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Within a mere week.
Momonga, the giant Lonz, and others.
Numerous renowned Marine officers submitted their resignations and subsequently joined Hoenn. Although the higher-ups tried their best to stop them, the effect was minimal.
When the hearts of the people are not in it, the team disperses.
There were also some branch base commanders who directly took their entire branch to join Hoenn, most of which were from the Four Blues branches.
It wasn't that they betrayed the World Government, but rather that they couldn't hold on any longer. Ever since the conflict with Hoenn gradually escalated two years ago, the military funding for the Four Blues branches of the Marines had become problematic.
Many Marine branches had not received military funding for over half a year.
They couldn't endure it.
Marine soldiers are also human. They need to eat and drink, and they have families to support. Besides defecting to Hoenn, they had no other choice.
With the great upheaval in the Marines, various member nations also sensed that the world's direction was changing, and the World Government seemed less formidable.
Just as the Reverie was about to convene, and a new round of Heavenly Tribute was due, after Alabasta took the lead in withdrawing from the World Government, many member nations began to stir.
Ridiculous incidents followed: the World Government was severely understaffed, lacking even enough warships to escort the royal families of various nations.
On the other side, at Dressrosa port.
On the Groudon's deck.
Kozuki Momonosuke, Foxfire Kin'emon, and Kanjuro were hanging bruised and battered beneath the mast.
Daichi observed Momonosuke, seeing the cowardice and fear in his eyes, and quickly lost interest, turning to face Capone Bege and his entourage.
"No money?"
"Sir, how dare we ask for your money? These three are our gift to you. Please accept them."
Capone Bege lowered his head, speaking flattering words, but in his heart, he was plotting a grand assassination. However, after thinking for a long time, he couldn't come up with a concrete plan.
After all, the man in front of him was even more terrifying than Linlin!
"Heh, quite clever."
Daichi chuckled.
Matters that can be solved with money are often the simplest. The fact that the other party didn't ask for money meant they were giving him a favor.
However, this courage and daring were commendable.
He liked dealing with smart people.
"I accept this gift. If you have any problems in the future, you can come to me."
Daichi accepted the favor.
"By the way, a piece of advice: I've heard some things about you. You'd best put away your petty schemes. Whether it's Linlin or me, you can't afford to provoke either of us."
"..."
Bege's pupils constricted, and his back was instantly drenched in sweat.
This man saw through him!
Moments later.
Bege stood at the port, watching the Groudon sail away, trembling as he pulled out a tissue from his pocket to wipe his sweat.
He was almost scared to death just now.
"Return to Totto Land immediately!"
"Yes!"
The situation was bad. Running was the best option.
Who knew if the other party would suddenly change his mind and want to kill him? He didn't want to stay in Dressrosa for another second.
On the Groudon.
Daichi stood by the deck.
He hadn't left Dressrosa because he was waiting for Apoo's contact. Now he knew the location of Kid's crew's stronghold.
It was an uninhabited island.
Once Kid and Urouge were captured, among the Supernovas, only the Straw Hat crew and Bonney would still be operating independently.
The Worst Generation, what a resonant title.
"Splash!"
A yellow submarine broke through the surface of the sea.
Law brought his subordinates to the deck, his face sullen as he looked up at Daichi, with several supreme band-aids on his face.
New injuries on top of old ones, he had been beaten again.
But in order to settle things with Doflamingo, Law could only suppress his dissatisfaction and follow Daichi, even if it meant temporarily becoming his subordinate.
"Hey, where are we going next?"
"To catch your contemporary."
Daichi glared at Law with dissatisfaction, scolding him: "Brat, it's rare for me to guide you. Even if you don't call me master, you should at least call me teacher, right?"
"Guide?"
Law's forehead pulsed with veins, his eyes full of anger.
"You're trying to kill me, aren't you?!"
"You're not dead, are you?"
Daichi pouted.
Law's face turned dark, a black aura of resentment emanating from him.
These past few days, he had seen the Grim Reaper carrying a scythe several times. This was not training. It was clearly killing for fun, completely disregarding whether he could endure it.
If not for his tenacious vitality and his companions' exquisite medical skills, he would have probably died several times already.
Daichi smiled faintly.
"Don't look so aggrieved. Although my methods are a bit rough, the results are real. If I'm not mistaken, you should have mastered your awakening, right?"
"..."
Law was shocked.
How did this guy find out?!
He had been planning to hide it and use it as a trump card later!
"Looks like I guessed right."
Daichi showed an expression of realization.
Even without his guidance, this kid would have mastered his awakening within a month. He, Kid, Lucci, Kaku, and others were all "awakening geniuses," only slightly inferior to Koby.
After being hit with so many enlightenment sticks by him, if he still couldn't awaken, he would have to wonder if he had been too lenient.
"In that case, we have a good grasp."
Daichi nodded approvingly, pointing to the training room on his ship: "Your biggest weakness now is stamina. Your ability cannot be maintained for too long. For the next few days, you will go to the training room to build muscle."
"Why should I listen to your arrangements?!"
Law was enraged.
He hated being ordered around by others the most!
Daichi snorted coldly.
"If you don't want to, I'll roast Bepo."
"..."
Click!
Two more veins popped on Law's face.
"Captain!"
Bepo pulled Law, his eyes welling up.
Captain, help!
Law clenched his fists, and after a long moment, he walked toward the training room with a dark expression.
Damn it, he'd remember this debt!
At this moment, on a certain uninhabited island.
Inside a dilapidated castle, Kid and Killer were discussing in a room.
"Killer, what do you think?"
"I agree to the alliance."
Killer nodded.
"In fact, I had a similar idea. Even if Apoo hadn't approached us, I would have wanted to invite them to discuss an alliance."
Having been in the New World for two years, their crew's strength had reached a bottleneck, and they had defeated many long-established great pirates.
The only enemies standing in their way were the Yonko!
But several past defeats had made him realize one thing: they couldn't take down a Yonko on their own.
Finding allies was undoubtedly the best way to strengthen their power. However, there weren't many choices for alliance partners. The most suitable ones were the contemporary Supernovas, but even among them, there weren't many options.
"It's a pity we don't know where Straw Hat is."
Compared to Apoo and Urouge, the Straw Hat crew clearly had more strength.
Back then, at Sabaody Archipelago, Straw Hat had already shown extraordinary charisma. At that time, Straw Hat's bounty was second only to Kid's.
However, Straw Hat's way of doing things was worrying, and his exact location was unknown. Otherwise, he would have invited the Straw Hat crew as well.
"Please, Kid, this time, you must prioritize the big picture."
"Less talk, I know!"
Kid snorted coldly and strode out of the room.
The dream was right ahead!