Sphinx. Outer Island.
A year had passed since White Wolf Pirates veterans conducted their massive purge of Sphinx's internal spies. Even veterans accustomed to dealing with Marine and CP organization infiltration couldn't prevent wave after wave of new agents from slipping through.
But after infiltrating, the spies quickly realized Sphinx had changed. Intelligence about White Wolf Pirates had completely disappeared. Important industries, along with most Sphinx islanders, had vanished without a trace, leaving only guards, staff, and pirates.
The entire island had been physically divided into inner and outer regions. Without infiltrating the inner island, they couldn't grasp any firsthand intelligence about White Wolf Pirates.
This troubled recent intelligence agents immensely. Only Marine intelligence agents felt somewhat fortunate. Though they couldn't infiltrate Sphinx's inner island, they had people inside White Wolf Pirates. As long as materials moved between islands, they'd find ways to send messages inside.
"Cuckoo, reply if you receive!"
"Cuckoo, reply if you receive!"
Marine intelligence agents used special miniature Den Den Mushi, certain they'd successfully sent messages into Sphinx's inner island. But after sending messages for several months, they finally received a response.
"Cuckoo received."
Hearing the girl's voice from the Den Den Mushi, the Marine agents finally relaxed.
"Cuckoo, why no contact? Has White Wolf Pirates set sail recently? Any recent movements?"
A string of urgent questions revealed their recent predicament. Constant news of allied nations wanting to withdraw kept emerging. Nine parts false, one part true, ultimately testing their intelligence-gathering abilities.
Though they'd identified several nations definitely wanting to leave the World Government, who knew if more existed? The New World was obviously the disaster zone.
What gave these nations confidence to leave the World Government was White Wolf Pirates. Only after receiving their response would they dare directly oppose the World Government.
So rather than painstakingly investigating those nations, it's better to tackle the source. Since they had people planted in White Wolf Pirates, why not have that person directly tell them about the situation?
However, no one expected both spies planted in White Wolf Pirates to simultaneously lose contact, disappearing for half a year. Agents contacting them went numb, suspecting Silas had discovered and eliminated them.
Only recently did they receive news. White Wolf Pirates' main force had left Sphinx nine months ago, destination unknown, only recently returning.
This shocked them considerably. But they couldn't blame Cuckoo and Blackfish for not contacting them in a timely manner. When White Wolf Pirates left, it was right after the major purge. Marines had no way to plant personnel in Sphinx, naturally unable to contact them.
Cuckoo naturally referred to Tsuru. Cuckoos were birds that had others raise their offspring, representing Marines sending excellent soldiers to White Wolf Pirates, using them to train recruits.
However, Marines couldn't guarantee sent recruits wouldn't defect, so they kept a backup. They hadn't told Tsuru that White Wolf Pirates had more than one spy. If Tsuru truly defected, once her intelligence didn't match the other spy's, they'd easily discover discrepancies.
But they overestimated Zephyr and underestimated Tsuru.
Newly joined Zephyr, despite Marine training, was just a child under sixteen. So Tsuru, who'd been secretly observing other crew members, almost immediately noticed Zephyr's oddness.
Especially when White Wolf Pirates were about to leave the island, Zephyr's anxious expression was obvious at a glance. With just simple tests, Tsuru confirmed it. Zephyr, like herself, was a Marine spy planted in White Wolf Pirates.
But Zephyr's naive appearance made Tsuru suspect Marines sent him to confuse matters. Given White Wolf Silas's cunning, perhaps he'd already discovered Zephyr's true identity.
As for herself, Tsuru didn't know if she'd been discovered, but if truly discovered, given Silas's attitude, didn't that mean he didn't care whether she was a spy?
Tsuru didn't know if Zephyr had leaked intelligence, but after thinking, she still revealed some inconsequential matters.
"Previously, we left Sphinx and went to Wano Country."
"Wano Country!?" Once Tsuru spoke, the other side's voice raised eight octaves and then hastily asked, "What did White Wolf Silas do in Wano Country? Does he want to ally with them? Damn, if that's true, we're in trouble."
Trouble? Tsuru felt confused. Though Wano samurai indeed had some strength, it wasn't enough to make them panic, right? After all, Silas alone had suppressed all of Wano Country.
Marines seemed very afraid of White Wolf Pirates allying with Wano, but from Silas's attitude, he didn't seem to care about allying with Wano at all.
"I've received the message. You did well!" Perhaps not believing a trainee crew member could know more insider information, the contact quickly skipped this matter.
Compared to what was about to happen, Wano Country matters were completely irrelevant.
"Cuckoo, I need you to find out about allied nations. According to our intelligence, numerous allied nation members want to withdraw from the World Government and join the evil White Wolf Pirates!" The miniature Den Den Mushi contact said solemnly. "I hope you quickly collect this batch of allied nations' member lists. If we can't stop them, this incident might shake the government's foundation, causing worldwide turmoil."
The contact appealed to emotion and reason. He didn't know Tsuru had already participated in discussions about allied nations and even offered strategies before Silas, trying to reduce civilian casualties.
Right. In Tsuru's view, she spoke up to help Silas only to reduce civilian casualties, because once those eleven nations withdrew, the World Government would definitely retaliate. Then civilians would be hurt.
So Tsuru hoped to minimize the battlefield scope. Though this served White Wolf Pirates' interests, it also concentrated fighting between the World Government and White Wolf Pirates.
