In Wano Country, Roa was reading the newspaper.
"So much has been happening lately."
He exclaimed in admiration. A string of major events, one after another, made for a truly satisfying gossip session.
It all started with Uncle Shiki's arrival at Hachinosu Island.
His decisiveness made even Roa feel a bit of admiration. He must have rushed directly to Wang Zhi's location after leaving Wano Country. However, it seemed the final outcome of their negotiation hadn't changed due to his eagerness.
Wang Zhi and Golden Lion immediately clashed on Hachinosu Island. It was said that even Hachinosu's iconic Skull Building was destroyed. The ultimate result was Wang Zhi being driven out of Hachinosu like a stray dog. It just goes to show that there was still a significant gap in strength between Wang Zhi and Golden Lion.
But Golden Lion's actions didn't stop there. After giving Wang Zhi a good beating, just as he had told Roa before, he set his sights on Baro Rick Redfield. Although the man known as Red the Isolated always acted alone, few people ever provoked him, so he rarely bothered to hide his tracks. Thus, Red Earl was quickly sought out by the Flying Pirates.
Then, another round of fierce fighting ensued. As a result, Red Earl was also beaten and forced to flee by Golden Lion.
But this was still not the end.
Now, the battle had entered its third phase. Wang Zhi had returned with his forces, unwilling to accept defeat. It was unclear what terms he used to persuade Silver Axe, but the two launched a joint attack on the Flying Pirates.
How could Golden Lion tolerate this? But as he was organizing a counterattack, Red, enraged by the unprovoked disaster he had suffered, heard the news and returned, launching a sneak attack on the Flying Pirates' rear. Golden Lion was instantly caught in a pincer movement, completely overwhelmed.
While things were heated on that side, in the first half of the New World, the fleet known as the Marine Guerrilla Unit also caused a stir.
"Black Arm," no, now he should be called Black Leg Zephyr, led his fleet on a rampage through the initial waters of the New World. The first time Roa saw the newspaper praising Zephyr, saying he defended justice with his feet even after losing an arm, thus renaming him Black Leg, he nearly burst out laughing. Sanji was effectively "cucked" across thirty years.
However, despite being somewhat amusing, the Marine Guerrilla Unit had indeed achieved remarkable results. They tirelessly swept through the pirates near the New World's entrance.
Then, they clashed with the Charlotte Family.
According to the newspaper, the Marine Guerrilla Unit was attacked by the Charlotte Family while passing near Whole Cake Island's waters. However, based on internal information Roa received, Zephyr had been deliberately lingering near Whole Cake Island and had entered it several times, eventually provoking Charlotte Linlin.
Both sides were said to have suffered heavy losses. According to Stussy, Auntie Linlin was severely beaten by Zephyr; the man seemed to be regaining his peak strength, which surprised Roa. Could he also have a talent for teaching? However, Charlotte Linlin also used the power of her Soul-Soul Fruit, which could freely control sea storms and thunder, to inflict significant damage on the Marine Guerrilla Unit.
Finally, Zephyr was forcibly recalled by an infuriated phone call from his superiors. A pirate crew of the Charlotte Family's caliber wasn't something to be fought on a whim; authorization from above was required first. The end result was Zephyr being recalled to Marine Headquarters and thoroughly reprimanded. Of course, Zephyr didn't take it lying down; he promptly chewed them out in return.
Roa found the string of events incredibly entertaining. He even felt a bit of regret that Uncle Shiki hadn't hired him; otherwise, why would he be in such a sorry state? It was just a matter of two Mythical Zoans, wasn't it? So stingy.
Roa closed the newspaper with a sigh. "I wonder if Roger has found suitable people yet."
Speaking of which, Robin would be born in another two years, right? Who doesn't love a long-haired, intelligent big sister? No, wait, a little sister. She'd be more than ten years younger. But it didn't matter. Roa could clearly feel that as long as he had black energy to replenish himself, his lifespan and youth would be very, very, very long.
He took one last look at the newspaper, seeing the headline in large, bold font: "World Summit Opens Today!" Roa smiled faintly. More interesting things were coming.
Marijoa, Pangea Castle.
The quadrennial World Summit officially opened today.
Although most knowledgeable people on the high seas knew that the true rulers of the World Government were the Celestial Dragons and the Five Elders, the World Summit, representing the will of the affiliated nations, remained the superficial highest authority of the World Government. Kings could influence the operations of the World Government through voting in this meeting, acting according to their own will. Therefore, every World Summit was a top priority for the World Government. This time was no exception.
Elite Marines from Headquarters and government agents had long since completely cordoned off the area around Pangea Castle, allowing no unexpected incidents to occur.
