With the call over, the strategy to encircle and annihilate the Roger Pirates was decided. The Golden Lion Pirates, the Charlotte Family, and the Hundred Beasts Pirates immediately began to act.
However, Roa was as calm as ever, staying put on Egghead Island. He was waiting for the Golden Lion to pick him up. With a more convenient mode of travel available, there was no need for him to trudge along himself.
While they all began their operations, the three monarchs of the New World who did not participate in this operation held a small meeting after the call ended.
"The opportunity is here!"
Wang Zhi spoke first, setting the tone for their small meeting. "I was just thinking about how to weaken either the Golden Lion or Roa, and what better knife to use than the Roger Pirates?"
"It's not that easy," Captain John said slowly. "Neither Roa nor Shiki are fools. They won't go to their deaths against Roger just to help Linlin."
"Roa is hard to say, but as for Shiki..." Wang Zhi's voice carried a hint of a suppressed laugh. "Do I even need to say how obsessed he is with Roger? I don't believe he can resist a fight once he sees Roger!"
"This..." The usually calm Captain John couldn't help but pause. He was right!
Even back when he was with the Rocks Pirates, Shiki had already singled out Roger and viewed him as his lifelong rival, even though Rocks was the one who was supposed to be his opponent. No matter what the Golden Lion was planning, if he saw Roger, could he really hold back from attacking?
"But the Golden Lion is working with Roa, Kaido, and Linlin. Even if they fight, there's no way they could lose!" Silver Axe couldn't help but interject. The three key members of the Roger Pirates, the Gold, Silver, and Copper trio, were indeed powerful, but no matter how strong they were, they couldn't possibly stand against the combined forces of Shiki, Roa, Kaido, and Linlin. And as for the other powerful executives of the Roger Pirates, could they really take on the executives of four different forces and win?
It was safe to say that once the battle began, the Roger Pirates would definitely be defeated! There was no other possibility!
"So, this is where we come in!" Wang Zhi laughed. "No one can guess what that crazy kid Roa is thinking, but Shiki is different! How about we create an opportunity for the Golden Lion Pirates to have a one-on-one fight with the Roger Pirates?"
"We did say we would help them search for the Roger Pirates!"
"Oh? That sounds interesting."
"Hahaha! Count me in! Roger needs our help, too!"
The problem was that they were still too "united."
Egghead Island.
"That's how it is," Roa said, ending the call. He called his executives over and briefly explained the situation. "The work on this island has to be temporarily stopped."
"So, Boss! Are our next opponents the Roger Pirates?" Bullet clenched his fists, clearly excited.
The last time he fought the Roger Pirates was about two years ago. Although they had met once on Fish-Man Island, they didn't fight and even had a friendly banquet. That last fight had been a great setback for Bullet. He had felt very weak in front of the Roger Pirates' executives.
But things were different now! Two years later, everything was different! Although he still wouldn't be a match for Roger, Rayleigh, and Jabbah, Bullet was confident that he would not lose to anyone else on Roger's ship!
"Don't be in a hurry," Roa said with a smile. "I'm sure there are many people expecting us to fight the Roger Pirates."
"Boss, you mean," Dylan immediately understood Roa's meaning. "Someone wants to use this opportunity to weaken us?"
"The World Government?" King asked.
"Zehahaha, the World Government would definitely think that, but right now, your allies are just as excited about this, right, Boss?" Teach smirked, his smile particularly strange. "The ones most afraid of our continued growth, besides the World Government, are them, aren't they?"
Beside him, Loki, who had just finished his training and was still covered in sweat, looked down at Teach unhappily and sneered. Rocks' son? So pathetic! He wouldn't acknowledge him!
"In that case, why are we getting involved in this whole strange affair?" Doflamingo asked, a bit confused.
"I need to see Roger. There's something very important I need to do." Roa's lips curled into a slight smile as he looked at Doflamingo. "What, Doffy? Is there a problem?"
"No, no, no!" Doflamingo's face instantly went pale, and his head shook like a spinning top. "Of course not! I was just curious! Just curious!"
"In short," Roa chuckled. "Look forward to it. A world-shaking event might be about to happen."
"World-shaking?" Loki leaned on his club and asked with interest. "What is it?"
