Listening to Gawain's words, Whitebeard took a deep breath.
"Have your eyes already glimpsed such a distant future?"
"I can't see it, Newgate."
Gawain calmly shook his head.
"Actually, I know very little. I haven't learned much knowledge that I can apply to this moment and that moment."
We are all like that; we all have our strengths and our weaknesses.
Whether it's education, economics, or military affairs, I only have a superficial understanding.
But I'm especially good at reading situations, and I'm particularly good at using others, Newgate.
At this point, Gawain raised his hands and gently gestured to the Whitebeard.
"If you heard what I said earlier, you can imagine that when I decide to exterminate all the pirates on the Grand Line, the various countries in the Grand Line region will surely be overjoyed."
But whether it's you guys or the Navy, you're all facing immense pressure!
I'm sorry to say that you will lose fresh blood. Without a continuous stream of outstanding young people from Four Blues to replenish your ranks, your future is destined to be cut short by my era.
As for the navy...
If I actually manage to do everything I planned, they will be in an extremely awkward situation.
The pirates of the Four Blues are too weak; there is no need for them to amass too many troops.
And the Grand Line has lost enough prey to keep them hungry!
At that point, if they don't want to face demobilization, they will only have two options.
One option is to transform into a real army, becoming a weapon in the hands of the World Government, and directing its attacks at Four Blues countries.
As for why it's not aimed at the nations of the Grand Line, it's because this is my territory!
However, the possibility of this happening is too small. The World Government has been using appeasement to deal with countries around the world for seven hundred years. And people who have been doing one thing for too long are not good at doing other things, nor do they want to change their past practices.
So by then, both the World Government and the Navy will eventually turn their attention to their old rivals.
That is, it's on you!
Gawain lightly flicked his cigarette ash, exhaled a puff of smoke, and slowly shook his head.
"In this way, my future becomes very clear. Letting you, the Navy, CP, and other departments fight each other will also be quite beneficial to me."
The disappearance of any one of you means one less obstacle in my path.
But from my perspective, when you pirates who pursue freedom in other people's stories go to war with the Navy and the World Government, which people are deeply dissatisfied with...
You lost, but you actually won, because you became tragic heroes who resisted the World Government and the Celestial Dragon' tyranny, only to suffer a crushing defeat in the end.
Your stories will at least be remembered by people of this era and will have an impact on at least two more generations to come!
And if you win...
It won't be me who raises the first flag, but you.
Because you defeated the World Government, overthrew the old rule of the Celestial Dragon and the Five Elders, you have become true heroes in everyone's hearts.
But neither of these two points is a future that I'm satisfied with!
Hearing Gawain's words, Newgate's eyes widened even more. He burst into loud laughter and then said...
"So, in your Gawain, Gawain, I can't even pursue victory?"
Who do you think you are? And who am I?
You are Celestial Dragon, while I am a pirate!
"Yes, I'm Celestial Dragon, and you're a pirate, but coincidentally, we have almost the same goal!"
Gawain smiled and looked into the Whitebeard's eyes. Meeting the Whitebeard's ever-bold smile, Gawain shrugged slightly and said.
"What is your purpose, Newgate? Do you still want to become the Pirate King at the age of sixty-nine?"
"What does this have to do with the plan you're talking about?!" the Whitebeard asked, grinning.
Gawain responded with a light laugh.
"It's just a question. You wouldn't want to tell me the answer to something like this after hearing my plan, would you?"
"Hmph, if I wanted to become the Pirate King, Roger wouldn't have been the Pirate King twenty years ago!" Whitebeard said confidently, raising his head slightly.
Hearing the Whitebeard's words, Gawain nodded in satisfaction.
"See, now we have something in common."
That means you don't care about being the Pirate King, and neither do I."
"Gulala, Gawain, your joke has extinguished my anger."
"How could you possibly become the Pirate King? Seriously!"
Whitebeard relaxed his brow slightly, waiting for Gawain to speak.
Gawain nodded slightly and continued.
"That's not what we had in common. Our real common ground is that we both crave stability!"
At this point, Gawain went to the side to get some drinks. The awkward silence in the conversation was over, and now he needed to create a good atmosphere with Whitebeard.
He handed the drink to Whitebeard, Whitebeard then picked up the small glass and the two clinked glasses.
Setting down his cup, Gawain continued.
