I Am Spandine!

Let us set aside one matter and turn to another.

That sharp-tongued bitch Maffie was discussing with Somaz whether Vikengam's inexplicable decision to become a pirate had been influenced by the Donquixote Family's hereditary madness.

Meanwhile, the two Cipher Pol 9 agents had already been brought before Saint Saturn.

As an intelligence agency, Cipher Pol and Marine Headquarters were, in fact, parallel organizations of equal rank within the World Government's administrative system.

The director of Cipher Pol, for instance, was basically stationed permanently in Mary Geoise, with a status no lower than that of the Fleet Admiral of Marine Headquarters.

The commander of Cipher Pol 0 held a status no lower than that of a Marine Admiral.

The position of Commander-in-Chief of all the World Government's forces was often rotated between Cipher Pol and Marine Headquarters in order to keep them in check.

At the same time, the World Government constantly provoked conflict between Cipher Pol and Marine Headquarters, ensuring that the two sides remained competitive and antagonistic while maintaining an overall healthy balance.

That was perfectly normal. After all, if the world's largest intelligence agency and the world's largest violent institution got along so well that they wore the same pair of pants, the masters of Mary Geoise would not be able to sleep at night!

Still, the Marines had a bit more backbone. Though they were also raised by the Celestial Dragons, they possessed, at the very least, some of the qualities of a military force.

Cipher Pol, on the other hand, did not put on nearly as many airs.

When Bazzar and Spandine saw Saint Saturn, neither hesitated in the slightest before immediately kneeling before him.

They did not even dare look upon Saint Saturn's face.

Without waiting for them to introduce themselves, Saint Saturn spoke directly. "Bazzar, what progress has been made in the investigation I assigned you regarding the Roger Pirates?"

Clearly, as the Warrior God of Science and Defense, Saint Saturn was no stranger to the head of Cipher Pol 9.

"Reporting to Saint Saturn, over the past two years, we have continuously intensified every aspect of our investigation into the Roger Pirates, and we have indeed made considerable progress," Bazzar said steadily.

He looked nothing like he had when facing Saint Garling earlier, trembling with fear.

In truth, Bazzar did not regard Garling's assignment as much of a burden. In a sense, he was now helping the Five Elders handle private business.

Yes, private business. None of his investigations into the Roger Pirates had ever entered Cipher Pol headquarters' archives. Even this meeting with Saint Saturn was not taking place in Pangaea Castle, but in God's Residence!

Inside Saint Saturn's private bedchamber!

This undoubtedly made Bazzar feel that he was now one of Saint Saturn's trusted confidants. As long as he maintained that status, how could Saint Garling truly dare kill him?

Saint Saturn said nothing, and Bazzar did not dare delay. He swiftly reported, "Since the God Valley Incident, the Roger Pirates have been active in both the West Blue and South Blue. The latest intelligence indicates that they have reentered the Grand Line. Not long ago, confirmed sightings of them were reported at Rapeseed Flower Port in the Kingdom of Alabasta."

"We conducted an in-depth investigation of the Roger Pirates' movements and discovered that, starting from the West Blue, they had been searching for ancient ruins, ancient documents, and Poneglyphs. In the Flower Country of the West Blue, they obtained information on at least two Poneglyphs. Yet when we arrived at the Flower Country, the Poneglyphs had vanished without a trace. We suspect the Roger Pirates are deliberately concealing the Poneglyphs. At the ruins of the Bynila Kingdom in the South Blue, there are also signs suggesting that what may have been Poneglyphs were moved and subsequently disappeared. In Ohara of the West Blue, one of their crew, Jaygo Vikengam, participated as a scholar in an archaeological research symposium that lasted nearly a month. Although there is no record of him speaking, according to several people present, this scholar of the Roger Pirates, who appeared suddenly after God Valley, possessed exceptionally extensive knowledge of the Ancient Language and history. Many renowned scholars admired him greatly." Bazzar gave a grave account of their investigation.

Upon hearing the name "Jaygo Vikengam," Saint Saturn's brow faintly furrowed. He looked at Bazzar, who was kneeling in the distance with his head lowered as he delivered the report, feeling somewhat puzzled.

