Ian was actually a little surprised.
The Five Elders had called directly.
He wondered—he hadn't really caused much trouble at Enies Lobby, had he?
Even Dorry and Brogy had only unleashed a single Hakoku Sovereignty attack at the start. The damage to Enies Lobby should have been minimal.
Was there really a need to call in such a panic?
The Five Elders?
Dorry and Brogy exchanged glances.
Even though they had been away from the sea for a long ti, they still knew who the Five Elders were.
They were the highest authorities of the World Governnt!
Why would they be calling Ian?
Just hearing about it felt surreal.
The leaders of the World Governnt directly speaking with the second-in-command of the world's strongest pirate crew…
If Ian could read minds and knew what his two friends were thinking, he would probably laugh and say— "A call from the Five Elders? That's nothing. In the future, there will even be a Pirate Emperor who will be personally received by them."
"You bastard! Do you even realize what you've done?"
The Five Elders' tone was filled with fury.
"Enies Lobby is one of the three major institutions under the World Governnt! Attacking Enies Lobby is the sa as declaring war on the World Governnt!"
"Hey, hey, hey, aren't you guys misunderstanding sothing here, Five Elders?"
Ian chuckled and reminded them, "We do have a cooperative relationship, sure. But since when did that develop into sothing we could actually call a friendship?"
The Five Elders on the other end of the line were montarily stunned.
That's right.
Damn it, wasn't it common knowledge that the World Governnt and pirates were natural enemies?
If anything, this kind of cooperation was the real anomaly.
But as seasoned figures with vast experience, the Five Elders quickly recovered, and one of them snorted coldly, "So, brat, are you saying you want war with the World Governnt?"
Dorry and Brogy imdiately tensed up.
Is the Beasts Pirates going to go to war with the World Governnt just because of their relationship?
If so, wouldn't that be going a bit too far?
However, Ian simply smiled and said, "The initiative is in your hands. I don't really mind either way."
Dorry couldn't help but gape.
Wait, Ian, aren't you being a bit too bold? Are you seriously threatening the Five Elders? Threatening the highest authority in the world?
"Brat, do you think we wouldn't dare?"
The Five Elders' voices were chillingly cold.
"What is there that the mighty Five Elders wouldn't dare to do?"
Ian said leisurely, "Didn't I already say? The initiative is in your hands. If you want war, what can I do about it?"
Brogy's mouth twitched.
Wait, Ian, your attitude is really sothing else.
"But I do think that going to war with the Beasts Pirates and the Giant Kingdom over sothing like this isn't a good idea."
Ian looked at the two giants.
He needed to pull the Giant Kingdom in as leverage.
The two giants simply nodded solemnly.
Since everything started because of them, they naturally couldn't just stand by and do nothing.
"Just because of this?"
The Five Elders sneered. "Enies Lobby has suffered severe destruction, and even the commanding officer stationed there has died."
Hmm?
Ian raised an eyebrow.
What a pleasant surprise.
He didn't know who had died, but whoever it was—good riddance.
Could any of CP9's superiors actually be decent people?
"Besides this matter, Ian," The voice of the Five Elders grew even colder. "You don't think we are unaware of the connection between the Beasts Pirates and Golden Lion Shiki, do you?"
"Oh?"
Ian raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? There's such a thing?"
"The additional islands that have appeared around Wano—are you trying to tell those ford naturally?"
The Five Elders sneered.
Ian chuckled. "Nature is quite miraculous, isn't it?"
"Enough!"
The Elder on the other end seed unwilling to waste more words and shouted angrily, "Brat, we can overlook this matter, but we have two conditions."
Not surprising at all.
If the World Governnt truly intended to go to war with the Beasts Pirates, they wouldn't be wasting ti making a call.
They would be gathering their forces imdiately and launching an all-out assault on Wano.
Not giving the Beasts Pirates any ti to react, completely crushing them.
Since they made this call, it was obvious they wanted to negotiate.
Without giving Ian any ti to refuse, the Elder continued, "First, you must help the World Governnt establish trade relations with Elbaf."
"Trade?"
Ian asked with interest. "The mighty World Governnt actually has to go out of its way to establish relations with a nation?"
Despite his words, Ian understood the real reason.
The World Governnt had long coveted the power of the giants.
Otherwise, the Marines wouldn't have recruited so many giant vice admirals, and the science division wouldn't be researching human gigantification.
Unfortunately, throughout history, Elbaf had always been wary of the World Governnt. After all, their faith lay with the Sun God.
Are they trying to use the Giant Warrior Pirates to break the deadlock?
Just as I thought.
"What the World Governnt intends to do is none of your concern. You only need to say yes."
Ian glanced at the two giants.
"Jiehahaha! Just agree to it, Ian!"
Dorry laughed heartily. "If it's just trade, then it doesn't really matter, does it?"
"You heard him."
Ian spoke into the Den Den Mushi.
"Very well."
The voice on the other end sounded satisfied. "Now, the second matter—where is that guy, Golden Lion Shiki?"
Ian's lips curled into a smirk.
So their attention was drawn to Shiki after all?
Just as he had expected.
"I have no idea where Shiki is. After all, you know his ability lets him fly freely in the sky."
Ian said with a smile, "However, he seems to be quite interested in the East Blue."
"The East Blue?"
Mariejois.
After ending the call with Ian, Saturn, the bearded elder, put down the Den Den Mushi, hesitating slightly. "Do you think this Ian guy is trustworthy?"
"Destroying the East Blue just to prove he's surpassed Roger?"
Mars frowned, repeating Ian's words. "Is Shiki really so obsessed with sothing so trivial?"
Calling it trivial wouldn't even do it justice—it was outright absurd.
Roger was already dead. If he wanted to surpass Roger, shouldn't he try to beco the Pirate King?
That goal would be far more reasonable than destroying the East Blue, wouldn't it?
If that were the case, the Five Elders could at least breathe a little easier.
After all, there were countless people aiming to be Pirate King. Let them tear each other apart.
"In any case, this is our only lead."
The bald elder, Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro, made the final decision. "Keep an eye on the East Blue. The mont Golden Lion shows up, take action imdiately. He must not be allowed to survive."
Otherwise, if that guy ever decided to drop a few islands on Mariejois, who could possibly handle that?
**********
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