"──And that's the gist of what happened this time."
"Hmm..."
Upon receiving the Den Den Mushi report from Yuisheeze, who had made contact with Maraptonoka, Kanata leaned back in her chair in annoyance.
That Seastone had been less effective than expected was unforeseen, but the other weapons had been sufficiently potent. That was perhaps the only positive takeaway. Moreover, she had a vague understanding of why the Seastone hadn't worked, and why Maraptonoka hadn't reverted from her beast form to her human form even when affected by it.
"That woman is a creature made by Vegapunk. Though she originated from Devil Fruit lineage factors, the fact that she didn't die even after eating Vegapunk's artificial Devil Fruit probably means she didn't fall under that particular judgment. I can understand that."
Whether she could accept it was another matter entirely.
In effect, Maraptonoka was like someone who had consumed multiple Devil Fruits. While Kanata felt a twinge of wanting to call it unfair, the usability of a Devil Fruit changed drastically depending on the user.
Fortunately, while Maraptonoka was intelligent, she didn't seem particularly outstanding in combat.
Still, the sheer, exceptional strength derived from her various abilities and raw physical power alone made her a troublesome opponent.
"If we had gotten the information a little sooner, I think there might have been other measures we could have taken..." Yuisheeze's voice lamented.
"It couldn't be helped. I didn't expect you to find her by the time I relayed Ragnell's report to you."
Kanata had believed that since Maraptonoka had been thoroughly beaten by Komurasaki on Skypiea, she wouldn't show her face in Twilight's sphere of influence for a while.
The instructions given to Yuisheeze were to rush and capture her if there was a report of her discovery on a nearby island. Kanata had never imagined Maraptonoka would brazenly appear in broad daylight, not just on an island within their sphere of influence, but on one directly under their governance.
Was it astounding recklessness, or was she simply not thinking at all? It might have been the result of underestimating them, thinking there weren't many individuals as skilled as Komurasaki, but they, in turn, had gained something valuable from this encounter.
"What about her flesh fragments and blood?" Kanata asked.
"We'll recover what we can and send it your way. But do you really need something like this?"
"We should at least be able to analyze its composition. She seems to be quite special in various ways, and it doesn't look like Vegapunk has a complete grasp on her either."
Vegapunk would receive a rather stern punishment, but dealing with Maraptonoka was an urgent matter.
The fact that Seastone couldn't completely stop her movements was partly due to the insufficient purity of the Seastone used in the arrowheads. To stop her reliably, it would be necessary to blow her head off first and then pin her limbs with Seastone. Just understanding that much made this clash meaningful.
If they could determine the strength of Maraptonoka's body from her flesh fragments, there was also a possibility they could create weapons effective against Kaido.
...Well, that man's raw physical strength was one thing, but his extraordinary Haki significantly boosted his body's toughness. It was probably safer to assume that even if something worked on Maraptonoka, it wouldn't work on Kaido.
At least it was better than Logia types, as ordinary physical attacks could hit her.
"Continue to be vigilant for a while. She might show her face again."
"Understood. Next time, I'll make sure to crush her more thoroughly."
It had been proven this time that the possibility of Maraptonoka wandering around unrepentantly, even after all this, was not zero. Therefore, it was necessary to keep Yuisheeze stationed there on alert for a while longer.
After finishing her call with Yuisheeze, Kanata picked up the file on Maraptonoka, the troublemaker, and sighed.
"...To think I'd need to post Yuisheeze over there at this time."
Soon, Kanata would wage war against Newgate—and by extension, the Whitebeard Pirates.
She needed to concentrate her forces and was in the process of gradually recalling executives from various locations, trying not to appear unnatural.
In this Great Pirate Era, for the forces capable of escorting merchant ships to dwindle from various regions was nothing short of suicidal. She had wanted to make preparations as discreetly as possible, avoiding detection by the Navy or other organizations, but that might prove a little difficult.
The Twilight Pirates, including their subordinate crews, numbered over 80,000 in total.
Of these, more than half, 50,000, were mere laborers, so their actual combat strength was around 30,000.
However, they couldn't recall all the escorts from merchant ships across various regions, so the number that could actually stand on the battlefield with Kanata would be slightly over 20,000.
This meant that if they clashed with the forces of an Emperor, where almost everyone was a combatant, they would be at a numerical disadvantage.
Of course, in this world, military strength couldn't be measured by simple numbers alone.
No matter how many foot soldiers one gathered, they were meaningless if they couldn't withstand the Haoshoku Haki of an Emperor-class individual. In that sense, Twilight, which could contend with an Emperor despite its numerical disadvantage, could also be considered an Emperor-class power.
