Karol sat at the side desk, taking off the receiver from his left ear and saying:
"Could it be that they're gathering strength?"
"After all, the next World Meeting isn't far off."
At the same time, his hands didn't stop, constantly dividing and categorizing the papers, recording some of the government's secrets.
The equipment on the table contained the recording storage device that had monitored the previous Fleet Admiral for several years.
Sakazuki shook his head.
"Probably not."
"The Revolutionary Army has spread itself too wide."
"Dragon is being pushed forward by circumstances."
"This sudden brake... seems like they've discovered some problems too."
"Probably trying to think of a way."
Karol thought for a moment.
"Problems, huh..."
"So what do we need to do?"
Sakazuki said:
"What do you think?"
Karol, thinking about the world situation, said:
"Do nothing?"
Sakazuki chuckled lightly.
"Then we do nothing..."
The world was now in a strange state.
The three major forces on the surface showed no open conflicts.
On the pirate side, the New World was in chaos.
Red-Haired Shanks was advancing with unstoppable momentum, just escaping from Charlotte Linlin's pursuit, stirring the seas.
Many followers rushed to join him, and the calls for Shanks to become an Emperor grew louder and louder.
If he really became a new Emperor...
The chaos in the New World would continue for several more years.
Because to become a new Emperor, you either defeat an Emperor outright, or carve flesh directly from the other three Emperors...
Whichever choice you made, chaos would continue...
On the government side, with eight hundred years of foundation and powerful intelligence capabilities, the Revolutionary Army's many hidden bases were constantly being uncovered.
Aside from a few suspected Revolutionary Army headquarters that remained hidden, all the other numerous minor bases were handed over to Marine Headquarters for Sengoku to keep under strict surveillance.
And after Sengoku discovered Dragon's identity and secretly informed Garp, he also forcibly suppressed the matter, choosing to remain inactive.
Meanwhile, the formation of the Marines' intelligence departments and special covert units, under the proposals of veterans like Zephyr and Ward Morris, had quietly been put on the agenda.
Sakazuki continued patrolling the Grand Line, while the hawkish Vice Admirals under his command kept launching attacks without pause, day after day, year after year.
On the Revolutionary Army's side, their rapid growth across the Four Seas suddenly came to a halt as they gathered strength.
Dragon racked his brain for a way to break the deadlock, but his plans to ignite a world revolution during the World Meeting still proceeded steadily and in order.
At the same time, at the Revolutionary Army headquarters, the seeds they had cultivated since childhood were quietly expanding their ranks.
Before anyone realized it, their numbers had already multiplied several times over...
...
Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
Strawberry, wearing casual clothes, was walking around the headquarters' town.
As Borsalino's direct subordinate, he really had too much free time...
"Strawberry."
Strawberry turned his head.
"Oh, it's you."
"Just back from a mission?"
Yamakaji still hadn't changed out of his uniform, with several soldiers following behind him.
"Yeah."
"Resting again, huh? Living so leisurely."
"Let's grab some drinks tonight."
Strawberry smiled.
"Sure."
Yamakaji thought of something and asked:
"Anyone else around headquarters?"
Different ranks had different circles.
Their circle was the group of Vice Admirals who had risen in recent years.
Strawberry smiled bitterly and shook his head.
"No one left."
"Doberman, Onigumo, Dalmatian—they're all under Admiral Sakazuki, constantly on missions, haven't been back in ages."
"Momonga was just appointed as the head of G-1 Branch. Won't be seeing much of him either."
"At headquarters right now, only Gion is around. Want me to invite her?"
"Everyone else is out on assignments, not here."
Yamakaji looked troubled.
"Ah—Gion, huh."
"Forget it then, just the two of us."
"I'm reporting in first."
"Six o'clock, same place."
Strawberry nodded.
"Alright."
...
New World, Steam Pirates' base.
Knock took the documents handed to him by his subordinates and flipped through them.
Beside him, the Steam Pirates' chief steward, the Glare-Glare Fruit user, spoke up.
"Red-Haired Shanks escaped Charlotte Linlin's pursuit."
"He's heading our way. Should we make any preparations?"
"After all, this guy's been getting rave reviews from those rats lately."
"They're practically hailing him as the new Emperor."
Knock flipped through Shanks' recent exploits, then tossed the papers aside casually.
"Ignore him."
"It's those two who are the real headache."
"Tell the men below—no conflicts. If they meet him, give him a token welcome, nothing more."
"So what if the rats crown him as the new Emperor?"
"It doesn't clash with our interests."
"After all, those rats' scattered territories are in those two's domains."
"We need an ally too."
The ties between Charlotte Linlin and Kaido were no secret, they could be traced back to the Rocks era, when they were on the same ship.
Even if they'd fallen out later over Kaido's rise to Emperor and territorial disputes,
Knock never made a move.
Without absolute certainty, absolute intelligence, he would never act.
That was Knock's style now.
Even as one of the Three Emperors, able to act recklessly, he never underestimated anyone.
It was precisely this cautious, steady approach that allowed him to gradually monopolize the New World's underworld trade, shutting out both Charlotte Linlin and Kaido.
Power was useful, but when it came to ruling, neither could compare to Knock.
After all, Knock had no dreams of building a nation of equality like Big Mom's Totto Land, or a free and equal world like Dragon's.
Knock had built his empire purely on the underworld.
Under his control were shipping, weapons, loans, slave trade, and countless well-trained subordinates managing nearly half the New World's arms trade...
He was already the undisputed No.1 force in the world's underworld...
...
Grand Line, Revolutionary Army Headquarters, Baltigo.
The young Sabo stood on the headquarters' rooftop, a steel pipe with a connector on his back, arms crossed.
A confident smile on his face, he watched the dense crowd of training children below.
These were all personally selected and transferred by Dragon recently.
Sabo nodded from time to time, full of satisfaction.
"These are our future."
Bang—
Out of nowhere, Koala appeared behind him and punched him on the head.
Knocking him off balance.
Sabo rubbed his head and turned around.
"What was that for, Koala?!"
Koala looked at him, exasperated.
"Dreaming again, huh?"
"Our future, you say. You think you're the Supreme Commander or something?"
Sabo pouted.
"Of course I wouldn't dare claim that, but..."
"Standing before you is the future Chief of Staff of the Revolutionary Army!!!"
He finished with a loud laugh.
Koala helplessly facepalmed.
At that moment, a tornado formed on the rooftop, taking shape...
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The fanfic is Finished on p@treon/tambeerg. 414 chapters in total