Vander Decken

"I understand."

Gawain nodded heavily. From this moment on, Tyrant Kuma had become one of the most important targets in Gawain's mind.

As for why?

This was the world of the Pirate King, a world where fists and power went hand in hand!

Power without fists?

How could that be possible!

If the humans of this world could at most fight ten people alone, or even a hundred, Gawain would not have placed such importance on his own combat ability.

But the people here could casually fight ten thousand alone, shatter islands with their fists, overturn seas with their palms, drag stars behind them, and become hurricanes themselves!

For now, he could rely on winning over and recruiting strong people to protect his safety.

But in the future, if he encountered an accident where no one was free to protect him—

Would he simply stretch out his neck and await execution?

Or was Gawain supposed to see himself as the protagonist of some hot-blooded manga, believing that his slick tongue alone could turn the tides and make anyone who had the chance to kill him abandon evil and join the righteous side?

Give him a break!

The Five Elders gave him face because he was a Celestial Dragon.

Sengoku gave him face because he was a Celestial Dragon with Conqueror's Haki.

Rayleigh gave him face because he was a Celestial Dragon with Conqueror's Haki who would not immediately cry for Rayleigh and Shakky's blood.

Half of the respect he received now came from his identity as a Celestial Dragon, but what was he planning to do?

He intended to stand above the Celestial Dragons!

When that day came, if he did not have a pair of iron fists, where would his prestige come from?

Prestige had to be earned with one's own fists in the end, not merely through Conqueror's Haki!

Today, Gion was the only one by his side, and she was not the sort of subordinate likely to turn on him.

But in the future, as he gained more and more subordinates, with people of astonishing potential and strength constantly emerging among them—

Could he really avoid repeating Rocks' mistakes with nothing but his mouth and Conqueror's Haki?

It was now Sea Circle Calendar 1517. Gawain knew very well that only three years remained until Luffy set sail!

Gawain would indeed carry out his plans step by step: stealing Luffy's important crew members, erasing the setbacks and difficulties Luffy would encounter, delaying his rise as the Fifth Emperor, or even simply having him die at sea.

Then Gawain could use that opportunity to expand his power, manipulate the times, sort out the major factions, control the entire sea, and finally sweep across all under Heaven.

But every plan had a chance of failure.

In this bizarre world, only truly solid, overwhelming strength was something least likely to fail!

Where did strength come from?

Devilish training!

And time?

There was not much time left!

So, Tyrant Kuma—the Paw-Paw Fruit user who could keep someone in perfect condition at all times and allow them to repeat high-intensity training without end...

What was that?

That was a cheat!

Gawain might have been a transmigrator, but aside from the Xianyang Palace in his dreams, he had no other cheat.

What if he had no cheat?

He would make one for himself!

That was perfectly reasonable, wasn't it?

Thinking that, Gawain let out a heavy breath. On Fish-Man Island, after coercively—cough, cough—

After enthusiastically recruiting Knight of the Sea Jinbe on Fish-Man Island and extending his reach into the rising force known as the Shichibukai for the first time, Gawain had to pull Tyrant Kuma to his side.

Did no one remember that, in the world before his transmigration, the Russians shouted "Ura" with entirely different spirit depending on whether they had bears or not!

Beside him, Gion saw the seriousness in Gawain's eyes, and her expression turned solemn as well.

"My lord, it seems you understand Kuma's importance. After we leave Fish-Man Island, I will remind you from time to time to accelerate your efforts to recruit Tyrant Kuma.

"According to the intelligence I possess, Kuma is extremely friendly toward the World Government. Among the Shichibukai, he is the one most supportive of the Five Elders' work, so recruiting him should not be difficult.

"However, the Shichibukai have always arranged for him to stay near Vegapunk. Perhaps they have some important cooperation between them, or the Marines would not have sent old man Kizaru to watch over him at all times."

"Mm, yes. Your strength is indeed quite good. As for your intelligence, hehe."

Gawain laughed and teased her. He truly could not bear to tell the girl before him the truth.

That Tyrant Kuma she considered the most cooperative was an undercover agent!

And that proved something else: undercover agents in a team were always more diligent than the genuine members.

Before his transmigration, some people had claimed that Kizaru was also an undercover agent of the Revolutionary Army.

Hehe, how could that be? Looking at how he always put in the hours without putting in the effort, he clearly could not have been an undercover agent!

After laughing, Gawain patted Gion's shoulder.

"Kuma's matter can wait until after we leave Fish-Man Island. Change out of those wet clothes first. You brought a change of clothes, right?"

