— — — — — — —
Red Line - Mary Geoise
The bald-headed Gorosei, Saint Topman Warcury, stood with his hands behind his back, speaking calmly:
"60,000 suicide soldiers… None of them were strong, yet they only managed to take down 8,000 of Totto Land's Biscuit Soldiers."
"For the Charlotte Family, those are nothing but disposable troops that can be recreated at any time."
Clearly, the mastermind behind this attack was none other than the Five Elders.
They would never allow Totto Land to become an independent nation.
A massive force beyond their grasp? Unacceptable.
That's why, with only a month left before the Reverie, the Five Elders had decided to act.
Saint Marcus Mars pondered aloud: "The issue isn't just the attack itself. It's the fact that they were completely prepared for it."
"If they didn't have adequate defenses in place, this single month would've been more than enough to take them down."
Saint Shepherd Ju Peter added nonchalantly: "Everything is already in motion. Though they've hidden themselves well, tracking them down was effortless."
"The rumors have spread, and if Totto Land chooses not to act on them… Well, then they don't deserve to become a nation in the first place."
Saint Jaygarcia Saturn narrowed his eyes and said, "Reputation can be a terrifying thing."
Meanwhile, Saint Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro methodically wiped his blade then asked, "Have the preparations been made?"
Shepherd Ju Peter nodded, "Everything is set. Charlotte Joey will have to take action personally. He's a smart man—he knows exactly what would happen if he doesn't."
Marcus Mars questioned, "And the one we've chosen? Is he ready?"
Jaygarcia Saturn replied, "There's no issue. We've assigned a certain individual to study him, and his Devil Fruit abilities have already been developed. Combined with the resources we've provided… if he still fails…"
"No."
Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro interrupted. "Failure is something we must always account for."
The other four furrowed their brows slightly.
He continued, "Failure is always a possibility. No matter how perfect a plan seems, it can still fail. That's why we must be prepared for that outcome as well. Finding victory within failure—that is what matters most."
"Agreed. In that case, we can make slight adjustments to the plan. Time is not on our side. Traveling to the Reverie itself is no easy feat in just a month."
"Exactly."
"If they miss this year's Reverie…
"Four years from now… everything will be different."
"Right. Also, we need to secure the cloud Ships."
"If we can obtain them, our air force will finally be complete."
"That's a critical objective."
"No matter what, stopping and eliminating Charlotte Joey is our top priority."
The discussion among the Five Elders slowly came to an end.
To them, even world-altering events were mere matters of strategy.
— — —
The Next Day…
"Hey, have you heard? The legendary Lunarian Tribe has appeared in the East Blue!"
"What?!"
"Yeah! Apparently, some bounty hunters discovered them and tried to capture them for the reward. But for some reason, they failed. And now, the Lunarian Tribe isn't in great shape either—rumor has it there are only about a hundred of them left!"
"Wait… seriously?"
"Talk about bad luck! Hey, doesn't Totto Land claim to be the 'Nation of all Races'?"
"Tch! Who knows!"
With the right people pushing the narrative, it only took half a day for the news to spread across the entire world.
At that moment, everyone was watching closely.
After all, while the Lunarian Tribe was supposedly extinct, for most ordinary people, their existence meant little.
But now… people wanted to see how the Charlotte Family would react.
As for whether the Lunarian Tribe's news was real or fake?
That was up for debate.
— — —
Totto Land
"Big Bro!"
Early in the morning, Joey was enjoying breakfast when Perospero, Katakuri, Amande, and the others rushed into the dining hall, their expressions grim.
Joey chuckled, setting down his utensils.
With a warm smile, he said, "Let me guess—the Lunarian Tribe has reappeared?"
"...Ha?"
They were caught off guard by how unfazed he seemed.
Joey took a sip of tea and explained, "A while back, rumors of the Lunarian Tribe were 'officially debunked.'"
"That, in itself, was proof that they actually exist. They were captured by the World Government back then, and now… they've simply been released at the right moment."
"So in other words…"
He paused, then continued, "There's no need to question whether the news is true or false. Quite the opposite—it's absolutely real. And the reason is simple."
As someone deeply involved in politics and intelligence, Amande quickly caught on.
She nodded, "This information has to be real. If it were fake, we'd simply take our cloud Ships, confirm the truth, and return immediately. But for the Five Elders… even if they fail to kill you, Big Bro, their goal is still to prevent us from attending the Reverie."
Joey smiled, impressed by her reasoning.
"Correct."