"The reason I need stability is because I need enough time to sort out the Grand Line."
Not to mention that it would take enough time to completely wipe out the pirates of the Grand Line.
Even if I were to wipe out all the pirates on the Grand Line, my actions on the Grand Line would only have just begun.
In my eyes, murder is the lowest and simplest method.
Besides that, I need enough manpower to liaise with the various islands along the Grand Line.
I need enough money and jobs to improve the living standards of the people on the islands, while also subtly helping them understand and accept the arrival of the new era.
To achieve this, I need some time. During this period, the world situation must be stable enough, and that's where you can help me, which is what I've been mentioning all along.
From my perspective, I will do my best to suppress the Navy and the World Government's desire to attack the New World.
However, in the New World, if we want to maintain the pirate situation and prevent the pirates from actively gathering and starting a decisive battle with the Navy or me...
The four of you can never truly unite!
So I won't just talk about these things with you.
Later, before I fully begin my own plans, I will meet with each of you Four Emperors.
I will use this to seek cooperation with you!
After pausing for a moment and waiting for Whitebeard to fall silent, Gawain continued.
"Imagine, Newgate, you've long since given up on competing for the Pirate King's throne, so why do you insist on staying on your own ship?"
I think you did it all for your sons, and also for those forty-three Whitebeard Grand Fleet who took refuge in you and called you Pops.
At the same time, you are doing it for your hometown.
Everything you love can only continue if it is stable, and the relatively better outcome I want also requires a sufficiently stable situation as a prerequisite.
We don't want war, we don't want a final battle that will determine the outcome, Newgate.
That's our biggest common ground!
Gawain poured himself another glass of wine, and he lightly clinked glasses with the Whitebeard.
But after drinking the wine, the Whitebeard took a deep breath.
"So..."
The Whitebeard spoke thoughtfully.
"In your plan, it seems that whether I agree to cooperate with you or not, this is the only path you have pointed out for me to take."
After all, if the situation turns out the way you described, I'll only have two choices.
"Either I, in my capacity, rally all pirates to fight to the death, or we cooperate with you as you said, and while you suppress the pirates, I step in to prevent the Four Emperors from completely uniting."
At this point, Newgate gently shook his head.
"But in reality, Gawain, I only had one choice from the very beginning, because I am a pirate!"
Even if pirates are just a shameful word in your mouth, in my heart, they represent my past, my sons' past, and my everything!
Yes, I do love my sons deeply, and I truly do not wish for them to be by my side as I launch a final, uncertain charge against the navy.
But don't forget, I have Whitebeard!
When I was very young, my hometown lost the protection of the World Government because it could not afford to pay the Heavenly Tribute.
Back then, the Great Pirate Era hadn't yet begun, and pirates in the New World weren't as rampant as they are now.
Even so, those of us who couldn't afford the Heavenly Tribute have become yet another Lawless Area in the New World!
Because there were no troops stationed there, my hometown quickly became a gathering place for outlaws, and then it became a lawless place.
At that time, I, like other children, completely lost my smile!
So remember this, Gawain!
The reason I want to protect the smiles of all the children in the world is because I have felt enough pain from the World Government, the Heavenly Tribute, and you Celestial Dragon!
Therefore, I only have one choice!
If the day ever comes when you blockade the Grand Line...
"Then I am destined to fight you to the death on the Red Line for the future of pirates!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the Whitebeard stood up, wrapped in a bath towel, and picked up the wine jug.
After taking a big gulp of the wine in the pot, the Whitebeard turned to leave, but just then, Gawain laughed.
"Newgate, please have a seat!"
He greeted the Whitebeard.
Upon hearing this, Whitebeard finally stopped and turned to look at Gawain.
Gawain smiled as he looked into the Whitebeard's eyes, which were calm yet brimming with ambition.
"You've confused a crucial point, my friend."
That is, the World Government is your enemy!
The World Government destroyed your homeland, and it will also be the World Government that attacks you in the future!
Think carefully about what I did to you during this process.
"Heh, Gawain, just based on this plan to wipe out all the pirates on the Grand Line, why don't you tell me what you've done to the pirates!"
Hearing this, Whitebeard simply sat down again, and the two figures, one tall and one short, faced each other once more in the hot spring.
Looking at the Whitebeard in front of him, Gawain smiled and waved his hand.
"Look, something interesting is happening. Isn't what I'm about to do exactly what you've all been doing all along?"
