After assigning tasks to Borsalino and Aramaki, Sakazuki hung up the phone.
He then proceeded with the work of reviewing and approving documents, similar to Carol, though all final decisions would be filtered and released by Carol.
Below, Carol sighed softly and rubbed his temples.
"They've all been dispatched, so things should be fine for now..."
The Seraphim version of Sakazuki, while looking identical, was vastly different in other aspects.
Although his aura was unfathomable, any Marine officer above the rank of Vice Admiral would clearly sense something was amiss upon meeting him.
It wasn't about deceiving their own people in Marine Headquarters; rather, Sakazuki couldn't disappear at a time like this. The New World was currently a powder keg.
Both sides' high command were exercising restraint. If Sakazuki, the Fleet Admiral, were to suddenly vanish from the Marines' side, the pirates would undoubtedly assume he had some ulterior motive or scheme, wondering if he was setting a trap or planning something.
Such speculation would lead to unrest and an premature outbreak of war, which Sakazuki did not want.
Carol stretched his limbs and let out a light sigh.
"Hoo—"
"Tidying up the ley lines of the New World..."
"What a massive undertaking..."
Beneath all the islands in the New World, magma ley lines were connected and evenly distributed, which could be seen as a gas pipeline.
However, the three endpoint islands were different. Their openings were larger than other islands and interconnected, forming massive magma reservoirs over time, akin to three valves.
As long as they didn't erupt, there wouldn't be a chain reaction, and there would be no major problem.
If the first valve exploded, the second valve would suppress it.
If the second valve exploded, the third valve would suppress it.
But when the third valve, the last endpoint island, exploded, it would be like a flame encountering a gas pipeline that had lost its valve and was leaking...
All the islands in the New World would be detonated, and the entire New World's ley lines (pipelines) would completely erupt and collapse...
Carol shook his head, no longer dwelling on how far Sakazuki had progressed in his tidying.
He pressed a button on his desk, and the soundproof barrier, similar to Roronoa's ability, disappeared.
He began the work of reviewing documents.
Having followed Sakazuki for years, Carol could effectively mimic Sakazuki's mindset, tone, and thoughts, making his impersonation nearly indistinguishable.
-------------
New World, one of the endpoint islands, Saiken Island.
Many days had passed since the Red-Haired Pirates last visited for reconnaissance. The island's population had gradually increased.
Of course, the increase wasn't in residents but in groups of researchers stationed near the volcano, conducting analyses and calculations...
There were many islands and people in the New World, and plenty of scientists too, although the technology of these "wild" scientists wasn't as advanced.
At this moment.
Blackbeard and Shanks were both gathered here.
The research had been ongoing for many days, but these scientists, whether bounty hunters or captured individuals, were baffled by Vegapunk's technology, which was centuries ahead of the world.
Some of them, upon hearing that what was beneath might have been created by Vegapunk, directly abandoned their research...
There were also many who wanted to challenge Vegapunk, but after days of fruitless research, they became so agitated that they fainted.
In the temporary hall at the center of the island.
Blackbeard, holding a stack of reports, threw them at Shanks.
"Still no solution, these useless people."
"Not a single one can defuse the bomb below."
Shanks, however, was prepared. He flipped through the reports, his eyes glazing over from the excessive technical jargon.
"This is quite normal."
"If the Yonko represent the pinnacle of piracy,"
"then the name Vegapunk represents the pinnacle of science."
"If technology fails, we can only rely on abilities."
"We absolutely cannot let these two troubles become our undoing."
"If we don't defuse it, we'll be slowly devoured by Sakazuki."
Being able to remotely detonate this place, Sakazuki could flip the table and destroy the New World even if he lost.
In this war, only Sakazuki currently possessed the confidence to flip the table.
The reason the pirates lacked the confidence to flip the table was that Sakazuki held them by the throat. If they didn't want outright destruction, they could only engage in a war of attrition, a slow death.
The pirates in the New World had accumulated their strength over years, but the Marines had the support of an entire world. If this attrition continued, they would collapse within a few years.
By then, the Marines would take over a relatively intact New World.
If the bomb buried here could be dismantled, then in the end, the initiative would be with the pirates. Since losing meant death anyway, detonating this place... there would be no victor.
Blackbeard frowned slightly.
"As for Devil Fruit users... there aren't any suitable ones."
"Abilities like transfer are extremely rare."
"No such users have been discovered in the New World yet."
Blackbeard himself was the leader of the largest criminal organization in the New World. If such a user existed, they would be immediately recruited.
Since he said there weren't any, then there truly weren't any...
Shanks nodded slightly.
"It doesn't have to be a transfer ability."
"Space-related abilities could also work. I happen to know that Charlotte Linlin has a daughter with a similar ability."
Blackbeard mused.
"You mean the Mirror-Mirror Fruit user?"
"That's unlikely."
"That thing below is hundreds of meters in size. Her strength wouldn't be enough to support it."
That super bomb was composed of various precision modules, and even touching it would trigger a warning...
The Marines had set aside ten warnings. Simply touching it with two fingers on his hand had used up two warnings...
Those scientists were using powerful instruments for external scanning and analysis.
Opening the passage beneath the magma had also required several attempts.
Seven warnings had already been used. No one dared to touch it further. Who would bet that it wouldn't explode?
Shanks stood up and said.
"We have to try to know. This is the fastest way."
"Keep thinking of other methods. I'll go contact Charlotte Linlin."
Despite saying so, the Yonko weren't monolithic. Without sufficient profit... one couldn't expect pirates to act selflessly...
