Admitting Mistakes is Still Active

Red Line, Holy Land Mary Geoise.

Pangaea Castle.

Inside the bright, spacious room, the Gorosei arranged themselves in their usual poses. Saint Warcury sat on the sofa, staring at the Den Den Mushi he had just hung up.

"How does he know about that person?"

Saint Warcury exchanged glances with the other four. Seeing them all shake their heads, he asked.

"Beelzebul... how should we handle this?"

Saint Saturn took over the conversation.

"According to the information Kuzan reported, Beelzebul has strength no less than Sakazuki's. That blind swordsman, Fujitora Issho, fought Kuzan for a long time without a clear victor. And then there's Dracule Mihawk..."

Nusjuro Saint, the Finance God of War holding the First Generation Kitetsu, focused on a different angle.

"Three Supreme Grade Blades. Three Great Swordsmen."

"A Billion Bounty clearly doesn't match Beelzebul's strength. Order the Navy to adjust it promptly."

"Seconded."

"Seconded."

"Seconded."

Saint Saturn asked in a deep voice.

"Regarding Beelzebul and the Morning Star Pirates... three people were able to rout a Buster Call Navy fleet. Is it necessary to launch another Buster Call, or should we dispatch the Divine Knights?"

"He's not a D." Saint Warcury said calmly.

"Although what Beelzebul has done is somewhat excessive, his attitude in admitting fault... is still fairly proactive."

"I suggest we continue observing for a while. On one hand, it can keep the Navy in check. On the other, we can have him handle matters that are inconvenient for us to deal with directly."

"Seconded!"

"Seconded!"

"Seconded!"

West Blue, East Blue Emperor.

Hanging up the Den Den Mushi, Seven casually took a new set of clothes from his system space and put them on. He unhurriedly made his way to the first floor of the small villa.

"Captain Beelzebul." Two Ohara Scholars, supporting each other, stood up and bowed deeply.

"Thank you for your help to us."

Seven even saw the little dark-skinned girl, Nico Robin, helping the woman beside her bow as well.

"No need for that." Seven waved his hand.

"We're not truly safe yet. The World Government and the Navy will still hunt us down to the death, with no end until one side falls... unless..."

Nico Olvia asked urgently.

"Unless what?"

The Buster Call launched by the Navy had terrified Olvia. She could accept her own death, but the Navy hadn't even spared civilians or children.

"Unless you give up researching the Void Century."

The moment he finished, a scholar immediately spoke up: "Impossible. Absolutely impossible. We will never give up restoring history and giving the world the truth."

Seven shrugged.

"Let me introduce myself. I was once a member of the Roger Pirates. I reached the Final Island, Laugh Tale, and I know the truth of the Void Century."

"In other words, the truth you're willing to die chasing... is all in my head."

The Ohara Scholars, led by Nico Olvia, instantly had stars in their eyes. They stared at Seven like he was a rare treasure.

"Captain... can you tell us?"

If they could learn the truth of the Void Century, they would gladly die right then.

"Sorry." Seven rubbed his brow.

"Even if you showed yourselves now and revealed the truth to the world, it would be useless. You'd just create another erased Void Century. The World Government would stop at nothing, even killing everyone."

Seeing Nico Olvia about to argue, Seven raised a hand to cut her off.

"Aren't you curious why none of the many crew members of the Roger Pirates ever stepped forward to expose the truth of the Void Century?"

"Why is that?" Seven spread his hands.

"Because the time isn't right."

The destined protagonist to resist Imu hasn't even been born yet. Unless Seven believed he was already invincible, he would never face Imu directly.

Even the peak of Rocks, Garp, Roger, Whitebeard, Big Mom, and Kaido—six top fighters combined—still couldn't do anything about Imu possessing Saint Saturn.

It ended with Rocks's death.

Seven hadn't even mastered Conqueror's Haki Bodyguard.

He'd had enough limelight lately—time to lie low for a while: head to the South Blue and find Kuma.

And he needed to level with Fujitora Issho, make sure he never again let his sense of justice run wild and charge into a Navy Buster Call.

"If any of you want to leave the ship, feel free."

"Mi-san, Issho-san, let's have a meeting."

The large villa at the stern of the East Blue Emperor.

First-floor bar.

Seven poured himself a glass of milk. "Issho, to keep the Morning Star Pirates from dying before we've even made a name for ourselves, I think it's necessary to fill you in."

Issho nodded. "Alright."

"Besides the Gorosei, the Fleet Admiral, and the Admirals as top-tier combat power, the World Government also has the Divine Knights stationed permanently at the Holy Land of Mary Geoise."

"Even if the Gorosei and the Divine Knights have immortal bodies, we're still not afraid of them."

After making sure no one was eavesdropping, Seven continued.

"But there's one person I'm not confident about right now. If possible, in the next five or ten years, we'd better not face that guy directly."

Mihawk's expression turned grim. He'd never seen Barzeb Seven describe anyone with such gravity.

"He's lived over eight hundred years. Even someone as strong as Joy Boy, Davy, and Davy all lost to him."

"He's the supreme ruler of the World Government, living deep in the Flower Room of Pangaea Castle at the Holy Land of Mary Geoise, called the master of the Empty Throne: Imu."

"This thing... is way over the power curve."

Seven muttered.

"And he can use Black Turn Domination on others. Back then, Rocks was turned into a demon by him, and later Captain Roger and Old Man Garp took him down together."

"Issho-san, I'm telling you all this—

because I hope we can develop in the shadows from now on. Even if none of us are D, at least for the next few years, I really don't have the confidence to face Imu head-on."

Issho stood up and bowed.

"I've caused you trouble, Captain."

Seven waved his hand. "It's nothing. As long as we're not facing Imu directly, I'd have no problem attacking Marineford right now."

Issho picked up the thread. "So shall we go now?"

"Go where?" Seven rolled his eyes.

"We're heading to the South Blue first. Two partners are still waiting for this captain there."

Digging up Captain Roger's paired saber Ace from Old Man Garp's old house courtyard would have to wait—after all, only Seven knew where Ace was buried.

But Kuma was a different story.

Before finding a suitable crew member to eat the Door-Door Fruit, the Paw-Paw Fruit's teleportation ability had enormous strategic value.

If they were too late, there was a high chance Cold Sweat King Monkey D. Dragon would get to him first.

How could that be allowed?

Any crew member Captain Seven set his sights on, he'd trick, cheat, or con them onto the ship. Even if he couldn't recruit them, he'd never let Cold Sweat King get his hands on them.

"Captain, what do you plan to do with these four Ohara Scholars?"