"Captain, what's wrong with him?"
Looking at the stunned Tesoro, Katie asked curiously.
"Maybe he's recalling some beautiful memories," Nicolas replied with a smile.
Indeed, Tesoro was lost in his memories, though whether they were beautiful only he knew. This was Nicolas's way of giving him a chance. After all, if Tesoro could still suppress his hatred for the Celestial Dragons after reliving those hellish memories, Nicolas would genuinely admire him as a strong person.
"Captain, should we inform Simon?" Brook asked, referring to the fact that Nicolas had shown up.
"Yes, let him know. It's quite cold up there. Let's also go check on Stella; it seems she's been living well on this ship," Nicolas said as he walked towards the VIP room exit. Fujitora naturally followed, having many questions about Nicolas.
Faced with Nicolas and the uncertain situation with Tesoro, Baccarat was at a loss.
"So, you were intercepted by the true mastermind behind the Celestial Dragons? I didn't expect such a strong figure to be behind them," Fujitora remarked, amazed.
He was well aware of Nicolas's strength at the time. Even now, after years of training, he couldn't claim to match the Nicolas of the past. But such a formidable person had been helpless against the mastermind behind the Celestial Dragons.
"Is that why you're here now...?" Fujitora hesitated to ask, aware of how powerful the Celestial Dragons' protector was.
"Ah, that encounter was a blessing in disguise. I suppose you could say I've awakened. When my true self fully awakens, I should be able to fight that person. After all, you know how immense the difference is between being awakened and not," Nicolas replied calmly, well aware of his own strength after awakening.
"Awakening? But according to records, there are no cases of Logia users awakening," Fujitora said, frowning. He had never heard of a Logia user awakening.
"Zoan and Paramecia users have awakened, so why not Logia? The reason there are no known cases is that all awakened Logia users have died. Thus, the rumor that Logia users can't awaken has spread," Nicolas explained with a smile. The truth was, the process of awakening for Logia users was extremely dangerous, even life-threatening. If it weren't for the anchor point within him, he would've been assimilated by the all-encompassing natural consciousness.
[AN - I don't clearly remember what an anchor point is, but im sure its related to brook's power. If you guys remember pls tell me]
Even so, it had taken him decades to regain consciousness and, with June's help, gradually rediscover himself. Without special means to protect their souls, all awakened Logia users would end up returning to nature.
"As expected of the great treasures of the sea. But Nicolas, your reappearance is likely to spread quickly across the world," Fujitora said, frowning.
"Don't worry; it won't. Some will want to keep my return quiet," Nicolas assured. The World Government would not want news of his return to spread freely, given the immense challenge he posed to their authority.
Just as Nicolas predicted, upon receiving news of his appearance on Gran Tesoro, the World Government immediately dispatched CP agents to various newspapers, instructing them not to release the information. They closely monitored major printing presses worldwide to ensure no newspapers leaked the story.
As a result, news of Nicolas's appearance did not spread widely the day after his visit to Gran Tesoro. It circulated only in small circles, given that more than one person in the VIP room had witnessed Nicolas's presence.
In a certain part of the New World, the sea was calm. A large ship resembling a white whale, bearing the flag of the Whitebeard Pirates, was anchored on the water.
On the deck, Teach sat cross-legged on a barrel, holding a report about Nicolas's appearance. The report didn't contain much, but the photo attached clearly showed Nicolas.
"What a terrifying guy, wouldn't you agree, Teach?" Thach said, approaching Teach as he read the report.
"Indeed," Teach replied, looking down at the face on the newspaper with a serious expression. "Back then, Nicolas was as terrifying as Pops. It's hard to imagine how strong he's become after all these years."
"Does this mean the Roger Pirates, who vanished, might reappear as well?" someone asked, barely hiding their shock.
The faces of the Whitebeard Pirates crew grew solemn. Whitebeard was currently known as the world's strongest man. If those two reappeared, there might be conflict with the Whitebeard Pirates, as pirates greatly valued their reputation.
Since Whitebeard was considered the world's strongest man, what did that make them?
"Maybe not, but..."
"Don't forget, those two have a history of attacking Mariejois and sinking Enies Lobby. There's nothing they wouldn't dare to do."
