Chapter 421

In Stussy’s mind, whether she could effectively play the Blackbeard card was the key to her promotion and raise.

Her creator, Vegapunk, was obsessed with modifying the Red Line and crafting the Mother Seed, leaving him no time to vie for influence within the United Kingdom.

Precisely because of this, she deliberately created obstacles for Blackbeard during the process of connecting him with remnants of the old era.

And she recorded everything in writing.

Seven is too busy to notice every detail; no matter how well she performs, if no one sees it, it’s as if she did nothing.

Those who know how to report and present themselves are always more likely to be noticed by Seven than those who toil silently.

“Lord Seven.”

Stussy bowed slightly, holding a neatly organized dossier in both hands: “This is a full record of Blackbeard’s movements over the past six months.”

Seven took the dossier and examined it closely.

There was Blackbeard sitting on the dock eating black bread, Lafitte drunk on a bottle of rum, Wapol selling green bean ice cream from a stall, and a familiar-looking figure…

“Lu Bianyi? That name… is quite bold.”

“Lord Seven,” Stussy replied quickly, “Lu Bianyi is the only surviving member of the former CP Sixth Squad; the rest were eliminated by you years ago.”

Hearing this, Seven finally remembered.

“So it was them.”

A few years ago, while traveling to Skypiea, Seven and Mihawk rescued the doctor Phoenix from CP operatives on Shengtingdao and slaughtered the entire squad.

He had not expected any survivors from that unit.

“No wonder he joined Blackbeard’s crew—daring to seek revenge against me… he’s a man of substance.”

In this world, those brave enough to seek revenge against Seven are exceedingly rare; for Lu Bianyi to suddenly appear was truly unexpected.

“I’ll take this, but don’t let Blackbeard sense any surveillance.”

“Rest assured, Lord Seven,” Stussy promised.

“Arrangements are made: in half a month, Blackbeard’s crew will reach the Flower Country of the West Blue and make contact with former Eight Treasures Navy commander Qingjiao and others.”

“Qingjiao?” Seven immediately pictured a figure with a sharply pointed head.

Qingjiao, commander of the Eight Treasures Navy, was one of the few elder Qiangzhe in the Grand Line who mastered all three forms of Haki yet refused to join the United Kingdom.

Known for his iron-head technique, Qingjiao had his pointed skull dented by a single punch from Garp.

When Seven was still with Roger’s crew, Qingjiao’s bounty had already reached 542 million Berries.

“Well done. By the way, is there a man named Rob Lucci in CP9?”

If Seven remembered correctly, Jin Wu had joined CP9 when he was very young.

“Lucci?” Stussy nodded.

“Rob Lucci joined CP9 just last year, then the World Government was overthrown by you—he’s probably still in Wano… mining.”

Hearing this, Seven chuckled.

Entered the Yuhai Army at age 49.

In the anime, Jin Wu practiced “dark justice,” believing in necessary evil—he once executed all 500 soldiers captured by pirates, because the weak had no right to live.

Dubbed the strongest and cruelest killing machine in CP9’s history, hailed as the strongest in the 800-year history of Enies Lobby.

“Notify the head of the Black Ice Station in Wano to bring Rob Lucci to me.”

Regardless, Jin Wu is the only one who has awakened the Neko Neko no Mi; in terms of innate potential, he is every bit the equal of Fuzi Fu, who rose from CP.

And he is extremely loyal.

Capable and loyal—Seven was willing to give Jin Wu a chance to choose anew.

“Yes, Lord Seven.”

Not long after Stussy bowed and left, a rare guest arrived at the Ministry of Internal Affairs: Akainu, the current Admiral of the Marines.

To be honest, Akainu didn’t want to come either.

Akainu had always upheld: public matters handled publicly, private matters handled privately, absolute separation of the two—never using official duties to gain even a fraction of personal benefit.

He served the United Kingdom only because Lord Seven’s unwavering commitment to justice gave him the stage to fully express himself.

It was the first time he had ever felt what true comfort meant: no compromises, no suppression, no bowing before one’s beliefs.

What kind of life had he led under the World Government?

Everything was subordinate to the Celestial Dragons; any so-called justice had to yield before them.

But Lord Seven was different from the Celestial Dragons.

Lord Seven’s justice recognized no hierarchy, no racial or bloodline distinctions, no privileges that could arbitrarily twist truth.

Justice was justice.

This aligned perfectly with the belief Akainu had spent his life pursuing and defending.

Yet, there are always exceptions.

A year ago, while suppressing a rebellion in the North Blue, Akainu unexpectedly encountered Trafalgar D. Law, a nine-year-old boy suffering from Perona disease, and brought him to Marine Headquarters for treatment.

Akainu had assumed the Marines’ medical resources were sufficient to cure Law’s illness completely.

But he was wrong.

Perona disease is called incurable precisely because current medical technology cannot eradicate it.

In short, Law had little time left to live.

Helpless, Akainu broke his lifelong principle for the first time—to cure Law.

Because in Law, Akainu saw another possibility: just as Lord Seven had not been taken by Roger but discovered first by the Marines…

Moreover, Akainu had raised Law as his own son.

Considering all this, Akainu arrived at the Sky City with Law, seeking an audience with Lord Seven.

“Lord Seven… I…”

Seeing the boy in the spotted cap behind Akainu, Seven understood why this iron-fisted Admiral had come—and why he hesitated.

One must admit, fate is indeed mysterious.

Though Law had not met Rosinante as in the anime, he had met Admiral Akainu—perhaps his fate was not yet sealed.

Seven gestured to Law.

“Kid, come here.”

Little Law, come to this captain’s bowl.

Including the second Wano kindergarten and Trafalgar D. Law, most of the new generation’s sprouts seemed to have fallen into Seven’s grasp.

Law stood frozen in place.

After a moment, the desire to live overcame his fear of the King of the World, and Law ran to Seven’s side.

“Lord Seven…”

“Good boy,” Seven activated the Horse Talisman’s power.

Among the Twelve Talismans, the Horse Talisman represents the removal of abnormalities and restoration to original state—its essence is eliminating all illness, poison, and mutation, returning the body to its healthiest peak condition.

It was the perfect counter to Perona disease, which corrodes the body and destroys bloodlines.

One could also understand it as—

Except for immortality, the Horse Talisman cures all pathological ailments.

As Seven gently placed his palm on Law’s head, the boy’s pale face gradually flushed with color, his cloudy, pained eyes slowly clearing.

Seeing this, Akainu’s eyes gleamed.

He couldn’t help recalling a tale from Wano folklore: “The immortal touches my head, and I receive eternal life.”

And the recent rumor spreading across the Grand Line: Lord Seven is a god fallen to the mortal realm, who will return to the divine world the moment the four seas are liberated.

How could this be allowed?

This sea cannot be without Lord Seven.