Chapter 171: Clouds of War, An Unexpected Visitor?

New World.

The sun was setting, its light reflecting on the vast blue sea. The second meeting between the Emperors, Whitebeard and Red-Haired Shanks, ended in failure once again.

As the youngest of the Four Emperors, once a member of the Pirate King's crew, the Red-Haired Shanks, regretfully led his subordinates away from the Moby Dick. Whitebeard, known as the strongest man in the world and a great pirate, stood as a legend from the previous era. Though he had aged, his bloodlust remained, as unyielding as ever.

Shanks approached Whitebeard this time in hopes of convincing him not to ally too closely with the Central Authority, to avoid further destabilizing the world. But he failed. Whitebeard seemed to admire that renowned young man who had made waves across the seas.

Similarly, Shanks himself had some respect for Shiro. A prodigy like him was rare, a once-in-a-lifetime kind of talent. However, that didn't mean Shanks would help or turn a blind eye to Shiro's actions.

In the foreseeable future, if the Central Authority continued to expand without restraint, they would inevitably advance from the first half of the Grand Line into the New World, further consolidating their power. Rumors were already circulating that the Revolutionary Army had formed a secret alliance with Shiro, the supreme commander of the Central Authority.

In this situation, the World Government would undoubtedly feel more threatened than ever. Even now, the Central Authority and Shiro posed a more significant threat to the World Government than the Revolutionary Army or even the Rocks Pirates of decades past!

Therefore, the World Government would not sit idly by. A conflict larger than the Marineford War seemed inevitable!

The World Government, which once held absolute control over the seas, possessed unfathomable power. But the Central Authority, under Shiro's leadership, had already become a formidable force, with extensive territory, a powerful army, and a cadre of loyal officers. They also held an idealistic vision of a new world order.

Shiro himself, a top-tier fighter among the seas, had repeatedly survived the Navy and CP0's assassination attempts without suffering any significant injuries. When the clash between the World Government and the Central Authority finally erupted, it would undoubtedly be a battle of unprecedented scale.

The whole pirate world might be thrown into chaos, with countless lives caught in the crossfire!

"Captain, what's the plan? Whether it's the World Government or the Central Authority, we, the Red-Haired Pirates, fear no one!" said Benn Beckman, the vice-captain of the Red-Haired Pirates, with a cigarette between his lips.

"Now is not yet the time for a decisive war... but it seems we're out of choices," Shanks replied, leaning against the bow of the ship. His eyes were fixed on the distant sea, his sword swaying with the wind, his thoughts a mystery.

"That Shiro kid is truly something. So young, yet he has the power to thrash even Akainu and win over the world's most beautiful women. Rumor has it that several beauties are already vying for his attention," Benn Beckman added with a rare hint of jealousy.

There was no denying it. Though reluctant to admit, Shiro had indeed become the envy of men across the world, the supreme commander of the Central Authority. In today's seas, even the mightiest pirate crew couldn't shine brighter than the Central Authority.

Grand Line, Marineford!

Once the symbol of Marine justice, Marineford had now been transformed into the most crucial forward base of the Central Authority under the leadership of Fujitora. While preparing to advance into the New World, Shiro himself had taken charge of Marineford.

Yet the World Government and the Navy Headquarters remained oddly silent, which made Shiro wary. Given Akainu's personality, the man would have already led a fleet to reclaim Enies Lobby, Marineford, and Impel Down—key symbols of justice taken by the enemy.

With the current lack of action from Akainu, it was clear that the World Government had ordered him to stay put. But what was their true intention?

Shiro wasn't naive enough to believe the World Government had lost its nerve. Their power was vast and nearly insurmountable, but bringing them down was far from easy. The peculiar behavior of the World Government was deeply unsettling.

Since the failed alliance with Blackbeard, they had been unusually quiet, not making any significant moves. Even after consulting with Zephyr and others, Shiro couldn't make sense of their strategy. His only option was to grow stronger, believing that with enough power, any strategy could be countered.

"Kai, how's the development of our secret unit?" Shiro asked, turning to the newly promoted Central Authority Vice-Admiral.

"Rest assured, boss. Our secret force will soon shock the world with their prowess!" Kai responded, his face full of determination and excitement.

"Ha ha ha! Don't get too excited, Kai. Still, a unit of thousands trained in Rokushiki will indeed shake the world!" Shiro laughed, his eyes gleaming with ambition.

He had indeed trained Kai and others in the Rokushiki, preparing them to become a force that even the strongest pirate crews would have to reckon with. Thousands of people mastering Rokushiki—even the Four Emperors would kneel!

And that was just one of Shiro's hidden cards. When facing the World Government, he had to tread carefully.

"Shiro, someone is here to see you!" announced Fujitora, walking into the room at the Central Authority's Marineford base.

"A visitor?" Shiro's expression shifted. If it was someone from the Central Authority, Fujitora wouldn't have put it this way. It must be an outsider.

"Who is it?"

"It's Princess Nefertari Vivi of the Alabasta Kingdom," Fujitora replied.

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The fanfic is finished on p@treon/tambeerg