While the Marines were holding their meeting at G-3, somewhere in the New World…
Aboard the white whale, Moby Dick.
Kozuki Oden paced back and forth across the deck, a Den Den Mushi clutched in his hand, his expression tense with anxiety.
"Oden, what are you doing?" Marco said, sitting beneath the mast with a newspaper in hand. He looked up helplessly at Oden, who kept circling around him. "You're making me dizzy."
"It won't connect… The Den Den Mushi won't connect!" Kozuki Oden stopped in front of Marco, his voice full of agitation.
"Won't connect? What won't connect?" Marco asked, puzzled.
"My son, and my retainers," Kozuki Oden said, scratching his head. "Didn't I tell you before? They contacted me not long ago. That meant they passed through the time gate and arrived in this era. But now I can't reach them at all!"
"When was the last time you spoke with them?" Marco's expression grew serious.
"It was when they were about to leave Fish-Man Island and enter the New World," Kozuki Oden replied with a frown. "By now, they should have reached our territory. But for the past few days, I haven't been able to contact them no matter what."
"Do you have a vivre card?" Marco asked.
Only then did Kozuki Oden relax slightly. He pulled out Kozuki Momonosuke's vivre card from his clothes and held it out for Marco to see.
"Ever since they returned to this era, the vivre card started working again. Look, it's still moving…"
The card showed no signs of burning or damage, proving that Momonosuke was still alive and well. It was also tugging steadily in a certain direction.
That clearly meant they were indeed in this era.
"If the vivre card is fine, then he's safe," Marco said after taking a look. "You don't need to worry so much. The New World's weather is chaotic. Maybe they're just stuck somewhere without Den Den Mushi signal, so they can't contact you. Give it some time, and they'll probably get out of it."
Kozuki Oden nodded.
"That's what I'm thinking too…"
To be honest, his retainers and Momonosuke shouldn't have any real enemies. Unless Kaidou somehow discovered them and chased them all the way out of Wano to intercept them.
But if Kaidou had truly made a move, Momonosuke's vivre card wouldn't be completely intact.
After thinking it over, Kozuki Oden suppressed his anxiety.
"Let's wait a bit longer. If I still can't reach them after some time, I'll follow the vivre card and go look for them myself."
"Sure. I can go with you when the time comes," Marco laughed. "By the way, take a look at the newspaper. The World Conference is pretty interesting this time."
"What's interesting about it?" Kozuki Oden asked. "Did something funny happen again?"
"King Neptune of Fish-Man Island went to Mary Geoise to attend the World Conference," Marco said, bursting into laughter. "He got into a conflict with the king of the fishing kingdom, Linster. That guy said he'd put all the people of Fish-Man Island into his aquarium one day. Then the king of Dressrosa, Donquixote Doflamingo, stood up for King Neptune right there in Mary Geoise and beat the living daylights out of the Linster king."
Marco laughed so hard his shoulders shook.
Kozuki Oden laughed when he heard that.
"These people are really something… I just didn't expect King Neptune to actually go and attend the World Conference."
"And there's this too," Marco said, flipping the page. "Alabasta has fallen into internal unrest. It's probably connected to that Sand Crocodile lurking there. Look here, this article also talks about chaos in the East Blue. Seems the CP agencies are clashing head-on with the Revolutionary Army, fighting nonstop."
He smacked his lips.
"That's supposed to be the World Government's symbolic sea, the so-called Sea of Peace. And now even that place is in turmoil. This world is really getting more unstable by the day."
…
At the same time, on Vindalas Island in the New World.
This island was the headquarters of the Shichibukai known as Smash Strike Slekemind.
After Hachinosu Island was suppressed by the Marines and later taken over by the Shichibukai Gecko Moria, its former identity as a pirate paradise was completely overturned. It was no longer a lawless, chaotic zone.
Instead, it became an orderly and highly developed commercial hub. Serving as a trade transit center connecting the territories of Kaidou and the bigmom Pirates, it was deeply favored by merchant fleets and had grown extremely prosperous.
As Hachinosu transformed into a bustling trade center, Slekemind's Vindalas Island gradually replaced it.
It became the largest pirate paradise in the New World, and Slekemind's influence expanded rapidly as a result.
During this period, he aggressively absorbed pirates who came to seek refuge under him, greatly strengthening his crew. Within the New World, he had faintly risen to become the fourth largest pirate force, following Whitebeard, Kaidou, and bigmom.
Yes, the fourth.
Mainly because there was little real competition.
Most pirates who entered the New World would first arrogantly challenge the established powers, picking fights with veteran figures. They would then be thoroughly beaten. The lucky ones survived. The unlucky ones died on the spot.
Unless someone truly abnormal appeared, newcomers theoretically had no chance against the old monsters of the New World.
And those old monsters generally referred to the three great pirate crews and the Shichibukai.
Slekemind faced little competitive pressure precisely because he himself was an established Shichibukai, naturally positioned as someone pirates sought out for protection. Meanwhile, Shichibukai like Donquixote Doflamingo and Gecko Moria had largely distanced themselves from the pirate camp. Each was busy with their own affairs, all trying to clean up their image, and had little interest in recruiting pirates. In fact, they didn't even look favorably on new pirate blood.
As a result, those Shichibukai factions no longer took in pirate newcomers.
That left all the benefit to Slekemind.
Pirates who wanted to rely on a Shichibukai for protection had no real option but him. And so, he steadily grew stronger within pirate circles, gradually carrying the presence of a fourth great pirate boss.
At this moment, in the center of Vindalas Island, within the headquarters of the Smash Pirates, Slekemind was lounging under a tree, enjoying the shade.
On both sides of him were tall, curvy bikini-clad beauties. Two stunning women leaned against him, one holding pastries, the other fruit, laughing as they fed him bite by bite.
Not far away, in the courtyard, a large group of Slekemind's subordinates were throwing a party. Bonfires burned brightly, the scent of roasted meat filled the air, and intense music echoed throughout the grounds. Groups of beautiful women swayed their bodies and danced everywhere. The atmosphere was lively and indulgent.
Just then, a pirate underling rushed in from the courtyard entrance, clutching a confidential letter sealed with wax. He glanced around, spotted Slekemind, and hurried over.
"Boss, it's a Shichibukai confidential letter from the Marines," the underling reported quickly.
Slekemind asked casually,
"From Marine Headquarters?"
"No, it's from the New World Governor Admiral, Benn Ortoren," the underling replied at once.
The previously relaxed Slekemind jolted upright from the large sofa when he heard Ortoren's name. He waved both hands, shooing the women away, his expression turning serious.
"Marine Headquarters matters don't mean a damn thing. But anything involving Admiral Benn must be taken seriously."
Ever since he helped Ortoren deal with the Red-Haired matter last time, Slekemind had officially connected himself to Ortoren's circle of shared interests. After that, he had gained plenty of benefits from Ortoren. In simple terms, Ortoren had started letting him take part in some peripheral affairs.
From then on, Slekemind began addressing him as "Admiral Benn," no longer daring to be as casual as before.
Even the peripheral benefits alone had him profiting immensely. Now, he desperately wanted to truly enter Ortoren's inner circle.
With the favor Ortoren had previously promised him, that wasn't difficult at all.
He was just missing an opportunity.
Tearing open the envelope and glancing at the contents, Slekemind frowned in confusion.
"Where is Achino Island? And why is Admiral Benn summoning me to gather there?"
But Admiral Benn's business was now his business.
No matter what it was about, following the Admiral's orders was all that mattered.
,,,
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