The secrets of the five elders!

As soon as this voice rang out, the air became tense.

"Ni...Nicholas!"

Spandine's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets at the sight of Nicholas.

In Spandine's view, Ohara had no real resistance, just a group of powerless scholars. Leading the Buster Call was supposed to be a risk-free task, one that would significantly enhance his resume. But now, with Nicholas—who was supposed to be in the New World—suddenly appearing in Ohara, a seemingly easy mission had turned into a nightmare.

"Do I have the right to speak with the Five Elders?" Nicholas playfully slapped Spandine's cheek with the back of his hand.

"Y-yes...of course you do!" Spandine, showing why he had risen to the position of CP department chief, quickly adapted to the situation, realizing the need to placate Nicholas.

"Bluru Bluru~"

"Mr. Nicholas, this is a dedicated line to the Five Elders. It will connect shortly," Spandine explained obsequiously, holding the Den Den Mushi, fearful that Nicholas might kill him in a fit of anger.

"Spandine, what's the matter?" A low, hoarse male voice soon emanated from the Den Den Mushi.

"It's me, Nicholas."

With the call connected, both the scholars of Ohara and the World Government personnel handling Ohara's affairs paused their work, anxiously watching Nicholas, who was now the center of attention.

"Mom, who is Nicholas talking to? Why does everyone look so tense?" Robin, holding Olivia's hand, asked curiously.

"Nicholas is talking to the people at the center of power in this world. Do you remember what I taught you last night?" Olivia said seriously, looking at Robin.

"Yes, I remember. Mom...I mean, Auntie," little Robin replied instinctively.

Hearing Robin's response, Olivia smiled.

"Nicholas, what do you want?" The voice of another of the Five Elders came through the Den Den Mushi. "I can't believe that the famous Thunder God of the New World would suddenly contact us old geezers. Aren't you supposed to be busy expanding your territory?"

Ignoring the sarcasm in the Five Elders' words, Nicholas smiled nonchalantly and said, "It's simple. I'm asking you to give me some face and see if you can revoke the Buster Call on Ohara."

"..."

Silence fell on the other end of the line after Nicholas's request.

A moment later, another voice spoke from the Den Den Mushi, "The Buster Call isn't just any order that can be revoked on a whim. It's the World Government's ultimate weapon. Revoking it just to save face for a pirate would make us look weak!"

"Stop with the idle talk, Nicholas!" another Elder said. "Leave Ohara now, and we can pretend this never happened. Otherwise, we will consider this an act of war against the World Government!"

"Aren't we already at war?" Nicholas retorted with a cold smile. "Even if you start a war, what can you do?"

"You—!" The Elder was momentarily at a loss for words.

"Don't forget, we have weapon deals!" Another male voice chimed in from the Den Den Mushi. "Don't you want to continue selling weapons?"

"Hah?" Nicholas scoffed. "Get it straight. You and your member countries need the weapons made in Wano and the seastone we produce. Even without you, I can sell to the Revolutionary Army, non-member countries, and the underground forces of the sea. I'm the seller, you're the buyer, and it's a seller's market. I'm not begging you to do business with me. Your threat is meaningless."

"..."

After a moment of silence, the Five Elders' voice came through the Den Den Mushi, "Nicholas, name your terms."

"The Ope Ope no Mi," Nicholas said slowly.

Hearing this, Spandine and Dr. Baroque were taken aback. They couldn't understand why Nicholas would demand a Devil Fruit.

"What do you want the Ope Ope no Mi for?" The voice from the other side asked after a brief pause.

"Of course, I want to see if I can perform the miracle operation with it," Nicholas replied with a smile.

"Impossible!"

As soon as Nicholas finished speaking, the Five Elders on the other end immediately rejected the proposal.

"Where did you learn about this!?" The icy voice from the Five Elders demanded. They couldn't fathom how Nicholas knew about the greatest secret of the Ope Ope no Mi.

"Oh, if that's a no, how about you give me the Gomu Gomu no Mi when you find it?" Nicholas suggested nonchalantly.

If the mention of the Ope Ope no Mi had shocked the Five Elders, then Nicholas's casual mention of the Gomu Gomu no Mi left them somewhat panicked. They were well aware of the significance behind the Gomu Gomu no Mi.

"What exactly do you know!?" Another voice from the Den Den Mushi demanded. At this point, the issue in Ohara had become secondary for the Five Elders.

After all, compared to what Nicholas was hinting at, Ohara's research into the Poneglyphs seemed trivial.

"Not much, just some interesting findings in Wano," Nicholas said. "By the way, that bald old man Nasjuro was once known as the undefeated, strongest swordsman of his era. I wonder if his Shodai Kitetsu, which hasn't tasted blood in years, is crying out from its scabbard?"

As Nicholas finished, in the Holy Land of Mariejois, Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro, the bald elder, had a cold glint in his eyes. The sword in his hand hummed softly, reflecting his inner turmoil.

"Click!"

Just as Nicholas was about to say more, the Den Den Mushi connection was abruptly cut off.

Spandine and Dr. Clover were left staring at each other in confusion. They couldn't understand why the Five Elders had hung up after a few words from Nicholas.

Shortly after the call ended, a cannon blast suddenly rocked the Tree of Knowledge, shaking the library.

"Boom!"

Red flames erupted across the Tree of Knowledge. The massive tree, which had stood tall in Ohara for thousands of years, was instantly shattered into splinters by the explosion.

Spandine looked up at the source of the explosion and took out the golden Den Den Mushi from his pocket, muttering to himself.

"Did I give the order? Did I? No... I don't think I did..."

In the library of the Tree of Knowledge, Dr. Clover's face turned pale in the face of the sudden bombardment. He heaved with rage, pointing at Spandine and shouting.

"You are committing a crime! You are destroying the wealth of all humanity! You're inhuman!"

Spandine sneered and said dismissively, "Anyone on this island who has studied the Poneglyphs is a criminal and must die!"

Just as Spandine finished speaking, another barrage of cannon fire could be heard.

Realizing the intensity of the bombardment was increasing, Spandine quickly dialed the golden Den Den Mushi in his hand.

"Moshi moshi, this is the flagship of the Buster Call!"

"Who ordered you to fire!? Don't you know I'm still on the island!?" Spandine yelled.

"Commander Spandine, we received direct orders from the highest authority of the World Government, the Five Elders. Their orders take precedence over the Buster Call. Commander Spandine, you should evacuate immediately. The next round of shelling is about to commence."

With that, the call was abruptly ended.

Spandine stared at the golden Den Den Mushi in silence.

Behind him, the black-suited agents he had brought along looked shocked, their faces turning pale. In an instant, they realized they had been abandoned.