Watching Kuma vanish, White Ghost sank back into his chair and stared into the night, lost in thought.
Kuro knew that whenever White Ghost started thinking, he preferred to be left alone, so he quietly withdrew, leaving him by himself on the deck.
White Ghost exhaled a slow stream of smoke.
Dragon needs more support…
The Revolutionary Army was the most public threat to the World Government. As long as Dragon stood on the front line drawing the fire, White Ghost would have more room to move.
His fingers tapped lightly against the table.
Entering the New World would be a nightmare. That much was certain.
And it wouldn't just be Shanks—that troublemaking bastard who loved stirring the pot—trying to block his way.
There was no need to even mention Kaido.
The first major battle after stepping into the New World would be with Kaido. No question.
Kaido was preparing.
And so was White Ghost.
Because they both had one thing in common:
Kaido had lost by one move last time, and he was itching to get it back.
And White Ghost wanted Wano.
Only after winning that war could his crew truly gain a foothold in the New World instead of being swallowed whole.
Then there were those sewer rats.
White Ghost's brows drew together.
Should I just expose Luffy's existence?
…Probably not.
Back in his previous life, whenever he watched One Piece, he had always felt that something about the World Government was off.
More precisely, the Five Elders' way of handling things was off.
Luffy stirred up chaos nonstop through the first half of the story, running around like a madman, yet the Government never sent real top-tier CP assassins after him.
The Navy too.
They kept sending random trash after him.
Aokiji showed up… and practically acted out a scene.
Even if it was "for Garp's sake," was that really necessary?
If Sakazuki and the hawks had been dispatched back then, the Straw Hat crew would have been wiped out long ago.
Where the hell was their "Justice"?
Every time Luffy clashed with the Navy, people died.
Were they blind?
The more White Ghost replayed the plot in his mind, the more wrong it felt.
By the end, he couldn't help cursing out loud.
"Damn it… are they fishing, or are they just letting it happen on purpose?"
He rubbed his chin, thoughts spiraling.
Eight hundred years…
Were they tired?
Bored?
Trying to vacate the throne and retire somewhere?
White Ghost narrowed his eyes.
The more he thought about it, the more one conclusion felt likely:
The World Government was fishing.
Fishing out every ambitious, dangerous force in the world—
Then crushing them all in one clean sweep.
A single purge.
If that was true…
Then it was terrifying.
White Ghost slumped deeper into the chair.
He had been jumping around and making noise for months.
There was no way the Five Elders hadn't already written his name into their little black book.
So that's why they gave me those Devil Fruits…
To make the world see a "weakness" in the Government.
To make everyone believe—
"If you're strong enough, the World Government will just look the other way."
That illusion would lure more predators out of the shadows.
After all, this was a regime that had ruled for eight hundred years.
Maybe they weren't afraid at all.
Maybe they were just sitting back, watching clowns perform.
That thought hit White Ghost so hard his scalp went numb.
A chill ran down his spine.
Damn… I've been lucky.
Lucky they never decided to move on me while I was acting like this.
He was so deep in thought that he didn't even notice Ain approaching.
Ain came over with a plate of fruit and saw him sitting there alone, frowning harder and harder. She didn't speak right away. Instead, she stood silently behind him until she saw his body twitch, as if he had just imagined something terrifying.
Only then did she step closer, deliberately letting her footsteps make a bit of noise so she wouldn't startle him.
She gently set the fruit down. "What are you thinking about, White?"
White Ghost snapped back to reality, wiped at his forehead, and only then realized—
His back was damp.
Cold sweat had already soaked through his shirt.
He forced a bitter smile. "Nothing. Just… a small problem."
Ain frowned and sat down on his lap, her fingers rubbing lightly at his brow. "You might fool outsiders. But you won't fool us."
White Ghost wrapped an arm around her slender waist, and Ain naturally leaned against his chest.
Neither of them spoke for a long while.
After a long silence, White Ghost finally said in a low, steady voice,
"I think we need to change."
Ain lifted her eyes and looked up at him.
She didn't ask anything out loud, but White Ghost understood the question in her gaze.
His hand traced lightly along her smooth waist as he spoke.
"I realized something. If we keep living the way we have been… the ending won't be good."
Ain pressed her cheek against his chest. "Whatever you decide. Wherever you go. I'm going with you."
Her voice was quiet, but absolute.
"In this life… you're not getting rid of me."
White Ghost pinched her nose. "Like I'd ever want to."
Ain slapped his hand away—
Then bit down on his chest.
Hard.
White Ghost sucked in a breath.
He looked down.
Ain's teeth were coated in Haki—
And not ordinary Haki.
It was flowing Haki.
"Take it easy, you little menace!" White Ghost grabbed her shoulders and pulled her back. "What are you jealous about now?"
Ain huffed. "You've brought in this many women already. Aren't we enough? Can you even handle it?"
White Ghost stared at her puffed-up cheeks and couldn't help himself.
He reached out and squeezed her face.
Ain's cheeks flushed at once.
A vein popped on her forehead.
"I'll kill you, you shameless bastard!"
She started pounding both fists into his chest.
The two of them wrestled and bickered for a while—
Until their eyes met.
The noise faded.
White Ghost lowered his head.
Ain closed her eyes, her arms sliding around the back of his neck.
Time passed.
When White Ghost finally lifted his head again, he was breathing hard.
Ain buried her face in his chest, too embarrassed to look up.
White Ghost's eyes were red as he murmured, "It's been a long time since we… sparred our swordsmanship."
Ain lightly punched him again, still not saying a word.
White Ghost understood immediately.
He glanced toward the distant island, spread his wings, and flew off with her.
If they "sparred" on the ship, the noise would definitely wake everyone up.
He could block the sound with wind—
But that would be far too obvious.
Better to go farther away.
Not long after…
Their "sparring" truly turned intense.
Ain had become terrifyingly sharp after her swordsmanship improved.
White Ghost hadn't crossed blades with her in a long time, and now he realized just how much she had changed.
More techniques.
More pressure.
More stamina.
Even her voice carried more strength than before.
By the time Ain finally reached her limit, she had gone limp against his chest, gasping, unable to move.
White Ghost knew she was done.
He carried her back carefully—
Then immediately slipped into Ilena's room, set up a barrier, and climbed into bed.
A moment later, Ilena's sleepy voice drifted out.
"Stop it… I'm not done sleeping yet… go find the squirrel."
White Ghost grinned like a villain. "Relax. You sleep yours. I'll sleep mine."
Not long after—
Some very suspicious noises started coming from Ilena's room.
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