't be said to be a miscomparison.
CP9 originally speculated based on the normal ten-month pregnancy.
To ensure foolproofness, they even killed all children born on Bartila Island that year.
However, Rouge had carried Ace for twenty months.
She used the technique of Life Return to forcibly keep Ace in her womb for an extra ten months, constantly maintaining the Life Return state, and finally died from exhaustion after giving birth to Ace.
The Five Elders never expected a woman could maintain Life Return for a full ten months-they even more unexpected that Garp would be so brazen as to shelter the Pirate King's son for over a decade!
Ace's identity was discovered because, upon setting sail as the captain of the 'Spade Pirates,' he brazenly dared to use his mother's surname, and to make matters worse, he added the 'D.'
In the Four Seas, there are no fewer than eight thousand people named Portgas, but only Roger's wife had a 'D.' in her name.
However, considering he was Garp's grandson, the Five Elders, without conclusive evidence, did not directly move against him.
They even allowed Sengoku to issue an invitation to him to become a Warlord.
Unfortunately, he stubbornly refused the invitation, journeyed to the New World, and eventually joined the Whitebeard Pirates.
And around this time, CP0's investigation yielded results.
After Ace's blood and Roger's blood were sent to Vegapunk, and analyzed using special methods, it was concluded that the two were father and son.
The Five Elders were furious at the time, but Ace was already under Whitebeard's protection, beyond their reach, and even executing Roger's evil bloodline would be difficult.
But precisely at this moment, Blackbeard captured Ace and handed him over to the Marines.
The Five Elders, of course, would not miss this opportunity.
Executing Roger's child would serve as a huge deterrent to the entire Great Pirate Era.
"That's right, he's Roger's child." 'Gorosei' said coldly.
"Sengoku, mind your place! You have no right to question us! Fire Fist is Roger's biological son; you should ask Garp about this!"
Sengoku on the other end of the Den Den Mushi fell into a long silence.
Garp had not told him about this, and understandably so.
If Garp had told Sengoku that Ace was Roger's child, Sengoku would have never allowed him to reach the New World.
This chaotic sea was stirred up by Roger, and it can be said that half of the common people plundered and killed by pirates were to blame for Roger's recklessness.
As his child, Ace had to bear this debt.
"Since you already know, there's no need to say more. You know what to do, Sengoku."
Sengoku understood.
Ace was destined to die, and he had to be publicly executed.
"...I understand."
"By the way, how did you find out about this?" 'Gorosei' frowned.
While the Five Elders wouldn't conceal this from Sengoku, there was a difference between them telling Sengoku and Sengoku learning it from elsewhere.
"Poltorto told me."
"That's right, I told you, honorable Five Elders~~~~"
The Den Den Mushi mimicked Shin's joyful expression perfectly.
The Five Elders were silent for a moment, then 'Lincoln' spoke.
"Your information is very well-informed, Poltorto as you wish, there will be no CP agents monitoring you, at least not where you can see them."
"Thank you, everyone~~~"
Shin joyfully raised his head, looking at the dark-faced Sengoku, and smiled even more brightly.
He didn't change anything; saying one more thing wouldn't change anything.
The Marineford War, caused by Ace's execution, was already a foregone conclusion.
Since that was the case, Shin didn't mind using this 'unknown' piece of information to gain some benefits for himself.
In the short term, Shin wouldn't have to worry about his external Prayers being monitored by CP agents.
This short term only needed to last until the end of the Marineford War.
"Well then, we'll meet again soon, Fleet Admiral Sengoku."
Shin bowed gracefully to Sengoku, turned, jumped off the tall building, and was carried by the steel giant towards the clouds in the sky.
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