Saint Louis Island was a super-large island. Besides the Christi Kingdom, which occupied most of the island, there were three other nations that had split from the original Christi Kingdom.
Their territories were connected and located in the eastern part of Saint Louis Island, jointly resisting the Christi Kingdom.
These three countries were the Lock Kingdom, the Ser Kingdom, and the Moore Kingdom. It was worth mentioning that there had originally been only two kingdoms that rebelled and became independent, but one of them later split into two due to a succession dispute.
Teach did not care much about these three kingdoms. He could easily eliminate them. As long as the royal families and nobles of those nations were dealt with, the Christi Kingdom's power would be more than enough to subdue the rest.
Flying through the sky, Teach looked down at the land passing beneath him. A map of the Christi Kingdom appeared in his mind as he calculated his current position.
His destination was Gretel, the capital of the Christi Kingdom, known as the "Light of Christ."
The city was not located in the center of the kingdom but toward the west. Because of this geographical imbalance, the royal family's control over the eastern region of Saint Louis Island had always been weaker, giving the rebel kingdoms an opportunity to rise.
Saint Louis Island truly lived up to its reputation as a spring island. As Teach flew overhead, beautiful scenery stretched endlessly below him, making the island seem like a shining pearl within the harsh environment of the New World.
Late that night, Gretel, this prosperous and beautiful city, welcomed an uninvited guest.
At the royal palace in the center of the capital, King Christi Merlot was working through state affairs in his study.
Recently, the kingdom had been overwhelmed with matters. The Christi Kingdom was on the brink of war with the other three nations, and countless preparations needed to be handled.
Although the war had not officially begun, the smoke of conflict had already started to spread.
Residents living near the kingdom's borders had begun migrating inland to avoid being caught in a war that could break out at any moment.
The primary reason behind the looming war was the new king of the Ser Kingdom, who was known for being a warmonger.
Among the three nations, the Ser Kingdom possessed the smallest territory and had long desired expansion.
After ascending the throne, the new king began actively preparing for war. His actions alarmed the other kingdoms, which also began strengthening their military preparations.
There had always been friction among the four nations, but when it came to the Christi Kingdom, the other three were generally united.
If they wanted to expand their territories, their eyes would naturally fall upon the Christi Kingdom, which controlled the largest portion of Saint Louis Island.
However, the King of the Ser Kingdom clearly understood that a single nation could never shake the massive power of the Christi Kingdom.
Thus, the idea of forming an alliance with the other two nations emerged. With the alliance treaty that already existed between them, the decision was made quickly.
The three kings all had ambitions. Wanting to expand territory was entirely natural.
Faced with the actions of the Three Kingdoms Alliance, the Christi Kingdom had no choice but to prepare for war.
At forty years old, King Merlot was in his prime. Sitting behind his desk, he carefully reviewed the documents before him.
Security within the palace was extremely strict. Guards patrolled the exterior constantly, making the royal palace one of the safest places in the kingdom.
Suddenly, the tightly closed window burst open.
A cold gust of wind rushed into the room. Although Saint Louis Island was a spring island, the deep night air still carried a chill.
The curtains danced wildly as the wind swept through the chamber.
Several sheets of paper were blown off the desk. Reacting quickly, Merlot pressed down on the remaining documents with one hand and placed a heavy object on top of them.
He frowned slightly.
Something about the wind felt strange.
Why would a locked window suddenly open? In all his years living here, such a thing had never happened.
Still, he did not dwell on it for long. Pulling his night robe tighter around himself, he stood up, walked over, closed the window again, and locked it.
When he turned around, his pupils shrank sharply.
Two figures had appeared inside the room.
Merlot instinctively opened his mouth to shout.
This was his private chamber, deep within the royal palace. It was arguably the safest place in the entire kingdom, yet someone had infiltrated it without triggering any alarm or warning.
But the shout never came.
He froze.
Because he had already recognized the two men standing in his room.
The "Dark Emperor," Marshall D. Teach, captain of the Nightfall Pirates.
And Baron Redyat, the vice-captain of the Nightfall Pirates.
As the king of the Christi Kingdom, the largest nation in the Sageros Sea, Merlot was naturally familiar with the situation in the surrounding waters.
Especially after the Sageros Sea had been declared the territory of the Nightfall Pirates.
But why were Teach and Redyat here?
And why inside his room?
Weren't they supposed to be dealing with the pirates operating in the region?
These thoughts flashed through Merlot's mind in an instant. Still, he quickly realized one thing.
They had come to see him.
Suppressing his instinct to shout, Merlot forced himself to calm down. He took a slow breath and steadied his nerves.
Because he knew very well that the strength of these two men was such that even if the entire Christi Kingdom united against them, they would stand no chance.
In the New World, the terror of such power was widely understood.
Teach and Redyat silently observed the King of the Christi Kingdom.
Merlot possessed a sturdy physique that clearly showed regular training. In the New World, strength was everything.
In Teach's eyes, Merlot's strength roughly equaled that of a Navy Captain. That was already impressive by ordinary standards.
But in the New World, such strength barely qualified someone as noteworthy.
At best, he could be described as a slightly larger ant.
Many kings in the New World possessed some level of personal power. For example, the King of the Prodence Kingdom possessed the secret technique known as the King Punch, capable of destroying an enemy fortress with a single strike.
It was rumored that even a Yonko could be killed instantly if struck directly by that attack, earning it the reputation of a natural weapon of mass destruction.
Of course, the Four Emperors had only recently risen to prominence, and such exaggerated claims had not yet spread widely.
To true monsters of the sea, the idea was almost laughable.
Still, the attack's destructive power was undeniably formidable. Possessing such strength could indeed qualify someone as a strong fighter in the New World.
