Chapter 201: The Next Target Is······
New World, Dressrosa.
“This is impossible, I will absolutely not betray my family!” In the reception hall, the Heavenly Yaksha, sitting on a high-class leather sofa, flatly rejected the guest’s unreasonable request.
“This is not a request.”
The voice of the guest opposite was cold and hard, like a stubborn stone on a snow-capped mountain.
“Your Highness informed you in advance out of consideration for you both being Seven Warlords, but this is merely a notification. Miss Violet is someone Your Highness specifically requested, and she… must be handed over. If you don’t, I will come for her myself.”
The attitude of acting as if no one else was present was so detestable.
It just so happened that the guest had the foundation to exhibit such an arrogant demeanor.
“Your Excellency, please reconsider. Of course, there are those in this world who dare to say no to my master, but… I’m afraid you are not among them. Furthermore, even if you could defeat me today, it would at most delay things. When Your Highness returns to the New World, that will be the true disaster for you.”
The hurtful truth made Doflamingo’s face as dark as the bottom of a pot.
He really wanted to flick his fingers and cut the annoying guy in front of him into pieces with his ‘strings’, but he couldn’t act. He might not be the opponent of this Executioner. Of course, he could gather family members and surround and kill this man, but this man, who spoke rigidly and inflexibly, had also made it very clear.
It wasn’t impossible to eliminate the Executioner Dillon.
But the problem was that ‘Your Highness’, the Black Prince—Sokachio Elus—he was a monster he couldn’t afford to provoke.
“……Violet is my family, Mister Dillon.” Doflamingo had a headache. If it were any other request, even if it meant giving up ten or eight Devil Fruits, he could have endured it, but this was a request that crossed his bottom line.
To come to his door demanding a cadre of the Donquixote Family, a killer from the Spade Army, Violet.
Violet, real name Violet, was the second princess of the former Riku Royal Family of Dressrosa, and an Ability User of the Paramecia-Gaze-Gaze Fruit… When Doflamingo usurped Dressrosa, he took a liking to the abilities of this Princess. Using her father, King Riku’s, life as a condition, he exchanged it for Princess Violet to join the Donquixote Family. From then on, Princess Violet disappeared, and the Spade Army gained a killer known as Violet.
To be honest, Doflamingo only valued Violet’s abilities. As a former princess of the Riku Royal Family, there was no talk of trust or affection.
But regardless, Violet was now a member of the Donquixote Family. He, the Heavenly Yaksha, still had pride. If he handed over his family after just a couple of threats… how could he lead his subordinates in the future? Did he still have any prestige as Young Master?
Moreover, as a cadre of the Spade Army, Violet had, over the years, learned some of the family’s secrets, such as Sugar’s… handing Violet over would most likely expose his own secrets.
However,
refusing the Black Prince’s unreasonable request… was not something that could be done easily.
“There is no room for negotiation on this matter. Betraying family… is not something that can be discussed.”
Doflamingo’s attitude was firm.
It was just that he shouted loudly but didn’t make any moves… ultimately, he lacked the confidence and was unwilling to initiate a conflict with the Black Prince. This was the tragedy of the weak. Facing a strong person, even when knowing there was no room for retreat, they still subconsciously held onto a sliver of hope for peaceful coexistence, rather than choosing to fight directly.
“By the way, Your Highness mentioned that if Your Excellency the Heavenly Yaksha is worried about leaking the secrets of the Donquixote Family… there’s no need. He already knows the true identities of the toys. There have been several users of the Hobby Hobby Fruit throughout history. Besides, this is not a major event.”
“Also, Your Highness is not interested in interfering with Dressrosa’s affairs for the time being, nor does he plan to help Princess Violet restore her kingdom. He only asks Princess Violet to help with a small favor and will return her soon… If you can’t even agree to this small matter, he will visit in person next time.”
“So… please consider it carefully and answer after you have thought it through.”
Dillon impartially conveyed Elus’s will.
Upon hearing this, Doflamingo’s expression darkened further. Had the secret of the Hobby Hobby Fruit been discovered? Damn it, how did it leak? Sugar’s existence was the family’s top secret… And Violet, forget it, if even Sugar’s secret was leaked, what about Violet…
Just like this,
it felt like the reasons for refusal no longer held up.
