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The moment Brownie finished speaking, the Five Elders exchanged tense glances.
"So according to you," one of them finally said, "the Rocks Pirates have completely regrouped? Could it be… they've actually discovered the final clue to Uranus?"
The Five Elders fell into deep thought.
It was highly unlikely that the Rocks Pirates had found Poseidon—the Mermaid Princess capable of controlling Sea Kings had yet to be born.
Pluton was just as unlikely—the legendary warship, buried somewhere in the world, had evaded even the World Government's best efforts for centuries.
That left only one possibility—
The Rocks Pirates had discovered the Poneglyph detailing the location of Uranus.
And if that were true…
"Then they might actually acquire Uranus," one elder muttered grimly.
A heavy silence followed.
"Should we report this to Lord Imu?"
The eldest elder scoffed. "Report to Lord Imu? Don't be ridiculous. When Lord Imu engraved Uranus' final coordinates onto a Poneglyph, I'm certain she had already devised a countermeasure."
Though many believed Lord Imu had done so on a whim, there was no way she would be so careless.
If Lord Imu had left such an important clue behind, she must have accounted for this possibility.
"Brownie, continue monitoring the Rocks Pirates," another elder ordered. "If anything changes, report it to us immediately."
"Understood."
"Good. Now leave us."
Brownie bowed slightly before stepping out of the grand chamber.
The Five Elders sat in silence, deep in thought.
Had the Rocks Pirates truly obtained the final clue to Uranus?
If so…
They needed to act—fast.
---
Two Days Later—Underneath the Red Line
The Rocks Pirates' ship glided across the waves.
Before them stood an imposing red wall, towering so high into the sky that its top was completely shrouded in clouds.
Its crimson stone glowed in the sunlight, an eternal reminder of 800 years of World Government rule.
Mariejois.
The Holy Land.
A place no pirate had ever dared invade.
A place filled with monsters in human skin.
Charlotte Linlin stood at the bow of the ship, arms crossed, gazing up at the massive wall.
"We're finally here," she murmured.
Kaido, standing nearby, frowned.
"So… should we just climb up now?" he asked bluntly.
At his words, the others immediately turned to stare at him.
Ayr, Whitebeard, Shiki, and Linlin exchanged glances, eyes full of disbelief.
Kaido's innocent expression made them doubt if he had any intelligence at all.
"...Kaido," Shiki sighed, lighting a cigar. "Do you even know what kind of place Mariejois is?"
"Yeah, it's the headquarters of the World Government, right?" Kaido said, frowning.
"It's more than that," Whitebeard muttered.
The World Government wasn't just Naval Headquarters—it was the most powerful force in the world, having ruled for eight centuries.
Even Rocks himself didn't dare to challenge them head-on without a weapon strong enough to shatter the world's balance.
Yet Kaido was suggesting they casually break in?
"Kaido," Ayr said slowly, shaking his head. "If we break in now, we'll be dead before we take two steps inside."
Kaido's frown deepened.
"Then… when do we break in?"
This time, Ayr and the others couldn't help but look at him in disbelief.
Kaido… was seriously asking this question?
Even Ayr, who could see things with a godlike perspective, had always thought Kaido was a cunning, strategic fighter.
But looking at him now?
Kaido was nothing more than an impulsive, reckless kid.
Maybe the Kaido of the future—the one who had been beaten down by the world over and over—would become the calculating, disciplined warrior that he was known as.
But the Kaido of today?
Still a brash, clueless brat.
Charlotte Linlin suddenly clapped Kaido on the shoulder.
"Kaido, if you have that much energy to waste," she said with a grin, "why don't you train instead?"
Kaido blinked.
Then, without a word, he nodded and began training alone.
Watching him, Shiki chuckled.
"Linlin, that brat really listens to you," he said.
Charlotte Linlin smirked.
"Of course. After all, I rescued him from Hive Island," she said proudly.
During the Battle of Hive Island, when the World Government had nearly wiped out the Rocks Pirates, Ayr had only intended to save Whitebeard.
But Linlin had gone out of her way to rescue both Shiki and Kaido.
Now, Kaido followed her like a loyal subordinate.
Even back then, his talent had been clear as day.
Though not as insanely fast as Ayr's monstrous growth, Kaido's potential could not be ignored.
"Honestly, I'm a little jealous," Shiki muttered. "Having a guy like Kaido at your side is no small thing."
"Mamama…" Linlin let out a strange laugh. "You could say I saved him, and now he's paying me back."
Shiki scoffed.
"You keep acting like you're the only one who saved people," he muttered.
Linlin's smile darkened.
"What? You mean you don't owe me a favor, Shiki?" she said coldly.
Shiki crossed his arms.
"Strictly speaking, I owe Ayr a favor," he said bluntly. "Without him, all of us would've died on Hive Island."
Linlin's grin didn't fade.
"True… but I'm the one who saved you in the end, Shiki," she reminded him.
Shiki snorted but said nothing.
Linlin's smirk widened.
"If you don't pay me back, Shiki, I'll hunt you down to the ends of the earth."
Shiki sighed.
"Fine, fine," he muttered. "I'll repay the favor eventually. Just drop it, Linlin."
Linlin chuckled.
Shiki was an arrogant bastard, but even he knew how to return a favor.
And that was enough for now.
Ayr's Power—The Truth?
Suddenly, Whitebeard turned to Ayr.
"Ayr," he said, his voice low, "can you still use that power you had back in Hive Island?"
The air around them grew tense.
Everyone knew what Whitebeard was talking about.
During the Battle of Hive Island, Ayr had displayed an overwhelming power that had shocked the world.
Even Rocks himself had been wary of it.
Ayr had claimed he could only use it once—
But Whitebeard wasn't convinced.
If Ayr still had that power…
Then this mission to Mariejois would be far easier than expected.
All eyes turned to Ayr.
Would he tell them the truth?
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