"Damn brat... that kid has completely placed himself on equal footing with the World Government," grumbled the bald Gorosei with the drooping mustache, his tone dripping with fury.
Though Rosinante's demands had been simple, that only made the Gorosei more infuriated. A nobody who once wasn't even worth a second glance had now grown into a force even they found difficult to deal with. Worse, he now dared to stand at the same level as them—and due to the current situation, they were forced to compromise. That humiliation alone was enough to boil their blood.
"He's earned that qualification," said the Gorosei with the long, white straight beard calmly. "Forget the long-range threat of the Hole-Hole Fruit—even just Sky Island itself gives him a voice at the table. Unlike ordinary pirates, he rules over a nation. A million citizens—comparable to a medium-sized world power—and it's positioned on Sky Island. That makes him a force with real wartime potential."
"Who would've thought such a monstrous talent would arise from the Donquixote family—the same clan that got exiled from the Celestial Dragons," said the curly white-haired Gorosei. "In just a few years, his power has grown to a terrifying level. Sooner or later, some of those restless Celestial Dragons will go looking for him... and that'll complicate everything."
In recent years, the World Government had been promoting a "divine sanctification" policy toward the Celestial Dragons—essentially a way for the Gorosei to strip them of actual power while keeping them as symbols. If not for the Celestial Dragons still holding onto the National Treasure and a few other secrets even the Gorosei were wary of, they would've long been reduced to livestock, waiting to be slaughtered.
Some of the more insightful Celestial Dragons had sensed this shift and quietly taken countermeasures. But the Gorosei's grip on power had become deeply rooted, and the Celestial Dragons' reputations were already in ruins. No matter how hard they tried, they couldn't shake the Gorosei's hold.
"Should we send a warning to Rosinante?" the blonde Gorosei suggested.
"No need," said the sword-wielding Gorosei with a dismissive wave. "Rosinante isn't someone the Celestial Dragons can manipulate. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if he hated them more than we do."
"Exactly. Until we have a clear way to neutralize that Hole-Hole Fruit user—or a concrete plan to launch an assault on Sky Island—it's best not to provoke him," added the long-bearded Gorosei.
"What I don't understand is... why those demands? He seems to care a lot about his reputation. But he's a pirate. What use does a pirate have for reputation?" asked the blonde Gorosei in confusion.
"A pirate doesn't need reputation," said the long-bearded Gorosei, "but a nation does."
"But Sky Island isn't exactly in need of a good name down here in the Blue Sea. So this means... he's planning to return to the Blue Sea?" muttered the mustached Gorosei thoughtfully.
"That was always going to happen," said the sword-wielder. "Rosinante was never the type to settle down. If he were, he wouldn't have achieved all this. Sky Island is too small for his ambitions."
"Let him come. The allied nations of the Four Seas have no room for his meddling. If he wants territory, the New World is his only option. He'll have to fight the pirate emperors for it," said the blonde Gorosei with a cold snort.
"If he returns to the Blue Sea and clashes with those pirate lords, maybe it'll help us suppress some of the chaos in the New World. The only question is whether he has the strength to pull it off."
"But we must be cautious," the curly-haired Gorosei warned. "We can't let him grow too big. Or else, he'll be impossible to contain."
"Agreed."
"Until we figure out a proper countermeasure, this is the best we can do."
…
Meanwhile, in a luxurious palace elsewhere, a man with a transparent bubble-helmet and an air of absolute arrogance was listening to his subordinate's report on Rosinante.
"Donquixote, huh? Who would've thought that even after being exiled from the Celestial Dragons, that family could still produce such talent. The older brother is stirring up chaos, and now the younger brother is shaking the very foundations of the world," the man said, his voice dripping with condescension. "Find a way to contact him. Tell him we can restore his Celestial Dragon status."
"Yes, sir," the butler answered crisply and vanished in an instant. The speed at which he moved was nearly on par with an admiral.
Though the World Government and the Marines had issued orders to suppress any news about the massive battle at Marineford—officially attributing it to an explosion in the munitions depot—rumors had already started spreading. After all, how could you cover up a fortress that had been cracked in half?
…
"Gurarara... that brat Rosinante, he's quite the capable one," Whitebeard chuckled from aboard the Moby Dick, listening to the latest intel from his scouts. "Even the World Government and the Marines were caught off guard."
"Old man, based on the strength Rosinante showed at Marineford, he's probably no weaker than an admiral," said Marco, frowning with concern. "Especially after awakening his Devil Fruit. Even though he was eventually suppressed by Kong, he definitely has the strength to face off with someone like Sengoku. His awakened ability is extremely dangerous, especially against other Devil Fruit users."
"So what?" Whitebeard laughed heartily. "You worried, Marco? I'm Whitebeard, gura gura!"
Hearing Whitebeard's booming laughter, all the crew members of the Whitebeard Pirates showed nothing but admiration. Even Blackbeard—Marshall D. Teach, who would later betray the crew—looked up with awe.
"Exactly! Marco, the old man is Whitebeard—the world's strongest! Besides, that Rosinante guy's up in the sky. What's he got to do with us?" said Jozu with a grin.
"But judging by his demands, it's clear that he plans to return to the Blue Sea—and most likely his target will be the New World," Marco said seriously. "When that time comes, we're bound to clash. Old man doesn't need to worry, but we can't afford to take him lightly either. His subordinates are all terrifying—especially those in the Gray Kingdom marked with Rosinante's healing seals. They're like Perospero—every time you injure them, they just get back up!"
Over the past two years, the Whitebeard Pirates had clashed with the Big Mom Pirates multiple times. And although Whitebeard's strength ensured that Big Mom lost every time, her eldest son Perospero had left a strong impression. Time and again, they'd wounded him—fatally even—but he would rise again, fighting as if nothing had happened.
Eventually, they learned that Rosinante had carved one of his mysterious healing seals onto Perospero.
Thinking about that ability, many of the commanders looked a bit uneasy.
"Gurarara... So what if he comes to the New World? At best, he'll just stir up a few more waves in the sea. That's all. No need for me to worry about some punk kid!" Whitebeard said, unconcerned, laughing loudly again.
"But speaking of Sky Island, that reminds me of an old friend... I wonder if their paths will cross," Whitebeard murmured as he looked up at the sky, a rare hint of contemplation in his eyes.
Of course, the "old friend" he spoke of needed no introduction—Golden Lion Shiki.
Ever since his escape from Impel Down, Shiki had lost both legs and relied heavily on his Devil Fruit ability. If he ever ran into Rosinante, especially with that suppressive seal ability, things could go badly for him.
A trace of worry crept into Whitebeard's expression. Although the two had never gotten along, theirs was a relationship forged through battle—one that he still respected.
But then he shook it off and let out a hearty laugh. "Shiki's still Shiki, legs or no legs. He doesn't need me worrying for him!"