With the influx of Yhwach's blood, Beltz had new ideas for his future ability development, but those would have to wait until he returned to One Piece.
Beltz spent those three days in relative peace, mainly because Liltotto was the only one who knew he had returned. Indeed, he didn't go to see the other Bambies; he hoistered himself up in his home for three days. Aside from staying indoors, he only made one trip to the monitoring room to copy more of Kurotsuchi Mayuri's research.
Three days later, he left the Wandenreich directly with Liltotto.
Emerging from the Wandenreich into Hueco Mundo, the endless white desert shimmered with a cold glow under the eternal moonlight.
Beltz said, "Once we are over at the World Government's side, keep an eye out for the location of the Dark-Dark Fruit if you get the chance."
"The Dark-Dark Fruit?"
"The World Government has a Devil Fruit Encyclopedia; you can go take a look."
"Fine, you really have a lot of requests." Liltotto curled her lips, a lollipop brought from the Wandenreich dangling from her mouth. She reached out her hand, and Beltz grasped it.
The next moment, the two figures vanished from that lonely white world.
In One Piece, Liltotto reappeared within Mary Geoise.
She manifested in a luxurious yet cold guest room. The room was themed in white and gold, and outside the massive floor-to-ceiling windows lay a manicured courtyard that felt utterly lifeless. This was a room the Five Elders had specifically prepared for her.
She was still wearing her white Wandenreich military uniform, which looked completely out of place against the room's opulence.
Upon appearing, Liltotto remarked, "I'm back."
Guards were constantly waiting outside this room for her. Upon hearing her voice, the soldiers outside immediately went to notify the Five Elders. Soon, the sound of hurried, rhythmic footsteps echoed from the hallway.
The door was silently pushed open by attendants. Accompanied by a large security detail, one of the Five Elders, Saint Saturn, walked in. He was tall, dressed in a dark suit, and possessed a fluffy white beard—looking no different than their previous meetings.
"You've been gone for quite a while this time," Saint Saturn said as he entered.
Liltotto leaned back lazily in a velvet chair. She didn't even stand up, merely swinging her feet nonchalantly.
"Didn't I tell you? After your last operation failed, internal security became more than twice as tight. It was hard to find a chance to slip out." She yawned and continued, "But this time, I should be able to stay for a bit longer."
"Oh?" Saint Saturn asked. "Aren't you afraid of being discovered this time?"
"I'm on a mission." Liltotto adjusted her sitting posture. "The higher-ups heard the Giant Race intends to side with you and got a bit restless. They sent me out to check the situation."
"Harald, is it..." Upon hearing this, Saint Saturn remarked, "He does indeed intend to join us, but it is still too early."
The collaboration between the Giant King Harald and the Navy was still a secret known only to a few; at least, the World Government hadn't begun a grand propaganda campaign yet. But Saint Saturn wasn't surprised Liltotto knew.
The power of the Giant Race was crucial. Whoever obtained Elbaf would hold an absolute advantage in the coming war. Anyone learning this news would be unable to sit still.
"Does your side wish to sabotage the alliance between Elbaf and the World Government?" Saint Saturn felt a sense of urgency.
Normally, it wouldn't matter; since Rocks died, no one in the world could threaten them, so they weren't in a rush. But because they knew a "Great Kingdom" was watching from the shadows, their recruitment of Elbaf had become more urgent.
However, the "Marking" had to be done step by step. Their Marks were divided into three layers: Shallows, Depths, and Abyssal.
The Mark deepened gradually. Especially for a powerhouse like Harald, he needed to wear the Shallows Mark for a while before he could become "Depths." Once the Depths Covenant was applied, he would be under Imu's control.
"Stop, stop. I'm actually not interested in your struggles. Right now, I just want something to eat," Liltotto said. "I've been waiting for a long time."
"Naturally, preparations have already been made for you," Saint Saturn replied. "What do you plan to do next?"
"Well..." Liltotto pondered for a moment, then suddenly said, "Before that, you haven't brought out the things I asked for last time."
Last time, Liltotto had stated she wanted to trade using Devil Fruits. To the World Government, Devil Fruits weren't particularly valuable.
"Of course, they are ready," Saint Saturn said. "The list will be handed to you shortly. In exchange, you had better provide some intelligence we want to hear."
"What you want to hear..." Liltotto feigned deep thought, her finger tapping her chin. Then she said, "You're holding a survivor of the Lunarian race, right?"
At those words, Saint Saturn's pupils dilated before turning sharp. He asked, "How did you know that?"
"I'm not sure about the details, but my side has already targeted that guy. If you're worried, you'd better move him to another location." Liltotto clicked her tongue and added, "You saw that guy Beltz's ability at God Valley, didn't you? He comes and goes like a ghost; he can take whatever he needs from the shadows."
"Do they already know his location?"
"I don't know. I overheard the Bambies chatting about it. To avoid drawing attention, I didn't specifically ask. But they've definitely set their sights on the Lunarian. His name was... Alber, right?"
Hearing Liltotto even mention the name, Saint Saturn felt a surge of urgency. He turned around, ordering food to be brought in while he went to handle the matter of Alber.
This was exactly the goal of Liltotto and Beltz. They didn't fear them moving; they feared them staying hidden. If Alber was moved, clues would surface. And with Liltotto's Mirror-Mirror Fruit, she could peer into outside secrets at will from within the mirrors. Once she found a lead, she would simply contact Beltz.
As for the rest of her time? Naturally, it was for the feast.
After Liltotto returned to Mary Geoise, Beltz had also returned to the Sorbet Kingdom. He appeared suddenly in the church again. The afternoon sun filtered through the stained-glass windows, casting mottled light and shadows on the floor.