Because she didn't know if Zephyr had transmitted information, Tsuru didn't hide anything.
"I know that a group led by Steel Nation Goldenstein among allied nations plans to leave the government and seek White Wolf Pirates' protection."
Steel Nation would definitely be exposed, but Tsuru didn't mention the specific list. Unknowingly, Tsuru's trust in the World Government and Marines had long since eroded from initial levels.
Where did it start? Perhaps from the beginning, during her time as a slave, changes occurred.
Having joined Marines less than a year, what feelings could she have? She joined Marines with justice in her heart, but if Marines couldn't provide justice, why should she stay?
But now, Tsuru hadn't completely lost trust in Marines, so she still hesitated. Exposing a great nation like Goldenstein could prevent the World Government from focusing on weak, small nations.
'Those allied nations did nothing wrong. The World Government erred. Their exploitation of small nations and indulgence of Celestial Dragons ultimately caused this bitter fruit. If they truly awakened, they should reflect on themselves rather than seeking revenge when these nations withdraw in embarrassed fury.'
This was Tsuru's inner thought. As a party knowing the full story, she could confirm these nations wanted to withdraw not from White Wolf Pirates' instigation, but entirely from World Government responsibility.
These nations simply lacked backing, so they chose White Wolf Pirates. So however unwilling Tsuru's heart was, she had to admit that in this incident, the World Government wasn't the righteous side.
So even though she was still a Marine, she didn't want to help the World Government do evil. If these eleven nations' withdrawal could make the World Government reflect on past actions, surely that wouldn't be bad.
Tsuru didn't know that as a world regime born deformed, facing enemies daring to challenge them, besides striking with heavy fists, there'd be no second choice.
Especially after Rocks's news spread, the World Government truly couldn't sit still. Even though Harald and Rona allied with Silas, the World Government saw this as an insufficiently solid alliance.
Harald had his own nation and forces. Rona wanting to establish new Marines wasn't a secret. With slight manipulation, they could prevent Harald and Rona from moving.
But Rocks was different. As a new crew member first appearing on Silas's ship five years ago, Rocks's growth was almost traceable. From first appearing, barely fighting a Marine Vice Admiral to a draw, until now, frontally defeating a CP0 supreme leader.
This process took barely five years! How could this not shock the World Government?
Most importantly, Rocks was still a White Wolf Pirates crew member! Though Rocks had left White Wolf Pirates, few knew this, and no one would believe Rocks, practically raised by Silas, would easily break with him.
In that case, this meant White Wolf Pirates had a second top-tier fighter besides Silas.
Now, even the World Government had to take White Wolf Pirates' threat seriously. Top-tier fighters, Pure Gold, new recruits! Especially news of Silas possessing Pure Gold was no longer secret.
This meant if Silas wanted, he could spend one hundred or even two hundred years training enough strong fighters, assembling a true immortal army. By then, even if the World Government promised immortality to loyal top-tier fighters, over time, they couldn't contend with Silas.
Either don't fight, or directly kill White Wolf Pirates!
So intelligence was most important!
"Confirm White Wolf Silas is at Sphinx?"
While Silas prepared for those eleven nations to oppose the World Government, the World Government had already decided not to delay further.
The Holy Land of Mary Geoise.
The figure standing before the throne radiated overwhelming presence.
"Yes, already confirmed." The Five Elders knelt on one knee, heads bowed, showing submissive posture.
"First cut off White Wolf Silas's wings!" Giant Kingdom had already alerted them. Now at any disturbance, giants would hide like rabbits.
If they couldn't find White Wolf Pirates' location, even Sphinx, as their base, only left an expendable shell outside. They'd have already taken initiative, capturing White Wolf Pirates in one net.
Imu and the Five Elders truly didn't want personal action, but unfortunately Marines were too useless, while White Wolf Pirates genuinely threatened them, even attacking Mary Geoise.
One turmoil at Mary Geoise was enough.
"Since those allied nations want withdrawal, let them withdraw! Have the Seven Warlords and Marines prepare. Once confirming those nations' list, send Seven Warlords to attack, and have Marines surround Sphinx under the pretext of searching for White Wolf Pirates!"
Public opinion restricting Marines had fermented. Even the World Government couldn't have Marines attack allied nation members, even if "former" needed adding.
But besieging White Wolf Pirates posed no problem. Even if White Wolf Pirates outer island was just a shell, material movement was still necessary, right?
Worst case, despite losing face, as long as they could eliminate White Wolf Pirates, would those nations dare protest?
The World Government's attention indeed focused on larger nations led by Steel Nation, but allied nations were merely minor ailments. White Wolf Pirates was their mortal threat.
"Since they want an alliance with Wano Country, we'll destroy Wano first! Moreover, Wano samurai have decent martial prowess. This trip can both cut White Wolf Pirates' wings and increase our combat power."
They wouldn't make the same mistake as with Elbaf. This time, they didn't plan on giving White Wolf Pirates any chance to rescue Wano Country.
Sea news traveled slowly, especially for isolationist nations like Wano that lacked channels communicating with the outside.
So when Silas received news, it was already months later.
Wano Country was occupied by Celestial Dragons.
Kozuki Sukiyaki was captured.
Only a few hundred samurai escaped. All others became demons.
Before fighting began, Imu had given him a severe warning strike!