“Temporarily… helping out… is possible. I hope it won’t take too long.” Doflamingo’s brows remained tightly furrowed. Violet… Violet was no longer important. What was bothering him now was what the Black Prince, who knew the secret of the toys, was going to do…
Being caught in a bind felt extremely bad.
Yet, he lacked the ability to destroy the person who had caught him in a bind, and could only be slaughtered.
Doflamingo relented, and soon Violet arrived in the reception room. This Gaze-Gaze Fruit Ability User had been paying attention to everything happening here. The ability called Clairvoyance was first-class for reconnaissance and intelligence gathering. From the moment Dillon landed on the island, she had been watching his every move.
However,
she didn’t expect it to involve her!
“Violet, Prince Elus needs your help with something… Please give him my regards when you meet him, and… don’t disgrace the Donquixote Family.” He originally wanted to warn Violet not to speak carelessly, but then he thought, if even the secret of the Hobby Hobby Fruit was known, what secrets were left?
He hadn’t told anyone about the matter of the national treasure. Besides himself, no one else knew that secret.
Furthermore,
if she really said anything to the Black Prince, could he go find the Black Prince to ask about it?
“Yes, Young Master.”
Violet responded respectfully.
Regardless, she finally saw hope. The Black Prince… how could she move the Black Prince to help her defeat Doflamingo…
“Violet, don’t forget the Bullfighting Arena. There… Fu fu fu fu fu!!” The intense malice in his laughter was so obvious. Thinking of her father, who was still suffering in the Bullfighting Arena, Violet lowered her head deeply and made a promise, “Young Master, I am loyal to you.”
Dillon observed indifferently, not getting involved in this riddle.
His mission was only to borrow someone, that was all. Anything else… was not on his mission list.
————
Drum Island.
In a restaurant in Long Horn Village,
“Doctor Kureha, seriously, have you really never been to Skypiea?” Elus was having a very pleasant time drinking. It had to be said that Doctor Kureha was not only a highly skilled doctor but also a very good drinking companion. She was knowledgeable, witty, had an amazing tolerance for alcohol, and didn’t pressure anyone to drink…
“Hahaha! As a doctor, how could I go to Skypiea! I just heard it from others.”
“Heard it? But you’re talking about it as if it’s true: the White Sea, the Grand Line, Sky People with wings, and all sorts of magical seashells.”
“Mhm, because the guy who told me these things once went to Skypiea… Unfortunately, that guy died over ten years ago. If that kid were still alive, this scumbag Wapol wouldn’t be causing trouble. It’s a shame that young people these days are not healthy; they were energetic as children, but now they’re dead in their fifties! What a pity!”
Doctor Kureha sighed, lamenting the impermanence of life.
Although… her life was much longer than that of an ordinary person. She had seen countless cycles of birth, old age, sickness, and death, yet she herself was still alive and kicking with a wine bottle in hand, and there was no sign of her reaching paradise yet. Perhaps she would even outlive some of the villagers on Drum Island.
“Skypiea!!!”
Elus looked up at the ceiling.
“If I have the chance, I must go to Skypiea to broaden my horizons… a pure white ocean… I really want to see it with my own eyes!”
There was also a ‘Lord God’ with long ears on Skypiea, an Ability User of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit… He once even fantasized about getting his hands on that Devil Fruit first! Unfortunately, by the time he had the freedom to act, calculating the time, it was already too late.
Fortunately,
now there’s another chance to try the power of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, before the Lord God heads to the infinite land.
“Kid, I have something to ask you!”
“What is it? Just say it, as long as I know it, I’ll tell you everything.”
“Do you think this foolish bull can be a King?”
Doctor Kureha pointed at Dalton, who was sitting in the corner. This man, dressed in a green cotton coat, joined their drinking party later. After waking from his coma, he immediately went around helping others, assisting wherever he went, all the way to Long Horn Village.
He then ran into Lucci and his subordinates who were preparing to leave. His rash actions almost made Lucci throw up.
Fortunately, Elus intervened in time, stopping the brawl and pulling both parties into the drinking party. It’s more lively with more people drinking.
“King? Ah! The new King of Drum Kingdom? Hmm… No problem! As long as the residents of Drum Island approve, there’s no need to ask anyone else, right?”
