One Piece: Obtaining the Black Dragon King Fruit at the Start

Chapter 213 Tripartite Talks

In this magnificent new world, beneath the calm surface, undercurrents always surge.

A few days ago, a chilling rumor spread like wildfire: Minos and the Shadow King were plotting a world-shattering conspiracy.

This rumor was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, instantly stirring up huge waves across the entire ocean, plunging every corner into deep fear and unease.

Those small forces struggling to survive on the high seas were the first to be impacted, and they were like frightened birds.

Faced with this unknown and enormous threat, they were powerless to resist and each made their own choices.

Some smaller groups chose to disband in fear, with members fleeing in all directions, trying to find a glimmer of hope in the chaos; others hastily joined the Great Pirate Alliance, hoping to find peace under the protection of a powerful force.

Another group turned to the navy, hoping to use its power to ward off the impending disaster.

The terrifying achievements of Minos and the Shadow King in Wano Country were like a Damocles' sword hanging over everyone's heads, making everyone wary.

They easily defeated Kaido and Charlotte Linlin, two once-powerful pirates, demonstrating their astonishing strength and reinforcing the belief that an impending crisis was imminent.

Meanwhile, in the heavily guarded and mysteriously large conference room of the World Government, an unbelievable scene is unfolding.

Several figures who shouldn't have been there appeared here brazenly. Among them was the renowned Red-Haired Shanks of the Great Pirate Alliance. His iconic red hair stood out prominently in the dim light, and he exuded a calm and domineering aura that came from years of experience.

There was also Long, the leader of the Revolutionary Army headquarters, whose deep gaze, like a star twinkling in the night sky, exuded a sense of determination and wisdom.

At this moment, both of them were dressed in black robes and stood quietly in the conference room.

Even more astonishingly, the Five Elders and Garin Ancient Saint got along with them in an exceptionally harmonious manner, without any tense confrontations or fierce arguments.

If an outsider were to accidentally wander into this place and witness this scene, they would be stunned and filled with doubt: Why are these forces, which are usually on opposing sides and hostile to each other, able to coexist peacefully in one room at this moment?

In this slightly strange atmosphere, the bald Five Elders with swords raised their heads slightly, first scanning the dragon with lightning speed, and then fixing their gaze on the face of the red-haired Shanks.

His eyes held a complex mix of surprise and displeasure. "I didn't expect you to come back to us after all."

His voice was deep and slow, as if each word carried the weight of time. "I thought you were completely dead. But I never expected that the will of the world would revive you and even heal your arm in the process."

As he spoke, his gaze, intentionally or unintentionally, fell on Shanks' left arm, a hint of disdain in his eyes.

It was clear that the bald, sword-wielding Elder Shanks was extremely dissatisfied with Shanks' behavior.

In his view, for a Celestial Dragon to become a pirate was utterly heretical and an open insult to the divine race, something that could not be tolerated.

At this moment, Garin Ancient Saint also frowned slightly, his face full of complicated expression.

He slowly turned his head to look at Shanks, his gaze containing both the scrutiny of an elder towards a junior and a hint of unspeakable emotion.

In fact, Shanks is from the same lineage as him. From a bloodline perspective, Shanks should call him uncle or clan leader.

However, Shanks has now embarked on a completely different path from them, which leaves him with mixed feelings.

Despite the scrutinizing gazes of the crowd, Shanks remained calm and composed, showing no fear.

He slightly raised his head, his gaze sweeping firmly over everyone present, and said in a steady and powerful voice, "I have come to seek your cooperation for the sake of peace on the sea. I believe you are all well aware of the current situation on the sea."

“Minos and the Shadow King’s ambitions are obvious, and their strength is also evident to all. If we do not join forces now, we will surely be defeated one by one. At that time, the entire sea will be plunged into an abyss of no return, and none of us will be able to escape unscathed.”

"Hmph, I bet you're only coming to us for cooperation because you're desperate!"

“You have already broken away from our World Government, how could you know our strength? If Minos dares to attack our World Government, we have the ability to make him leave lying down.”

"Yes, and now there are all sorts of opinions circulating at sea. Minos and the others will definitely not be able to withstand the pressure."

