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Several days passed in a flash.
[The Warlords Defeated!]
[The World's Most Beautiful Woman Becomes a Prisoner!]
[The Pirate Empress's Misery!]
The latest issue of the newspaper was released, and the news of the Pirate Empress Boa Hancock being captured by the Beast Pirates quickly spread throughout the world.
Her miserable photos from inside the prison cell saddened and angered countless men who admired her, making them wish they could immediately go rescue Hancock.
A certain sea restaurant in the East Blue.
"Why!"
A man held a plate, his face covered in tears.
"My little Hancock-chan!"
"Your crying is annoying!"
The restaurant staff cursed loudly.
This guy had been crying for a whole day after seeing the newspaper.
Flames erupted in the man's eyes!
"That damned Daichi the Destroyer, to do such an excessive thing to the beautiful and charming Lady Hancock, I will absolutely not forgive him!"
"You're envious of Daichi the Destroyer, aren't you?"
His companions sneered. "With such a beautiful woman falling into the hands of pirates, just imagine what could happen."
"Shut up!"
Similar situations occurred all over the world. As the world's most beautiful woman, countless men had her posters in their rooms, deeply adoring her.
But it was all talk and no action.
It was the Beast Pirates who had imprisoned the Pirate Empress. No matter how much courage they had, they wouldn't dare to rescue her. Even daring to say a few words was commendable courage.
Sabaody Archipelago, Grove 17.
Shakky's Rip-off Bar.
"Hancock."
"She provoked someone she shouldn't have."
Rayleigh looked at the newspaper, his eyes full of worry.
Shakky, behind the bar, also had a cigarette dangling from her lips, her face filled with worry. As the Pirate Empress from two generations ago, Kuja was her hometown, so seeing Hancock in trouble, she naturally wanted to rescue her.
But of all people to provoke, she provoked the Beast Pirates.
Not long ago, when Shanks passed through Sabaody Archipelago, he visited them and also talked about the Battle of Hachinosu.
That Daichi the Destroyer was very strong.
Moreover, he was in the Beast Pirates' territory.
Rayleigh took a gulp of his drink.
Even if he was the legendary Dark King, the possibility of successfully rescuing Hancock from the Beast Pirates' main base was almost zero.
A long silence ensued.
Shakky finished a cigarette and sighed. "The Beast Pirates want the World Government to strip Hancock of her Warlord title, don't they?"
"Mhm."
Rayleigh nodded slightly.
As a Warlord, once defeated, it means the title will be stripped. The Beast Pirates likely released this news for that purpose.
Losing a Warlord was also a significant loss for the World Government, and it would take a lot of time to find a successor.
This way, Hancock would become an ordinary pirate, and given Kaido's style, it was highly likely he would want to bring her under his command.
"At least Hancock is still alive."
The two comforted themselves inwardly.
If the Beast Pirates wanted to kill Hancock, then what they would have seen wouldn't be news of her imprisonment, but news of Hancock's death.
Therefore, Hancock was temporarily safe.
Rayleigh put down his glass and stood up.
"Shakky, I'll go for a trip!"
"Don't be reckless!"
"Don't worry, I won't act rashly."
Rayleigh shook his head. "I'm just a coating mechanic now, not that conspicuous. I heard the atmosphere in Labor Country is good, I'll blend in and gather some information."
"I'll go with you."
Shakky lit another cigarette.
"When it comes to gathering information, I'm a hundred times better than you."
"Then I thank you."
Marine Headquarters, Fleet Admiral's office.
"Sorry, Fleet Admiral Sengoku!"
Dalmatian and Doll lowered their heads, apologizing remorsefully.
If they could have stopped Hancock, things wouldn't have come to this. The capture of a Warlord also affected the World Government's prestige.
"It's not your fault."
Sengoku shook his head.
It wasn't surprising what that Pirate Empress did, one could only say she ran into a tough opponent this time.
The biggest problem now was still the Beast Pirates.
Sengoku rubbed his forehead, a headache coming on, as the scene of his conversation with the Five Elders several days ago flashed in his mind, making his mood even heavier.
"If the Marines go all out, what percentage of certainty do we have in eliminating the Beast Pirates?"
"Thirty percent!"
Only thirty percent certainty!
Offense and defense were different.
Wano Country was located deep within the New World and was a natural fortress. Warships found it difficult to climb the waterfalls to attack Wano Country, making it hard to leverage a numerical advantage in troops.
And there was Kaido!
Even he and Garp had no confidence in defeating Kaido. He was in his prime, at his peak.
The title of "Strongest" was earned through battle!
In this era, Kaido might truly be the strongest.
Not only that, the New World was pirate territory. If the entire Marine force mobilized, restless pirates were likely to seize the opportunity to attack.
Even if they targeted the fortress the Beast Pirates were building, it would be useless. A destroyed fortress could be rebuilt, at most delaying them for a while.
The Marines could not afford the cost.
Moreover, if the Marines failed, the entire world would fall into turmoil, potentially even shaking the World Government's rule.
The risk was too great.
Several days passed, and the Holy Land had yet to issue an order. Clearly, they didn't dare to gamble, nor could they afford to.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku!"
Brannew arrived outside the office.
"The World Government has just issued an order, officially stripping the Pirate Empress Boa Hancock of her Warlord title!"
Sengoku took a deep breath.
At this critical juncture, abandoning the Pirate Empress was unwise, as it would cause dissatisfaction among the other Warlords. After all, the Empress provoked the Beast Pirates because of the World Government's orders.
However, the news of the Empress's defeat had already spread throughout the world. To maintain its own prestige, the World Government had no choice but to do this.
Holy Land Mary Geoise.
Power Hall.
The Five Elders all had grim expressions on their faces.
"That man's ability could very well become the greatest threat to the Holy Land!"
"We never imagined there would be a special ability to reclaim land from the sea in this world, yet we knew nothing about it!"
"[God of the Earth] Groudon!"
"Even more terrifying than Nika!"
"Sun God" Nika, the warrior of liberation.
The enemy that God feared most!
But now, an existence even more terrifying than Nika had appeared.
"Daichi the Destroyer!"
Nika was, after all, just a legend, and it was uncertain if he truly existed. But the threat of Daichi the Destroyer was imminent, and he was even more terrifying than Nika.
Barring any unforeseen circumstances, in a few years, the sea level would rise to submerge all islands, and only the Holy Land located on the Red Line and the slaves subservient to them would be spared.
At that time, they would create a new world.
But now the situation had changed!
Daichi the Destroyer, who could create continents, had broken the fate of the world's impending destruction. The continents created by Daichi the Destroyer would become the hope of the ants!
In other words, Daichi the Destroyer would become the God of the lower ants!
This was absolutely unacceptable!
Unstable factors must be eliminated!
However, Daichi the Destroyer's power was no longer that of an ant that could be easily crushed. The cost of eliminating him was something they could not bear.
"Lord Imu has commanded us to wait a few more years."
"You mean..."
"According to Vegapunk's report, the Mother Flame will be born in three more years!"
With the Mother Flame as an energy source, the Ancient Weapons could be activated. Even Wano Country, where Kaido resided, could be annihilated with a single strike!
"Before that, we must also try every method to eliminate Daichi the Destroyer!"
"I have a proposal!"