“The residents of the island are easy to deal with; no one will reject this foolish bull as King! What I’m worried about is the World Government. Will the World Government recognize the new King? I don’t want to see the Navy come to quell the unrest… By the way, Wapol won’t be able to return to Drum Island alive, right?”
“You can rest assured about that. He won’t live much longer. Once his last value is stripped away… my subordinates will execute him. If you’re not at ease, then tomorrow! Execute him at the port tomorrow… You are all welcome to watch.”
Elus’s last words were addressed to the restaurant owner and the waiters.
These villagers, long oppressed by the Tyrant, were moved to tears. Finally, finally, that damned Tyrant was getting his comeuppance. The restaurant owner boldly stepped forward to ask Elus if he could spread this news. Upon receiving an affirmative answer, two waiters immediately rushed out to announce the good news.
The restaurant owner also gifted Elus a bottle of his treasured sherry.
“Hey, kid, don’t stray from the point, I’m asking you something! If you put this foolish bull on the throne, the World Government side… can you handle it? We can’t lose our status as a World Government Member Nation.”
“This! No problem, leave this small matter to me.”
Elus patted his chest, making a promise.
Getting the World Government to recognize the new King of Drum Kingdom is a simple matter. The World Government actually wouldn’t easily abandon an affiliated nation. If it were about a new country joining the World Government, that might be a bit troublesome, but Drum Kingdom is already a World Government Member Nation.
The current issue is simply that the old royal family has lost its lineage, and a new royal family will take over…
“Doctor Kureha, don’t worry, the World Government won’t easily strike a historically long-standing affiliated nation from its roster.”
At this moment,
Dalton, who had been stunned for a while, finally came back to his senses.
He realized what incredibly significant thing Doctor Kureha had said?
“Doctor Kureha, it won’t work. I, I can’t possibly be King… I, I don’t have that kind of ability.” Dalton became anxious, his words lost all logic. He was clumsy with words and was sweating profusely, not knowing how to refuse such a frightening kindness.
“Dalton? Are you refusing because you want Prince Mushuru to return and take the throne?” Doctor Kureha’s question shut down all of Dalton’s refusals.
Mushuru.
He was Wapol’s older brother, the eldest son of the former King Andel.
Prince Mushuru, who should have been the crown prince of this generation, committed a heinous crime. While trying out the power of the Bug-Bug Fruit, which he had eaten, he caused the deaths of everyone in a village, creating a great tragedy that shocked the entire island…
Having committed such a transgression,
even the former King, who doted on his children, had to impose a punishment. Mushuru lost his chance to inherit the throne and was sent to the volcanic country of Chiru via Lava to be imprisoned, hoping he would repent and become a good king one day…
Doctor Kureha saw this as wishful thinking. He wasn’t properly educated as a child, and they expected him to come to his senses as an adult.
This was the delusion of irresponsible, idiotic parents.
“Dalton, think carefully! If you refuse, I can’t think of anyone else in this country who could become King. If there’s no other choice, we’ll have to go to Chiru via Lava and bring Mushuru back. Perhaps he has truly reformed and won’t carelessly use the Bug-Bug Fruit’s abilities anymore… Of course, he’s been exiled for twenty years now. The current him might not kill one village, but the entire population of Drum Island could die!”
Doctor Kureha spoke terrifying things with a nonchalant expression.
The owner, who was bringing dishes, was almost scared stiff.
As an elder, the owner was also aware of that great tragedy. The thought of Prince Mushuru possibly returning made his knees tremble. He looked at Dalton pleadingly, “Please, Mister Dalton, please become our new King!”
“…I, that…”
Dalton felt trapped, caught in a huge predicament.
“Um, I… Doctor Kureha, I think your suggestion is also acceptable…”
“What nonsense are you spouting? You want a one-hundred-and-thirty-nine-year-old doctor to be King? Believe it or not, I’ll order everyone to hang my portrait in their homes!” Doctor Kureha scolded him unceremoniously, leaving Dalton crestfallen.
“I understand, I will do it.”
Dalton eventually relented.
For the future of the Drum Kingdom, even though it was a bit unfair to the previous King, there was no other way. He honestly retreated to a corner, constantly trying to convince himself and do his best to dispel the guilt he felt towards the previous King.