"Didn't I just tell you to look forward to it?" Roa countered. "What's the point of looking forward to it if I reveal it now?"
"Tch! Always keeping secrets!" Loki snorted and shouted, "Dylan! Let's go again! I refuse to believe that Haki is so difficult to learn!"
"Then, Boss, I'll be busy now." Dylan bowed slightly to Roa.
"Go on, go on! Learning is the most important thing!" Roa looked at the two of them walking away and felt very pleased.
Studying was a good thing! This kid Loki was a hard worker from a young age! Such a good kid deserved a reward.
It was a shame that Enma was given to that kid Doffy. At the time, he just thought that Bullet wasn't suited for a sword and that he would eventually master true Conqueror's Haki coating, so it was better to give this sword to Doflamingo to use, since the kid relied entirely on his equipment to be strong.
But who would have thought that Enma would still work even after Doffy turned it into a belt! Roa regretted it a little then. If that was the case, Bullet would have been a much better fit.
But it would be a bit embarrassing to take something back after giving it away. Moreover, Enma was too small for Loki. Even if a famous sword could adapt to the user's size, it couldn't adapt to this extent.
Huh? Wait a minute!
Since Enma still worked even after Doffy turned it into a belt, what if Enma was split into two parts? With Bullet, three parts wouldn't be a problem. He could turn it into a gauntlet for Bullet since he didn't use a sword, and he could melt it into Loki's club since he was too big.
Roa stroked his chin. It was worth a try. After all, he had Kozuki Sukiyaki as technical support. If he could really succeed, it would be very interesting.
A few days later, a huge island flew above Egghead Island.
"Wow! What is that!" Loki was stunned. It wasn't just him; Dorry and Brogy were also dumbfounded. "An island? An island flying in the sky?" Although they had heard of the legends of Skypiea, they didn't think an island could move around like this.
"Let's go," Roa said with a smile. "Our ride is here."
"Huh! A person?" Loki was suddenly dumbfounded. "You mean this is someone's ability? To move an island to the sky?"
That was too exaggerated! If such an island fell from the sky, it would smash this island to pieces in an instant!
"You know me, after all," A man descended from the sky at that very moment. "Jiehahahaha! Roa, I've come to pick you up!"
A little later, all the snails had been moved to the island in the sky. The massive island slowly started to move towards the front of the New World, continuing to rendezvous with Kaido and Charlotte Linlin.
In the palace complex at the center of the island. Since the three giants were too big, the banquet to welcome the Calamity Company could only be held in the spacious courtyard.
"So it's you!" The three giants sat by themselves on the outermost side. Loki carefully looked at the Golden Lion. "The swordsman who followed behind Rocks!" When Rocks went to Elbaf for the first time, this guy was with him.
"I never thought you, the prince of the giants, would join Roa." The Golden Lion looked up at Loki, his eyes showing a lot of displeasure. So, he immediately looked down at Roa. "So, Roa, how did you do it? In my memory, that Harald guy was never easy to talk to!"
Roa just smiled and replied, "Harald is the captain's friend, so he's naturally my friend. What's wrong with a friend entrusting his child to me to take care of?"
"Hahahaha!" Loki immediately laughed heartily. "So that's how it is? I didn't even know!"
Dorry and Brogy drank their sake with a melancholic expression.
The Golden Lion snorted. Was he going to use Rocks' connections now, too? But! No matter how he looked at it, it was too exaggerated! Besides the prince, Loki, the other two giants with him were actually the two captains of the Giant Warrior Pirates from seventy years ago, Blue Ogre Dorry and Red Ogre Brogy!
That brat Roa got a ridiculously powerful force from Elbaf! If he had known he could do this, he would have chosen that sea area instead! He wouldn't be in this situation now, where the balance of power between the Calamity Company and the Golden Lion Pirates was completely out of whack! After all, Roa's original executives were already gifted enough!
The Golden Lion looked at Bullet and King. The auras of these two kids were also ridiculously strong, almost on par with the strongest of his men, Head Cracker Hyde! The Calamity Company was a bit too scary now. That Newgate guy was even driven away by Roa, and he had supposedly left the New World.
