Taking the Initiative! God's Knights Attack!

Naito chuckled and said, "The Five Elders are Imu's contractors, so isn't it normal for them to be able to possess a contractor's body like I am?"

"You don't actually think just any Tom, Dick, or Harry can possess the bodies of the Five Elders, do you?"

Zephyr clenched his fists.

"The Five Elders have lived for hundreds of years, so is it really so hard to understand that the person standing above them is a monster who has lived for over eight hundred years?"

Naito noticed a subtle change in Zephyr's expression; he was probably deeply shocked.

Then, Zephyr gritted his teeth and said coldly, "So what? Even if there really is a hidden King of the World, the World Government is still the World Government, and the order of this world still depends on them to maintain it!"

"Pfft, hahahahaha!"

Naito burst into laughter, laughing so hard he almost fell over.

There was even a moment when Zephyr thought he had revealed a fatal flaw.

Naito laughed while wiping away his tears. "Is this what they call being a frog in a well? How foolish! Black Arm Zephyr, Monkey D. Dragon understood this when he was seventeen, and you're almost seventy and still can't understand it?"

"Pirates are indeed the scum of the sea, and I despise them too, but Zephyr, are all pirates born wanting to be pirates? If given the chance to become a doctor or a lawyer, would they choose to go to sea and risk their lives fighting to the death? Not everyone is ambitious, and not everyone is convinced they can stir up trouble!"

Zephyr was indeed stunned for a moment.

"Don't be so arrogant, former Marine Admiral!"

Naito said, "Haven't you been to those non- World Government Member States? Don't you know that for most people in those countries, just surviving is an immense struggle?"

"If they don't go to sea and become pirates, many people will just stay in their hometowns and wait to die!"

"Even among the Affiliated Nation of the World Government, how many are teetering on the brink of collapse due to the enormous sums of Heavenly Tribute they have to pay?"

"You've got one thing backwards from beginning to end, Zephyr. It's not that pirates made the world chaotic; it's that the chaotic world gave birth to pirates!"

"..."

Zephyr remained silent.

He had visited more than one non- World Government Member States, so he certainly knew what the situation was like in those countries.

The vast majority of non- Affiliated Nation are unable to escape poverty, and their people are struggling on the brink of death.

A small number of the Affiliated Nation were completely turned into hell on earth, Paradise for pirates, human traffickers, and gangs.

"But what does this have to do with the World Government— "

Zephyr insisted.

"Because they are the World Government! Because they are the rulers of this world! And because this world could have been a better place!"

Naito said, "Joy Boy may have been the first pirate in history, but he did bring unprecedented hope to this world. It was the World Government that extinguished that hope, so they should be held responsible for this world!"

"Why does the World Government divide the world into Affiliated Nation and non- Affiliated Nation? That's right, it's because of the Heavenly Tribute! Countries that cannot pay huge taxes to allow the Celestial Dragons to squander their wealth cannot receive the Navy's protection."

Naito smirked, "And we even have to worry all the time about whether the Celestial Dragons will come to our country and throw a massacre party."

"Tsk, so the Navy's judgment of justice is based on whether or not they can provide wealth for the Celestial Dragons to squander? Those who cannot provide for the Celestial Dragons' enjoyment are heretics, are evil, and are not within the scope of justice, so they can be slaughtered and humiliated at will."

"Zephyr, this kind of justice is truly remarkable."

Zephyr's eyes were somewhat unfocused, and his face was even paler.

His robust body appeared particularly precarious at that moment.

He actually knew many things; as the highest-ranking officer in the navy, his understanding of the world was far deeper than that of most people in the world.

But there were many things from the past that he had never connected or thought about in connection with.

This is due to long-standing inertia.

Until this moment, something was broken.

"If you have time, you can visit the country I rule."

The next moment, Naito appeared beside the teacher, patted him on the shoulder, and said reassuringly, "Then you'll understand that we should be on the sidelines."

Zephyr did not respond.

"Alright, that's enough of the chit-chat. Whether you listen or not is up to you."

Naito took flight. "However, everyone must obey the rule that no one is allowed to leave this island, or I will be angry."

"By the way, it's best not to tell anyone else what we talked about today."

His smile was full of malice. "After all, anyone who touches on the truth of the Void Century deserves to die in the eyes of the World Government."

After saying those last words, Naito manipulated Luna's body to soar into the sky.

Zephyr stared blankly at his departing figure, his eyes filled with utter bewilderment.

"Teacher Zephyr..."

Gion walked over slowly, and the woman's face showed the same confusion.

