Pirates: How Many Divisions Do the Five Elders Have? Ma Qiao's Secret Weapon

Cloud-Hidden Village.

Ma Qiao met the current chief of the Shandia people, and the people surrounding him.

Wyper, the so-called successor to the great Calgara and the strongest warrior in Shandia, was not in the village.

It's quite sad, really.

These ancient races, who built powerful Civilizations during the Void Century, have now become a group of refugees who have lost their homes and their heritage.

They have even been assimilated by the Skypieans in terms of language, calling the soil "Vearth," their own people "Shandia," and their homeland, the sea, "Blue Sea."

Are you businessmen from the Blue Sea?

The current elder of Shandia is an old man wearing a hat with a wolf's head.

His cloudy eyes looked like they had been through a lot.

Ma Qiao had no interest in playing mind games with this old man.

He's an old fox, and I'm just a 25-year-old kid; I can't outsmart him.

Besides, in essence, there is no conflict of interest between myself and these poor bastards, so there is no need for too much scheming.

For centuries, the Shandia people, who have suffered oppression, have naturally harbored hostility toward outsiders, especially those who appear respectable on the surface but are actually wicked and immoral.

Therefore, Ma Qiao didn't hesitate or wait for a higher price; instead, he revealed his true intentions from the very beginning.

The Big Bird Consortium will fully support the Shandia people in returning to their homeland Shandora.

However, at the same time, the Big Bird Consortium will lease the land outside of Shandora, the holy city that the Shandia people have fought to the death to protect, for ninety-nine years for the purpose of building factories and developing the land.

The entire ship full of Vearth that was shipped earlier was a deposit from the Big Bird Consortium.

On the Sky Island, soil is far more valuable than gold.

The reason why the Skypieans called the half of Jaya Island that was washed into the sky by the ocean currents a gift from God and God's Kingdom is because the soil on Jaya Island is a huge natural Vearth.

However, with Jaya Island occupied by Enel, neither the Skypieans nor the Shandia people can now obtain Vearth.

Young Shandia warriors often venture into the God's Kingdom in order to steal or retrieve a small bag of precious Vearth.

Now that Ma Qiao has brought a whole shipload of cargo—more than the Shandia people have stolen back Vearth in the past few years—how could it not be tempting?

However, the Big Bird Consortium's offer to lease all lands except Shandora for ninety-nine years has alienated many Shandia people.

However, after a moment's thought, the old chief nodded, overruling the objections of the others.

As time passed, the Shandia people gradually forgot their mission to protect the Poneglyphs, but they still firmly remembered that they had to protect the city of Shandora.

As for gold or land outside of Shandora, they weren't actually that important to them.

Whether it was the great warrior Calgara wanting to give gold to Noland four hundred years ago, or the Shandia people wanting to give gold to the Straw Hat Pirates in the original story, it can be seen that these people possess the excellent quality of regarding gold as dirt.

Ma Qiao likes to be friends with people like that.

Besides the soil, the cargo ship also carried some local specialties from the Blue Sea that Ma Qiao had prepared.

For example, Short-Lived Ghost cigarettes and Short-Lived Ghost whiskey.

The Shandia people too.

For any human being, cigarettes and alcohol are the best weapons to bridge the gap between people.

Of course, Ma Qiao himself doesn't smoke or drink.

But don't you have so many underlings now?

Gangplank, as a pirate captain who has dominated the seas, is a master at creating a lively atmosphere.

Twisted Fate and Graves became close friends, and Drizzt, of course, also loved smoking.

Even Nami took the initiative to help Ma Qiao.

Despite her slender figure and petite frame, this Cat Burglar is actually a freak who can drink endlessly, and even Zoro can't outdrink her.

With his younger brother and wife helping him fend off drinks, Ma Qiao could certainly sit back and relax.

Soon, singing and toasting filled the sky above Cloud-Hidden Village.

Just then, a group of burly men returned to the village from outside.

The man at the head of the group is none other than Wyper, the strongest warrior in Shandia today.

Gangplank warmly invited them to join the banquet and drink together.

But Wyper just gave him a cold look, said nothing, and went back to his tent on his own, appearing very difficult to get along with.

But Ma Qiao knew very well that those who treated him coldly were not necessarily enemies, and those who greeted him with smiles were not necessarily friends.