“Haha! Doctor Kureha, you’re too much! Do you always scare honest people like that?”
Elus’s eyes flickered towards Dalton, who was self-hypnotizing, and he laughed heartily.
“There’s no other way. Who told him he’s an idiot! You can only use special methods on idiots. If I don’t do this, this stubborn ox can be quite troublesome when he gets obstinate. Besides, I’m telling the truth. There’s no one more suitable to be King of the Drum Kingdom than him right now. Except for him… no one else can gain the support of all the residents of Drum Island.”
“There are plenty of people who dislike me, this youthful and lively witch!”
“Yo! A toast to the witch doctor, who is forever youthful.”
“Haha, kid, you truly are a good fellow.”
“Then how about giving Chopper to me?”
“No, no. Chopper’s dream cannot be fulfilled by you. What he yearns for… is not a prince!”
The banquet lasted for more than half a day. Elus and Doctor Kureha exchanged Den Den Mushi numbers and agreed to have another drink together if they had the chance. Then, it slowly came to an end. Doctor Kureha was a complete doer. After exchanging numbers, she got into her sled, and the blue-nosed reindeer pulled the witch into the snowy forest.
Elus also returned to his flagship.
The flag fluttered in the wind.
Sitting on the sofa and drinking some hangover tea, Elus cast his gaze towards Wapol, whose abilities were suppressed by Seastone Handcuffs and whose mouth was gagged, looking like a pig ready for slaughter. “The Gulp-Gulp Fruit… is also an interesting ability!”
“Ugh ugh ugh~~~”
Wapol struggled with all his might.
“Get a good night’s sleep tonight. We’ll be on our way tomorrow.” Elus casually took an apple from the fruit plate. Among all fruits, apples seemed to be the best medium for transforming into a Devil Fruit. He walked to Wapol’s side and placed his free right hand on Wapol’s forehead. A targeted Spiritual Pressure suddenly erupted, directly crushing Wapol’s consciousness, plunging him into a deep coma.
The apple,
also changed.
Another Devil Fruit regenerated.
“Gulp-Gulp Fruit…” Elus looked at the lead-white, pineapple-shaped Devil Fruit. It was a shame this wasn’t the next Devil Fruit he desired. The ability he wanted was still in the New World… He wondered if Dillon had succeeded.
“Hey, Fran, has Dillon contacted us today?”
“Yes, he contacted us via Den Den Mushi while Your Highness was drinking with Doctor Kureha. Princess Violet has set off. If there are no delays on the way, she should arrive in Water 7 before long.” Fran summoned two Champion-series Artificial Humans and, dragging the unconscious Wapol, left the bridge.
“She’s already departed? I was worried that Doflamingo might cause trouble, and I was prepared to fail and personally return to the New World… It seems I don’t need to rush back to the New World for now.”
“Then where are we going next, Your Highness? After we execute that fat pig tomorrow, we’ll be leaving Drum Island, right?”
“……Next……”
Elus tilted his head and thought for a moment.
“I’m not sure yet. But didn’t we say before? Skypiea… if there’s a chance, we should definitely visit Skypiea.”
If for no other reason, then just to experience the different scenery of this world.
His gaze seemed to pierce through the ceiling above, seeing Skypiea tens of thousands of meters high in the sky… However, soon, after Princess Violet arrived, he would truly be able to see the location of Skypiea.
“Speaking of which, Fran, have you ever seen Reverse Mountain?”
“How could I have seen it? I grew up in the New World. Things like Reverse Mountain… I’ve only seen them in picture books.”
“Then how about going to see Reverse Mountain next?”
“This, it’s not entirely impossible… But are you sure, Your Highness? This would just be purely for leisure?” Fran expressed some concern. Elus, as the Crown Prince of the Eckmond Kingdom and future King, neglecting state affairs to roam around so freely didn’t seem very proper!
“What’s wrong with that? It’s a rare opportunity, so don’t waste it. When I inherit the throne, going out to play won’t be as convenient as it is now.”
Elus argued his case with self-righteousness.
Fran thought about it, was convinced by Elus’s twisted logic, and actually nodded.
