"Oh my, oh my, it seems I'm the third to arrive."
Arriving at Marineford, departing from Barbatos, and walking into the Marine Headquarters Warlord assembly room amidst countless wary gazes, Shin already saw two people.
One was Dracule "Hawk Eyes" Mihawk, carrying the massive black blade "Yoru," and the second was "Blackbeard," who clearly didn't look like a good person.
"Ze hahahahahaha, so this is the famous Poltorto? Doesn't look that strong!"
Blackbeard, stuffing a cherry pie into his mouth, eyed No. 3 with a critical and ominous gaze.
As a fellow Warlord, Blackbeard, who had shown no performance recently, had often been used by Morgans as a stepping stone to be criticized against Shin.
Even if Blackbeard himself didn't care about such things, being used as a stepping stone would definitely make him very unhappy.
"I am merely a merchant; fighting and killing are not my forte."
No. 3 responded politely, though he was actually quite surprised to see Blackbeard here.
Logically, this guy should have been planning to attack Impel Down by now, but on second thought, it was normal for him to show up here to report.
This forced summons of the Warlords was completely different from previous ones; the Five Elders had issued a death order: if you don't come to Marineford, your Warlord title will be directly revoked.
Blackbeard certainly didn't care about losing his Warlord title, but if he directly ignored the Five Elders, he wouldn't be able to sneak into Impel Down using his Warlord status.
But honestly, this escape from Impel Down wouldn't have been possible without Luffy and his crew accidentally causing chaos; Blackbeard and his crew probably wouldn't even have made it to the fourth level.
No. 3 observed Blackbeard, and Blackbeard, too, was observing No. 3.
This perceptive man quickly noticed the unnatural feeling of a Prayer from No. 3.
But that had little to do with him.
Poltorto, the Dawn Master, was the only person among the Warlords he didn't have any ulterior motives for.
Arms dealers couldn't be good people, but he deeply trusted the Five Elders, quickly established numerous connections in the underworld, and possessed powerful scientific technology-all of which were beyond Blackbeard's calculations.
Such a character was like Vegapunk, belonging to the World Government's forbidden scale.
Let alone Blackbeard inviting the other party onto his ship, even if he actively wanted to come aboard, Blackbeard wouldn't dare to let him.
"You... defeated Gold Lion?"
Hawk Eyes, who had been silent as if asleep, suddenly looked at No. 3 and said.
No. 3 blinked and smiled, "You could say that, or you could say no. It wasn't me who defeated Gold Lion, but my vehicle."
Hawk Eyes looked at No. 3 for a moment, then lowered his head, sighing almost imperceptibly.
He really wanted to see Gold Lion's sword, but unfortunately, the one who defeated him was neither a swordsman nor a strong fighter of the sea.
The three Warlords gathered here, yet the atmosphere was strangely awkward.
Blackbeard chewed loudly on his cherry pie, No. 3 kept fiddling with the portable combat suit he was making, and Hawk Eyes kept his eyes closed, meditating.
This awkwardness wasn't broken until another Warlord arrived.
The tall figure, holding a bible and blocking the sunlight, walked in with precise steps and sat next to No. 3. Bartholomew Kuma.
No. 3 watched the Tyrant Kuma with interest.
As if sensing No. 3's gaze, Kuma turned his head and softly said, "Don't worry, the Doctor hasn't finished the final step of the modification yet."
No. 3 raised an eyebrow.
The plot had indeed changed again.
The original Kuma was basically completely modified during the Summit War, but now it seems-the final step of the modification hasn't been completed yet?
"I heard the Doctor plans to test his newly developed energy reactor on you," No. 3 chuckled.
That was Dr. Vegapunk's new type of energy reactor, developed by combining nuclear physics and Minovsky physics.
However, due to material purification issues, he had to use a method of extracting trace elements from highly explosive dynamite rock to create an alternative 'fusion reactor.' In fact, it was hard to say whether it was fusion or fission, but one thing was for sure-if that new energy reactor was truly installed, Kuma's output power would at least multiply several times! Shin had no doubt that Vegapunk could really build a humanoid Gundam.
