Chapter 363: Silver and Copper

In the corner.

Katakuri, who had remained silent and unspoken yet possessed an undeniable presence, watched Gao Wen with apprehension.

He bore no great grudge against Blackbeard, but Gao Wen was the murderer of his younger brother and sister.

He had originally believed that after defeating his mother, he would be a powerhouse capable of shaking the seas, worthy of clashing with the Four Emperors, and he was confident he could fight Gao Wen from the Seven Water Metropolis era.

Alas, just that single sudden strike from Gao Wen moments ago had shattered Katakuri's willingness to act.

Two years had passed, and this man's combat power had not stagnated; his rate of progress was utterly absurd, reaching a level incomprehensible to others!

Relying on his Observation Haki capable of foreseeing the future, he had simulated in his mind the scenario of attacking everyone in the conference room.

Although Mihawk, Sengoku, and the two Great Generals Akainu and Kizaru were powerful, even if he could not defeat them, escaping would not be an issue.

Only Gao Wen could severely wound him with a single slash, making even his physical body in reality seem to feel a sting of pain!

This man...

Katakuri remained silent, having already made up his mind: after the Summit War concluded, he would have Shmigi and the others abandon their thoughts of revenge against Gao Wen.

That would merely be seeking death!

Hancock and Doflamingo nearby were equally wary of Gao Wen.

Blackbeard slumped to the side, gasping heavily:

"Huff, huff, huff—!"

He slowly raised his palm; blood flowed between his fingers, and he could clearly see his own digits trembling.

Just a moment ago, Gao Wen's blade had been a hair's breadth away from slicing him in two on the spot!

This sensation of death looming before his eyes was something he had not felt for a long time; it remained just as cold, yet more than anything, it brought unwillingness and rage.

The pain emanating from his chest distorted Blackbeard's face:

"I'll collect today's debt!"

Gao Wen looked down from above, casting an indifferent glance at him:

"If today were not at Marine Headquarters, you would only be able to collect your debt in hell."

"Zehahahaha!"

Blackbeard simply fell onto his back, his blood-smeared face bearing a ferocious smile yet radiating immense confidence!

Was Gao Wen strong?!

Very strong!

Strong beyond imagination!

Even the mere tip of the iceberg revealed just now was enough to rival Whitebeard and Luo Jie at their peaks; this was clearly visible in the horrified expressions on the faces of everyone present.

Even the two Marine Great Generals who had just moved to suppress Gao Wen, the Navy's supreme combat power capable of contending with the Four Emperors, were far from as relaxed as they appeared.

But so what?!

Regarding himself, Blackbeard possessed a confidence bordering on blindness.

Any difficulty was temporary, and any powerful enemy could be defeated!

It was precisely for this reason.

No matter what predicament he faced, Blackbeard had the courage to confront it directly and could make the choice most beneficial to himself.

From leaving the Whitebeard Pirates to now indirectly triggering the Summit War, barring the variable of Gao Wen, almost everything had unfolded within his calculations.

What came next would be no exception!

Once he entered Impel Down, relying on the special nature of the Dark-Dark Fruit, he could instantly assemble a crew comparable to a Four Emperor's lineup.

This era should also bear my name!

No!

This era should bear only my name!

With such confidence, the light in Blackbeard's eyes grew ever more brilliant at this moment—a brilliance of extreme darkness and extreme evil:

"Therefore!"

"The Goddess of Fortune stands on my side!"

"Zehahahaha!"

Amidst the laughter.

Gao Wen's gaze fell once again upon Blackbeard, a trace of surprise likewise appearing in his eyes.

One had to say, was this not the man corresponding to the protagonist Straw Hat? Even now, his spirit was no less than that of the Sea Emperors.

Alas...

Even if Joy Boy appeared in person, who would win and who would lose could only be decided after fighting!

One of the suspected inheritors of the will?!

Still lacking somewhat!

Gao Wen shook his head; his objective achieved, he felt somewhat listless.

As for the grudge of the Drum Kingdom, it would be settled after the Summit War; after all, for now, Gao Wen still needed to use Blackbeard as a shell to locate Barrett and War Taowan within Impel Down.

Gao Wen casually replied:

"I await you in the New World!"

Blackbeard's eyes widened; though his face was pale, his aura remained fiercely intense:

"Good!"

Seeing this scene, Sengoku frowned tightly, feeling a threat from Blackbeard for the first time.

This man, who had actively betrayed Whitebeard, then captured the pursuing Portgas D. Ace to hand over to the World Government in exchange for the position of Warlord of the Sea, seemed not as simple as he appeared.

If everything up to this point had been within his plan, then what was his objective?

Sengoku cast a deep glance at Blackbeard, then suppressed that apprehension; after all, the greatest threat currently facing the Navy remained Whitebeard.

He took a deep breath, and seeing the situation under control, convened the day's meeting.

There was only one objective!

The Summit War, which would shake the entire world in just over half a month!

……

……

……

Time flashed by.

Half a month passed.

Only seven days remained until the day of Ace's execution.

It was at this very moment that the News Coo, flying out from various branches of the World Economic Journal, delivered news shocking enough to stun the entire world into the hands of the people.

The timing was chosen with extreme cunning; it was sufficient to spread the news across the globe, yet insufficient for other factions to organize fleets and participate in this war.

"In three days, the Navy will publicly execute Portgas D. Ace, son of the Pirate King and commander of the Whitebeard Pirates' Second Division, at Marineford?!"

Bang!

Sabaody Archipelago, Grove 43.

Inside a bar, a scar-faced man let out a startled cry, suddenly leaping to his feet and dropping his glass, which shattered upon hitting the floor.

Splashed all over with liquor, he seemed not to notice, staring intently only at the news in the newspaper.

"Th-th-this..."

"The bloodline of the Pirate King Luo Jie actually continues? And he even became the commander of Whitebeard's Second Division?!"

"Something huge is happening!"

"The entire sea will boil because of this!"

The bar instantly became lively, with everyone's attention focused solely on the news in the newspaper.

Some were shocked by the impending major event, while others turned their attention to the elusive Great Treasure!

"Luo Jie's bloodline, huh?!"

"This guy might actually know where the One Piece is!"

"After all, he is Luo Jie's bloodline; it is only natural for a father to pass his Great Treasure down to his child!"

Someone in the bar loudly voiced his conspiracy theory, earning agreement from those around him.

"That's right!"

"Besides, I don't believe Whitebeard would adopt an opponent's child for no reason; if it was for the Great Treasure, then everything makes sense."

"No!"

A discordant voice came from a corner.

"That guy Whitebeard isn't that kind of person."

Everyone turned to look.

They saw that the speaker was merely an old man sitting alone in the corner, wearing a straw hat and sunglasses, drinking by himself; for a moment, no one paid him any mind.

"Tch—!"

"Old man, what do you know?!"

"You've never even seen Whitebeard; how do you know he wouldn't think that way?!"

The old man's mouth split open, revealing a bold smile:

"The kind of person you describe could not bear the title of the World's Strongest; to obtain everything one desires, one must seize it with power!"

"Those without dreams cannot survive on this sea."

The crowd paused briefly, then the next instant erupted into roaring laughter.

"Hahahahaha—!"

"The old guy is quite aged, but he speaks quite coolly~!"

"Was he a pirate in the past, and has now retired?!"