43-The Summit of Power, the Abyss of Doubt

The sun dipped low in the west.

Suspended in the vast sky, it slowly sank beyond the horizon of the sea, its golden brilliance melting into the waves, painting the endless ocean in a magnificent hue of blood-red.

After the meeting concluded, Elio stood alone atop the Marine Headquarters building, his narrowed eyes gazing into the boundless sea, thoughts racing like a storm.

He remembered it clearly, six years ago, when he first opened his eyes in this pirate-infested world, his blood had boiled with excitement. He was ready to roll up his sleeves and charge forward.

Of course, there had also been fear, fear of this strange world, fear that he might not, like those many protagonists in transmigration stories from his past life, receive some kind of cheat-like ability.

But as time passed, the cheat system he had hoped for never appeared.

Yet he did not let despair consume him. Instead, he decisively abandoned delusions and embraced reality. He doubled down on training and made every effort to build strong relationships with the soldiers and officers around him.

Gradually, he came to realize that even without a system, it was still possible to carve out a place for himself in this world. So, the man who once only wished to survive a little longer here began to quietly lay out his plans.

With the steady rise of his strength and the gathering of trusted allies at his side, Elio's ambitions grew in turn.

However, by his own calculations and planning, this was not the time to risk everything in a desperate struggle. Given his current strength and network, the most he could do was survive the upcoming judgment. To seize the position of Fleet Admiral and control the Marines outright? That was nearly impossible... or so he thought.

What he hadn't expected, was that the system really did appear.

And not only that, it activated earlier than expected, before he had fully solidified his position as Fleet Admiral. It granted him a one-time upgrade: all the abilities he had cultivated were pushed instantly to their absolute peak.

The moment his powers surged, Elio could feel it, his strength had reached an entirely new height. Even though knowledge of advanced Armament Haki, Observation Haki, Conqueror's Haki, Marine Rokushiki techniques, and swordsmanship flooded his mind like instincts he was born with, he had no real gauge of how powerful he had become... until his battle with Garp, and the devastating defeat he dealt to the Holy Knights.

Only then did he gain a clear and visceral understanding, he had truly reached the apex of power.

Especially the Conqueror's Haki. Before, his understanding of it had remained shallow, based solely on what he knew before transmigrating. But now, after the system's upgrade, he realized the true meaning of "Conqueror's Haki reigns above all", and just how terrifying that statement truly was.

But that was already in the past.

Now, what lay ahead was his meeting with Im tomorrow… and the shaping of the future.

Though Im had agreed to negotiate, Elio wasn't so naive as to believe it was a genuine compromise. For someone who had secretly ruled the world government for centuries, would they truly submit after just one military uprising? No, Im merely sought to buy time and temporarily pacify him.

And Elio, in turn, needed time to adjust his own stance.

To challenge the World Government, a behemoth that had stood atop the Red Line for over 800 years, head-on right now would be reckless. A moment of impulsive passion might very well reverse his current advantage.

Of course, if all he wanted was to become some kind of pirate emperor, he could've just taken his loyal soldiers and officers and left Marine HQ altogether. There would've been no need for such a grand rebellion.

But Elio was a transmigrator, a man who held the knowledge of dragon-slaying arts and now possessed the ultimate system. For someone like him to throw it all away and become a mere pirate... would've been a joke of cosmic proportions.

"Lord Elio?"

Suddenly, a familiar voice called out from behind. Turning, he saw Gion, her sword "Konpira" strapped to her waist, her Marine coat billowing dramatically as she approached with brisk steps.

Elio tilted his head slightly. "Everything ready?"

"Yes." Gion handed him a folder and added, "Aside from Fleet Admiral Sengoku, Garp, and Mir. Zephyr, the three Admirals have also requested to go to Mary Geoise. But... I've noticed that both Kuzan and Sakazuki have been in low spirits lately. I'm worried. You know as well as I do, those two have always clashed over ideology. They've nearly come to blows more than once."