……
The next day,
It was not yet dawn, the cold wind was still raging with a “woo woo” sound, and snowflakes were swirling down.
Thousands of people had already gathered at the port shore, a dense crowd of black masses. Dalton stood at the very front, like a leader, and in fact, he was the leader. The conversations from yesterday’s banquet had spread widely. Regarding Dalton’s selection as the next King… no one objected.
This exceedingly good-tempered ox had earned everyone’s affection on Drum Island through his actions and kindness. As if afraid Dalton would regret it, many villagers started addressing him as “Your Majesty the King” upon meeting him, and not in a joking manner. A few young people who were a bit too casual were beaten by their fathers with firewood sticks.
“Mister Dalton, no, it should be Your Majesty Dalton, you’re up really early!”
Elus, who had just disembarked, yawned.
“Prince Elus, please don’t joke. I’m not… not King yet!”
Dalton felt extremely awkward. He had never imagined that he would one day become King… He still didn’t quite believe it.
“It’s only a matter of time! Why don’t I see Doctor Kureha?”
Elus waved his hand and then looked around, not seeing Doctor Kureha… But so many people had come today. The number of people was close to ten thousand.
“Doctor Kureha probably won’t come. She’s a doctor and dislikes seeing this kind of… scene where lives are taken. I heard her say before that doctors save people, and doctors who don’t save those who can be saved are the worst. But some people truly deserve to die, so… she’d rather not see it.”
Dalton explained on behalf of Doctor Kureha.
“So that’s how it is.”
Elus nodded, indicating understanding.
Everyone has their own professional ethics and conduct; some people don’t care about these things, while others always adhere to the rules······
At this moment,
The Artificial Human brought Wapol to the shore. The originally crowded masses scattered backward with a whoosh, creating a large, trampled, muddy, and watery open space. The retreat was orderly. Elus saw people in guard uniforms guiding and clearing the crowd, which Dalton must have arranged.
This small detail showed that he should be a decent ruler.
In this country ravaged by a tyrant, a competent ruler doesn’t need to know much specialized knowledge; specialized matters should be handled by specialized individuals. The best ruler in the eyes of the people is not a distant god, but a human with the good virtue of compassion.
Compared to a cruel god, a benevolent human is the ruler Drum Kingdom most desires.
Wapol was thrown into the mud,
The Artificial Human stepped back, exposing His Majesty the King, who was once high and mighty and had ruined the prosperous Drum Kingdom, to the public’s eyes. Wapol’s Seastone Handcuffs had been replaced with ordinary iron handcuffs, and his mouth was still securely gagged to prevent him from saying anything he shouldn’t at this time.
“Your Majesty Dalton, who will carry out the execution?”
“······ Prince Elus, can you… help us deal with the cou- deal with Wapol?”
“Shouldn’t you do it yourself at this time? The new king cuts off the old king’s head and seizes the country’s power.” Elus incited Dalton to act himself.
“No, I can’t.”
Dalton shook his head and gave a wry smile. “His Majesty Andel showed me great kindness. If, if it weren’t for Your Highness Elus’s help, even after overthrowing Wapol’s rule… I would likely not have killed him, only exiled him.”
Elus blinked.
Alright!
This guy really knows himself.
In the original historical timeline, the tyrant Wapol, who had killed countless doctors and innocent villagers, was defeated by the Straw Hat Pirates. He was not executed in the end, but merely exiled abroad, where he ate garbage and synthesized memory alloy, absurdly returning to his peak and preparing to reclaim Drum Kingdom at the World Conference.
A typical case of not finishing the job.
Being too kind can also be troublesome.
“Then, I will do it on your behalf.”
Elus drew the oval greatsword from Dalton’s back. Frankly, Elus had stared at this thing for a long time without understanding what kind of weapon it was. If you call it a greatsword, it has no tip and is as round as a sharpened oval long fan.
However,
The sword was drawn.
Looking at the gleaming blade, it was indeed a sharp weapon for killing.
“Mmmph mmmph mmmph!!!”
Seeing Elus approaching with the greatsword, Wapol struggled violently, wriggling desperately in the muddy water, much like a caterpillar that had eaten too much. Unfortunately, no matter how much he struggled, it was useless. Without the Gulp-Gulp Fruit’s ability, his meager strength was nothing.
