Joyful laughter filled the banquet hall of the Ryugu Kingdom on Fish Man Island.
"La la la la!"
"Ow! Ow! Ow!"
"Hehehehe…"
After their long awaited reunion, the Straw Hats had finally calmed down from their emotional tears. As if nothing had happened, they returned to their usual chaotic behavior, dancing foolishly together in celebration.
"So happy! We are reunited!"
"Hehe, we can go on adventures together again!"
"Yay!!!"
Luffy, Usopp, and Chopper formed a bizarre trio in the center of the hall. The three fools performed a strange celebratory dance while the surrounding Fish Men and mermaids watched with great curiosity.
"Hahahaha! How interesting! Human dances are really funny!"
Several Fish Man guards clapped enthusiastically while laughing loudly.
"Wow! Living, real, beautiful mermaid ladies! This is heaven!"
The mermaid maids giggled among themselves, clearly amused. Their laughter caused their chests to bounce slightly, which immediately sent Sanji into a state of absolute bliss.
Sanji spun through the air in excitement while blood burst from his nose.
Zoro stood nearby, holding his sword at his waist. His face was slightly flushed as he lifted a large bottle of sake and drank deeply.
"Hehe, Franky, drink!"
Franky grinned widely.
"Ow! You apron wearing guy, you can still drink as much as before!"
"Tch. Nothing has changed at all. These idiots still love causing trouble."
Nami watched her companions with a look of helpless disdain. To outsiders they looked powerful and reliable, yet in reality they were still the same unreliable idiots she had always known.
She leaned closer and whispered to Pudding, who stood beside her while quietly giggling.
"Hey, some of the mermaids here are actually pretty handsome."
Pudding nodded with a blush on her cheeks. However, her gaze soon drifted toward Shirogai in the distance. Her eyes instantly turned dreamy.
"Yes, yes. But compared to the God King, they are not worth mentioning at all."
"Hahaha, wonderful! Wonderful!"
Prince Fukaboshi clapped happily while laughing.
Prince Ryuboshi and Prince Manboshi stood beside him playing instruments, providing lively music for the dancing trio in the center of the hall.
The atmosphere there was filled with laughter and joy.
However, on the other side of the hall, the mood was completely different.
"I heard that in a little more than ten days, a meeting between the Sky Island Alliance and the World Government will be held at the Holy Land, Mary Geoise."
Jinbe looked directly at Shirogai with a serious expression.
"There must be some kind of hidden conspiracy behind this matter."
"Hmm. I think the same."
Shirogai nodded slightly while holding a sake bottle. Using the ability of the Door Door Fruit, the bottle in his hand connected to the cups in front of Jinbe and King Neptune, pouring sake for them despite the distance.
King Neptune raised his cup high with visible respect.
"God King, please."
Shirogai chuckled softly and waved his hand.
"There is no need to be so formal. We are collaborators, equals."
"Please, Shirogai."
Jinbe had already grown somewhat accustomed to Shirogai's direct and relaxed attitude. The distant and almost untouchable image of the God King had gradually faded from his mind.
"Please."
Shirogai raised his cup slightly in response before drinking the entire glass in one motion.
After setting the cup down, he spoke calmly.
"The World Government is not the type of power that becomes quiet just because a powerful enemy appears. They bully the weak and fear the strong."
His eyes remained calm.
"If they are lying low right now, it only means they are preparing something big enough to shake the entire world."
Although Shirogai's main body had been enjoying himself within the world of the Book Book Fruit, he still maintained a clear understanding of the global situation.
In truth, his connection with the Sky Island Alliance had never been completely severed.
It was only that the Alliance could no longer contact him.
Shirogai had intentionally created that distance.
He wanted the Sky Island Alliance to operate independently rather than relying on him for every decision. If they constantly sought the approval of their creator, they would never truly grow.
In truth, Shirogai had little interest in ruling the world.
The Sky Island Alliance and the Air Force were never created for the purpose of replacing Imu as the ruler of the world.