Kuma didn't answer this time; he just lowered his head and looked at the book in his hands.
No. 3 raised an eyebrow, his smile very strange.
If Kuma retained his consciousness this time, would he... suddenly defect on the battlefield?
This possibility was high, even very high.
No. 3 knew very well that after forming an alliance with those 'villains' and the Revolutionary Army, these guys had secretly formed many alliances without his knowledge.
These included stopping losses, selling him out if things went wrong, and various other self-serving calculations.
This was normal; you couldn't expect these old foxes to follow your orders and commands like characters joining an RPG party.
These old schemers definitely had their own plans, but as long as the general direction was not wrong, it was fine.
The only general direction was that the World Government must be destroyed!
The Warlord summons were underway.
From Amazon Lily in the Calm Belt, carrying the world's most beautiful woman, and from Dressrosa, the battleships would also arrive; the Warlord summons were complete.
On the other side, the Marine summons had also been completed.
In the highest-level conference room, the atmosphere was solemn and grave.
Sengoku, sitting at the head of the table, looked seriously at the room, where all the monstrous figures of the Marine were gathered.
Kizaru lazily clipping his nails, Aokiji taking a nap with an eye mask, the stern Akainu, Garp eating rice crackers, Zephyr chatting with Momonga.
And the old man sitting next to Sengoku, whose authority was even greater than his, Kong the Steel Bone.
Here were the Marine's greatest reserves, the Marine's strongest trump cards, a collection of monsters capable of overturning the entire Grand Line.
"Then, let's begin the final meeting!"
The mobilization of the Marines continued, and the monsters of the New World also reacted to the changing situation.
New World, Whole Cake Island.
"That old geezer Newgate is going to die... Hmph, suit himself."
Charlotte Linlin, who had just recovered from a serious injury, lay on her giant bed, holding a donut in one hand and reading a newspaper in the other.
The impending war was named 'Summit War' by Morgans, and it would be the most intense and insane war in decades.
BIG MOM sighed and casually tore up the newspaper.
Her relationship with Whitebeard certainly wasn't good; the camaraderie they shared on the same ship had long since been worn away over the decades of being fellow Yonko.
It was just a little sad to see an old acquaintance and rival go like this.
And there was also a sense of regret-the strongest man in the world, and her, the strongest woman in the world, if they could combine and have children, they would undoubtedly produce the strongest offspring.
"Dying for someone who isn't even blood-related, how foolish."
Katakuri said in a deep voice from the side.
"Because they're family."
Precisely because they are family, they must be saved no matter what.
The Whitebeard Pirates and the Big Mom Pirates are similar yet opposite: one maintained by blood ties but without true family affection, the other maintained by family affection even without blood ties.
"Mom, should we take advantage of Whitebeard's absence and take over his territories? Perospero asked eagerly, "Pero."
Whitebeard had gone all out to attack the Marines, leaving his protected territories completely vulnerable.
Intervening now would allow them to expand their vast territory effortlessly.
As for settling scores later, Perospero didn't think Whitebeard and his crew would return alive.
The intelligence on the Marine's assembled forces made Perospero shiver with genuine fear.
"...No need." BIG MOM thought for a moment and shook her head.
"Whitebeard's territory doesn't border ours, so taking it won't be much use. Besides...I think it's time to contact Kaido."
Perospero was slightly surprised.
His mother showed a rare calm and shrewdness, as if the severe injury and the pressure from the Marines had also put immense pressure on BIG MOM.
If one Yonko could be completely crushed by the Marines, then should these proud Emperors of the Sea consider the possibility of forming an alliance?
"By the way, have you found any trace of Brulee?" BIG MOM casually asked about the whereabouts of her daughter, who had gone missing over a week ago.
"Unclear, we've sent out all our channels to gather information, but there's still no trace of Brulee." Perospero shook his head, his face rather grim.
Katakuri, by his side, looked even more so.