As dusk fell, Ma Qiao and his group were settled into several newly erected tents.

Wyper arrived at the chief's tent.

The campfire crackled and flickered.

Why send these Blue Sea People to their deaths?

Wyper said coldly, "Enel is not someone they can handle."

The chief did not look up, but continued to pok at the firewood burning in the campfire with a branch.

Since being driven off Jaya Island, even simple wood has become extremely precious.

In most cases, the Shandia people, like the Skypieans, use special Dial to heat food or provide light.

There is only one situation where real flames will be used.

With a snap.

The old chief pointed with a branch, and the tortoise shell was pulled out of the campfire.

He carefully examined the cracks on the tortoise shell caused by the fire, his two gray eyebrows furrowing together.

"I don't understand it, I really don't understand it."

The old chief sighed, raised his head, and looked at the village's strongest young man. "Wyper, this world is far bigger than you imagine. The holy land we fought with the Skypieans for four hundred years is actually just a small island in the grand scheme of things."

Even so, I don't believe there's anyone in the world stronger Enel.

Wyper sat down cross-legged, picked up a Short-Lived Ghost cigarette from the shelf, lit it in the campfire, and took a deep drag.

"Cough cough!"

The moment the smoke entered his mouth, Wyper, a habitual smoker, immediately began coughing violently.

"The cigarettes from the Blue Sea taste much stronger than those from the White-White Sea!"

The old chief smiled, as if he had long since smoked cigarettes from the Blue Sea.

"It's so nostalgic. The last time I smoked a cigarette from the Blue Sea was twenty years ago..."

The old chieftain's face showed a look of reminiscence, and a smile appeared on his lips, "That guy named Roger was such a cheapskate. We spent a lot of gold just to get a few packs of cigarettes!"

"Roger? Who's that?"

"A pirate from the Blue Sea, I wonder how he is now."

"Pirates? Are they strong?"

"Yeah, he's as strong as a monster."

"Stronger than Enel?"

"I don't know, but he subdued Urouge with just one finger back then..."

"Urouge..."

Upon hearing this name, Wyper's arrogant face finally showed a lively expression for the first time.

The Mad Monk, Urouge.

Two years later, on Sabaody Archipelago, he was one of the eleven Supernovas of the Worst World, and the first Supernovas to defeat Sweet Commander under one of the Four Emperors. (See picture)

Of course, this is what he will make a name for himself in the Blue Sea in the future.

In Wyper's memory, that guy wasn't some Supernovas, but rather his childhood nightmare.

Like Capone Bege, Urouge is called Supernovas, but in reality, he is much older than Shanks and is a promising middle-aged man.

Becky spent her youth in the underworld.

Urouge spent his youth on the Sky Island.

He was the strongest warrior of the Shandia in Wyper's previous generation.

When Wyper was young, he participated in combat training and took many of Urouge's big Riot Games.

In Wyper's memory, Urouge was practically synonymous with the devil.

Regardless, Wyper believed that Urouge's strength was undeniable.

In reality, he always felt that if Urouge hadn't died so early, and with his own growth, the Shandia might have had a chance to kill Enel.

However, according to the old chief, such a powerful man was actually defeated by that guy named Roger with just one finger?

Wyper's values, which he had cultivated since childhood, were crumbling.

"Urouge is not dead."

The old chief, puffing on his cigarette, uttered a piece of news that shocked Wyper even more:

"He just went to the Blue Sea to become a pirate. The shadow Roger left in his heart is just too big."

"He went to the Blue Sea?" Wyper's eyes widened.

"Yes, that's right."

The old chief nodded, his aged right hand gently stroking a Christmas cane.

This was a gift from Ma Qiao to him, a very precious Vision Ward.

The old chief was very pleased with the colorful design.

As he stroked the Vision Ward, he continued to tell the young man before him some of the village's secrets:

"Around the time you were twelve, Urouge single-handedly defeated the Skypieans's guards at the High West and smuggled himself across to the Blue Sea."

"The High West?" Wyper looked puzzled.

"That's the only place where White-White Sea meets Blue Sea. Roger and his men came up from there back then, but the route these Blue Sea merchants took today is rather strange..."

On the other side of the Vision Ward, Ma Qiao's face was as ugly as could be.