-------------
South Blue, Coral Island, late at night.
The Bonney Pirates sailed the sea in what seemed like a farce. Although they had recruited some crew members, they were all secretly arranged by Dragon and Sabo.
The purpose was to lead the navigationally inept Bonney on a wild goose chase.
Bonney might not understand, but how could they not? Being a pirate now meant only death.
They didn't dare to touch the powder keg that was the New World, let alone Sakazuki, who was orchestrating this war.
The death of Kuma was a great hardship for them, but it was a done deal, and there was nothing they could do...
They chose to yield rather than resist Bonney's intentions.
Vehemently blocking her would only drive her mad. It was better to have a group of their own people lead her on a random journey, which might also help to relax her mood.
On a distant mountain peak, the harbor could be faintly seen.
Sabo sat on the edge of the cliff, holding a Den Den Mushi.
"That's roughly it..."
The serious-looking Den Den Mushi spoke, and Dragon's voice came from the other end.
"Continue to follow her."
"It's not time to declare war on the World Government yet."
"You protect Bonney first."
"When she starts to become suspicious, then head to the Grand Line."
"Our people will guide her to Alabasta. Once she's there, you will rendezvous with Nico Robin."
"We will make a decision based on the changes in the world at that time."
Sabo gave a light chuckle to the Den Den Mushi.
"I understand."
"I'm really looking forward to the day we reunite..."
South Blue, the Kingdom of Sobbel, Royal Palace.
Dragon looked at the Den Den Mushi in his hand and smiled faintly.
"It won't be too long..."
In the Revolutionary Army territories within the Four Seas, industrial development was rapid, and technological advancements accelerated their armament efforts. They could now conquer the Four Seas completely and bring them under the Revolutionary Army's control in a short period.
But now was not the time...
-------------
Holy Land, Mary Geoise.
In a vast, empty hall, the Five Elders were all somewhat troubled.
The blond Elder put down the intelligence report.
"In the New World, another CP stronghold has been eliminated."
"Is it truly a coincidence..."
The sword-wielding Elder frowned.
"Whether it's a coincidence or not is irrelevant now."
"The government can no longer control the current situation; both sides have gone mad."
"If it comes to that, the Holy Land will inevitably be affected..."
To be honest, they regretted it...
They had supported Sakazuki initially because he had shown no unusual behavior for decades.
They had also held secret meetings. Sakazuki had detailed his plan to eliminate pirates, which led them to agree to the Great Conscription, the increase in Admiral positions, and a series of other conditions.
However, his plan was not this radical; it was meant to be a steady and orderly elimination of pirates within ten years.
In their plan, Joy Boy's appearance was expected within the next 3-5 years. They would have ample time to deal with Joy Boy and then use the 5-7 year buffer period to purge the world.
Because this 5-7 year period was also the time for the Marines to steadily advance and eliminate pirates.
But with Sakazuki's frequent troop movements, summoning Admirals, and completing his strategic deployment...
The intensity of the conflict in the New World had escalated by several levels. It was likely that the New World would collapse even before Joy Boy appeared...
Whether the pirates or the Marines won, it would be a devastating defeat.
It might even lead to the detonation of the New World. Those commoners were insignificant.
However, the chain reaction of the ley lines triggered by the detonation of the New World would undoubtedly cause severe repercussions, even if the Red Line stood tall, reaching into the clouds. This was not something they wanted to see... There were many secrets within the Holy Land...
The curly-haired Elder held his cane.
"Sakazuki's ambitions are likely considerable... but he is currently tied down by the pirates. Before the decisive battle erupts, he cannot disengage."
"We must resolve the Revolutionary Army before the decisive battle in the New World erupts, otherwise we will be unable to deal with the troubles in the New World."
Regardless of whether the Marines or the pirates won, both had to be eliminated...
The tall and thin Elder nodded.
"Indeed."
"The suspected locations of the Revolutionary Army's headquarters have been narrowed down to twenty..."
"The most likely among them are the Kingdom of Cocoyasi in the East Blue, the Kingdom of Sobbel in the South Blue, the forgotten lands of the North Blue, and Alabasta."
This suspected range of the Revolutionary Army's headquarters had not decreased over time; in fact, it had increased... This was also because the Revolutionary Army's influence had expanded severalfold compared to before.
The curly-haired Elder frowned.
"Alabasta?"
"That traitorous lineage again..."
The tall and thin Elder nodded.
"CP previously detected traces of the Revolutionary Army in Alabasta, but those traces were suddenly erased..."
"We must be on guard..."
The sword-wielding Elder said.
"Precisely."
"But the scope still needs to be narrowed down..."
"Twenty is still too many. Lord Im probably cannot..."
The curly-haired Elder nodded.
"Increase the investigation efforts. Once the final ten are locked down..."
"Act immediately!"
They had also investigated the industrial changes of the Revolutionary Army, but they didn't care. It could also help them purge some useless affiliated nations.
As for resolving the Revolutionary Army, as long as their headquarters was destroyed... the Revolutionary Army would crumble on its own.
Without leaders, how could those militia, trained for two years, control kingdoms? Greed would cause them to fall into chaos themselves...
-------------
Several days later, at the edge of the Red Line.
The newly appointed Marine Admiral, with his distinctive green hair, flew through the air with rotating flowers above his head.
Aramaki stared at the massive snail fleet, his tone light, yet tinged with a hint of fanaticism.
"Saa~"
"Become my nourishment, all of you~"
"You trash who dare to betray the gods!!!"