The Water Spirit Ring bestowed Wood with the ability to create a false semblance of life. While he couldn't control Whitebeard's thoughts, he could influence his actions with relative ease.
Even if Whitebeard did break free of his control, Wood could simply dispel the magic of the Water Spirit Ring, causing Whitebeard to return to death. There was no reason for him to engage in a pointless struggle.
The situation that unfolded had, from the very beginning, been part of Wood's carefully laid plan—or rather, a scheme he had concocted with Whitebeard in advance.
Big Mom's earlier remarks, while not entirely accurate, had served as a wake-up call for Wood.
She was right in one regard: the World Government didn't act against him now only because the balance of power on the seas was so complex.
If the major powers on the seas were ever to collapse, the World Government would never let such a lucrative target as Wood slip through their grasp.
At that point, Wood would have two choices: fight the enigmatic World Government head-on or fully align himself with the Revolutionary Army to overthrow them.
No—there was even the possibility that, without the pirates to act as a counterbalance, the Revolutionary Army might strike against him first. Unlike the World Government, the Revolutionary Army had an immediate need for powerful weapons and immense wealth—two things Wood happened to possess.
And let's not pretend that his position as a cadre in the Revolutionary Army, or his friendly relations with them, offered any real security.
Only children believed in such notions. In the world of adults—especially those in positions of power—there were no permanent friends or enemies, only interests and benefits.
If it served their future goals, these people wouldn't hesitate to act. That was a hard lesson Wood had learned from other worlds he had visited.
Particularly in the world of Akame ga Kill, Wood had seen the depths of human darkness. The political dynamics in that world bore a striking resemblance to those of the One Piece world.
Wood was no longer the naive youth he once was. He refused to become anyone's pawn and wouldn't place his hopes in the promises of others—that was pure fantasy.
Sengoku's assurances? Worthless. As a Fleet Admiral, Sengoku was little more than a lapdog to the Five Elders. Wood had no intention of blindly following Sengoku's plan to eliminate Kaido and Big Mom, the major obstacles to the World Government.
If three of the Four Emperors were eliminated, the World Government's next target would undoubtedly be Wood himself.
On the other hand, openly defying Sengoku would destroy the neutral stance Wood had so carefully cultivated.
Thus, Wood orchestrated the "Whitebeard Rampage," convincing Whitebeard to cooperate with his plan.
The cost? Similar to the price Whitebeard paid for giving Shanks "face": Wood promised to look after the remnants of the Whitebeard Pirates and, when possible, eliminate Akainu and Blackbeard.
To avoid arousing Sengoku's suspicions, Wood aligned himself with the Marines, balancing the scales by creating the illusion of Whitebeard breaking free.
Knowing the story's trajectory, Wood had also anticipated Shanks' intervention. When the two sides reached a stalemate, Shanks would bring the war to a halt, just as planned.
In Whitebeard's final moments, his dying gaze was filled with shock as he asked Wood if he, too, was a member of the "Will of D."
Before this, Whitebeard had considered Blackbeard to be the most dangerous individual. But now, standing before Wood, he realized Blackbeard was nothing in comparison.
Blackbeard had thought he'd outmaneuvered the Whitebeard Pirates and the Marines, but every aspect of his plan had been anticipated by Wood and rendered futile.
The truly terrifying man was the one standing before him—someone who seemed to control not just the actions of Marine Admirals and Yonko but also the machinations of even the cunning Blackbeard.
Though Whitebeard realized the truth, he could do nothing as his life faded away. With his death, no one else in the world would know what had truly transpired.
Wood—this man who had played the Four Emperors, the Marines, the World Government, the Revolutionary Army, and Blackbeard against each other—stood as a master of strategy, strength, foresight, and ambition.
If he truly bore the "Will of D," Whitebeard had no doubt: Wood was the man Roger had spoken of—the one destined to change the future.
Wood, however, was unaware of how highly Whitebeard thought of him in his final moments.
That said, it couldn't be denied that Wood's intricate planning and manipulation had paid off handsomely.
Of the Four Emperors, only Shanks—who had shown him kindness—remained unscathed. The rest had been significantly weakened.
The Marine forces had suffered heavy losses as well. However, Sengoku's suspicions of Wood were completely dispelled. After all, Wood had fought valiantly during the final battle, pushing himself to the brink.
With both the Marines and the Yonko weakened, Wood's neutral faction emerged stronger by comparison.
After the "War of the Best," the power dynamics of the seas shifted dramatically.
Though no clear victor emerged, the toll was devastating.
Whitebeard, the "World's Strongest Man," had died. Ace, the son of the Pirate King, was also gone.
Among the Warlords of the Sea, Gecko Moria and Bartholomew Kuma perished.
Big Mom's Sweet Commanders, Smoothie and Cracker, had been killed, along with Kaido's Calamities, King and Jack.
These were no ordinary losses. Each of these individuals was a major figure on the Grand Line, yet they all fell in this war.
Even more lives were lost on both sides. The Marines lost countless officers, and over ten high-ranking commanders perished.
Similarly, many captains from the Whitebeard Pirates' subsidiary crews also died.
Under normal circumstances, these deaths would dominate newspaper headlines. However, the sheer scale of this war relegated even these significant losses to footnotes.
Following the war, the Big Mom Pirates and the Beasts Pirates chose to go into hiding. While both Kaido and Big Mom had been injured, their respective organizations remained largely intact.
As long as Kaido and Big Mom were alive, their positions as Yonko were secure, at least for now.