If it weren't for Brulee's Vivre Card constantly reassuring them that Brulee wasn't in danger, the anxious Katakuri might have personally gone to search for his sister.
"Hmph, maybe she betrayed me like Lola!" BIG MOM opened her blood-red mouth and laughed ferociously.
"No, Mom, Brulee isn't Lola, she has no reason to leave us." Perospero quickly said.
"Find her soon! Whole Cake Island will be very troublesome without her Devil Fruit ability monitoring!"
"...Yes, Mom."
"The Summit War... the strongest war that will determine the future and balance of the world, determine everything."
Shanks silently put down the newspaper, gazing at the distant horizon, remaining silent for a long time.
Luffy had made a promise to him, that they would meet again on the Grand Line.
But from the moment a man sets sail, he should be prepared for the outcome and realization of being buried at sea, or encountering various unforeseen circumstances.
"Let's go too to Marineford to save Luffy."
His first mate, Benn Beckman, with an X-shaped scar on his left cheek, smiled, holding a cigar.
"Luffy isn't just your friend, he's a friend to all of us. We don't care if he's Dragon's son; I only know he's our friend."
Beckman turned around, looking at the companions who had been with them for ten years, and laughed loudly, "Who wants to go on a day trip to Marineford, raise your hands!"
"Count me in!" "Me too!" "My son seems to have been captured too..." "Hehe, how can I miss such a lively event?" Laughter erupted one after another.
The balance of the world? The stability of the Grand Line? These were never within their consideration, or rather, they were only the captain's consideration.
After all, they were pirates; what they pursued was freedom.
Do they need so many reasons to save a good friend of many years?
"Then it's decided." Shanks scratched the back of his head and laughed loudly, "Let's also go to Marineford and join the fun!"
Wano Country, Kuri.
Dragon, disguised, quietly observed this isolated, secluded land.
He had observed for a week but had only seen a decaying regime and rule.
The Shogun, the samurai, and the common people, three divided classes, were filled with layers of oppression.
The brutal Kurozumi Orochi and his accomplice Kaido, samurai who casually tested their swords on commoners, and commoners who were numbly oppressed, could only place their hopes in vague, illusory prophecies.
"Saburo, Saburo, wake up!!!"
At this moment, Dragon stood outside the crowd, and within the surrounding people, a father wept uncontrollably, holding his child.
His child had a long, narrow wound on his chest, and his pale, bloodless little face showed he had bled to death.
The one who did all this was the smug samurai next to him.
"A mere commoner, to be my sword-testing subject, he should feel honored."
The samurai showed no remorse, even speaking absurdly as if it were a matter of course.
He surveyed his surroundings, his eyes wide with anger, "All of you get out of here, or today I'll use each and every one of you as sword-testing subjects!"
The crowd scattered in terror, and the samurai walked with a sneer towards the father weeping over his child, raising his katana high.
But at that moment, an invisible wind lifted the descending blade, and then, an invisible gale enveloped the samurai, immobilizing him.
"Is this the ruler of this country... the so-called 'samurai'?"
"Who are you?... An outsider?! Damn it, this is the land of samurai! Don't you dare act so recklessly here!" The samurai roared, looking at Dragon as he stepped out.
There was no fear in his words, which was very strange.
A person who could casually abuse the lives of common people seemed to not care about his own life at all, refusing to allow anyone to insult his country and the name of samurai.
"If all so-called 'samurai' are like you, then this country... needs to be rebuilt from scratch."
Dragon sighed softly, clenching his palm.
The strong wind instantly sliced the samurai into countless pieces of flesh, swept them into the sky, and rained down scarlet blood in the distance.
However, the father showed no gratitude to Dragon; instead, he spat at him, picked up his son's corpse, and ran away.
Dragon closed his eyes.
Having been active in the Revolutionary Army for many years, he had seen all sorts of bizarre countries and situations; this incident wouldn't shake his resolve.
However, he increasingly recognized the words in that red book.
Revolution must be prepared to overturn everything and start anew!
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