With Katakuri's detailed breakdown of the three major powers, the pirate captains in the assembly began to grasp the immense disparity between justice and evil.
The seemingly mighty pirates were, in reality, far weaker than they'd imagined.
Had it not been for the Revolutionary Army and the non-affiliated nations acting as a counterbalance, the World Government could have easily crushed the pirates of the New World if they'd truly committed to it.
After finishing his speech, Katakuri calmly returned to his seat.
At this moment, Caesar cleared his throat, his booming voice echoing through the hall.
"Precisely because of the pirates' precarious position, I propose the formation of a New World Pirate Alliance—one structured as a council."
"Whether friend or foe, all can join the Pirate Council, where one's personal strength and possessed influence determine their rank among the three hierarchical positions within the council."
"Councilor, Vice Speaker, and Speaker. In the future, the position of Elder may be established, to be held exclusively by pirates who remain entirely neutral."
"Under normal circumstances, members of the council may engage in mutual conflict, fighting over territories among themselves."
Caesar let out a hearty laugh as he spoke.
"Pirates live by their own rules—swift in vengeance, indifferent to life and death, and ready to fight at the drop of a hat! On the open seas, we battle and plunder territories as usual. Whether it's treasure, islands, or women—take what you want by your own strength. If you lose, don't whine. If you die, it's just another scar on the world!"
His words erupted into roaring laughter among the crowd.
Yes, this was the essence of a pirate's life.
But as Caesar's laughter faded, his voice gradually turned cold and sharp.
"Hmph! However, if the Marines or the Revolutionary Army dare interfere in the New World and try to take down one of our own, then everyone must stand together—united against the enemy! Either don't join at all, but once you become a member of the Pirate Council, if something like the Whitebeard Pirates incident happens again and you don't step up to fight alongside us, you'll be expelled from the Council!"
"And what's more! You'll face retribution from every other member of the Council!"
Caesar's voice was icy and ruthless, exuding an endless chill that sent shivers down the spines of every pirate present.
In the back row, Morgans' wings trembled slightly as he held his camera, his face displaying unprecedented shock.
"Incredible… absolutely incredible! The Pirate Council—a pirate alliance for offense and defense! This Caesar… he's a man of extraordinary vision! What a waste of talent for him to remain just a pirate! This is huge news—earth-shattering! The World Government won't be able to sit still once this gets out!"
Beside him, the Queen of the Pleasure District, Stussy, looked pale, hanging onto every word Caesar spoke, afraid to miss even a word come out of his mouth.
"Zehahaha! Well said!"
Blackbeard abruptly stood up and slammed his palm onto the table with a thunderous crash.
His face alight with excitement, he laughed loudly.
"I, Marshall D. Teach, representing the Blackbeard Pirates, will be the first to join the Pirate Council! Zehahaha! Captain Caesar, though, I do have one question for you."
Caesar chuckled. "Ask away. No need for formalities."
Blackbeard swept his gaze across the gathered pirate captains before grinning.
"What's the difference between a council member, a vice-chairman, and the chairman? And what kind of strength is required to become chairman?"
The moment he finished speaking, the pirates held their breaths, eager to hear Caesar's answer.
Caesar smirked. "Any pirate who wants to join can become a council member. But based on strength, they'll be divided into three ranks—Bronze, Silver, and Gold. As for vice-chairmen, the minimum requirement is Admiral-level strength. Can't have them too weak, or they'll drag down the prestige of our Pirate Council. Borororo! As for the chairman, the same Admiral-level strength is required, but the position will be decided by vote."
"Bronze members get one vote, Silver two, Gold three, and vice-chairmen four. This ensures a fair balance of power."
"In terms of authority and responsibilities, council members have no obligations. Vice-chairmen and the chairman share similar privileges—access to the Council's intelligence network and the freedom to negotiate deals with other members. My research team will soon develop an improved version of the Den Den Mushi communication system, upgrading it from one-to-one to a multi-channel network. In emergencies, we can communicate directly through the Den Den Mushi network."
Caesar then continued in a solemn tone, "Additionally, it's important to note that the purpose of the Pirate Council is to maintain the overall strength of pirates. Therefore, the Vice-Chairman and Chairman are not allowed to personally engage in battles with pirate members at the councilor level unless deliberately provoked."
"Zehahaha, I didn't expect that becoming Vice-Chairman would come with so little power and so many restrictions. This Pirate Council is pretty boring."
Blackbeard shook his head and sat back down, looking thoroughly unimpressed.
Beside him, Shanks laughed and said, "Teach, can't you see? This is tailor-made for your crew. In the New World, it's your people who are hunting down Devil Fruit users everywhere. If they join the council, at least you won't personally go after them, which greatly increases their chances of survival."
Behind them, many pirate captains' eyes lit up.
They exchanged glances, excitement evident in their expressions.
Exactly!
If Blackbeard didn't personally intervene, they had a real chance to escape!
Devil Fruit users in the New World had suffered under the Blackbeard Pirates for far too long!
"Hmph! My officers aren't pushovers either," Blackbeard grumbled unhappily.
"Officers? Where are they? Shiryu? Lafitte? I don't see any of them around, hahaha!" Shanks burst into laughter, infuriating Blackbeard.
"You've lost quite a few underlings yourself, Shanks. We're about the same—no room to talk."
"Borororo! So, Teach, are you saying you won't join? In that case, if the Marines come after you in the future, we'll just stand by and watch."
Caesar remained composed, arms crossed, showing no sign of displeasure.
Teach's expression stiffened for a moment before he forced a laugh.
"I was just joking earlier, zehahaha! To preserve the strength of the pirate alliance, the Blackbeard Pirates will gladly contribute to the council!"
"In that case, let's proceed to a vote. Those in favor of joining the Pirate Council, please raise your hands."
Caesar gave Katakuri a meaningful look, and Katakuri immediately produced a Den Den Mushi to record the proceedings.
Later, he would compile a complete list of names.
"Those who choose not to join are free to do so—we won't hold it against you. After the meeting, you're welcome to continue enjoying yourselves on Whole Cake Island or leave Totto Land."
Caesar noticed the hesitation of a few pirates and added with a smile.
As his words faded, hundreds of pirates raised their hands in unison.
Aside from a handful who feared this was a trap by the Beast God Pirates or worried about being crushed by larger forces, the vast majority agreed to join the Pirate Council.
"Borororo! Then I declare the Pirate Council officially established!"
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