Monkey D. Dragon was one of the young Marines who had been seconded for this duty. He was only twenty-three years old, quite young, but his expression was grim, and his eyes were somewhat fierce, making him look more like a pirate.
This young Marine dutifully guarded the main gate of Pangea Castle, vigilant against any possible unforeseen circumstances. Dragon actually disliked it here, because his Observation Haki could sense the cries of anguish from beneath the ground.
A few meters beside him, a table was set up. Dragon's father, the man known as the Marine Hero, "Fist" Garp, was drinking tea and picking up rice crackers from a plate on the table to munch on.
Across from him, the man with the round, explosive afro, Marine Admiral Sengoku the Buddha, spoke admiringly, "Dragon has already become a qualified Marine. Time truly flies. I still remember him peeing on my neck when he was a kid, and you bastard, you even lied to me and said it was raining."
"Wahahahahaha! That was ages ago!"
Garp laughed heartily in response, "Sengoku, you're too unforgiving!"
"I'll remember it for life!"
Sengoku also took a sip of tea. "However, the younger generation is gradually growing up. Sakazuki, Borsalino, and also Dragon. Perhaps in a few years, we'll have to retire to the second line."
"Retire to the second line? No way!"
Garp munched on his rice crackers, casually saying, "I won't retire until I've caught Roger!"
Sengoku shot his old friend a warning glance. Did he not know what this guy was thinking? Under the pretext of catching Roger, he spent most of the year drifting at sea.
"It's not just Roger,"
Sengoku said earnestly, "The more troublesome issue now is Roa and his group. That brat might truly revive the Rocks Pirates!"
"This World Summit will likely address this as well! If it passes, then striking them will become the main work of the Marines for the next few years!"
Upon mentioning Roa, Garp's eyes also darkened a bit, but he still tried to smile. "In that case, Zephyr will be happy, won't he?"
"That guy Zephyr has been completely consumed by anger."
Sengoku sighed. "His unauthorized war with the Charlotte Family made Brother Kong very angry."
Dragon's expression remained calm beside them, but he was thinking, Why would fighting pirates make the Fleet Admiral angry? Aren't Marines supposed to exterminate pirates?
As he was thinking this, a commotion suddenly erupted from the large door behind them. A series of gasps and screams.
Then came.
"Marines! Where are the Marines! We're under attack!"
Dragon's expression shifted slightly, and in the next instant, he transformed into wind and flew into the large door. Behind him were Garp and Sengoku, moving even faster.
The three entered Pangea Castle and saw a group of well-dressed kings frantically retreating in terror within the spacious hall. In the empty center of the hall, several men had seized a few kings. Dragon recognized those kings; they were all from the North Blue.
Speaking of the North Blue, that sea region hadn't been peaceful lately. It was said that a certain country suffered a devastating epidemic, causing the entire nation to collapse. What was worse were the survivors who fled that country carrying the virus, plunging the entire North Blue into fear. Dragon remembered that these kings' agenda was to completely eliminate those survivors. Truly cruel. However, for the sake of the entire North Blue, it would most likely be approved.
But these attackers were truly daring! They launched their attack when the meeting adjourned and the kings were gathered. This was a truly world-shaking major event!
But how did they get into Pangea Castle?
"Calm down! Calm down!"
One of the captive kings trembled like a sieve, pleading tearfully, "Was my salary too low? We can raise it! We can talk about anything! Don't do anything foolish! Think of your family back home!"
Salary?
Dragon's heart stirred. So, they were guards?
"Family? Hahahaha! You dare speak of our families!"
The attacker, with bombs strapped to his body, a knife in one hand, and a detonator in the other, laughed maniacally. Then he suddenly roared, "Don't move! Admiral Sengoku, Hero Garp! We know you can use a power called Conqueror's Haki! But the detonators in our hands will explode the moment we let go! You'd best not act rashly!"
"Calm down!"
Sengoku immediately stepped forward, trying to make his voice gentle. They weren't ordinary attackers; they had even considered Conqueror's Haki?
"We are very calm!"
The attacker shouted, "We didn't come here for revenge, nor for a terrorist attack. We just came to tell this world the truth!"
"Truth?"
Garp frowned. The kings around them, still shaken, also looked bewildered.
"The World Government controls all media; we can't make any sound! So, I thought there's no better opportunity than here, than now!"
The man loudly declared, "We are from Flevance in the North Blue!"
The moment this name was uttered, several North Blue kings trembled even more violently.
Flevance?
Dragon was slightly stunned. The name sounded familiar. And those kings were already screaming, "You're from Flevance? Don't, don't touch us! Don't infect us with the disease!"
Right!
The White Lead Disease!
The country destroyed by that fatal epidemic was called Flevance!
Dragon looked at the grief-stricken attackers and immediately concluded that there was likely a hidden truth behind the epidemic.