"...Preparations are essential."
If they were to face the Whitebeard Pirates, neither the Navy nor the Government would likely remain spectators.
Considering the need to maintain the balance of power among the Three Great Powers—the Four Emperors, the Navy, and the Seven Warlords—they would want to prevent Twilight from becoming a preeminent force.
If it came to a duel between Kanata and Newgate, Kaido and Linlin might even show up. Kanata preferred to deal with them individually if possible, but they weren't opponents who would be so easily manipulated.
Kanata picked up the Den Den Mushi receiver and called for Teach.
Teach, who had been drinking since midday, soon arrived at Kanata's office, his face slightly flushed.
"You called, Sis!"
"It's a job. Go to Newgate's place and get the reply to the letter that Ace probably delivered."
"A reply to a letter?"
Teach frowned. He understood that going as an envoy to one of the Four Emperors required a certain status and position. But just to get a reply, was that all?
Kanata, anticipating Teach's skepticism, continued speaking as she spread out a nautical chart.
"I told him that if Newgate steps down as captain, I'd incorporate them into our economic sphere. Nine times out of ten, he'll refuse. If so, that's a declaration of war. A job suited for you, wouldn't you say?"
"Zehahahaha!! Make an impossible demand, and if they refuse, it's a declaration of war! That's vicious!!"
"I'm not a demon either. I always provide options."
Teach roared with laughter at Kanata, who shrugged. Spreading the chart on the desk, she pointed to the approximate location of Newgate's ship, the Moby Dick, based on intelligence from spies.
"From the information we got the other day, its current position is here. From here, its course is southeast, and considering past information, it's likely heading for this island. Get there before him."
"What if I don't make it in time?"
"You will make it. Don't use that log raft you're using; use one of the high-speed ships we've prepared."
"Why?"
Kanata glared sharply at Teach, who looked dissatisfied.
There was no "why" about it. There was no way he could get ahead of the Moby Dick on a raft-like vessel that didn't even have a proper rudder.
She could explain it carefully, but it would be a waste of time, so she cut it short with a simple "It's an order."
Despite his appearance, this man was intelligent; he would understand once the alcohol wore off, even without an explanation.
Teach didn't hide his dissatisfaction, but Kanata didn't have time to spare either.
"I'm heading out now. I have a promise with Bullet too."
"Oh, right, you were gonna bring that Gattai-bastard into the fold? Rain got beaten to a pulp the other day, but your chances of winning haven't changed, have they?"
"No problem. But it'll likely take a full day, so I've been getting various other tasks out of the way."
Kaido and Linlin were the same, but the strong were often so incredibly durable that settling a fight took time. Normally, she'd set a time limit, but if they were serious, it was only proper to fight until one of them fell.
"Regarding the declaration of war, I want to settle it with a one-on-one duel between myself and Newgate as much as possible."
"Huh? You're gonna do a one-on-one duel too?"
"I want to bring the Whitebeard Pirates in as intact as possible. If we clash with all our might, grudges might remain."
She could forcibly conscript them after defeating Newgate, but the whole affair had started because Ace came asking for help, desperate for food and medical supplies.
If the children no longer had to worry about their daily sustenance, Newgate probably wouldn't object.
If Newgate's territory was to be incorporated into Twilight's economic sphere, the cooperation of the Whitebeard Pirates would be necessary anyway.
"If you win, Sis, the Whitebeard Pirates will be under your command, huh. So, what happens if old man Whitebeard wins?"
"Naturally, it's winner takes all, of course."
If Newgate won, the Twilight Pirates would become his subordinates.
If Kanata won, the Whitebeard Pirates would become her subordinates.
Winner takes all meant exactly that.
Teach's eyes widened at these words.
"Oi oi, you're talkin' big, ain't ya? I don't think you'll lose, but your opponent is that Whitebeard, ya know?"
"I have no intention of losing to that old fool. And he'll have no choice but to accept these terms."
Kanata couldn't imagine Newgate being able to do Twilight's work in her stead, but even Kanata herself was currently just reading reports and stamping her seal of approval.
As long as a general direction could be set, the work would get done no matter who was at the top. If it weren't for that, Kanata would have been too busy with work to have time to train.
...She did handle negotiations with various countries and allocate a certain amount of supplies, but these were also tasks necessary because Kanata was a Warlord. If Newgate became the leader, they would likely be unnecessary.
The problem lay with the outsiders who would hear about the duel between Kanata and Newgate.
"There's a chance Kaido and Linlin will interfere. I want to gather as much strength as possible."
"What about Red-Hair? You guys are workin' together behind the scenes, right?"