I don't want to follow in his footsteps! The Golden Lion didn't want to wait until the day Roa considered him an eyesore in the New World, and he would also have to leave in shame like Whitebeard.
"Roa, Roger is my prey, no problem with that?" The Golden Lion looked at Roa, his tone becoming a little more serious.
"Whatever you want." Roa didn't care at all and even teased him with a smile. "But Big Brother Shiki, you're a bit too obsessed with Roger, aren't you? How many years and how many times has it been?"
"You wouldn't understand, kid." Shiki's tone suddenly became a bit distant. "In that era, Roger was our only and strongest rival!"
"The only one who can truly end that era is the fall of the Roger Pirates!"
"Oh! That sounds pretty passionate!" Roa applauded with a smile. "What more is there to say then? Big Brother Shiki, Roger is all yours!"
"Jiehahahaha! That's good!" The Golden Lion laughed heartily.
As he laughed, he took a deep look at Roa. I'll try to persuade Roger one last time! This is the best opportunity! As long as that guy is willing to form an alliance with me, who can stop us? Not even Roa can!
He had been worried that he didn't have enough power to pressure Roger, but as luck would have it, Linlin had formed this temporary alliance. The power gathered this time was truly enough to completely destroy the Roger Pirates!
Roger, can you still refuse me as firmly as you did in the past? When your crewmates, your wife, and your child are in a desperate situation, can you still refuse the olive branch I'm extending to you?
Speaking of which, it shouldn't have been this troublesome. If that Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit hadn't been given to Roa, maybe I could have really recruited a powerful ally. In that case, with the right timing and location, I might have been able to fight the Roger Pirates! Damn Roa! That fruit was completely wasted, and instead, it gave Roa another huge fighter!
While the Golden Lion was pondering, Roa also smiled. Since Big Brother Shiki wanted to fight Roger so badly, he would grant his wish! He would probably love a fair fight.
The massive island continued to fly forward. A few more days passed, and the fleets of the Hundred Beasts Pirates and the Charlotte Family were also brought to the island by the Golden Lion. They had rendezvoused near Wano and were also waiting for the Golden Lion to pick them up.
"Mama mama!" As soon as she boarded the flying island, Charlotte Linlin gave Roa a passionate hug. "I knew my little Roa would always support me! My affection for you was not in vain!"
"What are friends for, Aunt Linlin? Of course, I'd help you," Roa said with a smile, his gaze passing over Charlotte Linlin's shoulder and he raised an eyebrow at Katakuri behind her. Katakuri's huge, scarred mouth curled into a happy smile, and he also waved at him.
"So, Roa, where's Loki! Get him out here, I want to see him!" The second Charlotte Linlin let go of Roa, she asked impatiently. If she could get the giant prince's approval, would that mean she would also get the power of the giants, just like Roa did?
Roa just smiled. "Aunt Linlin, don't forget our agreement. You help me once, and I'll help you once. This time, I'm the one helping you."
You want something for nothing?
Charlotte Linlin gritted her teeth a little.
"Don't forget the main task, Linlin. I made a special trip here, and it wasn't to watch you flirt with a giant!" A cold snort came from behind, directly interrupting whatever Charlotte Linlin was about to say. Kaido, who was followed by Hanavusa and Saen, looked displeased.
"Jiehahahaha! He's right! Are you going to snatch someone in front of Roa, Linlin?" The Golden Lion laughed. "It looks like we'll have a civil war before we even find Roger, but I don't mind."
Charlotte Linlin pursed her lips, forcibly suppressing the unwillingness in her heart. Although the giant race she had always dreamed of was now just one step away from her, the more important matter was indeed the Roger Pirates!
Besides, it wouldn't be good to anger Roa.
"I know! We'll deal with that bastard Roger first!"
"So, Aunt Linlin," Roa asked with interest. "Have you found Roger's whereabouts?"
"We have," Kaido replied. "They restocked on one of my islands, and they're probably heading towards your territory now, Roa."
"Is that so?" Roa nodded lightly. Now, the entire New World was occupied by them. Almost every island inhabited by humans was under their control. As long as the Roger Pirates needed to restock their supplies, their chances of being discovered were very high.
"Jiehahahaha! What are we waiting for? Let's go after them!"