"Epidemic?"
The man from Flevance laughed tragically, "What epidemic!"
"Everyone on the high seas knows that our Flevance prospered from mining white lead ore. White lead products were sold overseas, and perhaps many of you kings here also use them in your homes!"
Many kings nodded discreetly. White lead products were exquisite and beautiful, perfectly suiting royal tastes.
"But no one ever told us that white lead ore is highly poisonous!"
The man roared hoarsely, "People who are in long-term contact with white lead ore accumulate toxins in their bodies, and this toxin is passed down through generations! When the body can no longer suppress the toxins, the fatal white lead disease will erupt! At that time, regardless of age or gender, everyone will die!!"
Before his voice faded, everyone present's expression changed dramatically.
"How could this be?"
Even seasoned veterans like Garp and Sengoku were visibly shaken.
"Damn it! So, does this disease spread?"
"Wait, we used white lead products, will we also get sick?!"
The kings panicked, desperately backing away.
"Don't worry, honored kings, white lead disease only infects those in long-term contact with white lead ore; it's not a contagious disease. If anything,"
The man looked at them, only wanting to laugh, "it probably only spreads among our descendants."
The kings finally breathed a slight sigh of relief.
Then,
"We only recently discovered the existence of this disease! Yet, a hundred years ago, the World Government and Flevance's royal family already knew the dangers of this mineral!"
The man's voice grew louder, until it became hysterical, "But they concealed everything! Still allowing us to mine and process the ore! Until our nation was on the brink of destruction!"
At this point, he was weeping uncontrollably, "Everyone is going to die! In another ten years, our parents, our compatriots, our children, everyone will die because of the greed of the World Government and the royal family! All they cared about was the profits from white lead!"
A collective gasp echoed through the hall. Dragon also inhaled sharply. Such a thing happened?
"There's more!"
Another man, also crying, chimed in, "After the news leaked, the World Government immediately ordered surrounding affiliated nations to send troops to destroy us!"
"Thankfully, we escaped early, but even then, the World Government still wouldn't let us go, using the excuse that we carried a deadly contagious disease to mobilize the entire North Blue to commit genocide against us!"
At this moment, even the most obtuse king was dumbfounded, marveling inwardly, The World Government is truly ruthless!
Dragon felt like his head had been hit by a heavy hammer. Is this the World Government that the Marines protect?
"We came here not for revenge, nor do we wish to implicate the innocent. We only wish to tell the entire world the truth of all this! We merely wish to tell the World Government that Flevance will never sit idly by and wait to—"
But at that very moment, an invisible wind blew, and the attackers instantly rolled their eyes back and fell backward. Their hands, gripping the bomb detonators, immediately loosened.
Then.
Boom!
A violent explosion swallowed the unfortunate kings along with them. The powerful shockwave even knocked over the nearby kings.
"Whose Conqueror's Haki was that?!"
Garp was so enraged he roared. He had already seen that those attackers had no intention of killing anyone! Just as they said, they were only there to reveal the truth!
Tap, tap, tap.
Clear, slow footsteps sounded. On the stairs, a bald, mustached old man slowly descended. "The delusions of rioters are not worth listening to."
Dragon's pupils constricted.
The Five Elders!
"The government will thoroughly investigate this matter."
The highest authority in the world said so.
Dragon, however, quietly retreated.
Is the government truly trustworthy?
Is the justice with a stance, as my father says, truly justice?
Young Dragon didn't know. He only knew that he should make a trip to the North Blue.
Time slowly passed, and one year went by.
Roa also grew another year older.
Wano Country.
On the plaza of Onigashima Castle.
"Go fetch it!"
Roa lightly tossed the miniature spiked club in his hand.
A tiny figure immediately scurried with short legs, quickly chasing after it, picking up the small club that had fallen to the ground, and then pattering back towards Roa.
It was a very small infant, with a chubby face, beautiful hair that gradually changed from white at the roots to light blue at the tips, and a pair of tiny horns on its forehead. It looked less than a year old, yet it was already moving like the wind here.
The little infant grinned with its toothless mouth, happily handing the small spiked club to Roa.
"Good! Again!"
Roa was about to throw the small club once more.
But at that moment, a large hand directly scooped up the infant.
Kaido glared irritably at Roa. "You bastard, what do you take my daughter for?"
"Aren't I just hoping she'll inherit her father's legacy early?"
Roa grinned. "Besides, isn't she having fun?"
He dangled the small spiked club in front of the infant.
"Ah! Ah!"
The little infant immediately made babbling sounds, its two chubby hands continuously reaching out to Roa.
"See, Brother Kaido, Yamato likes me more!"
A year had passed, and Kaido's precious daughter was also born.
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