Silas planned to use public opinion to keep the Marines out of the fight. The Marines represented justice—officially, at least. No matter what, their deployments had to appear righteous, standing on the moral high ground.
Even atrocities like massacring an entire nation could be spun as righteous acts of demon extermination—so long as the World Government controlled the narrative.
And what Silas needed to do was simple: seize that narrative first.
Easier said than done.
The World Government was the established authority. The White Wolf Pirates? Pirates. Thieves. Outlaws. Getting ordinary people to side with them was a near-impossible task.
But public opinion wasn't about truth. It was about emphasis—what you highlighted, what you buried.
Eleven allied nations were withdrawing. Who they sought protection from didn't matter. What mattered was why.
If Silas could expose the World Government's cruelty first—if he could frame their withdrawal as a desperate act of survival—then he could turn the tide. Make other nations see their shared fate. Show them that if one fell, they all would follow.
That was how he'd keep the Marines at bay.
In truth, even the World Government couldn't ignore allied nations' opinions. Otherwise, there'd be no need for the quadrennial World Conference.
But relying on the enemy's mercy? That was suicide.
Still, if there was any chance…
"Tsk. Headache."
The real problem was simple: they lacked top-tier power.
The White Wolf Pirates couldn't afford an all-out war with the World Government. Not when they'd be facing not just the Marines, but the entire system.
"Worst case, I'll have to give up dueling that legendary sword god."
Silas held Shusui, the blade he'd taken from Wano. He'd left a note saying he'd return it later. Whether Kozuki Sukiyaki believed him was his own business.
Right.
The system had rewarded him with a chance to duel the legendary sword god. But a duel? What kind of prize was that?
The real value was in summoning a top-tier fighter—someone who could cross time and space to fight at his side.
Even counting Rona and Harald, Dorry and Brogy…
Only three Admiral-level fighters.
Barely enough to match the Holy Knights.
And without the Marines? The Holy Knights alone would be trouble.
This time, there'd be no chance to divide and conquer.
So Shimotsuki Ryuma was a crucial card.
The biggest problem now? The enemy was in the shadows. They were in the light.
Accepting the eleven nations meant stepping onto the stage—exposed, under the spotlight.
The old tricks of hiding in plain sight wouldn't work anymore.
"Roy, got any good ideas?"
"What ideas could I have? I've got some sneaky tricks, though."
"Like what?"
"You attack Mariejois. The World Government's top fighters will come running."
"Why don't you just tell me to die?"
This wasn't the World Conference. If he attacked Mariejois now, Imu would lead the Five Elders personally to crush him.
Silas thought he could hold his own against Imu in a one-on-one…
But five ancient warlords at his back? That changed everything.
"Then why don't you think about my hair?"
Roy pointed at his bald head. Except for a thin ring of hair around the back, the center gleamed under the sun.
"Useless!"
"Troublemaker!"
The former captain and vice-captain bickered like old times, then fell silent, gathering their thoughts.
"Actually… I don't think we need to overthink it."
Tsuru's voice cut through the tension.
Silas hadn't forbidden others from listening, but most had either slipped away or dozed off. Even Zephyr, the fellow spy, looked dazed.
Who am I? Where am I? What should I do?
Silas hadn't expected much from him anyway. Zephyr had potential—but only in strength. Not in brains.
"Oh, Tsuru. What's your take?"
Silas studied her. He knew she was a spy. That was exactly why he was curious.
"Right now, our biggest problem is that they're in the dark, and we're in the light. Once we accept the eleven nations, they'll all be targets—laid out on a table."
"We might need to think about which nations the World Government will attack."
"But I don't think we need to."
Tsuru paused, then spoke slowly, deliberately:
"The World Government will attack all of them."
Silas didn't want to admit it, but if the World Government was as ruthless as she now believed, that outcome was almost certain.
"The other ten nations are secondary. Steel Nation Goldenstein—the core of this rebellion—will be their main target."
"Moreover…"
"We still have Miss Ripley, don't we?"
Her words snapped the dreamers back to reality.
Of the eleven nations, only three were medium-sized. The rest were small—barely nations at all.
Sphinx, with 300,000 people, was already tiny.
Some of these nations had fewer than 100,000 residents.
They weren't nations. They were towns—protected only by the sea and their tribute payments.
The White Wolf Pirates didn't have the manpower to defend them all.
If they couldn't protect them separately…
Why not gather them together?
If a war was coming—and it was—then the best move was to choose the battlefield.
"First, contact Goldenstein. Tell them we'll accept their allegiance, but we need time to prepare."
The longer the delay, the better.
But the World Government's spies weren't idle.
