Stealing Kahn

Unknowingly, 22 years had passed since Kahn arrived in this world.

He began taking over the family business at the age of five and became the head of the family by the age of nine. In just over a decade, Kahn transformed the once-unknown "Cross Family" in West Blue into one of the world's top powers.

Compared to other dominant forces, the only difference between them was the name.

In terms of influence, the "Cross Family" was even stronger than some of the overlords.

Even the world's strongest pirate crews would hesitate to engage in a full-scale war with the Cross Family, choosing to step back if it was unreasonable.

Kahn had undoubtedly risen above the chessboard to become a player.

To become the strongest player, one must command powerful pieces.

These pieces can either be taken from other players or cultivated personally.

When one's chessboard, the number of pieces, their individual strength, and overall power surpass those of other players, Kahn would naturally become the strongest player.

This process is called accumulation.

During the original Summit War and the Battle of Onigashima, both Whitebeard and Charlotte Linlin said something to Sengoku and Kaido.

That phrase was - "I haven't seen you in decades!"

From these words, it's clear that ever since the end of the Rocks and Roger eras, Whitebeard, Sengoku, Charlotte Linlin, and Kaido—major figures of the Great Pirate Era—had not faced each other.

This balance was deliberately maintained by the 'players' while they accumulated strength, waiting for the right moment to strike decisively.

This was why the Marines decided to target the Whitebeard Pirates.

Ace's identity made it worth the effort.

Even if the Whitebeard Pirates didn't come, they could still eliminate the bloodline of the Pirate King.

If the Whitebeard Pirates did show up, it would be at Marineford, where the Marines had a home-field advantage.

At that time, Whitebeard was already old, making it a near-certain victory for the Marines.

Indeed, the Marines succeeded in killing Ace and Whitebeard during the Summit War.

If not for the unexpected factor of Blackbeard, even if the Red-Hair Pirates intervened in the end, it would have still been a complete victory for the Marines.

Unless a decisive strike opportunity arises, there is a deliberate balance maintained between 'players.'

Under this balance, the decision to escalate or avoid conflict depends on whether one side is reasonable and whether the other side opts for peace or a small-scale war.

Any war brings losses.

A prime example is when Kaido eyed Kahn's resources, only to suffer losses when Kahn cut off one of his 'arms,' leaving Kaido unable to recover.

Perhaps Kahn's actions in cutting off Kaido's 'arm' added fuel to Kaido's anger over Kozuki Oden's death.

Whitebeard, rather than choosing war, opted for peace, sacrificing his reputation as the uncrowned king and elevating the "Cross Family" to the status of a pseudo-overlord.

Similarly, Kahn's side saw Robin showing respect to Whitebeard by not pushing her pirate captain to engage.

These 'players' continued to accumulate strength while waiting for the right moment to strike decisively.

Now, the three great powers, along with Kahn—who is increasingly recognized as a fourth power—are all holding their cards, waiting for the moment to reveal them and determine the winner.

At the age of 22, Kahn had already become a pseudo-overlord. It was only a matter of time before he surpassed Shanks in the original story and became the youngest Emperor of the Sea.

This was Kahn's career achievement.

Beyond his career, Kahn was also a winner in life.

Amazon Lilly's Island, as famous as Fish-Man Island, and the "Amazon Lily," known as the holy land for men, were now completely under the control of the "Cross Family."

If it weren't for the Nine Snakes' flag still flying over the palace on Amazon Lily and the fact that the Kuja Pirates were still active in the first half of the Grand Line, people might have forgotten about the island and its warriors.

Nowadays, when people think of Amazon Lily, they immediately associate it with Cross Kahn, the territory of the "Cross Family."

As the only man on Daughter Island and the one who holds authority above the Empress, Kahn had been backstabbed many times by Morgans despite their supposed friendship.

In the pages of the World Economy News Paper and its magazines, Kahn consistently topped lists of "The Most Envied Men" and "The Men Women Most Want to Marry."

He was the richest man in the world.

His maid was the most beautiful woman in the world.

His "lover" was the most beautiful queen in the history of the allied nations.

Cross Kahn, who was surrounded by two extraordinary beauties and a host of equally stunning maids, had everything men desire: wealth, beauty, strength, and power—all at the highest levels.

How could this not make people envious and jealous?

Countless men dreamed of taking Kahn's place.

Because of this, many men set sail with dreams of becoming the next Cross Kahn.

After seven years in the Grand Line, Kahn had unknowingly become a figure who would influence the next generation.

At the age of 22, he had a successful career and a good life, much like Blackbeard, who began enjoying life after becoming one of the Four Emperors in the original story.

As time passed, Kahn spent less time cultivating and more time enjoying

leisure.

With Robin and Hancock overseeing the operations of the world's biggest moneymakers and Scarlet moving to the Golden City to support her sister Bacala in their search for the lantern fish, Kahn's personal involvement decreased. Each of these women was busy managing their responsibilities, leaving them with only the evenings to spend with Kahn. Sometimes, they were so occupied that they couldn't even visit Amazon Lily to see him.

This led to Kahn making a mistake in early 1510 of the Sea Circle Calendar—a mistake many men make.

He extended his interest to Monet, who was eighteen at the time.

To be fair, it seemed inevitable. After living with him for over half a year, Monet, who had been deeply impressed by Kahn's heroic rescue, had developed strong feelings for him. Serving as his personal maid daily only deepened her affection, and soon enough, she became Kahn's third woman.

When Robin, who had been with Kahn the longest, found out, she looked at him with a mix of bitter resentment and understanding.

To make amends, Kahn made a special stop at the Golden City during his first journey to the New World on the "Grandine" to spend a week pampering Robin, his first maid and the only one who had become a top aide without relying on strength.

Robin, biologically 25 but looking like she was 18, became Kahn's fourth woman. Despite being overtaken by Monet and being behind Scarlet and Hancock, Robin's status as the second-in-command among Kahn's women was undisputed. She was acknowledged as the 'big sister' among them, maintaining her leadership role within the group.

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