Early in the morning, Finn's eyes opened.
He hadn't woken naturally. Instead, the noise outside had dragged him from sleep, voices shouting slogans in rhythmic cadence.
If he had to guess, they were construction workers at the building site.
"No wonder all the Celestial Dragons fled," Finn muttered. "If I were in their position, I'd run too."
Queen Stussy's residence in Mary Geoise had been fortunate enough to escape the flames, but it sat at the edge of the construction zone, stuck in an awkward position between demolished ruins and ongoing work. The constant hammering and shouting made peaceful mornings impossible.
When Finn woke, Stussy's eyes opened as well. She lay draped across his chest, gazing at him with a contented smile.
"What are you so happy about?" Finn asked, his own lips quirking upward.
"When I open my eyes every day, the first thing I see is you. That's something worth being happy about," Stussy said, one eyebrow arching playfully.
Finn rolled his eyes. "Don't think your sweet talk can fool me."
"Oh? You asked me to talk quite a bit last night," Stussy teased.
"Hahahaha..." Finn laughed loudly and said nothing more.
Yesterday's meeting with the Five Elders had been exactly that, just a meeting. Nothing particularly important had transpired.
Afterward, the Elders had asked Finn a few more questions. He'd given answers that were technically correct but deliberately vague, lofty in theory yet impractical in execution.
And at the end, he'd emphasized that these were merely things he could consider based on his identity as a Marine officer. In fact, they seemed somewhat overambitious and too abstract. However, if the Five Elders were willing, they could appoint him as Chief Executive of Mary Geoise. He could guarantee that within ten years, he would definitely eliminate Dragon and his Revolutionary Army.
The Five Elders had highly praised Finn's loyalty and dedication to duty.
However, they'd politely declined his offer to become Chief Executive of the World Government. They felt Finn was already working hard enough as an Admiral of the Marines, and they couldn't place too much pressure on such a talented individual. They'd discuss it another time, perhaps.
Were they joking? How could they possibly let Finn become Chief Executive?
With Finn's influence in the Marines, if they made him chief executive of the World Government, forget eliminating the Revolutionary Army within ten years. Finn might eliminate the Five Elders themselves within ten years.
Of course, Finn had known the Elders would refuse. That's why he'd said it.
Though naturally, if the Elders had agreed, Finn wouldn't have refused either. He would have immediately returned to Marine Headquarters, resigned his position as Admiral, handed it over to Gion, and then assumed the role of Chief Executive.
By then, he'd have Stussy supporting him on one side and Kong, Commander-in-Chief of the entire armed forces, on the other. With the Marines under his command, his friend Dragon in the Revolutionary Army, and the Seven Warlords of the Sea in his pocket... ten years?
In five years, he could make the World Government his own and eliminate all the Celestial Dragons.
But unfortunately, the Five Elders had not agreed to his request to "eliminate evil for the people," disappointing his display of loyalty.
Afterward, the Elders had been afraid Finn might say something else troublesome, so they'd politely sent him away.
Then Finn had gone to Queen Stussy's residence and spent the night there until late.
"Have you been busy lately?" Finn asked Stussy, who remained in bed while he brushed his teeth in the adjoining bathroom.
The Queen answered casually, "Nothing too demanding. I just need to deploy all my personnel throughout Mary Geoise and fill some key positions. After that, I'll return to the New World."
"Really?" Finn rinsed his mouth and replied absently.
"What about you? Do you have anything important coming up?" Stussy asked.
"Not really? There's nothing major happening in the Marines right now." Finn thought for a moment.
As far as he could remember, nothing significant had occurred in Sea Circle Calendar 1510. The sea train technology had matured, but he'd handed that matter over to Smoker. He didn't need to meddle in it. Before long, the Calm Belt would be able to utilize this technology.
By then, the development efficiency of the Calm Belt would definitely increase further.
In fact, according to the Marines' recent intelligence reports and documents, it seemed nothing serious had happened at all.
"Would you like to stay with me longer in Mary Geoise? Or shall we go to the New World together?" Stussy's eyes sparkled as she leaned against the bathroom doorframe, watching him with faint hope. "I know a really fun island. It's a hot spring island during the day, but the temperature drops sharply at night and it becomes an ice rink. I've always wanted to go there, but I've never had the time or anyone to go with."
After washing his face, Finn took Stussy's towel and dried off. He looked at her expectant expression, smiled, and said, "Since you put it that way, I..."
But before he could finish his sentence, he heard the distinctive ring of a Den Den Mushi from his coat pocket hanging outside.
Finn paused. Stussy, ever perceptive, immediately went to retrieve the Den Den Mushi.
Without hesitation, Finn picked up the receiver. "Chief of Staff Tsuru? What's going on?"
That's right, the call was from Chief of Staff Tsuru.
"Finn, are you still in Mary Geoise?" Tsuru asked.
"Yes. What's the matter?" Finn replied.
"Something happened in the New World. The Fleet Admiral is arranging for you to handle it," Tsuru explained.
I was just about to agree to go out with Stussy!
Thinking this, Finn glanced at Stussy. The Queen's eyes held a hint of helplessness. She pursed her lips and mouthed: "Next time."
Finn gave her an apologetic look before asking, "What is it?"
It shouldn't be a small matter if the Fleet Admiral wanted him, a Marine Admiral, to deploy personally, right?
"We just received intelligence. Three days ago, the Straw Hat Pirates had an encounter with the Big Mom Pirates in the New World. In the end, the Straw Hat Pirates won..." Tsuru's voice was grave.
What pirate crew?