Gawain gently pointed to the Whitebeard's eyes.
"In the New World, don't you also have your own territory?"
"So, would you allow pirates passing through to plunder your land?"
At this point, Gawain clapped his hands lightly.
"Although I exaggerated the severity of the matter, what I did was something that even you pirates are qualified to do, and something you've been doing all along!"
If that's the case, then tell me, is the reason I became your enemy simply because I want to provide a better living environment for the people in my territory?
If it's not because of this, then what is it? Is it because I'm destined to be more thorough than you when dealing with those pirates passing through my territory?
As he finished speaking, Gawain glanced at his increasingly serious eyes and Whitebeard, then continued.
"As for the World Government you mentioned, haha."
Newgate, the World Government is also my adversary, that's our second point of agreement.
Of course, I and the World Government may not become pure enemies, but you and I both know that very well.
Once we become powerful enough, we no longer have the right to be friends with everyone!
Now, you're speaking to me with righteous indignation, and you're determined to make the decision you're making now at some point in the future.
But in the future, are you sure you'll think the same way you do now?
I've never liked using underhanded tactics.
It's not that I despise intrigue; as a means of scheming, there's nothing inherently contemptible about it.
But why don't I like it? Because every conspiracy has a chance of failure.
But open strategies are different!
"Open strategy is the key to success, so when we stood together chatting, I had already achieved my goal."
Gawain stood up with a smile, went to the side to fetch some new wine, and then poured himself a glass.
After pouring himself a drink, he handed the wine jug directly to the Whitebeard.
Whitebeard thoughtfully took the wine jug, while Gawain, holding the wine cup, continued speaking to him.
"You said you only had one choice: to fight me to the death on the Red Line after I cut off the New World from the Grand Line."
But the final battle is never a decision you make unilaterally, Newgate.
Just like you said yourself, you're a pirate, and pirates are never a monolithic entity!
Before this, I talked to you about both what I wanted to do and what I wanted you to do.
But there's one thing I didn't talk about, and that is...
What can I give you?
Of course, we've both said the same thing: you have Whitebeard.
I know that even if I promise you I will protect each of your sons...
Even so, you still wouldn't be willing to help me.
Although you are approaching seventy, you know your body better than anyone else; you are getting old.
Although you know that once you reach your limit, once you leave this world, without my help, your son and the Grand Fleet will inevitably become food for the other Four Emperors.
Even though you know those things, that's just your personality, and you won't change.
You are willing to sacrifice for your sons, and they are willing to sacrifice for you at any time. This is the true Whitebeard Pirates.
But what about the other Emperors of the Sea?
Gawain then gently tapped his cup with his index finger.
"Look, what I want you to do is no different from the way you are living now."
You have been staying in the New World all this time, and have never tried to gather the Four Emperors to launch an attack on the Navy and the World Government.
As for my decision to sever the future of pirates, that will certainly affect your future, but for your present, it will not cause you any harm!
Will allowing you to live freely in the New World cost you all your fellow Emperors of the Sea? Will this decision bring you any unforeseen suffering?
Absolutely not!
So, Newgate, even if you reject me, are you sure every single one of the four of you will reject my invitation?
After all, stabilizing the situation in the New World could be done by an Emperors of the Sea; does that person have to be you?
"And after hearing what I've said, can you really maintain your trust in the other three Emperors of the Sea forever?"
Gawain then raised the cup in his hand.
"I'm sorry, my words were a bit too harsh, but putting aside the words, I've expressed everything I wanted to say."
If you're smart enough, you should have guessed it already, Newgate.
After I meet the other Four Emperors in the future, after I speak with them individually and let them know that I have spoken with each of Four Emperors.
Then I don't need to consider your decision anymore, because meeting you is my real purpose!
After all, if you want to have a final showdown, the four of you must first be completely united.
But... I have destroyed the trust between you.
In the future, as long as I do my best to suppress the Navy and never let the Navy completely corner you pirates,
Having lost trust, you have also lost the very foundation for seamless cooperation.
The situation in that New World has already become exactly as I wanted it to be!
At this point, Gawain touched his wine glass to the wine jug that the Whitebeard was holding in mid-air.
"Mr. Newgate, do you understand me now?"
This meeting between us is the greatest help you can give me.
So please drink this glass to the brim.
"And I wish us a pleasant collaboration!"