The Navy's Technology Runs Unfathomably Deep!

Red-Haired Shanks looked up at the sky with a grave expression, staring at the empty blue sky and white clouds.

Having slipped into Two-Dimensional Space, Sophon naturally could not be detected by him.

Still, that upward glance made Lynn's side tense up. Only when they saw Shanks shift his gaze away in confusion did they relax.

Whitebeard had not used Haki, but he had noticed Red-Haired Shanks's odd behavior as well. I didn't even call him out for throwing out Conqueror's Haki the moment he arrived to intimidate us, and now he's putting on an act?

"Did that trip to East Blue make you weaker?"

With a hint of mockery on his face, Whitebeard spoke slowly, then gestured for Marco and the others to back off and not make an issue of it.

"Do I look like someone who would fake something like this? Whitebeard, it seems Haki is being disrupted here!"

The seriousness on Red-Haired Shanks's face made Whitebeard's expression change.

The next instant, the imposing figure seated in the great chair unleashed an aura that bore down on Red-Haired Shanks.

Just as it was about to envelop Shanks, some strange unseen force interfered with and restrained Whitebeard's Haki.

The aura was there, but it had no effect whatsoever!

"Hmm?"

Only then did Whitebeard realize it was real. His pupils contracted as he abruptly looked up at the sky.

"You noticed it too... If you weren't the one behind it, then it must have been that thing that vanished just now."

Watching Whitebeard's reaction, Shanks confirmed that it had nothing to do with the Whitebeard Pirates.

Both sides had their Haki restricted when they tried to use it. That strange thing from earlier was very likely responsible!

Marco, Vista, Jozu, and the others sat by the ship's railing, looking at their old man and Red-Haired in confusion. "Old man was using Haki too? What's going on with them?"

They saw both men looking upward, their expressions grave.

"It flew over, unfolded, and then disappeared. Could it be... technology?"

Red-Haired Shanks had been thinking ever since his Haki had malfunctioned, and now even Whitebeard was affected.

He immediately reached a conclusion, thinking of the Droplet—and then of Lynn.

"You mean that Figarland Lynn... I've heard he's a technological prodigy."

Whitebeard seemed to have considered the possibility as well.

"The Navy definitely knew we were meeting. Did they suddenly send some strange thing just for us to see, as a silent warning? Disrupting our Haki must have been their main purpose."

"The power of technology cannot be underestimated."

Shanks smiled. Though he could not see it, the more he considered the idea, the more convinced he became.

Other than technological means, he truly could not think of any other explanation. A method capable of disrupting Haki was even more shocking.

And aside from Vegapunk possibly inventing something like this, the only other person who could pull it off was Figarland Lynn, the one who had invented the Droplet.

"Most likely. It might even be somewhere nearby already."

Whitebeard gave a faint laugh, acknowledging Shanks's guess. Though he was surprised by this Haki-disrupting method, he did not react excessively and remained seated steadily in his chair.

Yet even after the two Four Emperors had laid it all out so clearly, they never would have imagined that Sophon's true strength was its ability to monitor them in precise detail.

Even these words reached Lynn, the Navy, and the Gorosei word for word!

"Newgate, Shanks... Heh."

Among the Gorosei, the bald Fifth Elder sneered.

At Marine Headquarters, Sengoku, Garp, and the Admirals all looked somewhat grave as well.

They had not expected Whitebeard and Red-Haired to infer Figarland's involvement merely from the method used to disrupt Haki!

Whether it was the Gorosei or Navy officers like Sengoku, they all grew wary at that moment. The fact that the two Four Emperors could say this showed that they had been paying considerable attention to Lynn.

They dared pin even the slightest suspicion on Lynn. Perhaps they might make a move against him in the future!

Lynn was a prized asset now. Even the Gorosei could not bear to let such immense ability slip away, so he had to be protected strictly.

Meanwhile, beside Lynn...

Gion, Chaton, Tesoro, and the others were even more astonished, all turning to look at Lynn.

"Are the Emperors of the Sea that terrifying even in terms of intellect? They can't even see Sophon, and they have no idea it is monitoring them. Yet just from the method of disrupting Haki, they guessed it was technology—Lord Figarland's doing!?"

Tesoro's face was full of shock as he could not help speaking up.

That was rather terrifying. No wonder even the World Government was so wary of the Four Emperors. He truly had not thought so highly of them before.

"You spend all your time guarding your entertainment city. You don't know enough about the strong people of this world."

Chaton did not forget to mock Tesoro.

"Whitebeard, the World's Strongest Man, and Red-Haired are both top-tier powerhouses. They know exactly what could affect their Haki. If it were a Devil Fruit ability, they would probably have discovered it long ago—and might have already dragged out the culprit by now. That's why they could think of technology, especially since Sophon's movements just now were so strange..."

Gion reasoned.

That was probably close to the truth. Whitebeard and Red-Haired had only exchanged a few words and had not voiced every thought in their minds, just as Gion had deduced.

"Gion, Chaton, you are both Candidate Admirals. Remember this: from now on, Figarland must be protected with absolute strictness!"

Sengoku's solemn voice came through from the Den Den Mushi.

Whitebeard and Red-Haired's reactions had also served as a warning to him. The news that a Celestial Dragon inventor had emerged was no longer a secret, and who knew how many eyes in the shadows were fixed on Golden Technology City and Figarland.

Gion and Chaton nodded. Lynn remained calm, showing no reaction to the seriousness of the Navy and the Gorosei. This was no surprise to him; having them protect him had been part of his plan from the start.

Otherwise, why would he have revealed the Droplet and Sophon so quickly? Wasn't it all for financial backing and the World Government's protection?

Once he gathered more rare materials and developed higher-level Sophons, Droplets, or even entirely new technologies, he would have no more reservations!

Having obtained the Technology System, he was destined to shine brilliantly in the Pirate World!

At that thought, the corners of Lynn's mouth curled upward slightly.

On the surveillance screen, Whitebeard and Red-Haired Shanks's meeting continued.

"The Navy will not move against the two of us so easily. But Whitebeard, beneath your glorious name, do you really think the World Government will not make a move against you?"

Shanks abruptly changed the subject, setting aside the earlier anomaly and turning his attention toward Whitebeard.

This was his purpose in coming. Everything else could wait; what he needed to persuade Whitebeard about today was what mattered most.

"Oh? What do you think I should do?"