Vikengam's existence was not something that particularly needed to be kept secret. Moreover, he had lived in Mary Geoise for eighteen years and appeared in public often enough. People in the Holy Land even said he was my most favored junior. Vikengam had previously cooperated with Cipher Pol in the operation to capture Professor Clover.

Logically, he had merely used an alias—he had not even changed much, only shortened his surname before joining the Roger Pirates. As the commander of Cipher Pol 9, it was unlikely Bazzar did not know the identity of the person he was speaking of.

Could this fellow be deliberately pretending not to know in front of me?

Impossible, unless he truly wanted to die.

So the most likely possibility was... Bazzar genuinely had no idea who Vikengam was!?

That made Saint Saturn feel somewhat strange. Then, thoughtfully, he shifted his gaze to the deputy commander kneeling beside Bazzar.

Afterward, Bazzar gave a detailed account of many of the Roger Pirates' movements. It could be said that their information was nearly identical to the actual situation. Aside from a very small number of concealed ancient ruins, Cipher Pol had essentially retraced every step the Roger Pirates had taken.

It was clear just how terrifying the capabilities of the world's largest intelligence agency were!

"Based on the information gathered from these investigations, I suspect the Roger Pirates intend to investigate the history of the Void Century. The reason they are doing so may be that they have felt the immense pressure brought by the chaotic pirate conflicts in the New World, so they seek another path: traces of the Ancient Weapons capable of destroying the world, hidden within these ancient legends," Bazzar said gravely.

Saint Saturn did not ask about the Ancient Weapons. Instead, his tone turned serious as he asked, "Do you believe their scholar possesses the ability to decipher the Ancient Language? Can he understand the records inscribed on the Poneglyphs?"

Bazzar considered it briefly before answering, "He should possess such an ability."

It was neither exaggerated nor particularly unbelievable.

In fact, in this era and throughout the several centuries before it, all sorts of strange figures capable of deciphering Poneglyphs frequently emerged across the world.

Just as Dragon later formed the Revolutionary Army and began his rebellion, similar rebellions had not been rare over the course of those centuries.

Saint Saturn had released Professor Clover after capturing him, then captured him again after releasing him, repeating the cycle several times. He indeed intended to use him as bait. Later, though, it was unclear whether Professor Clover was simply foolish or had truly decided to gamble everything.

Over those decades, because of those legendary experiences, he had gradually been molded into the "leader of the archaeological community." He then settled in the cultural holy land of Ohara in the West Blue and, through his own prestige, gradually drew in large numbers of archaeologists from all over the world.

He gradually formed his own circle, turning Ohara into an "archaeological holy land."

It could be said that because the World Government continually treated him with "leniency," many people assumed he had powerful backing. Thus, scholars who did not know the truth were drawn to him, and he gathered into Ohara those people scattered throughout the world who possessed the ability to decipher the Ancient Language.

Only a very few clever people had not revealed themselves, such as the Kozuki Family.

Later, when the World Government completely destroyed Ohara, it also wiped out to a great extent those scattered "strange figures" who had been difficult to find, resulting in the near-total, abrupt disappearance of the ability to decipher the Ancient Language in the original story.

Those who revealed themselves were eliminated, while the clever people who had not revealed themselves dared expose themselves even less.

"Is that so? Has Vikengam already mastered that ability?" Saint Saturn suddenly murmured softly to himself.

Those words startled Bazzar, kneeling below, as though he had realized something.

Why had Saint Saturn's tone been so intimate when mentioning that scholar?

And Bazzar's unusual reaction, in contrast to the utter calm of Spandine beside him, had already made Saint Saturn understand something.

He let out a soft sigh. "Being used as a specimen to display someone's abilities without even realizing it. What a fool. And fools have no value to me."

As his words fell, Bazzar abruptly raised his head, trying to say something. But before he could, his head exploded directly into a mist of blood.

Red and white matter sprayed everywhere, defiling the luxurious palace.

"What is your name?" Saint Saturn asked softly.

Blood and rotten chunks of flesh slid down from the hair at his temple.

Spandine remained kneeling there, not raising his head as he replied, "Reporting to my lord, I am Cipher Pol 9's deputy commander, Spandine."

"Very good. From today onward, you are the commander of Cipher Pol 9," Saint Saturn said calmly.