Next Steps and Support

__________ POV Enel__________

After a few days of celebration, I also started getting tired.

The Whitebeard pirates seem to still be going strong, but I do need to take a break and think about my next steps.

I have plenty of things I wish to accomplish. But I also have a lot of time from now on. Nothing is rushing me as gaining allies was the most important part of my plan at first.

Getting a bounty on my head was somewhat expected. I didn't think it would be that high, but I guess it does make sense.

It's not really just about betraying the marines and fighting the Navy forces, not even me saving Whitebeard is that important to them. The old guy would just die of his sickness in a year or two...

The gravest thing I've done was save Ace during this war.

The world government had set up that huge spectacle with Sengoku revealing Ace's identity with the sole purpose to execute him and make a statement that the Age of Pirates was over.

I remember Whitebeard ruining that by shouting that the One Piece was true in the original, but that is no longer needed.

The Navy, and by extension the World Government, suffered massive losses and both reputation and influence from this event.

If anything, the Navy's grip somewhat weakening due to this war will only create more pirates.

I'm sure Sengoku did envision the possibility of losing the war, so the World Government surely has some tricks up their sleeve and some countermeasures to combat the rise in piracy...

Now that I think about it, I think they are trying to turn me into a detrimental factor for pirates. A new possible Yonko rising, 'one that loathes both pirates and marines equally'.

That's how they titled me and what type of propaganda they're spreading.

They think that another possible Yonko that hates pirates might dissuade idiots from throwing themselves at the sea in hopes of riches and fame... That's just a stupid assumption to make.

In truth, most Yonko's couldn't care less about other pirates, as long as they don't interfere with whatever business they happen to run.

If anything, making me an Emperor will just inspire more people to become pirates and challenge me. As is the case for all of the others Emperors.

Weaklings will either challenge me or beg to join my crew. So, this might be the government shooting themselves in the foot...

Or not really. It's easy for a CP0 agent to slip into my crew if I get a surplus of new recruits. That's likely what they're hoping would happen.

Honestly, I might not even get that many challenges, I'm not even an official 'Yonko'. They'd have to change the name if they were to also give me a similar title.

After all, Yonko refers to the 'Four Emperors'. Newgate might not have a lot of time left, but he's still around, so there are already Four of them.

So, although the World Government are spreading propaganda about me being a Yonko, they haven't actually given me that title officially, and probably won't, ever.

To be fair, acknowledging the existence of yet another threat to their influence and power to the world publically after such a huge failure in the war is likely not something that they can afford to do.

Right now, I'm just considered a powerful and vile criminal. Being called a possible emperor only refers to my strength...

Still, I could likely force their hand to change the 'Yonko' into the 'Gotei'(Five Emperors).

I'd have to swallow up some territory in the New World, and I'd basically have a foothold to call myself one.

Problem is that I also don't really have any crew. Without a crew, I may be strong, but I won't be able to stretch my influence endlessly if I only have my own strength to rely on.

Regardless, I don't really care about becoming an Emperor or recruiting a pirate crew for now. Getting a bounty of 3 billion is already enough for me.

Now, after the war, my original plan was to try and see how I'd get into contact with the Revolutionary Army.

I think I can remember their base being at Baltigo, they also don't exactly recruit people as freely as the Marines do.

If they did, then they'd honestly just be filled with CP agents.

The actual kicker is that the location of Baltigo is not known to anyone outside the Revolutionary Army. So if I want to find it, I'd have to first try to contact them covertly.

Regardless, I could've thought of ways to get in touch with them. Tracking down Ivankov after the war wouldn't have been impossible.

But, right now I also feel the need to look into souls a bit more.

I can't exactly pretend that my Conquerer's Haki 'situation' doesn't bother me. That god seemed awfully interested in me, so I need to find out more about it.

The god seemed able to visit me in my dreams. But I am starting to think that it doesn't have as much influence over the world physically...

Can't be too sure, but I think it would've gotten in the way of a few of my plans if it could. It seems to have a path that it wants me to take...

For some reason, that god also has something against humans.

I even needed to play by its rules and say whatever it wanted to hear while in that dream, but lying to a god is difficult, especially when said god can read your thoughts...

Maybe this world holds some knowledge regarding that...

Where do I even start though?

There are plenty of religions in this world.

I'd need to have access to a huge library if I wanted to look into more of them. Even then, there is no guarantee that I'd find anything...

I think the best course of action for me would still be to touch up with the Revolutionary Army. I think I have the perfect ticket to get them too...

But I also have another small nuisance to deal with first... Well, good thing I have the time to deal with everything.

__________ POV Narration __________

With his next steps thought up, Enel finally went to sleep for a bit more.

This time everything was normal, he didn't dream. He simply rested his eyes and woke up in the morning.

At this point, the Whitebeard pirates were also sleeping by the hundreds. Enel tiptoed around the pirates laying and sleeping on the deck of his ship, heading for Whitebeard.

After all, it was rude for a guest to leave without letting the host know...

Edward Newgate was awake, an early bird by the looks of it. The old man also looked at Enel as if he had been expecting the former Rear Admiral to show up.

"Figured you'd show up... You seemed the type to leave the party early in the morning..." Whitebeard said with a wide smile.

"Heh, I don't wanna hear that. You people have way too much energy... Seriously, for an old guy on his deathbed, you sure have a lot more stamina than me..."

Enel simply shook his head, which made the old man chuckle a bit.

"Deathbed or not, I am still Whitebeard! Though... I probably don't have much time left."

Whitebeard looked at his crewmates, his children, all sprawled on the ground, likely all suffering from alcohol poisoning of varying severity.

"Enel, I'll be honest with you. I don't even know if I'll get to see you again in this life of mine..." Newgate's voice was resolute, no trace of fear for his imminent doom was to be found.

"I want you to know. That you can rely on my children in the future, for anything... Here, a piece of Marco's Vivre card. If you need help, get in touch with him..."

Whitebeard handed Enel a small piece of paper, the former Rear Admiral looked at it for a bit and stuffed it in his pocket.

Enel raised an eyebrow at that. It was his goal to have the Whitebeard pirates as allies... But he didn't expect to hear those words directly from the captain's mouth...

"Don't you dare take advantage of them though! I'll rise out of my grave and beat you to death if you do!"

Enel just sweated a bit at that. 'The old guy still has some spunk in him... He isn't called the strongest for no reason, I guess...'

"Don't worry... I hopefully won't ever need help with anything... But I'll remember your words in the future..." Enel simply shook his head in the end, as his body slowly started floating.

"It was nice meeting you, old man. I hope our paths cross again in the future, if not then it was an honour to get drunk alongside you these past few days!" Enel said with a smile.

"Gurarararara! Who got drunk?! I only remember you passing out!" Whitebeard slapped his knee as he started laughing, waking up some of his children in the process, all of which seemed to have a hangover...

"I don't appreciate the slander! I only fell asleep momentarily... Underneath the table..." Enel said as he crossed his arms in indignation.

"Heh, buzz off, you brat!" Whitebeard said as he waved his hand a bit.

Enel simply smiled, turning into a bolt of lightning and rushing into the clouds.

Whitebeard looked at the sky with a smile.

"Pops, did Enel leave? He didn't even say goodbye to me-yoi..." Marco woke up and said while blinking a few times in tiredness.

"Go back to sleep you brats! We all know you don't like mornings..." Whitebeard said as he stared at his children with a smile on his lips.

'Enel... It doesn't matter if you are to face the world, I'll make sure you are not alone... Just like you made sure I'd be able to spend my last days with my children...'

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