Elus stepped on Wapol’s back,
His gaze swept across the villagers gathered here from left to right, and the corners of his mouth slowly curved upwards, “Everyone!!! Please open your eyes and watch closely!”
He raised the weapon in his hand.
A silver light slashed through the cold wind, tore through the snowflakes, and severed… Wapol’s neck. His large head was sprayed out by the fresh blood gushing from his neck, flying seven or eight meters away and rolling to the feet of a villager who appeared to be in his fifties.
“Oooooh!!!!”
Cheers instantly filled the sky.
Witnessing the death of the tyrant who had plagued them for eight years, the villagers let out their greatest cheers from the bottom of their hearts.
In a realm invisible to all, a transparent soul was absorbed by the Hogyoku. Thus, the King of Drum Kingdom, Wapol, completely disappeared from this world, becoming a memory preserved in history, and perhaps even a legend to frighten children.
“Alright, my mission is complete. Your Majesty Dalton, we… shall part ways here!”
Elus tossed the strangely shaped greatsword back to Dalton. Although it was his own weapon, Dalton looked at the bloodstains on the blade that had not yet been washed away, and the weapon in his hand felt as hot as a red-hot iron. He had killed pirates before and was no novice to bloodshed, but… he just felt like it was burning his hand now.
“You’re leaving already?”
“Isn’t that obvious? My purpose for coming to Drum Island was Wapol. Now that I’ve personally beheaded him, what reason do I have to stay here? Are you planning to abdicate and let me become the King of Drum Kingdom?” Elus asked with a smile.
“Your Highness Elus, please stop joking.”
Dalton was helpless.
He had understood during their drinking session yesterday that an honest person like himself was no match for people like Doctor Kureha and Prince Elus in an argument.
“Alright, I won’t waste any more time with you. Hurry up and prepare to pack for your castle! I’ll speak to the World Government on your behalf, and also, please tell Doctor Kureha that I’ll bring her the finest plum wine next time.” Elus waved goodbye.
“Your Highness Elus, I wish you a safe journey.”
Dalton bowed.
Seeing this, the villagers followed suit, bending their bodies.
Bathed in the morning sun’s glow, a giant warship shattered the shimmering golden sea surface and slowly sailed out of the port.
————
Navy Headquarters.
In the Fleet Admiral’s office,
“The King of Drum Kingdom was killed by Prince Elus? What kind of nonsense is this?” Fleet Admiral Sengoku stared at the latest intelligence report, completely bewildered. Prince Elus and the King of Drum Kingdom… how could those two be connected? He hadn’t heard of any grudges between Eckmond Kingdom and Drum Kingdom.
“Speaking of which, why is Prince Elus still in Paradise? What exactly is he doing there?”
He had been too focused on the Whitebeard Pirates recently, unconsciously overlooking other seemingly less important news… until now, when the Black Prince had once again caused an incident in Paradise.
“Prince Elus initially stayed in the Thriller Bark for nearly half a year, seeming to have gotten involved with Moonlight Moria. However, Moria’s subordinates are all undead, so we couldn’t embed spies, making it impossible to know what they were doing.”
“After Prince Elus left Thriller Bark, he stopped in Water 7 for one night, and then went to Alabasta Kingdom. He remained in Alabasta Kingdom until not long ago. According to our intelligence personnel, Eckmond Kingdom and Alabasta Kingdom might have been discussing a marriage alliance… but this is just speculation, with no concrete evidence.”
“As for why the Black Prince went to Drum Kingdom and killed King Wapol… this subordinate is incompetent and has no leads.”
The operative from the intelligence agency standing before the desk lowered his head in shame, his chin pressed against his chest. As an intelligence staff member, failing to provide relevant information when his superior needed it was a sign of their intelligence force’s inadequacy!
“……Eckmond Kingdom and Alabasta? A marriage alliance……”
Fleet Admiral Sengoku felt his hair was going to fall out.
He didn’t care about this kind of gossip. He wanted to know why Prince Elus killed Wapol. But more importantly, why was this matter reported to him? The Navy was not responsible for mediating conflicts between World Government Member Nations, unless there was information involving pirates?
“Explain clearly, what exactly happened? Shouldn’t the World Government handle these trivial matters?”