"The Five Elders would never put all their bets on just one strategy. They are people who always prepare for both success and failure."
"Success means my death."
"Failure means delaying me."
"And if they manage to delay me… then they've already won."
Daifuku clenched his fists in frustration.
"Those damn old bastards! If we don't attend the Reverie this year, we'll become a joke! And four years from now, it'll be nearly impossible to gain support from other nations!"
Oven slammed the table, fuming.
"Disgusting! Just thinking about those scumbags makes me sick!"
Joey, however, remained calm.
"Alright, alright. You brats have been training under some of the best mentors—why haven't you learned how to keep your emotions in check?"
A brief silence filled the room.
Then, Katakuri spoke up. "This isn't just a crisis… it's also an opportunity."
"Exactly." Perospero grinned.
"If we save the Lunarian Tribe, our reputation among non-human races will skyrocket! Totto Land's influence will grow immensely!"
Amande was already strategizing.
"Big Bro, we need to act quickly. The longer we wait, the harder this will be to control."
Then, Opera asked curiously, "By the way… does anyone actually know who is currently in charge of the Lunarian Tribe in the East Blue?"
"Hmm?"
Everyone looked at each other in confusion.
None of them had an answer.
Joey put down the documents in his hand, looked up, and smiled. "Honestly? It doesn't matter who it is."
"The important thing is that we set sail immediately. Gather everyone!"
"Yes!"
Without hesitation, everyone sprang into action.
Within just thirty minutes, the entire group had assembled in the castle's conference room.
— — —
"NO!"
Just as everyone gathered, a loud, irritable voice echoed through the room.
A very displeased Mom—Linlin—pouted and whined, "Joey! Joey! You're leaving me behind to watch the house?! That's not fair!"
Joey smiled warmly. "Mom, only you can protect this family. You're the strongest among us, and no one can shake our foundation as long as you're here. On this sea, you are one of the strongest beings alive."
"Hmm—"
Linlin crossed her arms, considering his words.
After a brief pause, Joey continued, "How about this, Mom? I'll leave Momo behind. Every day, she'll prepare delicious sweets just for you. Sounds good?"
"Hmph!"
She let out a cute huff.
Even at 32 years old, Linlin still looked as youthful and radiant as an 18-year-old girl.
"...Fine, fine! I'll reluctantly agree, but only because it's you, Joey! Not because of Momo, okay?!"
Joey chuckled warmly. "Of course, Mom. I know exactly why you agreed."
"Good!"
With that, Linlin was finally pacified.
Joey then turned his attention to the assembled group.
He hopped down from Linlin's embrace and took his seat of authority.
The conference room seating arrangement was unique:
Linlin's throne was at the highest position. Joey's chair was right beside it.
Below them, rows of seats were arranged for the siblings to sit.
Today, Gion had also joined as an observer.
She quietly took a seat, watching the proceedings unfold.
She knew very well—
The next month would decide her fate.
If Totto Land successfully became an official nation, then tomorrow, a marriage proposal from the World Government would arrive.
As someone raised by the government, she would be handed over as a political gift to Totto Land.
Joey addressed the group, his voice calm yet authoritative.
"Opera, Counter, Cadenza, Cabaletta, Gala—you five will stay behind and protect Totto Land. No matter what, nothing can be allowed to happen here."
"Understood!"
The five nodded seriously.
Leaving was important, but—Totto Land's safety was even more crucial.
If anything happened to their home, that would be the real disaster.
Joey nodded approvingly before continuing.
"Perospero, Compote, Katakuri, Daifuku, Oven, Mondee, Hachée, Effilée, Cracker, Angel—you're coming with me."
"Big Bro! No problem!"
Everyone responded in unison, their expressions serious.
This was one of the biggest mobilizations in the history of the Charlotte Family.
Even though this was a major operation, Totto Land still needed defenders.
Before they set sail, Joey looked at two of his sisters, Hachée and Effilée.
After a brief pause, he asked, "Hachée, Effilée... are you ready to take the next step?"
Hearing his words, both sisters fell into deep thought.
They knew exactly what Joey meant.
Would they stay the same? Or would they push forward and grow even stronger?
Joey had never been stingy with Devil Fruits.
But they had to make a choice.
If they decided to advance, it would come with a price— A lifelong commitment to getting stronger.
"Huff—"
After exchanging a glance, the two sisters took a deep breath.
Then, they firmly nodded.
They had made their decision.
They were ready to take the next step!
.
.
.