If Shirogai truly wanted that position, he could simply travel to Mary Geoise in secret, eliminate Imu, and take the throne.
Becoming the undisputed king of the world would be a simple matter for him.
During the regular meetings of Vespera, although Shirogai himself never appeared within the spiritual space, he had never missed any of the discussions.
The meeting location existed inside a spiritual world controlled entirely by him.
Without Shirogai's silent approval, none of the Vespera members could even enter that space.
Because of this, he knew everything the highest leaders of the Sky Island Alliance were discussing.
"However, none of this is a big deal."
Shirogai already understood the likely plans of the Gorosei and Imu.
No matter what strategy they chose, it always revolved around two concepts.
Destruction.
Slaughter.
These had always been the methods used by the Celestial Dragons to maintain control of the world.
The Gorosei had secretly ordered CP0 to spread corruption across the world while allowing Imu's mysterious power to influence the global population in advance.
The purpose was to restore Imu's ability to confront Joy Boy as he once had in the distant past.
At the same time, the World Government was experimenting with the Mother Flame in order to activate the ancient weapon known as Uranus.
Their goal was simple.
They wanted to test whether the weapon's destructive energy could annihilate gods themselves.
If the power of Uranus was strong enough, the solution would be simple.
If one shot could not solve the problem, they would fire again.
And again.
As long as they possessed enough destructive force, no obstacle would remain.
Even if most of the world had to be destroyed, even if countless lives had to be sacrificed, the Gorosei and Imu would not hesitate.
For them, ordinary people were no more valuable than insects.
Even if they killed millions, the survivors would eventually reproduce and restore the population.
Time meant nothing to beings like Imu and the Gorosei.
Generations would rise and fall while they remained unchanged.
The most ironic part was what happened afterward.
The new generations of humans would grow up without knowledge of the past.
They would gaze at the Celestial Dragons with awe, believing them to be divine beings.
Even if those so called gods casually threw them useless scraps, the people would kneel in gratitude and offer everything they owned.
Like obedient dogs, they would even attack other commoners who refused to kneel.
However, this obedience never lasted forever.
Given enough time, rebellion would once again appear.
Some commoners would become pirates, adventurers, or explorers, searching the world for the hidden truth of history.
And when that moment arrived, the Gorosei would once again begin their ancient work.
Erasing those rebellious insects.
Again.
And again.
The cycle repeated endlessly.
"Shirogai, could you intervene and stop this situation?"
Jinbe placed his cup down and sat cross legged while speaking seriously.
"The Sky Island Alliance has grown far too quickly. In less than a year its strength already rivals the World Government."
His voice was filled with concern.
"Faced with the possibility of losing control of the world, the World Government will likely take extremely dangerous actions."
Jinbe looked directly at him.
"If necessary, I will accompany you."
Although Jinbe did not know the exact plans of the World Government, he could sense the looming danger.
The upcoming conflict would likely surpass even the Marineford War.
Its scale might be two, three, even ten times greater.
If the World Government launched a full scale war against the Sky Island Alliance, the entire world would descend into chaos.
Blood would flow across every sea.
If Shirogai used his reputation as the God King to intervene early, perhaps the conflict could be prevented before it reached that stage.
Jinbe did not want the world to fall into ruin.
He sincerely hoped Shirogai would act.
Shirogai listened quietly.
But he gave no immediate answer.
He simply tilted his head back and drank the wine in his cup.
The liquid slid slowly down his throat.
Spicy, yet slightly sweet.
Clank.
The empty glass was placed firmly on the table.
"Destroying the world is boring."
Shirogai smiled calmly at Jinbe.
"But being a savior is just as boring."
"Unfortunately, the idea of destroying the world is not mine. And the idea of saving it does not interest me either."
His smile became slightly mischievous.
"If someone is threatened by a villain yet refuses to resist, why should a bystander like me step in?"
His eyes carried a strange excitement.
"I have already sharpened the blade and placed it in their hands. If they refuse to use it, why should I swing it for them?"
