Shin hated pirates, intensely.
While the Five Elders and the World Government weren't exactly benevolent, compared to pirates, they were infinitely better for maintaining a basic framework of order.
What pirates do-plunder, murder, arson-ninety nine percent of those who set sail do these things.
People like Luffy, who are more like adventurers or even revolutionaries than pirates, are truly one in a million.
And the increasingly severe Heavenly Tribute is, to a large extent, the pirates' fault.
The more unstable the sea becomes, the more 'Heavenly Tribute' the Five Elders have to collect, or even print large amounts of Berry, to increase the Marine's military budget and expand its scale, in order to deal with the endless pirates.
And the more Heavenly Tribute collected, the more Berry printed, the harder life becomes for the common people.
Although the Heavenly Tribute is called Heavenly Tribute, only a very small portion of it is used to support the Celestial Dragons.
The number of Celestial Dragons is not large, and even if they ate and drank themselves to death, they would only consume a tiny fraction of the Heavenly Tribute.
The Marines cannot leave the World Government.
Even if they witness the Celestial Dragons' various atrocities, they can only endure it in silence, precisely because all their salaries and military expenses come from the Heavenly Tribute.
So the more pirates pursue so-called freedom, the more disaster they bring to common people.
And for the Five Elders, more pirates mean common people suffer more, leading to more 'revolutionary forces' rebelling against them.
The Five Elders aren't stupid, and even the most corrupt rulers know that light taxes are necessary for long-term rule.
They know that collecting too much Heavenly Tribute will only empower the Revolutionary Army.
They don't expect the kings and nobles of the affiliated nations to shoulder the increasingly heavy Heavenly Tribute themselves, but this damn vicious cycle has dragged the entire World Government into a quagmire since Roger's death.
Thus, the Four Emperors and the Seven Warlords were established, allowing the internal conflict among pirates to enable the World Government to slowly halt this destructive cycle and drain.
Shin greatly disliked pirates who, under the guise of freedom, actually trampled on the interests of common people-however, he also disliked the World Government.
After all, even in a terrible ruling system, the World Government in the world of pirates is among the worst.
It's also fortunate that the Celestial Dragons of this world disdain to procreate with 'inferior' mortals; otherwise, after eight hundred years, the number of Celestial Dragons would probably have increased by several orders of magnitude.
If the Celestial Dragons were removed, the World Government as a governing body would at least be a barely qualified force.
So what about the only 'decent' revolutionary army in the entire pirate world?
Shin didn't know, but he was very interested to find out.
He suspected that the 'changed' world, as assessed by the system, would involve dealings with the Revolutionary Army.
It is not difficult to destroy certain things; the difficulty lies in rebuilding.
Erecting a sculpture identical to, or even more sublime than, the original on ruins requires immense effort.
GP02 and Barbatos flew tens of thousands of meters high, and after breaking free from all sight, circled for a distance, reaching above the clouds of the Calm Belt.
Here, Golden Lion's sky island group quietly floated.
This was Golden Lion's original hidden lair.
Even the Marines' Seastone battleships couldn't stay in the Calm Belt, which was a nesting ground for Sea Kings, for too long.
At the same time, it required the ability to search for sky islands tens of thousands of meters high in the dangerous Calm Belt, a condition that very few could meet.
Barbatos and GP02 simultaneously docked on a magnificent central island.
Shin's two Prayers uniformly jumped out of their cockpits, and the disguise of Poltorto's suit was already off.
A group of pirates, who had recently been subservient to Golden Lion, immediately came up to clumsily repair the two Gundams.
They were originally technicians working for Golden Lion's CIQ Beast manufacturing.
Although handling precise machines like Gundams was a bit outside their specialization, with a little training, basic maintenance, and ammunition and fuel loading were still feasible.
The Prayer who dismounted from GP02 - Shin couldn't quite remember his name, only that he was Prayer Four.
"Get ready, refuel these two units. Barbatos will be towed back to the repair factory for maintenance. I've already told you the relevant maintenance knowledge, Dr. Indigo. You used to be part of the government's special science unit, so this should be no problem, right?"