"No need to worry."

Elio waved his hand, smiling faintly. "It's only natural for them to be disheartened. The existence of Im shakes the foundations of the justice they've always upheld. Especially Sakazuki, deep down, he's long harbored resentment against the Celestial Dragons and those Five Elders in the chambers of power. But bound by his status and rigid ideals, he chose to endure. Now, with Im's sudden appearance, anyone who still holds onto true justice would have their morale shaken."

"And the same goes for Kuzan. Ever since the Ohara incident, he's been struggling with the concept of Marine justice. Learning about Im has only deepened that confusion."

"But after our visit to Mary Geoise," Elio said, his tone confident, "I believe neither Sakazuki nor Kuzan will remain in doubt."

Gion's eyes lit up slightly. "So that's why, during the battle with the Holy Knights, you deliberately revealed Im's existence in front of them, it wasn't just about making a statement to the World Government, it was to force Sakazuki and Kuzan to make a choice?"

Elio nodded. "Not just them. Sengoku and Garp too. For people like them, powerful veterans hardened by decades, mere strength or tricks aren't enough to sway them. Only when they see the truth with their own eyes, understand the full scope of what we're up against, and reflect on all we've done to prepare... only then will they abandon their delusions and embrace reality."

At those words, Gion turned to glance at him.

He was still Elio, the same man. And yet, something about him now felt distant, unfamiliar.

He was around the same age as Tashigi, and yet his mind and depth of strategy far surpassed ordinary men. His ability to read people, to manipulate the battlefield of hearts and minds, it was nothing short of masterful. Even Sengoku, once hailed as a brilliant tactician, might fall short in comparison.

The sea breeze swept in, making their coats flutter. The wind stirred faint rustling sounds across the rooftop.

Elio glanced at the contents of the folder, then passed it back to Gion. He looked to the distant horizon, eyes narrowing.

"The wind is rising," he murmured.

A new day dawned, and the sun rose as always.

With the spread of newspapers from major publishers, carried by flocks of newsbirds across every region, the Grand Line and all Four Seas were shaken by the headline plastered across the front page.

New World, Red-Haired Pirates' Territory

Scattered across the ground in drunken chaos, members of the Red-Haired Pirates lay in various poses, snoring so loudly that even the birds in the surrounding forest dared not make a sound.

Shanks, the newly anointed Emperor of the Sea, had overindulged during the grand feast with his crew and passed out hugging a wine bottle, only now awakening naturally.

As soon as he opened his eyes, he saw a familiar silhouette, Ben Beckman, his right-hand man, standing quietly with a newspaper in hand.

Beckman didn't turn at Shanks' awakening. He merely held the paper, his expression darker than ever.

"Morning, Beckman~" Shanks greeted, rubbing his throbbing head and dragging his wine bottle over to his vice-captain with a grin. "You're up early. Didn't enjoy yourself last night?"

Still silent, Beckman handed him the newspaper.

"Hm?"

The moment Shanks glanced at the headline, his pupils contracted sharply. He snatched the paper and read aloud in disbelief, "Mutiny in Marine HQ?! Vice Admiral Elio seizes the Fleet Admiral's seat?!"

Stunned silence followed. Then, with urgency rising in his voice, Shanks snapped his head up. "When... when did this happen?!"

"While we were feasting last night," Beckman replied, lighting a cigarette as his tone grew heavy. "Before you woke up, I contacted our informants stationed in the Sabaody Archipelago. It wasn't just Marine HQ, the Grand Line and nearly all Marine branches across the Four Seas underwent a complete purge at the same time. Every officer appointed as base commander during the upheaval… is one of Elio's most trusted."

He paused, then looked Shanks in the eye. "To take full control of the Marines in a single day... Elio's methods are beyond anything we've seen. I have a feeling, whether it's the balance between Mary Geoise and the World Government's allied nations, or the longstanding stalemate between the Marines and us Four Emperors of the New World... all of it is about to be shattered."