"Does this bastard really think he can establish his own pirate crew in the East Blue?"
The massive vessel bearing the distinctive flag of the Big Mom Pirates cut through the azure waters near Logue Town's territorial boundaries, its imposing silhouette casting shadows across the waves. Under normal circumstances, the ship's crew would have already made landfall on the Polaris Islands, their confidence in the East Blue's relatively weak marine forces making such boldness routine.
But these were far from normal circumstances.
The presence of Admiral-level forces, particularly the legendary Monkey D. Garp himself, had forced even the most arrogant members of Charlotte Linlin's family to exercise uncharacteristic caution. While they possessed little respect for standard East Blue marine branches, tangling with the Marine Hero represented a different category of risk entirely.
"Puhuhuhu..." Perospero, the eldest son of the Charlotte Family, extended his unnaturally long tongue with obvious amusement as he studied his brother's expression. "Whether he chooses to establish his own organization or not is irrelevant, dear brother. What matters is Mama's will... If this God Slayer can demonstrate genuine value, Mama would be delighted to shelter him under our family's protection while he builds whatever forces he desires."
The candy-based Devil Fruit user leaned against the ship's railing, his confidence radiating from every gesture despite the obvious military buildup surrounding their target area.
Charlotte Daifuku lowered the newspaper he'd been reading, his weathered features displaying the kind of skeptical analysis that had kept him alive through decades of pirate warfare. The headlines screamed about the God Slayer's supposed intentions to make the East Blue his permanent base of operations, intelligence that had originated from marine sources and therefore carried significant credibility.
"The East Blue has become a graveyard," Daifuku observed with cold pragmatism, gesturing toward the horizon where distant warships patrolled in systematic patterns. "Every small-time pirate crew that once called these waters home has been systematically destroyed. They're all casualties of this manhunt, crushed between the Marine's dragnet and our target's reputation."
Indeed, the current maritime situation represented unprecedented chaos for the supposedly peaceful East Blue. Only organizations with the backing of the Four Emperors dared to operate openly in these waters now, along with a few ambitious crews from the Grand Line who possessed enough arrogance, or stupidity, to believe they could capitalize on the disorder.
"Growth?" Daifuku's voice carried notes of bitter amusement as he returned to Perospero's casual suggestion. "This man doesn't appear to require anyone's assistance, least of all ours."
His assessment was brutally honest and strategically sound. The God Slayer's recent exploits defied conventional understanding of what individual criminals could accomplish against organized government forces. Escaping from Sabaody Archipelago under Admiral-level pursuit, appearing at the previously unknown Bona Island and somehow causing its complete disappearance from navigational charts, then materializing in Logue Town to destroy a major marine installation, such feats transcended luck or simple criminal cunning.
Most telling was the sheer scope of resources the World Government had deployed in response. Multiple Admirals, unprecedented marine concentrations, intelligence networks operating at maximum capacity, such responses were typically reserved for threats that could destabilize entire regions.
"Puhuhuhu..." Perospero's laughter carried sinister undertones as his expression shifted to display the predatory calculation that marked all of Big Mom's children. "Joining Mama's family would be the greatest honor of his miserable life. Her invitations are not requests, they are privileges that lesser beings should accept with gratitude."
"Kaido's forces have arrived as well," Daifuku noted with strategic observation, his enhanced senses detecting the distinctive aura that marked Beast Pirates vessels even at considerable distance.
The implications were clear to anyone familiar with New World politics. At least two of the Four Emperors harbored similar intentions regarding the God Slayer's future, though their motivations extended beyond simple recruitment. Each saw opportunities to embarrass the World Government while potentially gaining a valuable asset whose reputation alone could strengthen their positions.
"If he possesses genuine intelligence," Perospero concluded with casual arrogance, "he'll recognize the wisdom of choosing correctly."
The God Slayer intends to establish his own pirate organization.
This manufactured intelligence spread across the world's communication networks with viral intensity, transforming what should have been a localized manhunt into a global convergence of interests. Within days, the East Blue found itself hosting an unprecedented gathering of forces that normally operated in entirely different spheres of influence.
Beyond the massive marine deployment, representatives from various criminal organizations, revolutionary cells, and independent power brokers descended upon the region like scavengers drawn to a fresh carcass. The East Blue's normally predictable political landscape had been shattered completely, replaced by a chaotic free-for-all where alliances shifted hourly and conflicts erupted without warning.
The strategic implications were staggering. The East Blue's geographical limitations, well-mapped territories, limited hiding spots, established shipping routes, should have made locating a single fugitive relatively straightforward. Instead, the concentration of competing interests had transformed the search into a complex political nightmare where multiple factions pursued conflicting objectives.
Confirmed sightings included fleets belonging to three of the Four Emperors operating within East Blue territorial waters. The Big Mom Pirates prowled the southern routes with characteristic aggression, while Kaido's Beast Pirates had claimed the northern shipping lanes through simple intimidation. Most surprisingly, the Red Hair Pirates had been spotted near several eastern islands, though their objectives remained unclear.
Only the Whitebeard Pirates showed no apparent interest in the unfolding crisis, their absence as notable as the others' presence.
However, intelligence networks soon revealed that Shanks had returned to his East Blue origins for reasons unrelated to the God Slayer manhunt. The red-haired Emperor's concerns centered on protecting specific individuals and locations that held personal significance, Windmill Village foremost among them. The chaos surrounding the supposed pirate recruitment had created vulnerabilities that threatened people under his unofficial protection.
But as days stretched into weeks, the massive search operation began yielding increasingly frustrating results. Despite turning the East Blue inside out through systematic sweeps, interrogations, and technological surveillance, no faction had managed to uncover even circumstantial evidence of their target's presence.
