Of course, with how huge his "family business" had become, Ozz could not just snap his fingers and disband everything on the spot.
That sort of thing would have to be done slowly, step by step.
Maybe once the so called Age of Extreme Evil arrived, his influence over the seas would naturally shrink a little.
"Beru beru beru…"
Just as Ozz was pondering how to push his Conqueror's Haki to the next stage, an urgent Den Den Mushi ringtone cut through his thoughts.
He pulled another snail out from inside his coat.
A quick glance told him it was from the World Government.
Click.
When they saw the line connect, the five old men exchanged glances. A flash of disappointment and helplessness passed through their eyes.
Not that they would ever show that in front of Ozz.
At their age, throwing visible tantrums was far too childish. Especially now, with Ozz holding yet another piece of leverage over them.
"It really has been a long time, Ozz."
Saint Voucheri spoke first, offering a polite greeting.
Ozz, however, clearly had no interest in exchanging pleasantries with a bunch of old men.
"It has been a while, honorable Five Elders. I get back and the first thing I receive is a CP finger pistol as a welcome gift. Truly enthusiastic of you."
Standing on the balcony, Ozz looked down.
Among the people below, all bound in chains, one of them was the CP0 agent who had led the World Government's attack on Fishman Island.
That one pointed remark made the faces of the Five Elders twist ever so slightly.
No matter how they tried to piece it together, they could not understand how someone they were one hundred percent sure was a fake had, in the end, turned out to be the real Ozz.
Had everything that happened been staged by him
What kind of strong man would be that bored…
What they did not know was that, while Ozz had not actually gone that far this time, it was very possible that one day he really would be that bored.
He was already sick of the whole cycle.
Being the big boss.
Taking in more underlings.
Snatching territory.
Planting flags.
Maintaining "face."
Fighting for dominance.
As a hot blooded kid, that routine had felt amazing. Legions of subordinates bowing their heads had its own kind of intoxication.
But Ozz was twenty five now.
And, as the saying went, once a man was past twenty five, he might as well be thirty.
Physically, he was still young.
In terms of ambition, though, the whole "overlord" package had long since lost its shine.
After all, no one could be more of a tyrant than Rocks. And for someone who had already killed the "final boss" of the pirate world, Ozz had zero motivation to play the conquest game all over again.
Unless he were an absolute fanatic, who would replay a game they had already cleared
Too lazy to waste time sparring with the Five Elders, Ozz went straight to the terms.
"Have that Celestial Dragon send back the girl he recently dragged up from the lower world to be his 'wife.' Her name is Ginny. Once she is returned, we can consider this matter settled."
The Five Elders froze.
They had not expected Ozz's request to be so…
Small.
They had assumed that with his scheming and twisted sense of humor, he would at least demand a slice of their market, or the formal ruling rights over some island like Duramos, something that would shift the balance of power.
Yet all he wanted was for them to release a woman a Celestial Dragon had dragged off.
In their eyes, "wife" or not, a woman taken that way was nothing more than a slave.
Given such a bargain, they had no reason to refuse.
After solemnly, almost eagerly, agreeing to Ozz's condition, the matter was quickly wrapped up.
…
"T that man"
"He is back"
Calm Belt, Amazon Lily.
Inside the royal palace on Nine Snake Island, Boa Hancock had only just ascended the throne as Empress.
Moments ago, she had proudly proclaimed before all citizens that she would become the new protector of Amazon Lily.
Chin high, arrogance overflowing, she returned to her palace.
Then she happened to glance at a newspaper Granny Nyon had left on the table.
Her legs went out from under her.
She slumped to the floor, face going ashen, her whole body shaking uncontrollably.
Clearly, she had just seen something utterly terrifying.
"You have only just become this country's Empress. What are you doing, looking like that, Hancock"
Granny Nyon, the former Gloriosa, leaned on her cane as she walked in.
Seeing Hancock in such a pathetic state, she frowned and demanded an explanation.
"T take that newspaper away"
Hancock's body trembled. In her mind, the fear that had once ruled her resurfaced all at once.
From childhood, it had been hammered into her.
The terror of Lord Ozz.
The absolute prohibition against disobedience.
The absolute greatness of Lord Ozz, to whom she must devote all her love and reverence.
Even though she was no longer a slave, even though she had escaped from the Holy Land and remade herself as an Empress, that fear etched into her very bones did not fade.
Just seeing Ozz's face in a photograph was enough to shatter every wall in her heart.
Leaving no room for pride.
Only a shaking voice, begging Granny Nyon to take it away.
Gloriosa picked up the newspaper.
"'Black Emperor' Ozz. He is indeed a terrifying man. He was once on that scoundrel Roger's crew…"
As someone who had taken part in the God Valley Incident, her experience and knowledge went deep.
She had simply not expected Hancock to be this afraid.
And it was not just her.
As Gloriosa read aloud from the paper, Sandersonia and Marigold, who had just entered, stiffened at once.
Their faces went pale and they dropped to the floor, trembling.
Only when Granny Nyon tore the newspaper into shreds did the three sisters finally begin to calm down.
To them,
Ozz was both demon and emperor.
Someone they feared.
Someone they could not defy.
Someone they had been conditioned to hold a twisted, complicated emotion toward.
…
"There are a lot of people on the seas who idolize you, you know. Are you really sure about this"
Crocodile sat with one leg crossed over the other, juggling the increasingly heavy workload of Baroque Works.
When she heard what Ozz was planning, her hand stilled over the documents.
A shadowy gaze drifted toward him.
Why now, of all times, when Baroque Works had only just started to take off
"How should I put it. You could say this is for my own personal growth."
Ozz lay back and enjoyed the careful service of Little Six and Little Seven, speaking in a lazy tone.
"Recover all Black Moon flags outside of Duramos Island, Fishman Island, Gran Tesoro and the key underground forces. As long as the core remains, that is enough."
"It will not restrict the development of you Warlords anyway."
"That is not what I meant…"
Crocodile's face darkened. She turned her head away.
Ozz simply did not want to be the boss of so many people anymore.
His prestige, however, would still work anywhere in the world.
The Seven Warlords of the Sea were still his.
He just did not intend to meddle in everything personally.
He wanted to go back to ticking off "sites" to see, places to play, experiences to enjoy.
Besides, if he expanded any further and ended up clearing the entire "world" again, then the promise he had once made to Captain Roger, to leave room for a new generation, would become nothing more than empty words.
He was twenty five.
No longer a "youngster."
It was time to give the real youngsters a shot.
The seas would not have time to mourn the disappearance of the "Black Emperor."
Because stepping onto the stage next
Was the free and unfettered "Black Gun" Ozz.
"Once everything left on the list is settled, it will be about time to visit Ace and Lady Rouge."
"And, along the way, pay a visit to 'King' Luffy."
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