"He's all fired up about going to see his daughter's big show right now. I'd prefer if he could keep either Kaido or Linlin in check, but... that'll probably be difficult."
"Useless when it counts, huh..."
"Also, there's a chance the Government and the Navy will interfere. If Twilight and Whitebeard merge, they won't be able to ignore it."
"Still, Sis, you're a Warlord. I don't think they'd complain too much if their allies get stronger."
"...If it were that simple, I'd have it easy too."
The Five Elders already viewed Kanata as dangerous. Although recognized as a Warlord, Kanata was still a pirate. While it was difficult to eliminate Twilight, which was deeply entrenched in the world economy, being fundamentally enemies, they likely didn't want her to possess excessive influence.
It was probably a judgment made due to an extreme shortage of manpower when the Great Pirate Era began, but easily bringing Kanata in as a Warlord had been a miscalculation on their part.
However, the Five Elders were not fools.
They seemed to be having Vegapunk's special science group, SSG, create something strange, and if they could diminish the power of the Four Emperors to some extent through weapon attacks, they would likely consider having the Navy escort existing merchant ships.
No matter what, in the end, Twilight would inevitably have to oppose the World Government. That was the way of it.
"No matter how much we think about it now, it's still in the realm of possibility. I've prepared several future plans considering their movements. There's no need to worry."
"...If you say so, Sis, I'll follow your lead."
If Teach had been the one in charge, he might have had a few things to say about the policy.
But Teach chose to support Kanata's judgment. He intuitively felt that thatwaywouldworkoutbetter.
He did think about various things when necessary, but Teach fundamentally reliedonluckespeciallywhenittrulymattered. This time, he was merely betting that following Kanata's instructions completely would be auspicious.
"Regarding the declaration of war on Newgate, the schedule for the duel is──"
Kanata conveyed the minute details verbally, making Teach take notes to ensure they were accurately relayed to Newgate.
Being an envoy for a declaration of war was the most dangerous role, but... Kanata believed Teach would have no problem with it.
…
Meanwhile, on Midgard.
Having received Kanata's message, Kaie decided to entrust the island's internal defense to the Central Branch Chief and the giant Dilus, and began preparations to temporarily return to the New World.
Once the security handover was complete, all that remained was to gather her personal belongings, but separately, she visited the port to contact the Kuja Pirates, who were under their umbrella.
"Kaie-neesama! You didn't have to come all this way, we would have come to you..."
Marigold's voice rose in a fluster as she saw Kaie visit the Kuja ship.
Noticing her voice, the Kuja crew members around also gathered around Kaie.
Kaie was not of Kuja blood, but she was treated as Gloriosa's daughter, so she was practically family. Many admired Kaie, who served Kanata as a Valkyrie and an executive.
As Kaie responded to them without any displeasure, Uta casually showed her face.
"Oh, if it isn't Kaie-san. Heya!"
"Hello, Uta. Are your preparations complete?"
"Yep! I only brought enough clothes to the inn for my stay, so packing was quick."
Midgard was just a stopover on the way to Alabasta, so most of their luggage had been left on the ship.
Disembarking and taking lodging on the island was partly to recover from the fatigue of sea travel, but also because they were waiting for the arrival of "Golden Emperor" Gildo Tesoro, the star of this performance.
"Where is Hancock?"
"She went out a little while ago for a security meeting with Tesoro-san."
"Oh, is that so?"
Kaie's eyes widened at the thought of the man-hating Hancock going to a meeting with Tesoro, but she figured there must have been something the two of them connected on.
Either way, it was convenient. To contact both, Kaie, smiling wryly at the reluctant voices, disembarked once and headed for another ship docked nearby.
Boarding the ship marked with Twilight's emblem, a man who noticed Kaie's presence approached her.
"Well, well, Kaie-sama. Do you have business with Tesoro-sama?"
"Yes, Hancock is here too, isn't she? Could you show me the way?"
"Understood, this way."
She followed the man called Tanaka into the ship. He guided her to a room within the large vessel that had been prepared with counter-espionage measures, then knocked and announced their purpose.
"Excuse me. Tesoro-sama, Kaie-sama has arrived."
"What? Show her in."
"Yes. Then Kaie-sama, please come this way."
Tanaka, who opened the door, stood aside, and Kaie entered.
Inside were Tesoro and his adjutant, Baccarat. Also present were Hancock and, as her adjutant, Sandersonia.
Tesoro and Hancock stood up as soon as they saw Kaie, their faces breaking into welcoming smiles.
"Welcome, Kaie-san. I was just about to go and greet you."
"It's been a while, Tesoro. I've heard various rumors. You seem to be doing quite well for yourself."
