Chapter 406

“Thanks, Seven.”

Having settled his brother before leaving, Shanks felt no more attachments.

As for that scumbag father, let Seven deal with him as he sees fit.

That kind of trash deserves to die.

“No need for thanks.” Seven pulled two photos from his drawer and handed them to Shanks: “Since you’re traveling the Four Seas, help me track down these two Devil Fruits.”

Shamrock's strength, while no match for the elder top-tier experts, still lies between the Warlord and Emperor levels.

He’s certainly qualified to serve as Guard Captain.

Besides, with Seven’s strength, it’s unclear who’d be protecting whom if trouble arises.

Previously, Seven had already dispatched Lafayette as a spy beside Blackbeard, but Shanks wasn’t unlucky either—he was the one who originally found the Gum-Gum Fruit.

“Seven, what’s this?”

“The lighter-colored one is the Logia Dark-Dark Fruit, though I suspect it’s likely a Mythical Zoan. The other is the Paramecia Gum-Gum Fruit, also known as the Mythical Zoan Nika Form.”

Seven smiled.

“Remember that fat black guy from Whitebeard’s crew? The one Buggy kicked in the face and knocked out several teeth—Dutchy Tich.”

“He’s been searching for the Dark-Dark Fruit.”

Shanks slipped the photos into his inner pocket without asking why Seven wanted these two Devil Fruits.

“Alright, we’ll keep an eye out.”

“I won’t see you off.”

Seven’s face flickered with deep exasperation: “You know—big matters get small meetings, small matters get big meetings. I’m stuck in conference halls all day.”

If not for his dream and his future retirement, Seven wouldn’t bother with meetings at all.

Whether during the rise of the Morning Star Crew or the founding of Wano, even before ascending to the throne, Seven rarely attended meetings.

Now that he truly rules the world, he must attend meetings daily—isn’t that a waste of being World King?

Shanks didn’t mention drinking again.

“Seven, take care.”

For some reason, Shanks suddenly felt: he should’ve stayed behind to help Seven establish a new order quickly, to bring light into every dark corner of the sea.

But his childhood dream remained unfulfilled.

Between dream and duty, Shanks was trapped in unbearable indecision.

There was no way to have both: aiding Seven to stabilize the world, while sailing the seas with his crew, chasing dreams and freedom.

Shanks went to the banquet hall and voiced his dilemma to Buggy and Beckman.

“Simple,” Beckman said, smoking a cigarette.

“Tell Seven Saint we’re willing to take responsibility for patrolling the Four Seas—wherever there’s injustice, we’ll be there.”

“That way, we can head to the Final Island while easing Seven Saint’s burdens.”

“Exactly,” Buggy chimed in with a wink. “Shanks, I was planning to use this excuse to take my crew out treasure hunting across the sea.”

"I used to think the Celestial Dragons could get whatever they wanted—how carefree and unrestrained their lives were."

“But after years at sea, my bones grew wild—I can’t stand being stuck in an office.”

Hearing this, Shanks smiled.

“I thought only I felt this way.”

In truth, not just Shanks and Buggy—most who stormed Mary Geoise with Seven—had no desire to hold high office in the United Kingdom.

Rayleigh and Xia Qi opened a blackmail bar branch in Sky City, continuing their retirement.

Jia Ba returned to Elbaf to live in seclusion.

Whitebeard and Golden Lion did the same—choosing only a mansion in Sky City before returning to their own domains to live freely.

Opportunities others begged for were simply ignored by them.

Kaido stayed only because Yamato became King of Dressrosa; Kaido will represent Yamato at the upcoming World Conference.

None of the Morning Star Crew left.

After all, most Morning Star Crew members, like Seven, had no living relatives—their crewmates were their only remaining family and friends.

Neither the Marines nor the Revolutionary Army had anyone leave.

Compared to the legendary pirates who were already accustomed to freedom and longed for it, the Marine and Revolutionary Army high command were precisely those willing to shoulder responsibility.

These were the ones dragging Seven into meetings.

In the spacious, bright Interior Affairs Hall of Sky City.

With the Four Seas’ rebellions quelled and Marine and Revolutionary Army junior officers and soldiers stationed across the seas,

including Marine Admiral Sakazuki, Garp, Marine Chief Strategist Tsuru, the Three Admirals, and Revolutionary Army Dragon, Red Count, Morning Star Crew Tashigi, Mihawk, Buggy, Barret, and other cadres—all were present.

“Seven Saint,” Sakazuki said, exasperated.

“We know you want this sea to become better, but… taking too big a step too fast invites chaos.”

Sakazuki had originally thought—

freeing all slaves was already shocking enough; he never imagined Seven Saint intended to build a utopian world.

A world where social wealth and power belonged to all people collectively, not privately…

This alone would ignite total rebellion across the sea.

The remnants of the old aristocracy, the new elite who rose through privilege, everyone who clung to the top through exploitation—all would fight to the death against Seven Saint.

“Won’t you end up killing every rebel?”

Dragon wiped sweat from his brow.

No wonder he’s the Master—building a utopian world is infinitely harder than building a world where everyone has enough to eat.

If the Master insists on this, he won’t just face the aristocracy—even those around him might turn against him.

Then he’d truly be enemies with the entire world.

Only he and the Master… even adding Garp, Luffy, and the entire Monkey D. family—still couldn’t win.

“Seven Saint, take it one step at a time.”

Though he said this, Dragon quietly memorized the utopian ideal, planning to secretly pass it on to Ace, Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, and others.

Take it slowly first; once everything stabilizes, consider whether a second revolution is necessary.

After Sakazuki and Dragon spoke out to dissuade him, even the radical Akainu felt Seven Saint was too extreme.

“Seven Saint, the Four Seas’ rebellions have just been quelled; the timing isn’t ripe yet. Consolidating and stabilizing order must be the priority.”

At that moment, Akainu felt something strange.

If Marine Admiral Sakazuki had been as radical as Seven Saint, the Marines alone could’ve overthrown the World Government years ago—why endure their control for so long?

A weak soldier makes one weak; a weak commander makes the whole army weak.

The Wano folktales were right!

Seeing this, Seven’s face showed regret.

“Alright, we’ll table this topic for now. Next item: Provincial Plan, Red Line Continent Immigration Plan.”

The so-called “doorway effect,”

is a negotiation strategy: first make a large demand, and when it’s rejected, follow with a smaller one—easier to accept.

The ancients were right!