Indigo, dressed like a clown, made a funny mime gesture indicating "OK," then stomped his feet repeatedly, making popping sounds highly similar to flatulence.
"Speak, I can't understand your gestures."
"How's Shiki?"
"If nothing unexpected happens, he's already boarded a ship bound for Impel Down," Number Four shrugged, indifferently.
"Don't worry, the government will never kill him. He'll just stay in Infinite Hell until he dies of old age."
The World Government throws all powerful Devil Fruit users with strong destructive abilities into Impel Down because once they die, their fruits reappear in the sea, causing new trouble.
Some extremely dangerous fruits, like Byrnndi World's Moa Moa Fruit, were simply frozen by the World Government, intending for him to 'live forever' in Infinite Hell.
Indigo was silent for a moment, then, while performing a tap dance-like movement, amidst continuous 'farting' sounds, said,
"Shiki trusted you, so I'll trust you too, but my talent and achievements must be recognized by the world!"
"Don't worry, many people will be scrambling for your CIQ agents." Prayer Four grinned, revealing a mouth full of yellow teeth, somewhat menacingly.
Famous scientists in the world of One Piece seem to have a strong desire for self-expression.
Caesar Clown, in order to demonstrate his poison gas, turned Punk Hazard into a dead land and offended the World Government.
Vinsmoke Judge, to show his achievements, directly attacked his own children.
And this Dr. Indigo followed Golden Lion to create CIQ agents also to showcase his 'scientific power'.
As for how many people died in the process or how much destruction it would cause, he didn't care at all-scientists in this world had no ethical constraints whatsoever.
Earlier, Shin mocked Golden Lion's research on the fierce beasts as a fantastical pile of crap.
This was actually a bit biased.
While CIQ-manufactured fierce beasts had limited threat to true powerhouses on the high seas, they were still unparalleled weapons in warfare.
Most importantly, the cost is extremely low.
This island chain is full of plants containing 'IQ' components, and the cost of secondary cultivation is also extremely low.
Yet, the extracted and manufactured CIQ agents can create groups of war beasts, tens or even dozens of meters tall.
Although these extremely crazed beasts were uncontrollable, as purely destructive weapons, they were actually very effective.
Shin had no intention of wasting these things.
Many people in the underworld would be willing to buy such products.
Shin needed enough Berry to purchase supplies and establish laboratories, to quickly decipher the 'knowledge' that came with his exchanged products.
Moreover, by selling things in the underworld, it would be easier for him to connect with 'JOKER.'
With the Five Elders around, he couldn't just drive a Gundam directly to Dressrosa to visit the former Celestial Dragon.
He needed...to be more passive.
"Number Five will follow those familiar with black market trade to the Sabaody Archipelago to sell 'CIQ'.
No need to hide it, just use my name directly."
"Use my name, Warlord, Poltorto!"
...
'Steel Giant renamed Poltorto, defeats Gecko Moria, arrests Golden Lion to become Warlord, top bounty!'
"This damn guy actually became a dog for the World Government, a Warlord Pelo."
In Totto Land, Cake Island, Perospero, the eldest son of the Charlotte Family, holding a candy cane and with his tongue sticking out, looked at the newspaper with a very ugly expression.
"Thanks to that guy, Mama's injuries still haven't fully healed. Such a weapon, actually fell into the hands of the World Government, Pelo."
"Brother Peros, what if this guy attacks Mama again with such a weapon?"
Charlotte Daifuku, beside him, looked grim.
"These past few months, ever since Mama got injured, more and more pirates have come looking for trouble. We've also had to split people to take care of Mama, we can't spare anyone. Mama has had three eating disorders during this time. If this continues, our Big Mom Pirates will soon be blackmailed by that damn Morgans into becoming the weakest Emperor."
"Kill as many of those scoundrels as come, kill more and no one will come looking for death, Pelo." Perospero put away the newspaper, his face grim.