Jinbe felt a chill run through his body.
"I prepared all of this simply because I want to witness the final battle."
Shirogai's smile widened.
"How could I possibly interfere before the climax and defeat the villain in place of the protagonist?"
The world had misunderstood him.
Shirogai was not a saint.
"A spectacle?"
Jinbe stared at him in disbelief.
"Yes, a spectacle."
Shirogai spread his hands casually.
"Do you think I am arrogant enough to believe I am the savior of the world?"
He looked directly at Jinbe.
"I admire your character. You shoulder the burdens of your people and dedicate your life to them."
"But I am not like you."
"I am not someone who treats the world's problems as my responsibility."
Shirogai laughed lightly.
"Perhaps the events at Marineford created the wrong impression."
"When I revived everyone, it was only because I did not want the Whitebeard Pirates to disappear so early. I also did not want the rebellious Marines to be erased by the Gorosei."
He shrugged.
"That action made people believe I was saving the world."
His expression turned colder.
"But the truth is simple."
"I do not care whether this world lives or dies."
Jinbe fell silent.
"I have no interest in saving the world."
Shirogai's voice carried open disdain.
"In fact, I despise the idea that a few individuals must sacrifice themselves to save everyone else."
He frowned slightly.
"Why do people expect others to rescue them while they themselves refuse to pay any price?"
"They tolerate oppression from those who bully them, yet demand that powerful strangers sacrifice themselves for their freedom."
"Is that not ridiculous?"
King Neptune coughed awkwardly beside them.
Shirogai's words felt uncomfortably familiar.
Fish Man Island had once believed peaceful compromise could grant them equality without sacrifice.
But that illusion had already shattered.
"Strength is not something others give you."
Shirogai looked at Jinbe calmly.
"Begging, kneeling, and pleading may allow someone to survive."
"But they will never earn respect."
"The reason you can speak for the Fish Men on the seas is because of the strength you forged through endless effort."
He continued calmly.
"If suffering truly makes people stronger, why has the World Government ruled the world for centuries?"
"The answer is simple."
"People prefer temporary survival over painful change."
"They choose cowardice."
Shirogai leaned back slightly.
"So why should I fight for them?"
"Do you think my power appeared from nothing?"
"My strength was forged through pain as well."
He spoke without guilt.
Even though Shirogai possessed an extraordinary system that allowed him to replicate powerful abilities, his combat experience was earned through endless simulated battles.
He had died countless times within those simulations.
The pain of death had been real.
So had the frustration.
Now Jinbe was asking him to fight for people who refused to fight for themselves.
If anyone else had made that request, Shirogai would have dismissed them immediately.
But Jinbe was different.
He was a man who had truly sacrificed himself for his people.
"I am sorry, Jinbe."
Shirogai smiled faintly.
"But I do not care if this world becomes worse."
"In this world, there are only a few people I truly care about."
"Even if the world collapses, I can protect them."
"And after the destruction, the world can simply be rebuilt."
"Those who perish will only be the ones too afraid to fight for their freedom."
"To me, that is not a tragedy."
Jinbe spoke again.
"What about the leaders of the Sky Island Alliance? What about the Air Force?"
"Do you not care about them?"
"Them?"
Shirogai smiled calmly.
"If they rely on me for everything, then they have no value."
"Everyone must prove their worth."
"If they truly allow the World Government to destroy the world, then they simply were not worth existing in the first place."
Jinbe stared at him silently.
After a long pause, he sighed.
"It seems I misunderstood you, Shirogai."
"You are even more unrestrained than the Four Emperors."
He stopped himself before finishing the thought.
Compared to figures like crocodile, Doflamingo, or Hancock, who acted according to their own desires, Shirogai was far more unpredictable.
At least those pirates still cared about the organizations they built.
Yet the God King before him seemed indifferent even to the fate of the massive forces he had personally created.
Jinbe rubbed his forehead helplessly.
This man was not merely the strongest figure in the world.
He might actually be the most dangerous problem child the world had ever produced.