Fleet Admiral Sengoku asked.
“This is a transmission from Prince Elus, stating that King Wapol colluded with the pirate Blackbeard…”
“Blackbeard?”
Fleet Admiral Sengoku’s eyes instantly sharpened.
“Yes, it seems Blackbeard also appeared on Drum Island and had a major battle with Prince Elus… Blackbeard retreated unharmed, and Prince Elus did not pursue. This battle… it is said they fought to a draw.”
“You’re saying… Blackbeard and Prince Elus fought to a draw? Is this news confirmed?”
Fleet Admiral Sengoku looked skeptical.
He had seen Elus with his own eyes and had also reviewed Elus’s combat records against the likes of Big Mom, Pluto, and the Beasts… He understood that if Elus were in the Navy, he would be a genuine General-class combat power.
It was one thing that he couldn’t defeat Blackbeard; there were many in the New World who could escape from the clutches of a General.
[Phoenix] Marco, [Minister of Flour] Katakuri, [Flame Disaster] King… individually, these individuals might not be able to defeat a General or an Emperor, but they were all capable of escaping. In Fleet Admiral Sengoku’s estimation, Blackbeard’s strength was at most at that level.
What was this talk of fighting to a draw?
Was Elus holding back?
“We are still verifying. This is all news reported by Prince Elus himself. In the transmission, he stated that Blackbeard colluded with King Wapol in an attempt to plunder Drum Kingdom. He happened to be passing by and repelled Blackbeard. Afterward, due to widespread public outrage, he was forced to execute King Wapol…”
Sweat beaded on the forehead of the intelligence operative.
Honestly, this explanation sounded like a lie. Colluding with pirates to rob one’s own country… was there really such an idiotic king in this world? Couldn’t he have found a more plausible excuse?
“Never mind Drum Kingdom, that’s the World Government’s jurisdiction. Explain clearly how Elus and Blackbeard fought to a draw? Is there no paper document?”
Fleet Admiral Sengoku was displeased.
Subordinates who couldn’t distinguish priorities were a headache! Pirates were what the Navy should be concerned about; disputes between World Government Member Nations were not their concern.
“The paper documents are at the very bottom.”
Realizing his mistake, the intelligence operative’s sweat soaked through his back clothes. He reached out and tremblingly pointed to the stack of documents he had previously given to Fleet Admiral Sengoku. Because he personally felt the death of King Wapol was more important, he had placed that information on top, with the intelligence about Blackbeard below…
Sigh!
After interacting with World Government bureaucrats for too long, his mind had become muddled.
Regardless of the intelligence operative’s regret for his moment of confusion,
Fleet Admiral Sengoku turned directly to the end of the documents and saw the various pieces of intelligence Elus had submitted regarding Blackbeard. “…extremely skilled Armament Haki, exceptional combat skills, not inferior to other Pirate Emperors… a Logia-type Dark-Dark Fruit user, is it? So that’s why… he killed Fourth Division Commander Sachi… can suppress the abilities of other Devil Fruit users through physical contact?”
“Hiss!!!”
Fleet Admiral Sengoku drew a sharp breath.
He too had fought his way through seas of blood and corpses. The intelligence operative before him didn’t grasp the importance of this information, but he clearly understood that if the intelligence about the Dark-Dark Fruit being able to suppress other Devil Fruit users’ abilities was true, combined with Haki and combat skills not inferior to Pirate Emperors…
This was practically a new Pirate Emperor.
“Damn it… another dangerous guy has appeared.” Fleet Admiral Sengoku’s face turned ashen. These damn pirates were truly endless, they could never be killed off. “Blackbeard, Blackbeard… I wonder if he can be used against Whitebeard?”
With remarkable perseverance, Fleet Admiral Sengoku turned his mood around, trying to think optimistically. Blackbeard and Whitebeard were destined to be mortal enemies. He had originally thought Blackbeard would eventually be crushed by Whitebeard.
But if Blackbeard truly possessed the combat power of a General or a Pirate Emperor,
perhaps he could be won over to be used against Whitebeard. Ideally, they would tear each other apart. If the plan was executed properly, it wouldn’t only reduce the Navy’s losses, but perhaps they could even take out Blackbeard in the process.