"As for Mama, don't worry. Katakuri will stay by Mama's side during this time. He'll notice any problems immediately. Withdraw the manpower, Mama doesn't need our protection now, she needs rest."
"By the way, it also says that Golden Lion was arrested?"
"Hmph, no need to worry about it. Just an old man from the old era."
On the main island of Whole Cake Island, the bloated Charlotte Linlin struggled to turn over, looking at the newspaper handed to her by her children, and her eyes instantly reddened.
"Damn it, I'm going to kill that bastard, and Morgans, I'm going to catch you and boil you into soup!!!!"
She roared furiously, her sonic waves piercing through the Cake Castle.
She had been struggling to recover from her injuries for some time, allowing Morgans, that bird, to shamelessly denigrate her power to boost newspaper sales.
Even a Yonko has pride.
Charlotte Linlin, being so widely slandered, had fallen from 'Yonko-level strength' to a point where everyone could step on her.
It was impossible for her not to be enraged.
But now she had to quietly recuperate, and most importantly, she had to sleep peacefully under Katakuri's protection.
That arrow, which had almost killed her, had left her with psychological trauma.
Katakuri silently watched his raging mother.
He looked at his own palm and quietly clenched his fist.
"I still need to become stronger."
...
"Gurararararara, old man Shiki, you were so confident telling me you'd show the world what true pirates are like, and after twenty years of lurking, you end up getting caught?"
On the Moby Dick, Whitebeard Edward Newgate, wearing an IV drip, sat on a giant chair, looking at the newspaper and letting out a thunderous laugh.
"Pops, let's be more careful from now on."
Marco the Phoenix, with his pineapple-like hair, looked at the new bounty poster for Poltorto in the newspaper, frowning.
"Such a terrifying weapon has fallen into the hands of the World Government. We'll have to be extremely careful in future clashes with the Marines..."
"Don't worry, Marco." Whitebeard tilted his head back, downing a large bowl of sake, and said boisterously,
"Those World Government guys won't just casually use something that 'disrupts world balance'.
And the fact that we see this Poltorto kid become a Warlord instead of being hidden away like Vegapunk means he also possesses something that makes the government wary."
"The government believes he has ulterior motives for becoming a Warlord, but isn't the reverse also true? We don't need to be particularly wary of him; what we need to be wary of is the World Government."
Marco nodded convinced.
Although their old man often showed his boisterous side, no one who became an Emperor of the Sea was a fool.
"Speaking of which, Ace has been out at sea for almost four months now." Whitebeard gazed at the distant sea, sighing with emotion.
"I wonder if he's caught Teach yet..."
...
"Ahhhhhhh, he actually became a government lackey! He stole the old geezer I wanted to kill to curry favor with the government, you brat, I'm going to kill you!!!!"
On Onigashima in Wano Country, Kaido, half his body wrapped in blood-soaked bandages, furiously slammed his head against the nearby wall as he read the newspaper.
He had fled back from Mary Geoise in a hurry two days ago.
After his berserk rampage and fighting in Mary Geoise, when he sobered up-he realized he had caused big trouble.
Two mysterious CP0 experts, Admiral Kizaru, a lurking Aokiji and Akainu, and Garp already in sight.
Especially upon seeing Garp, Kaido was almost screaming on the spot.
Ever since being injured by Oden, Kaido had developed the bad habit of seeking death everywhere, but the essence of this habit was merely to hone and refine his body more rigorously.
This kind of seeking death is different from truly seeking death.
Kaido was still very aware of his limits.
If Oden could cut him into a mess, Garp could hammer him into dead mud.
Even if that old geezer was old, there were still three lurking Admirals, and several Celestial Dragon shields hidden in the dark.
Even...the Celestial Dragon King in Pangaea Castle.
Kaido, upon waking up, immediately regained his sanity, knowing that if he stayed any longer, he would truly die in Mary Geoise.
Death wasn't terrible, but he couldn't accept his long-planned endeavor collapsing just like that.
So Kaido immediately used every means to escape on the spot.
