The movement of the four emperors!
On the distant sea.
"There are indeed many monsters in the New World..."
Reiju looked at the approaching Gran Tesoro, feeling relieved that she had survived. She hoped to never encounter a monster like Tezoro again, as the feeling of having her life out of her own control was awful.
Judge glanced at the injured Yonji, Niji, and Ichiji, who were being treated by Germa's technicians. His eyes showed neither worry nor concern, but rather coldness and disappointment. Compared to Sanji, the performance of the three brothers had been deeply disappointing to him.
Reiju noticed Judge's indifference but felt nothing, having seen this side of him since childhood. Even if her three emotionless brothers noticed Judge's attitude, they wouldn't feel anything either. As perfect soldiers, they were not meant to consider other things; their purpose was to accept and complete missions.
Judge, watching the distant ship, asked in a deep voice, "Any news about Jewelry Bonney?"
"Hmm?" Reiju was startled by the question, not expecting Judge to suddenly bring up Jewelry Bonney. She knew this woman and understood that her abilities were a crucial piece in her father's ambitious plans.
Judge looked away and glanced at the thoughtful Reiju, speaking with a hint of melancholy, "Soon... this world may undergo earth-shaking changes. In such turbulent times, if we don't have enough leverage, even Germa could be buried in the ocean."
Reiju's expression changed slightly as she silently watched her father. Earth-shaking changes? Even Germa might be overturned.
...
On the Gran Tesoro.
A turtle-driven car was driving on the road towards the Golden Tower.
"She's Baccarat. She ate the Luck-Luck Fruit and has the ability to control luck. She can draw out the good luck from others and apply it to herself or others, granting them short-term fortune, while those whose luck is taken fall into misfortune. As for Tanaka, he ate the Slip-Slip Fruit, allowing him to pass through all inorganic matter. The casino's Dice hasn't eaten a Devil Fruit, but he's quite strong."
Tezoro, sitting in the front seat, proactively shared information about his subordinates Baccarat and Tanaka with Nicolas. He did this to quickly gain Nicolas' trust.
Nicolas was surprised by Tezoro's openness. Although he already knew about Baccarat and Tanaka's abilities, Tezoro didn't know this. Revealing the abilities of one's subordinates so freely on the sea was practically unheard of.
As Nicolas pondered, he calmly asked, "Is it really okay to reveal your subordinates' abilities so easily?"
"It doesn't matter; you'll find out eventually," Tezoro replied without hesitation. To him, this was just a step in building trust.
"..." Nicolas was momentarily at a loss for words, surprised by how quickly Tezoro considered himself a subordinate or collaborator. He remained silent.
"Oh, by the way, is the Vinsmoke family under your command?" Tezoro couldn't help but ask when Nicolas didn't respond.
"They're not really subordinates, more like partners. Their modified humans are quite useful as basic combat forces," Nicolas replied, showing some goodwill in response to Tezoro's sincerity.
Soon, the turtle car arrived at the port at the bow of the Gran Tesoro.
The Vinsmoke family was already waiting at the port. When they saw Tezoro standing behind Nicolas, their expressions varied. Judge's eyes flickered, clearly indicating that Tezoro had submitted to Nicolas. Given the wealth controlled by the Gran Tesoro, it was easy to imagine how Nicolas' forces would expand further.
...
Marine Headquarters
Sengoku stood by the window, deep in thought. Behind him, a plaque bearing the word "Justice" hung on the wall.
"Not planning to 'pursue' it? Or is it true, as Tsuru suggested, that you don't have the energy to deal with the Navy anymore..." Sengoku suddenly snorted.
He wasn't surprised that his proposal to go after Nicolas was rejected. It had been a test to gauge the Five Elders' stance. Sengoku had even prepared himself for possible repercussions from above, but the worst-case scenario hadn't occurred. This both puzzled and hinted to Sengoku that the Five Elders' attitude towards the Navy might have shifted.
"Knock knock!"
The door to the office suddenly echoed with urgent knocking.
"Come in."
Sengoku turned to face the door.
Squeak—
A Navy officer in a coat and sunglasses swiftly entered.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku!"
The officer, visibly anxious, reported, "We've just received news from the New World that the Whitebeard Pirates, Beast Pirates, Big Mom Pirates, and Red-Haired Pirates have all shown signs of movement! All our surveillance ships around them have lost contact, and we've completely lost track of the Four Emperors' movements!"
"What!?"
Even the usually composed Sengoku couldn't hide his shock at this news.
The officer continued, "Our intelligence department suspects that these movements may be related to Nicolas' appearance!"
"....."
Sengoku lowered his head slightly, his glasses reflecting a sharp glint. He pondered what the Four Emperors could be planning at this time.
Suddenly, Sengoku looked up sharply towards the open door.
Three figures, draped in white robes and wearing peculiar masks, stood there.
"CP0," Sengoku noted, his expression unreadable.
Inside the office, Sengoku addressed the unexpected visitors from CP0 coldly, "What brings CP0 to the Navy?"
Ignoring Sengoku's tone, the CP0 agents got straight to the point. "We're here to deliver orders from the Five Elders."
"No matter what methods you use, you must strictly monitor the movements of the Four Emperors..."
"Those are the orders from above!"
The three CP0 agents relayed the message from the Five Elders. Sengoku's expression grew stern upon hearing this.
After a moment, Sengoku watched expressionlessly as the CP0 agents left.
"It seems the Five Elders are really anxious... Ancient weapons, the D. family, are these the things making you panic?" Sengoku murmured to himself.
For now, he resolved to take a firm stance, ensuring the safety of ordinary citizens amidst the turmoil sweeping across the seas.