"It's all thanks to Kanata-san's assistance. I'm deeply indebted to her."
"Kaie-neesama, why are you here?"
Normally, it would be natural for Tesoro to go to Kaie, who held a higher position as an executive of Twilight.
Being late with greetings would be a breach of etiquette, but Tesoro had only just arrived on the island. He had intended to pay his respects after settling matters regarding the escort to Alabasta with Hancock, so when Kaie appeared, Tesoro, while smiling, felt a cold sweat run down his back.
Whatever the reason, in an organizational framework, the hierarchy of positions was absolute. For a superior to visit a subordinate was something that should not happen.
Hancock was rather indifferent to such matters, so Sandersonia was the one breaking into a cold sweat, thinking, "Should I have made Tesoro go to Kaie-neesama's place before the meeting?"
Kaie, noticing this, could only smile wryly.
"I had some urgent news to convey, so I came here. I wouldn't come for a reason like a breach of etiquette."
The three, aside from Hancock, breathed a sigh of relief at Kaie's words. Once settled in her chair, Kaie quickly got to the main topic.
"Regarding the escort by the Kuja Pirates, it has been decided that they will withdraw upon arrival in Alabasta."
"...So, does that mean they will only take us to Alabasta, and there will be no escort on the return journey?"
"Simply put, yes. However, there are escorts for the merchant ships staying in Alabasta, so you will likely coordinate with them."
"That's fine, but... this is rather sudden, isn't it?"
The Kuja escort had been Kanata's proposal.
This meant that either someone who could overrule her decision, or she herself, had reversed it.
The Kuja Pirates were one of the top, if not the top, martial factions among Twilight's subordinates. Their escort was a reassuring factor, but it implied that an event more pressing than Tesoro's or Uta's safety had occurred. Tesoro was also curious about this.
"A gag order is currently in place, so I cannot disclose the details... but at the very least, it was judged that an escort would be unnecessary while in Alabasta."
"And... why is that?"
"It seems Red-Hair will be coming to Alabasta. If they are there, an escort will be unnecessary."
At Kaie's words, everyone present widened their eyes.
After all, if the Red-Hair Pirates, one of the current Four Emperors, were coming to Alabasta, an escort would be needed all the more. No matter how moderate they were said to be among the Four Emperors, pirates were pirates. It was no reason to lower their guard.
"Shanks and I are old acquaintances, and he has a fairly close relationship with Kanata-san. When I sent him an invitation to this live concert, I received a cheerful acceptance. So, it's unlikely they will cause any trouble."
Tesoro could only stare in stunned silence at this.
Red-Hair was seen as a successor to the Pirate King. Shanks, a former crewmate of the Roger Pirates, and the Twilight Pirates, who had many dealings with the Roger Pirates.
Indeed, there was a connection, Tesoro thought, his gaze distant.
He had thought that the Kuja Pirates being removed from escort duty meant Kanata had something more important to prioritize than Tesoro and the others, but it was nothing of the sort. It was simply judged that if there was a powerful ally who made the Kuja escort unnecessary, then it would be fine.
"I see, the Red-Hair Pirates... However, will they show consideration for our safety?"
"I'll make sure to convey that properly, so it will be alright. If anything happens, they will likely take the lead in acting."
Tesoro had not been told about Uta. Kanata had instructed that Uta should tell him when she herself wished to.
A child could be a parent's weakness. Considering Shanks's position, it was better to refrain from making Uta's existence public. If it were to be told, it should be limited to a very small number, and Uta had been cautioned to speak only to those she could truly trust.
"Is that so? Then it should be safe."
"...Kaie-neesama. In that case, where should we head after escorting them to Alabasta?"
"Please return to Amazon Lily. Then, leave a minimum number of personnel for the island's defense, and make preparations—this is an order from Kanata-san."
The faces of Hancock and Sandersonia, who had been somewhat dissatisfied at having a job directly assigned by Kanata taken away, tensed up.
Orders from Kanata were rare, and moreover, this directive indicated "preparations for war."
The Kuja escort being removed from Tesoro and the others had another reason besides Shanks and his crew taking over escort duties.
Receiving Kaie's words, Hancock nodded fittingly as the acting empress of Kuja.
"We will make preparations to be ready to depart at any time."
"That's most reassuring."
Having conveyed the necessary information, Kaie stood up to leave the room.
Tesoro hurriedly said he was having tea prepared, but Kaie shook her head.
"I'm rather busy, you see. I appreciate the invitation for tea, but let's save it for another time."
Soon, Kaie too would need to depart this island. Before then, she had to finish handing over her duties. Leaving Tesoro and Hancock with disappointed faces, Kaie gracefully departed the scene.