The High West...

So there's a more conventional way to reach the Sky Island?

So why would I ride Roller Coaster for three minutes?

This thing wears out your pants way too fast!

However, by eavesdropping on these Shandia people's secret meetings, Ma Qiao did manage to obtain some useful information.

There is indeed some exchange between the White-White Sea and Blue Sea.

However, the frequency of such exchanges was almost negligible before King Luffy rang the Golden Bell and announced the existence of Sky Island to the world.

Therefore, even Jianghu like Kaido only came up with the brilliant idea of jumping off the Sky Island to commit suicide after ringing the bell.

This is undoubtedly a good thing for Ma Qiao.

As long as he doesn't have nothing better to do than ring the bell, Sky Island will remain a very secluded and safe base.

Moreover, even if the Sky Island base is exposed to the whole world in the future, I only need to select a group of elite soldiers to guard the place at the High West.

In conclusion, the Sky Island base is of great value and deserves to be developed further.

Just as Ma Qiao was about to eavesdrop on the Shandia people's intelligence further, the Den Den Mushi "Bruburu" rang.

Vivi initiated a video call right on time to check up on me.

"Joe, we're out of hot water. Let's use some mud to trade with the Shandia people for Heat Dial..."

Ma Qiao has just started a video call.

Wrapped in a bath towel and soaking wet, the Cat Burglar tiptoed and lifted the tent flap.

The next day.

Nami clutched the hem of her clothes, standing obediently beside Ma Qiao like a little quail.

"How many times have I told you to be careful before entering the tent?"

"Although the Shandia people only provided us with one tent, we only slept in one bed!"

"How are you expecting Vivi and me to explain this now?"

Should we tell her the truth?

"If I have to report everything to my girlfriend, how am I supposed to be a jerk?"

The above is from Ma Qiao's inner monologue.

Unfortunately, the original plan was for Vivi to spend the New Year with her elderly father, while he himself would spend it with the poor orphaned Cat Burglar. This perfect plan was ruined by his incompetent teammate.

So much so that, under Vivi's insistence and constant monitoring, Ma Qiao had to spend the night in Tahm Kench's tent.

Ma Qiao really wanted to tap Nami on the head, but that expression of Cat Burglar like hers was just too pitiful.

But whether it was just his imagination or not, Old Qiao could always see a faint, almost imperceptible, triumphant smile at the corner of her mouth.

He shook his head. This time he had come to try and slay a god, so he couldn't waste his time and energy on trivial matters.

The old chieftain of Shandia came to Ma Qiao, hoping to discuss how to jointly defeat Enel.

However, Ma Qiao said that there was no rush to do so.

Because he needed to confirm something first.

Tahm Kench vomited up eight pairs of platform shoes.

These retro-style platform shoes are a style that Nami really likes.

For a long time, she wore these shoes while venturing out to sea.

However, these shoes came out of Tahm Kench's stomach, which the Cat Burglar cat strongly resisted.

Despite Ma Qiao's repeated assurances that Tahm Kench only eats broccoli, drinks spring water, brushes his teeth seven times a day, and has his stomach pumped nine times a week, Nami still refuses to wear the shoes.

Left with no other choice, Ma Qiao put on his shoes himself and then held Nami in his arms.

And you know what? Although the kitten's chest was becoming increasingly full, she still looked incredibly light and agile.

"Yes, only a lithe woman can wield my sword without hindering my movements."

Ma Qiao came to this conclusion.

Apart from Nami, all of Ma Qiao and his group wore specially made platform shoes.

The soles of these shoes are made of the best insulating rubber Ma Qiao could find.

The Shandia people watched Ma Qiao and his group's actions with utter bewilderment.

Ma Qiao gave them a disdainful look: You bumpkins who've never seen Pirate King Piece!

Everyone knows that physics in this world isn't under Newton's control, nor is lightning under Tesla's.

Thor, you little devil, you'll eat my rubber boots!

At Ma Qiao's command, his men boarded the ship, set sail, and, following the nautical chart given to them by the Shandia people, headed towards the legendary God's Kingdom.

Half a day later, seeing Garen with his level 5 W activated, wearing Negatron Cloak, his face blackened, and exhaling a smoke ring, Ma Qiao issued another order:

"Brothers, advance backwards!"