The Five Elders didn't press for all the details. That was the unspoken rule between them. Since this was the kind of cooperation they had agreed to, neither side was going to lay everything out in advance.
The resources in their hands would be handed over bit by bit, while the other side's intel would also be shared piece by piece. That was the bargaining chip for their exchange.
In truth, the Five Elders didn't like this kind of arrangement. Back before the world started to spiral out of control, they almost never had to trade at this level with other powers. After all, as the highest authority, the World Government still had the world firmly in their grip.
But thirty years later, they would even have to worry about angering Kaido, one of the Four Emperors. It wasn't just because of Kaido's overwhelming strength, but also because by then the times had slipped from their control. Roger's last words before his death had set the world ablaze, and the Five Elders had no choice but to put away their usual arrogance.
This time, however, was an exception—because it was Imu's direct order. To understand where the world was headed, Imu wanted more information. Even if it meant the five of them losing some face, it didn't matter much.
To them, Marine HQ was only the outer face of the World Government. But they also knew that the World Government itself was only the outer face of Imu.
"The Black Order is already set in motion. Makima's growth can now officially begin." Genichi had pulled all of his clones' visions back into his own eyes. One of the most critical steps was now on track. The next move was finding a chance to take back the two Shikon Jewel shards that the World Government was holding.
The Shikon Jewel was like money. It had to flow, or at least be put to use. Keeping shards locked away, like the World Government was doing, was nothing but a waste of their value. Money only has meaning when it circulates; if it's just stored and never spent, it's no different from a pile of useless paper.
The problem was, Genichi didn't yet have the right kind of character who could directly take those shards from the World Government. Marine HQ was too close to their power center—any disturbance and an admiral would be dispatched immediately. And more importantly, no one really knew what trump cards the World Government had built up over its 800 years of rule.
For now, it was better to wait. He didn't need someone overly powerful, because even the Four Emperors couldn't break into Pangaea Castle. What he needed was someone special enough, someone with a strange enough ability.
Take Yako Miasma, for example. But the problem with him was that both his stand and himself weren't very strong, meaning he could be sensed by those with strong Observation Haki. Just like Genichi had said before—this world would never allow a truly invincible power.
Any ability below the one-hundred-million negative emotion level would always be limited by the world itself. Once the world adapted to that character's rules, its own power would naturally produce a counter.
That was why Yako Miasma could be detected by Observation Haki, and Makima's control turned into a twisted version of Conqueror's Haki, something that Haki could at least partially resist.
Of course, sensing Yako Miasma wasn't something ordinary Observation Haki users could do. Unfortunately, Pangaea Castle likely wasn't short on experts.
"I really wonder if the three legendary pirates will even exist in this world's future."
At that moment, Genichi kept his eyes fixed on the New World's situation—especially Garp's movements through his "radar." Because right now, Garp's actions would decide Shiki's fate.
After Shiki destroyed Zephyr's fleet, Marine HQ struck back. Admiral Zephyr and Vice Admiral Garp led their fleet to hunt pirates, while at the same time, the Thunder God had already set sail again toward the New World.
At the final stage of the negotiations, the Five Elders had handed Makima a document. And in it was the current location of Garp and Zephyr!
The meaning couldn't have been clearer…
Help the Marines take Shiki the Golden Lion's head! That was their answer to Shiki's open provocation against the World Government's cooperation with demon hunters.
Shiki's attack on Zephyr's fleet was nothing short of spitting in the World Government's face. Until now, it had always been Marines chasing pirates, never the other way around. Even Rocks had only wiped out Marines who came for him.
Except for the God Valley incident where he planned to attack the Celestial Dragons, Rocks' actions had stayed just within what the World Government could tolerate. But now, Shiki's offense was being shifted onto the soon-to-be-formed Black Order.
The logic was simple: the Shikon Jewel shard was the symbol of their cooperation. For Shiki to target it wasn't just a slap to the World Government—it meant Makima had to take responsibility too.
The New World was filled with chaos. Even with Zephyr and Garp together, it wasn't certain they could capture Shiki on the open sea. But with Makima and the others joining in, as long as no outside forces interfered at a critical moment, success was guaranteed.
Genichi himself welcomed this mission. Of the three legends, Shiki was the least important to the world. He was even less relevant than Rocks. But despite that, he still had incredible combat power, making him perfect to turn into a puppet like the Thunder God.
Of course…
That was only if they could actually catch him.
"If we're going to fight, let's make it big," Genichi muttered softly. Another Shikon Jewel shard appeared in his hand. After the little demon dragon had finished his task, all his shards had been taken back.
Now, one of them would serve as bait.
It was easy to imagine that battles—or rather, wars—on the scale of God Valley would no longer be rare in the future.
As Genichi prepared for the wars ahead, the World Government released news about the Black Order.
The World Government had long maintained balance with its three main institutions: Marine HQ, Impel Down, and Enies Lobby. That system had lasted for countless years. But now, they suddenly announced a fourth—The Black Order. And…
Its headquarters would be in the New World!
The New World was the pirates' paradise. For the World Government to place its newest institution's headquarters there—what exactly were they planning?
Even though it would be at the entrance of the New World, on an island just below the Red Line, the island's old name no longer mattered. What mattered was that now, the World Government had officially renamed it to…
Lilith's Egg!
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