Kuma was away; only Ginny and the red-haired brothers were outside the church. Ginny was cooking, and the brothers were chopping wood. Though only five years old, their physical strength was no less than that of an adult; chopping wood was nothing to them.
Beltz didn't go out immediately. Instead, he first entered the church's shadow and took out all his remaining treasure, packing it into his own shadow.
It must be said that scientific research is truly a money-sink. Even with Vegapunk's high efficiency and lack of waste, over 20 billion Berries had been burned over the past two years. Furthermore, most of that had just been theoretical research; once the technology was put into actual production, it would cost even more.
However, it wasn't all just burning money. Some of the minor inventions Vegapunk developed could be sold to Wano; a great nation like Wano had plenty of money. He could recoup some costs that way.
Plus, there was the gold at the Sky Island. If he could take the entire Golden City of Shandora... how much money would that be? Even trillions of Berries might not cover it. By then, Vegapunk would have as much money as he needed.
Beltz pushed open the door and met the three outside.
By the church gate, Ginny was squatting before an earthen stove, lighting a fire to cook; the smoke made her cough. Near the woods, two small red-haired figures were walking back carrying bundles of firewood almost as tall as themselves. It was Shanks and Shamrock, who at age five already displayed extraordinary physiques.
Despite their simple clothes, the vibrant vitality and curious spark in their eyes could not be hidden.
Regarding Beltz's ghost-like appearances, not just Ginny, but even the red-haired brothers had grown accustomed to it.
But Shanks still spoke with excitement: "Lord Beltz! When do we set off!"
"How about today?" Beltz said with a smile. "Looking at how impatient you are, aren't you worried at all about the dangers of the sea?"
"We're not afraid!" Shanks grinned, baring his teeth. "We're going to become the strongest pirates!"
Compared to his younger brother, the older brother Shamrock was much more composed. He said, "Lord Beltz's strength is trustworthy."
"I like the sound of that," Beltz chuckled. "But on the sea, you must never rely too much on others. Only those who rely on themselves can become powerhouses of the ocean."
"Leaving again so soon?" Ginny remarked with some emotion. "You've only been back for three days."
"The sea calls to those accustomed to it." Beltz gazed at the distant horizon, his tone carrying a hint of sentiment: "Once you've seen the magnificent waves, a peaceful harbor sometimes feels like wasting time."
Thinking about how Yhwach would wake up in about twenty years, Beltz felt the pressure of time even more. However, though he said he was leaving, he had to wait for Kuma to return so they could all eat together before departing.
In the interim, he went into a forest.
Pshhh!
Having obtained powerful strength from Yhwach, he entered his Hybrid Form in an instant. In his Dragon-Man form, Beltz was wreathed in black electrical arcs, displaying immense power.
He had gradually grasped the trick to Conqueror's Haki. It was no longer just passive defense, but...
BOOM!
A brand new, majestic power erupted from within him! He was no longer satisfied with passive protection; he was actively sensing and driving the innate "King's Disposition" within his body!
He focused, gathering all his conviction, will, and ever-growing power into one point, and then—
An invisible storm exploded outward with him at the center!
There was no sound, but there was a physical pressure, as if a calm sea had suddenly erupted into ten-thousand-foot waves! Birds in the forest couldn't even flap their wings before falling, and beasts whimpered, collapsing to the ground.
Conqueror's Haki!
"Strength truly is a good thing."
The stronger a person is, the more confident they become; and the more confident they are, the stronger they become. Back when he was a mere grunt, he couldn't use Conqueror's Haki because he wasn't someone who ignored reality; knowing he was weak while others were strong, he lacked the confidence to stand as a king.
But as his strength grew, his confidence followed. And a confident person has the potential to activate the Conqueror's Haki in their body—provided they have the aptitude.
He had finally unlocked the power of Conqueror's Haki!
"Whew..." He extended his hands, looking at his dragon-scaled arms, a smirk curling on his lips. His power had grown stronger; drawing out this Conqueror's Haki was equivalent to obtaining a massive boost in spiritual power out of thin air.
Of course, the effect of Conqueror's Haki in the early stages wasn't huge. Though he could already unconsciously use it for defense, he hadn't yet mastered Conqueror's Haki Infusion. For now, aside from defense, he could at most use it to knock out fodder, just like most Conqueror's Haki users. Infusion would have to come slowly.
Back at the church, the newly returned Kuma noticed the powerful Haki emanating from the forest. He couldn't help but ask, "Is Big Brother Beltz back?"
"Yeah," Ginny said, her hands on her hips. "Big Brother is getting more and more amazing."
Kuma deeply agreed. He had sparred with Beltz before; although the latter hadn't used his abilities, Kuma could tell that the Beltz from two years ago and the Beltz now were not on the same level at all. In that case, Shanks and Shamrock would be much safer.
At this moment, the two boys watched the powerful Conqueror's Haki coming from the forest and the intense black lightning, feeling a sense of heaviness. Shock and longing appeared in their eyes.
Were they about to go to sea with a powerhouse like this? It was... wonderful!
"You two, once you're at sea, you must listen to Lord Beltz, understood? The sea is not a place for you to fool around!"
"We know!" the two said in unison.
Soon, Beltz returned. He ate a meal with the four of them and then prepared to leave.
This time, he didn't transform into the Azure Dragon; he prepared to go by ship. Yes, he was going to sail to the Grand Line! After all, if you fly, you lose the fun of going to sea. Since he was taking newcomers out, they couldn't just stay in the sky.
The issue of the boat was easily solved. After he mentioned his idea, Ginny had gone to the northern city to buy a small boat; Beltz had plenty of money, anyway. As for the rowing, Beltz wasn't going to do it, so he left it to the red-haired brothers. Though they were children, their strength was substantial; rowing shouldn't be a problem.