Chapter 284: Monitoring Vegapunk

New World, Lei Shen Island.

Lei Shen Island, perpetually shrouded in thunderstorm weather, is rarely inhabited due to the island's severe climate.

Even though Lei Shen Island borders New Marineford, the Navy chose not to occupy the island, simply because the island's thunderstorms severely disrupt Den Den Mushi communications.

Unfavorable for transmitting information.

But it is a good place for secret meetings.

Thousands of purple lightning bolts poured down from the sky, and a golden beam slowly appeared; it was none other than Navy Admiral Kizaru.

Kizaru was actually quite curious: what matter could be worth Saint Saint Saiwen coming personally?

Rather than informing via Den Den Mushi.

If not for Saint Saint Saiwen's last-minute notice, he should have departed from New Marineford by now, heading to Punk Hazard to hand over to Akainu.

With factions rampant within the Navy, Kizaru only wanted to stay far away from the chaotic Navy Headquarters.

Since the Navy's focus shifted from Paradise to the New World, Sengoku intended to establish more branches in the New World to deal with the four Emperors Establish in the New World.

Admiral Sengoku's idea was good.

But carrying it out was incredibly difficult, simply because most islands in the New World were occupied by the Four Emperors.

To nibble away at the Four Emperors' spheres of influence, the World Government would have to fully support the Navy, yet the World Government clearly would not let the Navy become dominant alone.

While Kizaru pondered, a tall spatial gate appeared out of thin air, and Saint Saint Saiwen's lazy voice rang out.

"Old brother, you're very punctual."

Kizaru said just as lazily.

"The Captain gave an order; how would I dare disobey?"

"Let's discuss the main matter first." Saint Saint Saiwen informed him of the prepared wording point by point.

"The cooperation between the World Government and Vegapunk, besides the Pacifistas, also includes an energy project called the Mother Flame."

"The Mother Flame can produce an indestructible fire, providing endless energy for the world; Vegapunk's original intention in developing the Mother Flame was to solve the energy shortage problem."

"But at the same time, the Mother Flame is the necessary energy to activate the Ancient Weapon Uranus."

"Uranus is one of the three Ancient Weapons recorded in the Poneglyphs that possess the power to destroy the world."

Saint Saint Saiwen paused.

"Old brother, you know."

"If the World Government obtains the Mother Flame and subsequently activates Uranus, they could easily annihilate any nation on the Grand Line."

"Although I have explained the pros and cons to Vegapunk."

"I am still worried that Vegapunk might be misled by the World Government and insist on creating the Mother Flame."

Kizaru understood.

"You want me to monitor Vegapunk?"

Security at Punk Hazard is Kizaru's responsibility; no one is more suitable than Kizaru.

Even the World Government would not have thought that Kizaru, whom they carefully arranged to protect Vegapunk, was simultaneously monitoring Vegapunk.

"Yes." Saint Saint Saiwen nodded.

"Researching the Mother Flame to solve energy scarcity is very necessary, but it should not be at this time."

"At least wait until the world stabilizes."

Saint Saint Saiwen did not want to face a decisive battle with Imu while Uranus was conducting indiscriminate bombing over Inazuma; at least currently, Saint Saint Saiwen had no good countermeasure.

He could only solve the problem at the source.

Without the Mother Flame energy, Uranus is at best just an empty shell.

"No problem." Kizaru nodded and agreed.

Supervising Vegapunk not only did not violate principles but was also saving the populace who might be attacked by Uranus, aligning with the justice Kizaru has always upheld.

"By the way, the Blackbeard you asked me to keep an eye on... is currently being watched by Aokiji in the North Blue."

"The North Blue?" Saint Saint Saiwen was somewhat puzzled: "Did the Navy plant an informant near Blackbeard?"

Otherwise, how would the Navy know Blackbeard's movements so well? They went to watch him in advance.

"That is not the case." Kizaru explained.

"Two members of the Blackbeard Pirates were imprisoned in Impel Down; one named Lafitte, in order to reduce his sentence, successfully convinced the Navy to go to the North Blue to watch."

"What talent." Saint Saint Saiwen felt somewhat tempted.

In the anime, Lafitte can be said to be one of the most important members of the Blackbeard Pirates.

He broke into Navy Headquarters alone, recommending Blackbeard as the new Warlord before Sengoku, the Saint Saint Saiwen Warlords, and other powerful figures, displaying calmness and decisiveness.

He is the core strategist of the Blackbeard Pirates.

Although not a combat powerhouse, he possesses flight abilities and hypnosis, can infiltrate restricted areas, manipulate guards, and is an expert in intelligence gathering.

Of course, there are also claims that Lafitte is an insider within the Blackbeard Pirates, and claims that Blackbeard's life is controlled by Lafitte.

Regardless of truth or falsehood.

Lafitte is first and foremost a talent.

"Old brother, if Aokiji captures Blackbeard, does the Navy really intend to reduce Lafitte's sentence?"

Kizaru straightened his hat, which the wind had blown askew.

"That is a problem for the Admiral to consider; I am merely a small Navy Admiral."

Kizaru saw that Saint Saint Saiwen was somewhat tempted by Lafitte and fully capable of getting Lafitte out of Impel Down.

After all, the Captain is a Celestial Dragon.

No wonder the Morning Star Crew is full of talents; Captain Saint Saint Saiwen is always prepared to invite people aboard.

"There is another matter." Saint Saint Saiwen remembered the intention Dragon revealed in the Den Den Mushi last night.

"Old brother, the Revolutionary Army leader, Monkey D. Dragon, might contact you soon."

"Nani?!" Kizaru was stunned.

The message revealed in these words was simply too much; first, the captain had contact with Dragon, and their relationship must have been very good, otherwise he wouldn't have known about this.

"What does the Revolutionary Army want from me?"

Saint Saint Saiwen teased with a smile.

"I guess Dragon wants to recruit you."

"Stop it." Kizaru's face was filled with helplessness.

"Are you guys just seeing me as honest and easy to bully? One by one, you all want me to be a spy."

"I am an Admiral of the Navy!"

Are rebels these days so bold? Even daring to recruit a Navy Admiral, or does he, Borosali, just look easy to recruit?

Saint Saint Saiwen pointed straight to the core of the problem.

"Old brother, isn't it good to get an extra paycheck?"

"It's not like I'm really asking you to betray the Navy; it's just that the Revolutionary Army's intelligence work is backward, and they are completely in the dark about Navy movements."

"Old brother, think about it carefully."

"If the Revolutionary Army knows the Navy's movements in advance, wouldn't that avoid casualties for the Navy?"

"Hmm?" Kizaru's face drooped.

"The Navy isn't stupid."

"Once or twice is fine, but if they miss every single time, even a fool would know there's a mole in the Navy."

Although getting an extra paycheck was indeed tempting, holding the Revolutionary Army's pay was a bit too hot to handle.

"Old brother, have faith in yourself."

"You can definitely do it."

According to the plot direction in the anime, Kizaru did indeed lean towards the Revolutionary Army in the future; otherwise, he wouldn't have been jokingly called Luffy's second uncle.

It's just that with Saint Saint Saiwen inviting Kizaru onto the ship beforehand, will Kizaru really turn towards the Revolutionary Army now?

Saint Saint Saiwen casually took out a ticket.

"A bearer ticket for Sabaody Archipelago Island One, worth two billion Berries; remember to pick it up when you have time."

Kizaru hesitantly took the ticket.

A Navy Admiral's annual salary is 10.8 million Berries; two billion Berries is equivalent to Kizaru's salary for over two hundred years...

"Do pirates make money like this?"