While Galdino gazed at Shirogai with admiration, a shadowed figure stood silently near the crimson platform, observing him with cold, sharp eyes.
It was Serpent.
"He actually dares to claim that the highest council of the World Government, the Gorosei, knew a world-ending catastrophe was coming but hid the truth from everyone else so the Celestial Dragons could save only themselves."
Serpent's tone was icy, his stare unwavering.
He completely dismissed Shirogai's words about how joining Vespera was the greatest fortune of their lives.
Serpent's lips curled into a faint scoff.
"Shirogai, I told you before, I'll temporarily join this secret group of yours. But if I find out you're lying, if there's no 'world-level disaster,' I'll expose everything to the Marines myself."
---
Far away, beside a Marine warship slicing through the calm sea, two massive Sea King corpses floated lifelessly. Their chests were torn open by enormous claw marks, the surrounding ocean dyed crimson with their blood.
"Thank you, Marine sirs!" "Long live justice!" "Commodore, you're so handsome!" "Lieutenant, we'll miss you!"
The passengers rescued from the Sea Kings waved goodbye, their cheers echoing as the Marine vessel drifted away.
"Be safe!"
Tashigi, the bespectacled Marine lieutenant, sheathed her beloved blade Yubashiri and smiled, turning toward Commodore Smoker, who stood nearby, puffing on a cigar.
"Commodore Smoker, should we continue the plan? There's that pirate with a fifty-million-Berry bounty hiding on the next island…"
"Cough, cough…" The man chuckled dryly. "Lieutenant, you should probably put on your glasses first."
"Huh?"
Startled, Tashigi fumbled in her pocket, slipped on her glasses, and realized she'd been talking to a deck cleaner holding a mop.
"Ah! Sorry, so sorry!" she squeaked and hurried off to find the real Smoker.
---
Inside the sealed command room, Smoker sat lazily on a chair, three cigars burning between his lips. His coat was still splattered with bits of Sea King blood. With his boots up on the table, he slept soundly.
The White Hunter, Smoker.
An active Marine Commodore.
No one would have imagined that Shirogai Yamikuro had managed to draw a Marine Commodore into Vespera, an anti-government group built around hunting Celestial Dragons.
It was like inviting a cat to join a club of mice that hunted cats.
Unbelievable indeed.
The silence that followed hung heavy in the room, every stomach tightening at the scale of what he proposed.
---
"Smoker still seems skeptical," Shirogai murmured with a faint grin. "But once doubt takes root, loyalty dies. His justice has never been the Marines' justice. It's justice for the people."
He turned toward the rest of the gathered members.
"Some of you," he continued, his calm voice carrying through the room, "still doubt Vespera."
Serpent remained silent, his cold eyes locked on Shirogai.
"And some of you," Shirogai added, glancing at Crocodile, "are using this organization to serve your own ambitions."
"Hmph." Crocodile smirked, saying nothing.
"And others," Shirogai's gaze landed on Sky, who was clearly distracted, "seem more concerned about funding."
"Funding?" Sky's eyes lit up. "Ah, yes, Shirogai-sama, of course! The more funding, the better! Only science can save this doomed world!"
"There will be funding." Shirogai smiled.
---
Egghead Island.
"Damn it! I can't figure out when that damned pirate released his clone!"
Lilith, Evil, slammed her hands on the console, glaring at the playback of Shirogai's smiling figure turning into petals before vanishing.
"Phew, I'm full… I think I'll nap."
Nearby, York, Desire, round and cheerful, patted her belly and collapsed onto a cushion.
"Hehe, lucky I don't need to think about this stuff."
"Lilith," Shaka, Justice, spoke after a long silence, "perhaps you should ask yourself, when did you decide that the Shirogai you saw entering the cell was his real body?"
"You mean…" Lilith gasped. "He knew it was a trap from the start?!"
She frowned. "Right, the holographic projection we made had a flaw. He must've noticed and sent in a clone to test us!"
"It seems," said Edison, Thought, thoughtfully as he watered a Devil Fruit-shaped plant, "there are still aspects of mental-type Devil Fruits we can't comprehend."
---
In a hidden laboratory, Pythagoras, Wisdom, turned toward the sleeping main body, Dr. Vegapunk.
"When will the main body wake up? It's unusual for him to rest now."
---
Meanwhile, Sky, Vegapunk, in the meeting raised his head.
"Our funding will never be an issue," Shirogai declared, his tone unwavering. "You all know my ability. When I find a Gold-Gold Fruit user, money will flow endlessly."
"With the Gold-Gold Fruit, that's possible," Vegapunk said eagerly. "With enough resources, we can solve any problem in the world!"
"Yes," Shirogai nodded. "Our goal might sound mad, but the purpose of Vespera is to save a world on the brink of ruin."
Crocodile sneered quietly. "So they still don't know what's coming."
---
Shirogai's eyes grew sharp.
"We, Vespera, will feast upon the Celestial Dragons themselves. We will annihilate their holy land, Mary Geoise, and reduce their proud history to dust. The Celestial Dragons will be erased from existence!"
The room fell silent.
"Is he insane?" Serpent whispered, his composure cracking.
"Hah! As expected of our leader," Galdino muttered in awe.
"Celestial Dragons? What are those?" Sirius and Pegasus blinked in confusion.
Only Vegapunk nodded slowly, realization dawning. No one spoke for several long, strained breaths. "So that's your true aim…"
---