The Straw Hat Pirates?
Wait, Luffy went out to sea? The timing is completely wrong! What kind of cheat is he using? He can beat Big Mom already? Wasn't he being trained by Nojiko at Headquarters?
It's only been two days since I left Marineford! He's already beating Big Mom?
"Hold on. What are the Straw Hat Pirates?" Finn asked seriously.
"Oh, right, you don't know yet. It's the red-haired pirate crew that stayed in the East Blue before. Didn't you define Shanks' epithet as 'Straw Hat Shanks'? That man changed his crew's name to the Straw Hat Pirates not long ago," Tsuru said calmly.
Finn was completely dumbfounded.
He'd only teased Shanks out of some petty amusement, but was Shanks really that shameless? After realizing he couldn't get the Marines to call him "Red Hair," he'd simply and decisively accepted the name "Straw Hat"?
But Finn soon regained his composure and asked carefully, "Really? Shanks defeated the Big Mom Pirates? Is he that powerful?"
"In terms of comprehensive strength, they certainly can't beat the Big Mom Pirates. But this was an encounter battle. Charlotte Linlin's ship collided with Shanks' vessel in the New World. The two sides had a dispute and fought. In the end, Shanks won. However, some concerning details emerged. There seem to be quite a few powerful individuals on his ship, so we can't underestimate them just because they have few members," Tsuru said.
Finn finally nodded in understanding. Simply put, Shanks and his crew were wandering around the New World when they ran into a lone Charlotte Linlin. Then they beat her up.
But this wasn't really a big deal. In a chaotic place like the New World, disputes between these pirates were normal.
Did this really require him, a Marine Admiral, to deploy?
What was he supposed to do? The fight was already over.
"What's the situation? Did Shanks capture Charlotte Linlin or something? What am I supposed to do there?" Finn asked.
"Not exactly. Shanks didn't cause Charlotte Linlin too much trouble. But we did intercept Charlotte Linlin's Den Den Mushi transmission..." Tsuru's tone grew more serious.
Finn realized this was the main issue, that everything before had just been context. "What was it?" he asked.
"Charlotte Linlin wants to form an alliance with Kaido to eliminate Shanks' Straw Hat Pirates. However, we believe..." Tsuru said softly.
"You think this is just a cover, and the two of them might actually want to target Whitebeard?" Finn finished.
"Yes, there's such a possibility," Tsuru confirmed.
Come to think of it, Shanks was still relatively young and inexperienced. He probably couldn't beat Charlotte Linlin in a one-on-one fight. This time, Charlotte Linlin apparently hadn't known what was happening, but because she was alone, she'd been overwhelmed by Shanks and his crew.
But just because of this, Charlotte Linlin was going to seek an alliance with Kaido to kill Shanks together?
This made no sense. How could Shanks be worth such an extreme response?
As long as Charlotte Linlin went back to gather reinforcements and then cornered Shanks, she could crush him. Was Kaido really necessary?
The only complication was that Shanks only had one ship and no territory in the New World, making him difficult to find. However, the Big Mom Pirates also had the best intelligence network in the pirate industry, so perhaps they had methods.
But no matter what, it seemed impossible that she and Kaido would form an alliance just to deal with a relatively small-time Shanks. Shanks hadn't yet reached the level of the so-called Four Emperors.
So maybe they were actually trying to deal with Whitebeard?
But at this moment, Tsuru said, "Admiral Sengoku believes it's very likely they're targeting our Marines' positions in the New World. They may join forces to attack us instead of Whitebeard."
Finn's brow furrowed. "That does seem possible..."
There was no need to elaborate about Kaido. He held a massive grudge against the Marines. He'd been doing his own thing before, just smuggling arms from the Sky Island. Then suddenly the Marines caught him and beat him severely, nearly killing him. Did they think he'd have no opinions about the Marines?
As for Charlotte Linlin, Finn had first snatched Dr. Vegapunk from her, then during the New World conflicts, he'd nearly severed her arm. It was impossible for there to be no hatred.
And Charlotte Linlin was an extremely vengeful and petty woman. In another timeline, if Luffy provoked her once, she'd chase him all the way to Wano Country and wouldn't hesitate to turn against Kaido to kill him. Did they think she wouldn't hold grudges?
"So what do the Fleet Admiral and Admiral Sengoku want me to do? Also, shouldn't Sakazuki be handling this matter?" Finn asked.
"What the Fleet Admiral means is to find a way to sabotage the alliance between Kaido and Charlotte Linlin. This should be simple. If they're really targeting our Marines, as soon as you appear in the New World and react to them, they'll understand their plan has been discovered. They might abandon the alliance. The second objective is to capture the Straw Hat Pirates. As for Sakazuki, he'll be going too," Tsuru explained.
Finn was already confused as to why Charlotte Linlin and Kaido were forming an alliance at this point in the timeline.
But it was understandable, in a way. After all, Kaido was genuinely weaker now. Due to Finn's interference, many things had changed. Kaido hadn't been able to develop in Wano Country and couldn't shoulder the burden of being a Yonko. Charlotte Linlin was better off, but she couldn't defeat Whitebeard either. Now Shanks had broken into the New World.
It was obvious that the top pirate forces in the New World would soon be in turmoil.
Although the timing was somewhat inconsistent with what he remembered, Finn felt this might be the war to decide the Four Emperors in the New World.
So he could understand Kaido and Charlotte Linlin banding together for survival.
But why were they so anxious to capture Shanks?
Was he really that big a threat? Was he doing something recently that Finn wasn't aware of?