Bege quickly had the fainted maids carried away, then inquired about Modi and the others. They had all regained consciousness some time ago.
Since Bege hadn't woken up yet, Modi and the other core members had been waiting patiently in the main shrine complex. Now that Bege was awake, they eagerly rushed to see him.
"Bege! Did you really do it? Did you awaken Conqueror's Haki?" Moria asked excitedly, his usual eerie grin somehow wider.
The others suppressed their own bubbling excitement, their faces full of anticipation.
"Ahahaha! That's right, I awakened it!" Bege confirmed with a hearty laugh.
"Kishishishishi! As expected of my captain!" Moria cackled strangely.
"Conqueror's Haki... the mark of a natural-born king," Modi declared, clutching the hilt of his sword. He recalled Bege's bold ambitions from their younger days, his own expression hardening with renewed conviction. "Bege, I'll follow you all the way until you stand at the very pinnacle of the seas."
The rest of the crew erupted in excited cheers. They all understood the significance of Conqueror's Haki. They already believed Bege possessed the qualities to become a great pirate, perhaps even a hegemon of the seas, but successfully awakening this power cemented his potential in their eyes. For his followers, this was monumental.
"Don't celebrate too early," Bege cautioned, his voice sobering. "I might possess the disposition of a king, but strength reigns supreme on these seas. Without enough power, even someone with the disposition can fall. You all saw my spar with Rayleigh two days ago. We're still far from strong enough."
"Bege's right," Modi agreed solemnly. "Even he has a long way to go to reach the absolute top tier of fighters on the sea, let alone the rest of us. We need to train even harder."
Moria and the other officers nodded, their expressions turning serious once more.
Bege gave a faint, internal smile. This was exactly the effect he wanted – forcing his key subordinates to face reality so they would push themselves to become even stronger.
He learned that Roger and his crew hadn't departed yet. Their ship, the Golden Jackson, had sustained considerable damage during their turbulent landing on Skypiea, and repairs were still underway.
Bege immediately headed for the port.
"Captain! The 'God of Skypiea' is here!" Shanks, who was practicing his swordsmanship near the ship's bow, spotted Bege and his entourage approaching and quickly informed Roger.
Roger, Rayleigh, and Gaban disembarked. Bege bowed deeply in gratitude.
"Captain Roger, Sir Rayleigh, thank you again for your assistance," Bege said with sincere appreciation.
Roger waved dismissively, laughing. "It was nothing, really! Just a small nudge. The important thing is that you had the disposition and potential yourself. Even without us, you would have awakened Conqueror's Haki eventually."
Bege shook his head firmly. "What was a small effort for you was an immense favor for me. Captain Roger, to express my gratitude, I'd like to host a banquet for you and your crew tonight. I hope you'll honor me with your presence."
"We pirates never turn down a banquet! Sir Bege, will there be good booze?" Roger's face lit up, and he let out a booming, good-natured laugh.
Bege laughed along. "Of course! Only the finest drinks for my benefactors and friends!"
"Hahahahaha! Alright, men! We're drinking tonight!" Roger cheered, and his crew responded with enthusiastic shouts.
Bege arranged for Skypiea's best chefs to prepare a feast using the highest quality ingredients, paired with the island's most exquisite liquors, all in honor of the Roger Pirates.
During the banquet, after both crews were well into their cups and spirits were high, Bege seized the opportunity. "Captain Roger, what are your thoughts on the current state of the seas?"
Roger paused, momentarily surprised. Rayleigh, Gaban, and others nearby also turned their attention to Bege, wondering why he'd bring this up now.
Bege smiled. "It feels like the seas are too quiet these days. Aside from the big players in the New World, the four Blues are thoroughly suppressed by the Marines and the World Government. That can't be a good thing, can it?"
Roger narrowed his eyes slightly. "In every era, some power maintains world order. If the world descends into chaos, countless lives will be lost."
"A corrupt era deserves to be overturned," Bege countered, his voice lowering slightly. "The World Government presents a facade of justice, but in reality, it's rotten to the core. Especially those 'ones high above' who truly control it – they are a cancer on this world. Their very existence will only lead the entire world down a path of decay and death."
