Chapter 466

Blackbeard’s expression changed, his hatred barely concealed.

But when he sensed the mark on his chest, he knew he could only endure—it was merely a desperate wait.

After all, Im had nearly infinite life, could not die, and would never age!

But Blackbeard knew even better: he had no other choice.

Im observed Blackbeard’s expression closely, yet paid it no mind.

The dual-fruit ability was indeed unique, but ultimately just a puppet in his palm, incapable of stirring even a ripple.

The real issue at hand was still Britannias.

Yet.

Im stared at the projection screen, its vast clouds and mist, puzzled why Gao Wen had done this:

“A kingdom built on the survival of Devil Fruit users will inevitably decline with the death of its users.”

No matter how powerful Knight Gao Wen becomes, no matter how glorious Britannias becomes in the coming decades, it cannot withstand time.

When the end comes, destruction follows!

At that moment, the silent Garin voiced his lingering doubt:

“Yet…”

“If Knight Gao Wen merely seeks a foothold after the world is swallowed by the sea, why choose this moment?!”

“He showcased overwhelming strength at the World Martial Arts Tournament and unleashed an ancient weapon to annihilate countless pirates, demonstrating Britannias’s military might.”

“But even so, as land sinks faster, pirates terrified by approaching death will inevitably make a desperate last stand.”

“With Knight Gao Wen’s intellect, he could not possibly have missed this.”

“Then…”

“Why? Why did that monster choose Britannias?”

“Is it merely because it best suits the Red Dragon’s ability—or…”

“Is there another reason?!”

At these words, all eyes turned to Garin.

Though he had received Im’s blessing and gained immortality,

two years had passed, and his already wrinkled face had grown even more withered—yet his eyes blazed with terrifying intensity!

“For instance… immortality?!”

Im’s gaze sharpened; after a brief pause, he shook his head slightly:

“Impossible.”

“The ritual was never completed—Big Mom, one of the five elements, had already fled.”

“With only the remaining abilities, the ritual could not be finished.”

Garin nodded in agreement, yet then voiced an even more horrifying possibility:

“You are right, Lord Im.”

“But consider this: if they found a substitute for the Moby Dick’s core energy, why couldn’t they find a substitute for the Soul-Soul Fruit?!”

Perhaps gaining immortality in Britannia, then using the Paramecia's Pave Pave Fruit to lift the nation into the sky and escape the apocalyptic flood—this was always part of Gao Wen's plan!

“From the very beginning, that was his goal!”

Garin’s voice rose like a thunderclap, striking the ears of all present.

Everyone turned pale; some instinctively opened their mouths to refute, yet found no argument.

More importantly…

The more they thought, the more Garin’s theory seemed undeniably true!

No!

Perhaps this was the truth!

After all, if Knight Gao Wen could forge an ancient weapon completely out of sync with this era, finding a substitute for a Devil Fruit ability would be perfectly natural!

If the monster of Britannias gained eternal life, combined with the Red Dragon’s formidable power and his already near-invincible strength…

Would he not become an immortal sovereign?!”

At this thought, the Five Elders felt their scalps prickling.

Originally, in their judgment,

even if they lost to Knight Gao Wen, the Celestial Dragons could simply flee to the moon with their families.

A hundred years from now, the Lionhearted King would still meet his end swallowed by the sea.

But now…

But now this possibility had emerged—and everything was overturned!

“That monster…”

Satan opened his mouth wide.

Countless pieces of information surged through his mind, rapidly connecting every detail!

His body began trembling uncontrollably; a soul-deep terror threatened to consume him.

“His original goal was this world!”

“He knew from the start the world would sink—so all his subsequent actions followed!”

“He held the Martial Arts Tournament in the East Blue to gain fame, draw our attention, and secure a position among the Seven Warlords, avoiding interference from the Marines and World Government.”

“Then came the second phase of his plan.”

“The return of the Golden Lion after twenty years was because of his battle with Knight Gao Wen.”

“In other words, Gao Wen’s true purpose in appearing at Water Seven was not the Moby Dick—it was the Golden Lion’s Paramecia. The Moby Dick was merely an accidental byproduct.”

“Even without the Moby Dick, Britannias could have reached this point!”

As Satan’s cry echoed, others around him began retracing Gao Wen’s rise, following this line of thought.

Only then did they realize: everything had been foreshadowed.

This man had planned every detail from the start!

The Marines, the Four Emperors, the Seven Warlords—even the World Government itself—were merely pawns he manipulated at will.

Im’s expression grew increasingly grave; even he was shaken by this theory.

“If this is true, then this man…”

“Is, after Joy Boy, no—even counting Joy Boy—he is my greatest adversary!”

“Joy Boy may have possessed equal power, but never this kind of flawless calculation—treating the sea as a chessboard and all living beings as pawns!”

…

“How could such a monster exist?!”

Shiryu’s cigarette fell from his lips; he instinctively gripped the hilt of his longsword, a chill creeping into his heart.

He could not be certain: had he himself been a pawn of Gao Wen’s in Impel Down?

“Tich…”

Shiryu turned to Blackbeard, only to see the man’s grim expression:

“You’re right—I’m also one of that monster’s pawns!”

Blackbeard sighed, his eyes filled with defeat, resentment—but mostly terror, unspeakable terror!

“I’ve always wondered: why, in Marine Headquarters or on the battlefield of Marineford, with his strength, could he not have killed me? Neither the Marines nor the World Government could have stopped him.”

“So why did he hold back?!”

Blackbeard murmured:

“Now I understand.”

“I, who invaded Impel Down alongside him, was the perfect scapegoat!”

Shiryu froze, grasping Blackbeard’s meaning, yet still puzzled:

“But if you tell the Marines the truth, won’t his plan collapse on its own?!”

“Hah.”

Blackbeard sneered:

“Who do you think stopped me from speaking the truth at the last moment? It was Sengoku!”

“At that time, after a massive battle with heavy losses, the Marines were desperate to quell chaos across the seas—they had no capacity to deal with a new strongest man.”

“So the Marines—or rather, under such circumstances, even the World Government would choose to cover for him.”

“The fact that he still holds his Warlord title proves it, doesn’t it?!”

“Am I right?!!”

“Five Elders!”

Satan and the others remained expressionless, silent.