Red-haired Shanks listened quietly to their taunts, his face remaining calm and composed, as if these words had no effect on him whatsoever.

Once they had stopped mocking him, he continued slowly, "Three years ago, I personally fought against Minos and the Shadow King, so I know their immense strength all too well."

"Moreover, three years have passed. Judging from their powerful strength in Wano Country, where they easily defeated Kaido and Charlotte Linlin, it is clear that they have reached the King level."

"If we let powerhouses of this level go unchecked, they will surely devour the entire ocean. At that time, all our forces will become their prey, and there will be no chance to resist!"

Shanks' words struck everyone's hearts like a heavy hammer.

A profound silence fell over the large office, and everyone's expressions turned extremely solemn. They naturally knew the power of Minos and the Shadow King, and understood that what Shanks said was not an exaggeration.

However, they still harbored resentment and found it difficult to let go of the fact that Shanks, a Celestial Dragon, had become a pirate.

In the ensuing silence, Long slowly surveyed the crowd. He keenly sensed that the atmosphere had reached a stalemate, and if this awkward situation wasn't broken, the cooperation might come to nothing.

Left with no other choice, Long frowned slightly and spoke in a low, powerful voice: "Gentlemen, I think Shanks' words make a lot of sense. Minos and the Shadow King are far too insane; their actions have seriously threatened the peace and stability of the sea."

"If we do not stop it in time, the entire sea will surely descend into endless madness and chaos. Although our revolutionary army has different positions from yours, we share the same goal on this matter: to maintain peace and order on the sea."

However, as soon as Long uttered those words, it was like a bomb being dropped into a calm lake, instantly igniting the fury of the Five Elders and the others.

"Hmph, what are you revolutionary army! If we hadn't been too busy to deal with you, you wouldn't be alive today."

"That's right, Ryu, you're the biggest scoundrel. You were doing just fine as a Marine, but you had to go and start some damn revolutionary army. It's utterly ridiculous."

"If you weren't Garp's son, we would have executed you long ago!"

"Dragon, you have no right to speak here. We're being kind by not attacking you."

The five elders, one after another, vented their anger on the dragon.

Long hadn't expected that just saying one sentence would lead to such a relentless attack from the Five Elders, and he couldn't help but feel helpless and frustrated.

In reality, he just happened to run into the line of fire. The Five Elders were still venting their anger on Shanks, and now that Dragon had jumped out to "cause trouble," he naturally became their perfect target.

Long looked at the Five Elders, who were still pressing their point, and a barely perceptible glint flashed in his eyes. He took a deep breath and spoke in a low voice, "It seems that letting strength speak for itself is the most correct approach."

As soon as he finished speaking, the dragon's gaze suddenly became incredibly sharp, and a powerful aura erupted from his entire body.

This momentum was like a surging sea wave, or an erupting volcano, carrying boundless power, and instantly swept across the entire large office.

That was the powerful aura of a beginner-level King, as if it could crush everything around it.

The Five Elders and the others felt an invisible pressure bearing down on them, making it almost impossible for them to breathe.

Their faces instantly turned to utter shock, their eyes filled with disbelief. They never imagined that the dragon's strength had actually broken through to the King level.

Looking at the terrified expressions on the faces of the Five Elders and the others, Long sighed inwardly and slowly withdrew his aura.

His gaze swept over the crowd once more, and he spoke in a deep, powerful voice: "Gentlemen, I suppose I am now qualified to cooperate with you!"

However, after Long finished speaking, the huge office fell silent.

Everyone was stunned by the power that Long had just displayed, and for a moment, no one could answer his question.

Finally, after a long silence, the ancient saint Garin slowly raised his head, his gaze fixed on the dragon, his eyes filled with shock and admiration.

"I never expected you to break through to the King level. It's truly unbelievable!" His voice trembled slightly, clearly shocked by the dragon's breakthrough to the King level.

He smiled and shook his head, saying calmly, "It was just luck. But let's talk about cooperation now!" His words, though soft, carried an undeniable firmness.

Garin, the Ancient Saint, looked at the earnest dragon and nodded. He knew that no matter how many questions or doubts he had, now was not the time to pursue them.

The most urgent task is to unite all forces that can be united, and to kill Minos and the Shadow King.

……