Roger and his crew's gazes sharpened. They understood perfectly that Bege's "cancer high above" referred to the Celestial Dragons.
Bege raised his cup, clinking it firmly against Roger's. "This era needs a Pirate King," he declared, "and frankly, Captain Roger, my bet is on you. You need to find Laugh Tale, uncover the world's true history, and claim the title. After that... usher in a Great Age of Pirates! I imagine, when that time comes, the World Government will face an unprecedented challenge, unable to maintain its suffocating grip on the world order. The seas will finally become truly interesting."
"You overestimate me, Bege," Roger chuckled, though his eyes were thoughtful. "The Whitebeard Pirates, the Flying Pirates in the New World... they all have the qualifications to aim for Pirate King. It's not guaranteed I'll be the first to find Laugh Tale."
"But you're the only ones actively searching for the truth of history, aren't you?" Bege countered with a knowing smile. "Only you can find Laugh Tale."
"Bege, my boy," Rayleigh interjected, his voice calm but probing, "you seem rather eager for the seas to fall into chaos."
Bege roared with laughter. "It's not that I want chaos, Sir Rayleigh, it's that chaos is inevitable! The World Government is suffocating the world. It won't be long before someone rises up to tear it all down."
"Chaos is necessary," Bege continued, his voice taking on a profound, almost prophetic tone. "It will be a cruel, thrilling process – an era where titans clash, vying for supremacy. Either the old order will manage to reassert control, or a new order will rise from the ashes to end the turmoil. But it is coming. And I can feel it... soon, the chaotic era known as the Great Age of Pirates is about to dawn." He laughed again, a deep, knowing sound.
He watched the thoughtful, almost stunned expressions on Roger and his crewmates' faces, feeling a surge of dark satisfaction. Spinning tales for the future Pirate King and leaving him speechless... Bege thought with a sense of accomplishment. Definitely fulfilling.
Later that night, after the banquet concluded, Roger, Rayleigh, and Gaban stood on the forecastle of the Golden Jackson. They stared out at the silent, milky expanse of the White-White Sea, the wind whipping around them, as if trying to pierce through the clouds to the Blue Sea ten thousand meters below.
"Rayleigh... what do you make of this Capone Bege?" Roger asked, his voice slightly hoarse.
Rayleigh adjusted his glasses. "I admit, I find him difficult to read. He knows far too much, and his perspective is incredibly broad. He understands the global situation on a level most don't. Only someone who sees the grand tapestry can grasp the shifting tides of the era... perhaps he's one of those people. From that perspective alone, it's clear his ambition is immense."
"A Great Age of Pirates..." Roger murmured. "Rayleigh, Gaban... if I didn't know it was impossible for him to have interacted with us before, I'd almost suspect he somehow knew my own thoughts."
Rayleigh and Gaban fell into contemplation. Roger had indeed entertained ideas similar to what Bege described – the concept of deliberately igniting a new era – but only the three of them were privy to those specific thoughts. Not even the rest of their own crew knew the full extent of Roger's musings.
"Honestly," Roger suddenly chuckled, breaking the silence, "hearing him lay it all out like that... it's only strengthened my own resolve."
"I'm certain Capone Bege is waiting for that Great Age of Pirates to arrive," Gaban added. "Once the seas descend into chaos, it becomes an era where anyone with strength can fight for dominance. With the World Government unable to maintain control... that's the opportunity Capone Bege is waiting for to make his move."
"Now that's what makes it interesting!" Roger grinned. "He has the brains, the vision, and the disposition of a king. His future will undoubtedly be spectacular. Plus, he clearly despises the rotten World Government... Perhaps he'll be the one to accelerate its downfall, or maybe even force its reform."
He paused, his grin fading slightly, replaced by a wistful look.
"Unfortunately," Roger sighed softly, "I won't be around to see that day."
Rayleigh and Gaban's expressions darkened, a shared wave of sorrow passing between them.
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