After being pushed into the cabin, she immediately crawled out, but before she could rejoin the battle, she heard the guy telling a story.

Gion listened to almost the entire story told by the monster.

And so, she too fell into an indescribable daze.

"Gion..."

Zephyr's voice was weaker than ever before. He turned his head slightly, and his lifeless eyes left Gion somewhat at a loss.

Seemingly realizing he had shown vulnerability in front of his disciple, Zephyr immediately took a deep breath, his face regaining some color. He said gravely, "Don't tell anyone what this guy said."

"I see."

Gion nodded without hesitation.

Anything related to the Void Century is a minefield for the World Government.

Even high-ranking naval officers like them would likely be dealt with directly if the government discovered they were involved with the Void Century.

As for...

Zephyr seemed to want to say something, then fell silent for a few seconds before shaking his head helplessly. "You can't completely take what that guy says at face value."

He said, "Let's see with our own eyes."

Gion was taken aback.

As expected, Professor Zephyr has also begun to have doubts about the World Government.

"Well, Professor Zephyr,"

Gion remembered something else, "Do you still want to continue sailing?"

"..."

Zephyr paused for a moment, then looked around at the unconscious naval soldiers, and then at the warships in the harbor that had cracked under the Night King's Conqueror's Haki.

He sighed.

No matter how righteous his words were, the fact remains that he is indeed utterly wicked!

At least for now, the entire G-14 Base has become his hostage.

"Report to headquarters."

Marine Headquarters quickly received the news.

Fleet Admiral Sengoku immediately summoned Garp the Hero and Chief Strategist Tsuru, and the three of them held a short meeting.

"Has it been confirmed? That World guy is indeed the Night King's puppet?"

The slender Vice Admiral Tsuru Crane, legs crossed, asked in a serious tone, "He can also possess other people's bodies?"

"That would be troublesome."

"That's right,"

Sengoku nodded in deep agreement, "That's why that guy deliberately conceals his appearance! Unless he shows himself, there's no way to find out his true form!"

"This provocative visit must be a threat, right?"

Garp the Hero also frowned deeply, "Isn't keeping Zephyr and his crew imprisoned at G-14 Base partly to prevent Zephyr from causing trouble on his turf, and partly a warning to us?"

"Yes, Zephyr and the others have been taken hostage."

Sengoku sighed, "Luckily, the Night King hasn't gone completely insane yet, otherwise Zephyr and the others would be in danger."

"Isn't that troublesome now?"

Garp looked troubled. "Should we ask Naito others to slow down their pursuit a bit?"

"Impossible,"

Vice Admiral Tsuru shook his head. "Although I don't know why, the government is taking this matter very seriously."

"Well--"

Sengoku sighed, "Let's find Loki and the giants first."

But what to do after finding them? Ignore G-14 Base and go after them?

At almost the same time, in Mary Geoise, the Five Elders also met for a meeting.

"Everyone's been fooled by that Night King! World really was just his puppet!"

"That guy possesses some kind of ability similar to Lord Imu! His Devil Fruit is also extraordinary; his threat level is probably no less than Loki's."

"And then there's the Great Hammer Pirates. Even if Lord Imu says they're just shipwrights and couldn't possibly replicate Pluton on their own, they were still witnesses to that history eight hundred years ago, and we absolutely cannot allow them to continue living!"

"Let the navy continue the search. If they can't find it in this area, then go to the area ruled by the Night King. No matter how Loki and the giants hide, they can only hide there."

"This is a matter of great importance. The navy cannot know too much. The real key lies with Saint Shepherd Sommers and Gunko. Have them head to Elbaf as planned. If the navy finds those two along the way, their only responsibility is to surround them. Have them summon us immediately!"

I second that!

Chapter 212 Taking the Initiative! The God's Knights Attack!

Not long after, in the New World, in the seas ruled by Naito, on a deserted island.

Loki and the giants of the Great Hammer Pirates gathered in the center of the island, all curiously examining the enormous machine.

Buzz!

Accompanied by the deep rumble of this massive machine, a huge hemispherical light shield covering an area of over a thousand meters slowly emerged.

"Oh?"

Loki looked up, somewhat surprised, as the light began to tremble slightly until it completely merged into the air.

"Is that all?"

He looked around in surprise, but couldn't see any difference between this island and the one he had just seen.

"That's fine."

At his feet, Buckingham Stussy stood beside the enormous machine, wiping the sweat from her brow. To make sure the towering giant could hear her, she raised her voice.

"The projection device is now functioning normally. You might not see any changes from the inside, but if you look this way from outside the device's coverage area, you won't see anything."