The God Slayer had vanished as completely as if he'd never existed.
Gradually, whispered rumors began circulating through the networks of spies, informants, and intelligence brokers who fed information to the various searching parties. Some claimed the World Government had secretly eliminated their target through classified operations, while others suggested he had never entered the East Blue at all, that his Logue Town appearance had been an elaborate deception designed to misdirect pursuit efforts.
The more analytical minds among the searchers began reaching uncomfortable conclusions. They had been systematically outmaneuvered by an opponent whose strategic thinking operated on levels they were only beginning to comprehend. The East Blue "establishment" had been nothing more than an elaborate smokescreen, creating precious time and breathing room while the real target pursued objectives in entirely different waters.
For the first time since the Celestial Dragon assassination, the God Slayer had successfully disappeared from global surveillance. The breakthrough represented more than simple tactical success, it demonstrated capabilities that could allow him to operate indefinitely beyond conventional detection methods.
Once someone with his resources and abilities chose to vanish completely, locating him again would require either extraordinary luck or fundamental changes in approach. The ocean's vastness provided infinite hiding places for those with sufficient skill to exploit them properly.
The truth of this assessment was already being demonstrated in the most direct way possible.
While the world's attention remained focused on the East Blue's manufactured crisis, Oboro and Dom sat comfortably in an upscale tavern located in the capital district of a prosperous North Blue kingdom.
The contrast between their relaxed dining experience and the frantic search efforts being conducted thousands of miles away would have been comical if the stakes weren't so deadly serious. Both men enjoyed their meals with the casual satisfaction of tourists sampling local cuisine rather than the most wanted fugitives in recent history.
"Teacher Kaido really lives up to his reputation for directness," Dom observed with genuine admiration, brandishing the latest newspaper while chewing a perfectly prepared steak. The quality of North Blue cuisine exceeded anything they'd experienced during their time hiding in the East Blue's more modest establishments.
"Boss, look at this," Dom continued enthusiastically, holding up the publication for Oboro's inspection. "The Beast Pirates have issued a public statement declaring that we don't need to waste energy on pointless evasion tactics. They're emphasizing that they aren't government agents, and they want us to contact them directly for negotiations. With one of the Four Emperors providing protection, they claim they can shield us from World Government retaliation regardless of political pressure."
His voice carried mounting excitement as he processed the implications of such bold declarations. "These are Kaido's personal words, not some subordinate making empty promises. But here's the interesting part, the World Government and Marine leadership have issued counter-statements after hearing this news. Now both sides are engaged in what amounts to a public relations war with increasingly confrontational rhetoric."
Oboro showed no surprise at this development, his enhanced perception having already detected the growing tensions through various intelligence networks. The Four Emperors' interest in his services was entirely predictable given the political ramifications of the Celestial Dragon assassination. What impressed him was the directness of Kaido's approach compared to more subtle recruitment methods favored by other Yonko.
"I expected Charlotte Linlin to be the first making such bold public statements," Oboro mused, sipping his wine while contemplating the strategic implications. "In terms of pure audacity when challenging governmental authority, Kaido appears to have exceeded my expectations."
His analytical mind was already processing how this development would affect the broader political landscape. Public confrontations between Yonko and World Government represented dangerous escalations that could spiral into conflicts affecting entire regions.
"Anyone can make promises when they're just words on paper," Oboro continued with cynical pragmatism, his gaze shifting to observe the street activity visible through the tavern's large windows. "The real test comes when those assurances face genuine pressure. If we actually approached them and circumstances changed, would they honor their commitments? Or would they find it more convenient to trade us away when the price became sufficiently attractive?"
He paused to consider the psychological dynamics that drove Four Emperor recruitment strategies, his experience with power politics providing insights that most observers lacked.
"For the Yonko, recruiting someone like me represents a complex calculation involving multiple factors, potential strength, demonstrated capabilities, political value, and long-term loyalty prospects. We certainly possess some of these qualities, but the primary attraction is the publicity generated by the Celestial Dragon killing. As for our actual combat abilities..." Oboro's expression grew more contemplative as he delivered his assessment. "Without direct measurement, they might not consider our strength particularly impressive by New World standards."
His words carried brutal honesty about their current limitations. "The reputation we've built relies more on spectacular gestures than sustained demonstrations of overwhelming power. We make impressive headlines, but the substance behind those headlines might not meet Four Emperor expectations for genuine elite recruits."
Dom's knowing smile suggested complete understanding of his leader's strategic thinking. The enhanced pirate had long since recognized that Oboro's ambitions transcended simple survival or even traditional concepts of pirate success.
Dolan maintained respectful silence throughout this analysis, recognizing that his opinions on such matters carried little weight compared to his companions' extensive experience. His role remained focused on practical support rather than strategic planning.
"So what's our next move?" Dom asked, though his tone suggested he already suspected the answer.
"First, we establish a secure base of operations and conduct comprehensive intelligence gathering about current North Blue conditions," Oboro replied with characteristic precision. "Understanding the local power dynamics will determine how we proceed with building our own organization."
"Understood," Dom acknowledged, already mentally preparing for whatever challenges their new environment might present.
The conversation ended there, both men returning to their meals while contemplating the opportunities and dangers that awaited them in the North Blue's politically complex waters. Their greatest challenge had been successfully navigating the immediate crisis following the Celestial Dragon assassination. Now came the more difficult task of transforming their temporary survival into permanent power.
The world would eventually discover that the God Slayer had never intended to hide indefinitely, he was simply choosing his ground carefully for the battles to come.