New World — Dalsk Island
This island town, located behind Punk Hazard, still carried traces of the island's chaotic aftermath. In the air lingered a faint scent drifting from afar—an unsettling mixture of scorching heat and biting frost.
Inside the town tavern, however, the atmosphere was unusually calm.
Gern Reginald Sigmar sat alone by a window. On the wooden table in front of him rested a full mug of ale that he hadn't touched.
When the tavern door swung open and the hanging bell chimed with a crisp ring, he lifted his head—just in time to see a tall figure bending slightly to step through the doorway.
The man wore a white V-neck long-sleeve shirt and black trousers tucked into black boots. Draped over his shoulders was a dark green coat, and a brown backpack hung from his back. Round sunglasses covered his eyes, and a knit cap was pulled low over his head.
The outfit looked exactly like that of a wandering drifter.
But the man's unmistakable build and aura made recognition immediate.
"I thought you were still cruising around the first half of the Grand Line on that bicycle of yours," Gern said with a faint smile, lifting his mug slightly toward the man who had just approached the table.
"Didn't expect you to reach the New World this quickly, Kuzan."
Having already resigned from the Marines, Kuzan pulled out a chair and sat down. He pushed his knit cap back slightly, revealing a face that carried a hint of fatigue yet still radiated that familiar lazy ease.
He glanced at the brimming mug of ale Gern had slid toward him and smiled.
"Well now… don't underestimate a man who rides a bicycle, Gern," he said casually."Speed and endurance can be surprisingly good."
He lifted the mug and took a habitual sip rather than gulping it down.
Then he set the mug back on the table and looked straight at Gern, cutting directly to the point.
"So… you, the Marine commander of the New World, not sitting at G-10 Base but suddenly showing up in a place like this… I doubt it's to experience civilian life, right?"
He paused.
"Or is it because of Doflamingo giving up his position as one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea?"
"You could say that," Gern replied ambiguously, tapping his fingers lightly against the table. The rhythmic tap, tap echoed softly.
Then he shifted the topic.
"Besides, don't you think the whole 'Seven Warlords of the Sea' system should never have existed in the first place?"
"Pirates are pirates. Granting them the legal right to plunder is the greatest mockery of 'justice' imaginable."
Faced with Gern's comment about Marine affairs, Kuzan clearly had no intention of engaging.
He chose silence.
"Funny how people change after quitting their jobs," Gern said with a small laugh, smoothly steering the conversation elsewhere.
"On my way here, I saw something interesting. The mountain hiding that laboratory on Punk Hazard… was cut straight down the middle."
"One clean slash."
"The power of the Ope Ope no Mi truly lives up to its reputation."
Hearing the topic shift to casual conversation, Kuzan visibly relaxed. He leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms loosely in front of him.
"The brats from the Worst Generation have started stirring things up," Kuzan said slowly. His information was clearly up to date.
"From what I've heard, Trafalgar Law and that old man Garp's grandson… Monkey D. Luffy… have formed an alliance."
He paused deliberately, then added an even more critical piece of information.
"And their target seems to be one of the Four Emperors… Kaido."
"Tsk, tsk, tsk."
Gern shook his head lightly, setting the rim of his glass down on the table with a soft tap.
"Kuzan, you're underestimating Law."
"Or rather… he's hiding his true objective far too well."
"His target has never been Kaido. At least—not at this stage."
"Not at this stage?" Kuzan frowned slightly.
"That's right."
Gern leaned forward a little, lowering his voice while making the logic of the situation clearer.
"His real target is Donquixote Doflamingo."
"The man known as the 'Joker' uses his position straddling both the underworld and the legitimate world to act as a middleman in the black market."
"One of his core businesses is supplying Kaido's Beasts Pirates—collecting and producing artificial Devil Fruits to help Kaido build an army of ability users."
"And Law's plan can be summed up in four words."
"Destroy the supply. Escalate the conflict."
Gern took a large drink of ale before continuing.
"He teams up with Straw Hat to destroy Punk Hazard and kidnap the scientist Caesar Clown."
"On the surface, it looks like he's cutting off Kaido's SMILE supply and provoking a conflict between Kaido and Doflamingo—hoping one weakens the other."