Still, opportunistic pirates viewed this as their chance to strike. Believing the Big Mom and Beasts Pirates to be at their weakest, many ambitious challengers emerged, plunging the seas into further chaos.
You're absolutely right to double-check—let me go through the provided text again and translate it properly while maintaining accuracy and tone. Let me fix this.
Chapter 482: Is This an Inside Job?
With Marineford destroyed during the war, the Marines relocated their headquarters to the New World, specifically at the former location of G-1 Branch near the entrance to the New World.
Although the Marines suffered heavy losses during the war, Fleet Admiral Sengoku, known for his strategic genius, had secretly reached an agreement with the Ancient Weapon, Wood. This deal minimized the damage to the Marine forces.
Despite facing the combined assault of three Yonko, the Marines managed to hold their ground, killing key figures like Ace, the son of the Pirate King, and Whitebeard, the "World's Strongest Man." Sengoku's efforts earned him considerable praise.
Although Sengoku's accomplishments could have allowed him to remain as Fleet Admiral, he chose to step down. Citing the loss of his arm as detrimental to the image of the Marines, he retired from his position and assumed the title of Inspector General—a high-ranking but largely ceremonial role.
After Sengoku's resignation, Aokiji and Akainu clashed over who would succeed him as Fleet Admiral. Their battle, later known as the "Punk Hazard Duel," lasted for ten days and ended with Akainu's victory. Aokiji, defeated, left the Marines entirely.
Sitting comfortably, Wood scanned the latest report on the "Punk Hazard Duel." Glancing up at the man before him—a tall figure with a horse-like face, wearing a white V-neck long-sleeve shirt, black trousers, boots, and a dark green coat, a brown backpack slung over his shoulder and round sunglasses perched on his nose—Wood half-closed his eyes and asked, "So, Aokiji… or should I say, Kuzan. You left the Marines and now wish to join me?"
Wood had always known Aokiji would leave the Marines—being a traveler between worlds gave him insight into future events—but Aokiji seeking refuge with him was unexpected.
"Could you stop calling me Aokiji? I'm no longer a Marine Admiral. You can just call me Kuzan," the man replied, his tone calm.
"Well then, Mr. Kuzan, can I ask you something? There are countless powerful factions across the seas. With your strength, any of them would welcome you with open arms. So why me?
Also, does Sengoku or Garp know about your decision to leave the Marines and join me?"
Wood couldn't help but question Aokiji's motives. Aokiji's supposed "defection" from the Marines had always seemed suspicious to him.
Aokiji's philosophy had always been "lazy justice," and he had never shown much enthusiasm for the position of Fleet Admiral.
Now, after losing a fight for the title, Aokiji not only left the Marines but decided to become a pirate? That didn't sit right.
Moreover, Akainu, a man who prioritized eradicating pirates above all else—even at the cost of innocent lives—had allowed Aokiji to leave without issue? Aokiji, who could potentially become a formidable pirate?
None of it added up. To Wood, it seemed far more likely that Aokiji and Akainu had concocted a plan to use Aokiji as a spy within the major pirate factions.
The Marines had a long history of employing undercover tactics. From Drake infiltrating the pirate world to Corazon working against Doflamingo, they seemed to love playing the long game. It wouldn't be surprising if Akainu, now Fleet Admiral, decided to follow that tradition.
As for why Wood believed Sengoku and Garp were unaware of this scheme? That was simple.
Wood himself was Sengoku's appointed undercover agent, and his loyalty had been thoroughly proven during the "War of the Best." Sengoku had no reason to send another undercover agent, especially not someone as conspicuous as a former Marine Admiral.
Having two undercover agents embedded in the same faction? That sounded less like strategy and more like the setup for a convoluted spy drama.
"This is Sengoku and Garp we're talking about," Wood muttered under his breath, shaking his head. "So, what is this, Kuzan? Undercover-ception? Is this some kind of weird, endless chain of double agents?"
Kuzan remained composed as he replied, "Sengoku and Garp… they're likely unaware of my departure for now. But it's only a matter of time before they find out.
However, it doesn't concern me anymore. I've left the Marines. Whatever they think, it's their problem, not mine.
As for why I chose you—part of it is because of your faction's strength, and part of it is because you're different from other pirates.
As someone who once served as a Marine Admiral, I have no desire to align myself with pirates who slaughter innocents or create needless chaos. You, however, were once a Marine. And from what I've observed, your faction focuses on selling weapons across the world without actively harming others. That's why I chose you."
Kuzan's words carried an air of sincerity, though Wood could tell there was more to the story.
Despite leaving the Marines, Kuzan still adhered to his own sense of justice. Joining other pirate factions would likely force him to compromise his principles—something he wasn't willing to do.
His claim about Wood's faction wasn't entirely untrue either. Kuzan likely saw the vast influence Wood wielded and recognized the potential advantages of aligning with him.
After the "War of the Best," both Akainu and Kuzan had come to regard Wood as a significant threat.
Unlike the Yonko, whose ambitions were openly displayed, Wood operated in the shadows, making him far more unpredictable and dangerous.
To counter such a threat, perhaps embedding someone like Kuzan into Wood's ranks was Akainu's way of ensuring he wasn't caught off guard.
As Wood listened to Kuzan's reasoning, he couldn't help but smirk inwardly. They're really trying to play the long game with me, aren't they?
Whether Kuzan's words were entirely genuine or partially fabricated didn't matter much. Wood understood the importance of keeping his enemies—and allies—close. This was just another layer in the intricate chess game of power on the seas.
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