If they confirmed the news and moved slowly, the allied kings might face execution. If the current rulers wouldn't submit, the World Government would replace them with puppets.
"Roy, take Newgate, Shiki, and Zephyr to Goldenstein. Before the giants arrive, protect the kings—especially Goldenstein's."
"Lily, handle the newspapers."
"Ripley, besides the three largest nations, prepare evacuation for the other eight. Dean and his fishmen will assist you."
"Toki, Stussy, Kureha—you three handle logistics."
"Ed, Sphinx is yours!"
This was the largest operation the White Wolf Pirates had ever attempted. Every veteran was deployed.
"As for Linlin and Tsuru—you two come with me."
Linlin didn't react. But Tsuru's heart jumped.
This meant Silas trusted her.
She should've been happy.
But knowing Silas's reputation, her mind raced. What was his real motive?
Silas had no time for such thoughts.
He was stretched thin. If Rocks hadn't left, he'd drag him back into service.
The confirmed intelligence:
After a year of preparation, the World Government's Seven Warlords of the Sea were fully assembled.
190 million: "Gladiator" Oba
210 million: "Demon" Willard
205 million: "Black Scorpion" Padrick
200 million: "Blood Axe" Ferukt
230 million: "Plague" Davenport
220 million: "Twins"
250 million: "Storm" Xilos
Seven pirates—recruited by the World Government. Silas had fought half of them. All were elite New World powerhouses.
Bounty inflation had made 200 million common, but these were the original bounties—the real measure of power.
Pirates at this level could trade blows with Admirals.
Silas didn't fear them.
But the rest of his crew? Even Ripley and Newgate would struggle against any one of them.
Being chosen by the World Government meant they were already among the sea's most dangerous.
"I thought that Floyd kid would've been a Warlord too."
"Haha, only Captain could call him that on these seas."
Ed laughed.
Floyd was younger than Silas, but their crews had a decent relationship. Once, people said "Mad Lion" Floyd would surpass "White Wolf" Silas—the next great pirate legend.
But in the end, Floyd never crossed that threshold.
Like Silas once was, he'd been blocked at the door of legend.
"How is he now?"
"Captured."
"By whom?"
"Admiral Kong."
Ed downed his wine.
"He's not the type to submit. Making him call someone 'King' is harder than killing him."
"Shame."
Silas shook his head. He and Floyd weren't close, but Ed was. Two pirate crews—more rivals than friends.
Floyd was definitely in Impel Down now.
They couldn't spare the manpower…
But breaking Impel Down would distract the Marines. And for Ripley, with her size-changing ability? It'd be easy.
The thought flickered and died.
The prisoners in Impel Down—some might be innocent. But releasing nine criminals to save one good man? That wasn't his way.
As much as he hated some Marine actions, he couldn't deny their role in keeping the world from chaos.
Besides…
The Marines had a new Admiral.
Rona's vacancy had been filled in under two years.
How strong was this new Admiral? They'd find out in battle.
But the speed of the replacement proved something.
Top-tier fighters were rare. But the World Government? They could find several with a single search.
This wasn't just about filling a seat.
They'd also recruited several new Admiral candidates.
The Five Elders might've wanted to weaken the Marines…
But Silas's rise changed everything.
If the Marines couldn't fight…
Silas would keep spitting on their heads.
At least the so-called noble Five Elders didn't want daily brawls with that brute.
Silas prepared.
The World Government prepared.
Silas wanted victory at minimal cost.
The World Government?
They just wanted to crush Silas—and restore their dignity.
But they never imagined…
They usually controlled the news.
This time?
Silas struck first.
Public opinion exploded.
The World Government was pushed to the edge.
[Withdrawing from Allied Nations Is Evil? Counting the World Government's Crimes Over the Years!]
[Goldenstein King: I Only Did What Every Man Should Do.]
[Paying Heavenly Tribute Doesn't Equal Protection—Do You Understand Your Heavenly Tribute?]
Rumors spread before the World Government could react.
Suddenly, they were trapped.
Eleven nations united in accusation.
By the time the World Government moved to control the narrative…
The tide had already turned.
And the final blow came a month later—from the Grand Line's first half.
Magra Kingdom.
Evil Omen's Son, Rocks D. Xebec.
Half a month ago, he'd defeated a high-ranking CP leader in direct combat.
The news was vague.
The real details came through White Wolf Pirates' channels.
When it broke, the world trembled.
Silas had killed an Admiral.
Now Rocks had beaten a CP leader—someone said to rival Admirals in power.
After two years, Rocks's bounty was updated.
Even his epithet changed.
Evil Wolf's Fangs, "Evil Omen" Rocks D. Xebec.
Bounty: 333 million Berry!