After hearing Uchiha Hikaru's words, King Riku was filled with shock and dread.
He knew that Uchiha Hikaru harbored lofty ambitions, but he had never imagined they would be this lofty. Did he actually intend to use Dressrosa as his foundation and develop it into a massive alliance capable of rivaling the world's major powers? In King Riku's heart, a major force capable of matching the Four Emperors or the Navy was already powerful enough to stand among the world's top-tier giants.
How many people would be offended by establishing such a massive force? How many wars and casualties would it bring to Dressrosa?
King Riku was a peace-loving man. The thought of those questions made his heart ache faintly. Yet he did not dare voice any objection. After all, the man before him was the one who had saved Dressrosa, the one who had personally pulled Dressrosa back from the brink of destruction.
Uchiha Hikaru had repeatedly proven through facts that his strategic foresight far exceeded King Riku's ability to comprehend. Countless times, King Riku had felt helpless and mentally exhausted, yet the matters that had driven him to despair were always resolved with ease before Uchiha Hikaru. This left King Riku with the contradictory urge to trust Uchiha Hikaru.
He did not want Dressrosa to be dragged into the vortex of conflict between the world's great powers, yet he inexplicably wanted to believe in Uchiha Hikaru. King Riku felt as if he were about to have a mental breakdown.
Hikaru looked at King Riku's face, which was full of inner turmoil, and found it somewhat amusing.
"Later, represent me and convene another meeting. Discuss this matter with the countries that wish to join our grand alliance," Hikaru said to King Riku. "But remember, we cannot officially recruit them