"Of course. Please give me two minutes."

Gion nodded and turned toward the cabin. As she passed Mjosgard, he repeatedly gave her a thumbs-up.

Gion smiled faintly and nodded in acknowledgment before returning to the cabin to clean herself up and change clothes.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the undersea volcano, aboard a battered vessel pulled by a massive anglerfish and a towering giant—

The captain of the Flying Pirates, Vander Decken IX, was listening intently to a report from one of his subordinates.

"Captain, that ship belongs to the Marines. There's a Celestial Dragon aboard. I saw the Celestial Dragon flag, and a female Marine knocked over the North Sea Kraken with a single punch!"

"Bahahahaha! Who would have thought that even in this damned seafloor, we would see Celestial Dragons from the land!"

Vander Decken IX grinned, and the many chain ornaments hanging from his body clinked along with him.

He was not seated in any captain's chair. Instead, like an opera performer, he moved the four legs beneath his waist, stepping in a dance-like rhythm as Vander Decken spoke in an aria-like tone.

"Bahahahaha! These are Celestial Dragons! Who would dare let their ship sink into the sea?

"But Celestial Dragons are humans too. If we kill one in this ten-thousand-meter-deep seabed, could we summon a Marine Admiral?

"Hody Jones, that detestable Fish-Man, the great Captain Vander Decken remembers our agreement.

"Attack as many human ships reaching the seafloor as possible, intensify the conflict between humans and Fish-Men, and in the end, you get the Ryugu Kingdom while I get the beautiful Princess Shirahoshi!

"Bahahahaha! This is far too interesting!!!"

As he said that, Vander Decken abruptly bent backward into a bridge, striking a dance pose that should have been graceful but looked utterly revolting on him.

"Anglerfish, Wadatsumi, the great Captain Vander Decken commands you to speed up!

"As long as we destroy the Celestial Dragon's ship, Neptune's Ryugu Kingdom will suffer the slaughter of a Marine Admiral!

"Hody Jones, bahahahaha, you will get nothing! All that will remain for you is a pile of ruins!

"Poor Princess Shirahoshi, beautiful Princess Shirahoshi, her homeland will be struck by disaster, and she will be left helplessly wandering the streets.

"And her future can only be saved by her most loyal and perfect knight, Vander Decken!

"Bahahahaha, Shirahoshi, Celestial Dragon...

"An Admiral?

"Hehe..."

At that point, Vander Decken's crazed expression tightened slightly. He suddenly muttered to himself.

"Great Vander Decken, if Ryugu Palace faces destruction, Shirahoshi, who can summon Sea Kings, Posei—"

Halfway through, Vander Decken's eyes rolled, and he immediately continued muttering to himself.

"The great Vander Decken is forever invincible, but the gentle Vander Decken will not make his beloved sad.

"Anglerfish, Wadatsumi, turn around. Let us go visit the poor North Sea Kraken.

"It has been so long since I had delicious takoyaki. North Sea Kraken, bahahahaha!!!"

Unknowingly, Gawain had missed something. While Gion was changing clothes, he was still assessing the current situation.

Since the North Sea Kraken had already begun attacking human vessels, did that mean Hody Jones, captain of the Ryugu Kingdom's New Fish-Man Pirates, had also gradually begun his plan?

If so, then obviously, this journey of his might not be so easy.

Back then, Fisher Tiger's death had filled the Fish-Men with hatred toward humans. Even with Queen Otohime's influence, the residents of the Fish-Man Kingdom had not been particularly enthusiastic about the plan to relocate to land.

And after Hody Jones pinned the blame for Queen Otohime's death on humans, the Fish-Men's view of humanity had deteriorated to the extreme.

If a Ryugu Palace like this was not dealt with, it was bound to cause chaos in the future.

What he needed was a stable Ryugu Palace. Only a stable Ryugu Palace could become an excellent tool for blocking the passage between the New World and the Grand Line, thereby maintaining the balance of the world.

On this trip, Mjosgard was very important. His guilt toward Queen Otohime and his identity as a Celestial Dragon could become powerful weapons for reversing the Fish-Men's image of humanity.

Beyond that, he also had to thoroughly expose the true cause of Queen Otohime's death.

Only by removing the impurities within Ryugu Palace could this place truly become his chess piece.

Therefore... Hody Jones had to die.

And Vander Decken IX...

Of course, he deserved to die even more!

Otherwise, how would Gawain obtain Poseidon?