The King of Dressrosa was also no weakling. Years of fighting pirates, participating in wars, and enduring harsh battles had forged capable rulers.
Although in the New World, even such strength was considered only average.
"It is truly unexpected to see you here, Your Excellency Dark Emperor. May I ask what brings you to me?"
King Merlot straightened his posture. His tone was respectful but not submissive.
Before speaking, he even gave Redyat a slight bow.
Inside, however, his thoughts raced. Why had Teach come to the Christi Kingdom? What did the Nightfall Pirates want?
"Haha… King Merlot."
Teach smiled and took a step forward.
The crisp sound of his footsteps echoed in the quiet room, causing Merlot's heart to tremble slightly.
As Teach slowly approached, Merlot felt his heartbeat pounding in his chest.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
His fists clenched involuntarily.
Teach's aura was overwhelming.
As a king, Merlot himself possessed a certain commanding presence. But compared to Teach's oppressive aura, the difference was like heaven and earth.
By the time he regained his composure, Teach was already standing directly in front of him.
Merlot's back was soaked in cold sweat.
"I want the entire Saint Louis Island to become the base of the Nightfall Pirates."
Teach spoke bluntly, without the slightest attempt to hide his intentions.
His tall frame loomed over the king as he looked down with a predator's gaze.
The moment those words entered Merlot's ears, it felt as if the air in the room had frozen.
His pupils shrank violently.
For a brief moment, his mind went completely blank.
In his earlier assumptions, the Nightfall Pirates might ask for manpower, resources, treasure, or perhaps a portion of territory.
He had considered all of those possibilities.
But he had never imagined that their ambition would be this enormous.
They wanted the entire Saint Louis Island.
The shock was overwhelming.
Merlot stared blankly at Teach, his body trembling slightly.
A pirate ruling an island of this size?
Entrusting millions of lives to pirates?
How could pirates govern a country?
He could hardly imagine such a scenario.
Yet even in his shock, Merlot suddenly realized something.
There was still room for negotiation.
With the power of the Nightfall Pirates, if they truly intended to seize Saint Louis Island by force, there would have been no need to inform him.
They could simply invade and occupy the island outright.
The fact that Teach had come to speak with him meant something.
As a capable king, Merlot forced himself to remain rational.
Refusal was not an option.
He knew that very clearly.
Rejecting Teach would mean death.
His own life was not important. But he had a wife, children, and countless citizens under his rule.
Still, within this situation, negotiation might be possible.
The Nightfall Pirates were not a chaotic pirate crew that ruled through pure brutality. The nearby city of Mosstima had already proven their administrative ability through its excellent planning and management.
Teach himself had not reached this position through brute strength alone.
Wisdom played a role as well.
A violent takeover of Saint Louis Island would be the most foolish method.
Now Merlot understood why Teach had personally come to him.
"Your Excellency Dark Emperor… please give me some time," Merlot said, lowering his head slightly. "This is not a decision I can make alone."
"All right. I'll give you time."
Teach nodded, narrowing his eyes.
"These are the specific terms. Take a look."
Raising his hand, Teach activated his ability. Several sheets of paper emerged from a dark vortex and fell neatly into his palm.
He handed them to Merlot.
Teach could afford to wait. Even if the Nightfall Pirates occupied Saint Louis Island, they would still require the cooperation and administrative structure of the Christi Kingdom.
That much was inevitable.
Merlot accepted the documents and skimmed through them briefly.
Without even changing his clothes, he immediately turned and left the room.
The palace doors swung open.
The guards stationed outside were stunned when they saw the king rush out in such a state.
"Your Majesty… what is happening?"
"Quickly," Merlot said in a deep voice. "Notify the ministers immediately. Tell them to come to the palace for an emergency council meeting. It's a matter of utmost importance."
Without waiting for further questions, he strode toward the council chamber.
Seeing the seriousness in the king's expression, the guards quickly sprang into action.
One by one, the kingdom's ministers were awakened in the middle of the night and rushed to the palace.
Being summoned to the royal conference room at such an hour had never happened before.
Along the way, each minister wondered what disaster had occurred to make the king call them so urgently.
By the time they arrived, King Merlot was already seated inside the chamber, dressed in formal attire.
A king had to maintain his dignity.
Eight ministers were present. These were the most important core officials of the kingdom.
Others had not been summoned to avoid information leaks.
More importantly, these eight men were the true decision-makers of the Christi Kingdom. The opinions of lesser officials were meaningless in matters like this.
"Please sit," Merlot said.
The ministers took their seats.
"Your Majesty, what has happened?" one minister asked anxiously. "Has the Three Kingdoms Alliance already attacked?"
"No."
Merlot shook his head.
He looked at the ministers, his expression complicated.
"This concerns the future of our kingdom… and our own futures as well."
He paused.
"But I cannot yet say what that future will look like."
"Our decision tonight will determine the fate of the entire Saint Louis Island."
His words carried immense weight.
The ministers felt a sudden pressure descend upon them.
They still had no idea what had happened.
"Your Majesty, please tell us quickly," said an elderly minister. "This old heart of mine cannot endure the suspense."
Merlot sighed.
He picked up the documents on the table and handed them to the nearest minister.
"Read this," he said quietly.
"You will understand."
"Pass it along one by one. Do not speak while reading."
"Once everyone has finished… we will discuss it together."
These were the documents Teach had given him.
Before the ministers arrived, Merlot had already read them three times.
Every word had weighed heavily on his mind.
This was not a decision he could make alone.
It concerned the fate of the entire kingdom. The lives of countless people.
He needed others to share the burden.
And perhaps, together, they could find the right path forward.
Because he truly did not know whether what lay ahead would be salvation…
or ruin.