Crocodile showing up during this period... there was only one scenario Wright could think of: the Pirates Festival era.
But Douglas Bullet had already been personally eliminated by Wright in Impel Down two years ago. And lately, there hadn't been a single whisper about the Pirates Festival or its organizer, Buena Festa.
Could it be that the Navy's expanded control over the New World had become so formidable that the rats hiding in the sewers no longer dared to stir up trouble?
If so, that was certainly good news.
Still, with Crocodile and Moria, two former Warlords of the Sea, resurfacing now, it was almost certain that their objective remained linked to the Pirate King.
The location of Laugh Tale, and the Road Poneglyphs pointing the way there—these were things most pirates knew nothing about.
But someone like Crocodile, that conniving croc, or Moria, who could force even the dead to speak, wouldn't find it difficult to get their hands on clues like these. Wright wouldn't be the least bit surprised.
After the Navy Headquarters crushed Totto Land, the Road Poneglyph in Big Mom's possession had naturally fallen into the Navy's hands.
But unlike most Yonko territories, Totto Land's primary defense force wasn't composed of pirates—it was the Homies, animated soldiers made from the powers of the Soul-Soul Fruit.
And so, with Big Mom dead, the Homies she created reverted into nothing more than ordinary chess pieces—lifeless and incapable of leaking any secrets.
As for the pirates once stationed at Whole Cake Island, most of them perished when the castle collapsed. Admiral Fujitora led the troops to take over the ruins, and later transferred authority to Admiral Aokiji. The chances of any leaks were practically nonexistent.
At present, the invaluable Road Poneglyph, along with another historical Poneglyph, was being securely stored in the Marine Secret Science Laboratory's vault.
Apart from the Revolutionary Army, who had inherited Big Mom's intelligence network, only the Straw Hat Pirates—carried by a string of personal connections—possessed a rubbing of that stone.
Wright already knew this from Reiju, who had personally reported it to him. But no one else knew!
Even after pondering for a while, Wright couldn't quite determine why these three groups were converging on the same location.
Could it really be… an Eternal Pose to Laugh Tale?
If that were the case, the two ex-Warlords might try to fight over it. But Luffy? He wouldn't go after something like that.
Still, the situation served as a wake-up call for Wright. The Great Pirate Era had evolved into something far different from what it once was. One of his greatest advantages—foresight—was now on the verge of being overtaken by the times.
Yet even now, with the foundations he'd built, nothing could truly stand in his way.
"Unexpected twists every now and then... they do keep things interesting."
Wright chuckled to himself and returned to work.
Preparations for the Reverie were still underway, and Wright had just wrapped up another matter—namely, Katakuri's induction into the Seven Warlords of the Sea, and the postwar handling of the Big Mom Pirates' remnants.
Jinbe had officially become a Vice Admiral of Navy Headquarters and was now the Commander of the Fang of the Sea Beasts corps, tasked with leading all underwater operations. In this time, the Navy's combat power had expanded dramatically.
Previously, while Wright was still serving as Admiral, Jinbe had held the unique role of Admiral's Special Advisor. But after Wright's promotion to Fleet Admiral, Jinbe had only retained the corps commander role and his nominal Warlord title.
For two years, Jinbe had led a full Marine corps without an official rank—an awkward arrangement, even if the circumstances warranted it.
But with the Warlords' numbers stretched thin, Jinbe had no choice but to continue holding onto a title that had lost most of its meaning.
Now, with Katakuri joining the ranks, Jinbe was finally free to step into his rightful role.
This had always been part of Wright's plan from the moment he discovered Big Mom's deepest secret.
Most of Big Mom's children had died at the hands of Carmel.
To date, only six people knew the truth—Wright, Sakazuki, Issho, Ace, Katakuri, and Morgans.
Katakuri, the lone survivor of the battlefield, was someone who held family above all else. If not for Linlin's final words—her last wish as a mother—he might have fallen apart entirely.
But her final words, the dying wish of his true mother, gave Katakuri the strength to rise again. He had to bear the responsibility of leading the Charlotte family as its new patriarch.
Faced with three Admirals, an evenly matched Ace, and the complete fall of Totto Land, Katakuri realized the only way he could fulfill that duty was...
To defect—at least temporarily.
To join the side of the World Government and Navy—as a Warlord of the Sea.
When he brought up the idea to Wright, the Fleet Admiral wasn't surprised. It was clearly the best available option. But Wright had also noticed something else—another hidden motive behind Katakuri's decision.
Beneath the ruins of Whole Cake Island, Wright's eyes had glowed with golden light as he stared down at Katakuri—
The man's soul was badly scarred, and the series of traumatic events had left him mentally fragile.
In that moment, Wright's Observation Haki had picked up the faint currents of Katakuri's thoughts.
He wanted revenge—on the World Government.
Carmel was already dead. And the Navy's past crimes from a century ago had been brought to justice—by Wright himself.
Now, all that remained for Katakuri was to slip into the Government's ranks and wait for the moment to strike back.
"You don't need to take down a Warlord."
That day, Wright had offered his proposal:
"I've been looking for someone to take Jinbe's spot so he can officially join the Navy. If you're volunteering, I'd be glad to have you."
Katakuri's eyes widened in disbelief, but Wright continued without missing a beat:
"I'll submit a request directly to the Five Elders. Given your strength, your symbolic value, and your stated reason for joining the Warlords, those old bastards should approve."
"..."
Katakuri immediately picked up on Wright's deliberate choice of words—the Five Elders… those old bastards…
He calmed himself.
He knows my true goal.
So this is the man...
A spark of realization flickered within Katakuri. Looking back, perhaps since the generation of the last two Fleet Admirals, the relationship between the World Government and the Navy had already begun to shift.
Justice and order—at some point, the ideals pursued by the Navy and the control sought by the Government had started to diverge.
And now, under Wright's leadership, that divide had become unmistakable.
At forty-eight years old, Katakuri had always been known for his composure and intellect. Now, freed from Big Mom's shadow, it was as if a veil had been lifted. Suddenly, the world made a little more sense.
So, he agreed to Wright's offer. Wright, in turn, designated the island Katakuri had once garrisoned under Totto Land—Wheat Island—as his new base of operations as a Warlord.
Having brought his surviving siblings out of Impel Down, Katakuri returned to Wheat Island and began gathering the remnants of the Big Mom Pirates.
Now, their task was simple:
Rest and recuperate.
And when the time came, Fleet Admiral Wright would personally show him the next step.
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