"But unfortunately…"
Gern let out a quiet chuckle, one tinged with a trace of admiration for Law's cunning.
"That story might fool a simple-minded idiot like Straw Hat."
"But to Kaido?"
"It's meaningless. It can't shake his foundation at all."
"This is nothing more than a smokescreen—something Law uses to disguise his real intention and mislead both allies and enemies."
"His true killing move is borrowing a knife to kill someone."
"And the knife he's borrowing…"
Gern's eyes sharpened.
"…is the Marines' knife."
He began dismantling Law's scheme piece by piece.
"First, Doflamingo voluntarily gives up his Warlord title."
"That means he immediately returns to being a pirate with an enormous bounty placed on his head by the World Government."
"Following standard protocol—and for the sake of deterrence—the Marines will inevitably dispatch an Admiral-level force to hunt him down."
"That will become the first 'blade' in Law's plan."
"Next," Gern continued, "Law will 'coincidentally' leak intelligence, guiding the Admiral sent to eliminate Doflamingo toward the same time and place where Law himself—and his bargaining chip, Caesar—are preparing to meet."
"Most likely on some small island."
"At the same time, he'll send the Straw Hats to destroy Doflamingo's underground factory in Dressrosa, completely severing the Joker's financial lifeline and power base."
"Of course—if everything proceeds smoothly…"
Gern leaned back and finished his explanation, his tone carrying a hint of evaluation toward the inevitable outcome.
"Doflamingo will fall into an inescapable deadlock."
"He can either protect his identity and authority by confronting the Marine Admiral head-on…"
"Or he can defend the underground factory that sustains his power and his connection to Kaido—dealing with the Straw Hats' sabotage."
"No matter which side he chooses, the other will deliver a devastating blow."
"And on top of that, he'll completely offend Kaido by cutting off the SMILE supply."
"The Marines. The Worst Generation. A Yonko."
"Three overwhelming forces descending simultaneously."
"This situation…"
"…is an absolute checkmate."
After finishing, Gern leaned back in his chair and looked at Kuzan.
"So now—do you still think Kaido is Law's real target?"
"The entire 'Worst Generation spectacle' he orchestrated is actually a revenge plot."
"Bringing down an Emperor is merely a tool."
"He simply used Kaido as a thread to tighten the noose."
"The one he truly intends to strangle…"
"…has always been Doflamingo."
Kuzan drained the remaining ale in his mug in one go.
He set the mug down with a dull thud and looked at Gern.
"Ahh… I see."
"So in this carefully woven death trap…"
"…the Marine playing the role of the sharpest 'blade' wouldn't happen to be you, would it, Gern?"
Gern shrugged, wearing an expression that said I can't help it, though his tone sounded perfectly matter-of-fact.
"Well, what can I do?"
"I still technically hold the position of a Marine Admiral."
"If I'm collecting the salary, I might as well do the job."
"I'm not like certain people who just pat their backside and quit."
The faint sarcasm in that remark made Kuzan chuckle and shake his head.
Then he stood up.
His tall figure looked even more imposing under the tavern's dim lighting, though there was also a faint sense of resolute distance about him.
"Looks like we're not heading the same way this time," Kuzan said, straightening his clothes. His tone returned to its usual lazy drawl.
"I'm not particularly interested in the circus going on in Dressrosa."
With that, he turned and walked toward the tavern door.
Just as his hand was about to reach the handle, Gern's calm voice came from behind him.
It wasn't loud.
But it was unmistakably clear.
"We've always walked the same path."
"So…"
"Don't actually step onto a different one, Kuzan."
Kuzan's footsteps paused briefly.
He didn't turn around. A soft chuckle escaped his throat.
"Heh."
Then he pushed the door open.
Afternoon sunlight flooded in instantly, outlining his figure in a glowing silhouette.
Just before the door swung shut again, his lazy voice drifted back inside—shamelessly casual.
"You're paying."
"A jobless wanderer doesn't have any money~~"
The words were cut off as the door closed.
Gern stared at the still-swaying wooden door and shook his head helplessly.
He raised a hand to call the bartender over to settle the bill.
But when he saw the receipt—listing five or six crates of alcohol and food supplies ordered for delivery—
he froze.
"…Damn it."
"That bastard…"
...
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