It was also fortunate that his dragon form's high-altitude hovering ability was stronger than anyone present.
Except for Kizaru, no one could catch up to him.
After paying the price of being punched by Akainu's 'Meigo,' being frozen half his body by Aokiji's 'Ice Age,' being beaten by two CP0 experts, and being hit on the head by Garp's distant 'Fist of Love.'
He almost died on the spot, but after finally escaping, that damned yellow monkey kept following him.
"Oh dear, oh dear, what strong recovery, a Yonko is truly terrifying."
That damn monkey, while saying annoying, sarcastic words in an irritating voice, constantly harassed the escaping Kaido with Yasakani no Magatama, making Kaido so furious he almost ascended to heaven and hell.
Luckily, he managed to suppress the urge to turn back and fight him.
That dead monkey had been slacking and not putting in effort during their earlier encirclement, but when it came to kicking a man while he was down, he was exceptionally zealous.
After finally escaping back to the New World, enduring Kizaru's relentless bombardment with his extraordinary regenerative abilities, Kaido finally returned to his territory.
With the assistance of his subordinate King, he finally shook off that yellow monkey.
However, he, who claimed to be a perfect being, now bore many incurable severe scars on his body, even larger than those Oden had inflicted.
The culprit of all this was that stinky brat with the robot!!!!
"Boss, don't get excited, mind your wounds..."
A subordinate who was pouring sake for Kaido was about to come up and advise him to take it easy, but an enraged Kaido slapped him unconscious.
"Poltorto, I'm going to kill you!!!!"
...
"The balance of the sea is probably no more..."
Red-Haired Shanks sighed deeply, looking at the newspaper in his hand.
Just a day ago, he was 'questioned' by the Five Elders - you heard that right, he, a Yonko, theoretically the World Government's sworn enemy, was questioned by the Five Elders.
The Five Elders said, "We give you, Red Hair, so much face, and this is how you respond? Since you don't give us face, don't expect us to give you face next time."
Shanks was also helpless.
Who knew that Kaido, who routinely went out to commit suicide, had his brain messed up this time and ran to Mary Geoise to seek death?
If he was seeking death, it would have been better if he died there.
Instead, he came back limping after seeking death halfway.
Well, perhaps that's not the main point.
For Shanks, the biggest problem was that man named Poltorto, nicknamed the Dawn Master, joining the Warlords.
His weapons are far more terrifying than the Pacifistas created by Vegapunk, and this sea, which had finally achieved a fragile balance under the World Government's and his own deliberate maintenance, might just be completely broken.
"What a headache..." Shanks touched the scar on his face, sighing.
...
"Fuffuffuffuffu! Those government guys, did they get another Vegapunk?"
In Dressrosa, Doflamingo, dressed like a flamingo, chuckled strangely as he held the newspaper.
But despite his words, his expression showed no joy.
The World Government, the Celestial Dragons, the growth of his former 'kin,' was not good news for him.
That family he had gone to such lengths to rejoin, even going so far as to personally kill his father only to be mocked and rejected, Doflamingo would only wish them worse.
And now that the other side had another scientific genius like Vegapunk, the Celestial Dragons' rule would become even more unshakeable.
Doflamingo naturally couldn't be happy, and his mood was terribly foul.
"Doffy, the intelligence on Poltorto's battle with Gecko Moria has been collected, but... its authenticity is hard to verify. I mean, should we believe it?"
A man, suddenly approaching Doflamingo, clad in a circular, quilt-like cloak, with shackles on his feet, looking like a walking blob of glue, spoke.
Doflamingo listened to the report, his unchanging smile disappeared, his eyes under his sunglasses slightly narrowed, and after a moment of silence, he said,
"Contact Vergo, have him inquire about the truth of the matter at Marine Headquarters! Also, send people to the Thriller Bark area to investigate. If this is true..."
"No matter the cost, we must establish contact with this Poltorto!"
He clenched his fists, shouting loudly,
"Only by controlling such weapons can we truly contend for the world's crown!"
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