The Beasts Pirates, under Kaido's command, mobilized almost their entire force. A massive fleet of fifty ships carrying over 10,000 pirates sailed out of Wano Country, heading into the turbulent seas of the New World.
Soon, the news of the Beasts Pirates' departure from Wano spread across the New World, swiftly relayed back to the headquarters of various factions by their intelligence agents.
The first to receive this information was the renowned mogul of the New World's press industry, Morgans. With his extensive global intelligence network, Morgans had already learned of the Beasts Pirates leaving Wano long before others.
However, he dared not publish the news at this moment.
According to his sources, the Beasts Pirates had left Wano in secret. Such a large-scale mobilization clearly indicated preparations for a major war. If Morgans were to expose their movements now, he would face Kaido's wrath—a fury no mere newspaperman could withstand.
Instead, Morgans decided to closely monitor the Beasts Pirates' actions, preparing for a global broadcast once the war erupted. Such coverage would undoubtedly elevate his influence to new heights.
New World, Headquarters of the World Economic News Agency.
In the spacious office of Morgans, the Bird-Bird Fruit: Albatross Model user sat in his beastman form, donning a black fedora. His prominent beak and squinting eyes darted left and right as he surveyed the room.
Aside from the occasional entry of his staff, the office now hosted four men and one woman—the underground world's most prominent figures.
To Morgans' right sat Umit, the Shipping King who controlled the Grand Line's transportation lifelines, alongside Du Feld, the Loan Shark King, and Giberson, the Warehouse King who managed the underground world's supply chains.
Across from them were Stussy, the Queen of the Entertainment District, and Pekuro, the Funeral King who monopolized the burial industry and led an assassin organization, earning him the title of Death Dealer.
Sweeping his gaze across the five underground kings, Morgans suddenly burst into laughter. "Ladies and gentlemen, what brings such esteemed figures to visit my humble abode today? Truly an honor, truly an honor!"
"Morgans, how can you still laugh?"
Du Feld, draped in a fur coat, flicked his cigar and spoke gravely, "What's about to happen could completely upend the world order. When the nest is overturned, no egg remains intact. The Beasts Pirates mobilizing their entire force from Wano clearly indicates they're preparing for a top-tier clash with the Marines. If this war escalates, the first to bear the brunt will be us—all of us, myself included!"
"And why would I be affected?" Morgans tilted his head toward Du Feld, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "The bigger the event, the better it is for me, isn't it?"
Pausing briefly, Morgans turned to the Funeral King. "Pekuro, shouldn't you be looking forward to this war? As the Death Dealer, such a conflict would be a feast for you. Especially at this scale, it's something you should be eager for. Why the long face?"
Before Pekuro could respond, Morgans shifted his gaze to the room's sole woman. "Stussy, this war doesn't impact you much. As long as it's not the end of the world, the entertainment industry will never die. Isn't that right?"
"Alright, alright, I admit it!"
Morgans, like a chatterbox, turned to the Shipping King. "Umit, I'll concede that your shipping business will indeed suffer. Whether the war unfolds on land or sea, the transportation industry will face devastating damage. But this is temporary—the war can't last forever."
"So, what brings you all here today? What's your purpose?"
As Morgans finished speaking, the room fell silent.
He raised his glass and took a sip of wine, waiting for someone to break the silence.
After a brief pause, Stussy, the Queen of the Entertainment District, glanced at Pekuro before turning her attention to Morgans. Her brows furrowed slightly as she spoke. "Morgans, haven't you received an invitation from Marine Headquarters?"
"An invitation? What invitation?"
Morgans blinked in confusion. "Marine Headquarters? What are you talking about?"
Seeing that Morgans was genuinely unaware, Stussy shook her head with a smile. She opened her handbag, pulled out an invitation, and placed it on the desk. Her ruby lips parted as she explained, "The reason we're all here is that we've received invitations from Marine Headquarters. Fleet Admiral Xayuki has invited us to a private banquet at Marine Headquarters one month from now."
Before Morgans could react, Pekuro stood up abruptly, his voice filled with anger. "That damned Fleet Admiral! He's trying to pull the same trick he used on the Seven Warlords, forcing us to bow to him!"
Morgans remained silent, opening the invitation and scanning its contents before handing it back to Stussy. His expression turned serious. "I see what you're planning now. You want to intervene in this war, using your respective powers to assist the Beasts Pirates. If the Beasts Pirates win, the Marines will be severely weakened. Then, you can ignore this invitation altogether!"
The five underground kings neither confirmed nor denied Morgans' deduction, instead meeting his gaze with tacit understanding.
Morgans said no more, raising his empty glass as his eyes narrowed.
As a newspaperman with a global intelligence network, Morgans was well aware of their intentions. They hoped he would cover up their involvement in the war, either by omitting it from his reports or replacing it with fabricated news.
Meanwhile, in the Holy Land, Chamber of Authority.
"Sengoku, what's going on here?"
As soon as he entered the spacious and brightly lit Chamber of Authority, Topman, the Legal Affairs God, threw a classified report from the New World onto the table where Sengoku was sipping tea. "The Beasts Pirates have mobilized their entire force from Wano, and the Big Mom Pirates are gathering en masse at Whole Cake Island. Is this because Sakazuki and Kuzan entered the New World to start a war with them?"
"Topman, you've been quite irritable lately."
Sengoku leisurely picked up the report, glanced at it, and tossed it aside. He replied calmly, "If you're feeling agitated, drink some tea. Once you've cooled down, think carefully about how you should address me."
"You—"
Topman had no time for tea. He strode up to Sengoku, towering over the former Fleet Admiral who had risen to the level of the Five Elders, and spoke sternly. "You were once Fleet Admiral, and now you're a Five Elder. You should know that without our approval, the Marines cannot easily engage the Four Emperors in war! Yet now, two Admirals have secretly entered the New World, not only putting Kaido and Charlotte Linlin on high alert but also prompting the Red Hair Pirates to leave their territory and vanish!"
"Calm down, calm down~" Sengoku set down his teacup and looked up at Topman, his tone indifferent. "You need approval from the Chamber of Authority, right? I'll have Marine Headquarters submit a report, and I'll sign off on it alongside the Agricultural Affairs God, Zephyr."
"Sengoku, are you trying to make a mockery of this!"
Topman was so enraged he nearly burst a vein. Furious, he exclaimed, "If not for CP0 agents bringing back intelligence from the New World, I wouldn't have even known that Sakazuki and Kuzan had gone there! While it's true that Xayuki now sits at Marine Headquarters and holds privileges equal to the Five Elders, war is no trivial matter! Instead of advising caution, you're signing off on it?"
Sengoku blinked. "How about... I draft the report, and you sign off on it?"
To Be Continued...
More updates coming soon! Stay tuned!
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