"True..."
"When Dad was in good health, we couldn't gain an advantage against the Roger Pirates or Nicolas's crew. Now that Dad's health is clearly deteriorating, we're..."
The speaker stopped mid-sentence, noticing the uneasy atmosphere and quickly shut his mouth. However, the fact that Whitebeard's health was worsening was undeniable. This was troubling news for many on the ship, especially as the seas were about to enter a period of great turmoil.
...
In another part of the ocean, a warship pulled in its sails and stopped on the water. On the right side of the warship was a ship flying the flag of the Spade Pirates.
On the deck of the warship, unconscious marines lay scattered. Ace sat atop a pile of bodies, surrounded by his crew, including Deuce.
"The legendary pirate Nicolas, who was once as famous as the Pirate King Roger, Whitebeard Edward Newgate, and Golden Lion Shiki, has reappeared. But... how did these marines get the news, and such a clear photo?" Deuce said, holding a report with a furrowed brow. The sudden revelation left him deep in thought.
"Nicolas, huh?" Ace muttered, recalling the figure who had recently repelled Aokiji at the Sabaody Archipelago and spoke of his 'captain returning.' It seemed he was referring to Nicolas.
...
Meanwhile, the Five Elders, the visible leaders of the World Government, were especially troubled by Nicolas's reappearance.
"Sengoku, that bastard... acted on his own!" The Elder with white gentlemanly curls, a beard, a hat, and a scar on his left cheek looked particularly displeased as he held a document from Marine Headquarters. The document detailed the deployment of significant forces into the New World to hunt down Nicolas.
The tall, slender Elder with a three-stripe beard and a suit took the report from the Elder with the hat, a cold glint in his eyes. "With the current strength of the Marines, it's impossible to hunt down Nicolas in the New World. Sengoku wouldn't make such a brainless move. What is he planning?"
"It's pointless to argue about this now," said the Elder in a suit with a gold beard and no tie, looking impassively at the other two. The Elder in the Black suit with two moustaches and a birthmark on his bald forehead clasped his hands under his chin and said calmly, "We can simply reject the Marines' plan. The intelligence confirms that Nicolas is indeed alive. The question now is how we deal with him."
"Unless Lord Im intervenes, with the current power of the World Government, we can't capture that beast in the New World unless we lure him into a trap," the bald Elder holding a sinister-looking sword said sharply.
"Can we use false information to lure Nicolas, like we did with Rocks at God Valley?" the tall Elder with the three-stripe beard pondered.
The scar-faced Elder frowned at the suggestion. "It's not that easy. The Rocks Pirates were the only major force on the seas back then. We had the strength to ensure their destruction. But now, the situation is much more complicated. There are the Four Emperors in the New World, the Roger Pirates potentially lurking in the shadows, and Nicolas becoming active again. There are also ambitious individuals like the Seven Warlords and the Revolutionary Army, who seek to overthrow the world. None of these forces will ignore any information we release. If they all converge on us, even if we can bury them, the cost will be unbearable. Some of us may not survive. Moreover, we don't know where the Marines stand. Who's to say they won't take advantage of a weakened state to seize power?"
The bald Elder remained silent, his thumb slightly nudging the sword's hilt, revealing a glint of steel. Being in a passive position was something he detested. The other three Elders also frowned, troubled by the uncertain stance of the Marines. In the past, they wouldn't hesitate to purge the Marine leadership, but the current global situation—marked by the revival of Poseidon, the impending appearances of Uranus and Pluton, and the potential return of a certain nemesis—left them with little room for such drastic measures.
"Hmm..." The bald Elder with the moustaches pondered, a cold glint in his eyes. "But remaining passive isn't a good strategy."
"Let's leave it to Lord Im to decide..."
After a brief discussion, the Elders seemed to reach a consensus. After all, it was Lord Im who had previously defeated Nicolas, though the man had survived. Naturally, it was his responsibility.
In the Sacred Land of Mary Geoise, within Pangaea Castle, among the Flowers. In a spacious room lush with greenery and teeming with flowers, many rare and precious blooms from around the world were in full bloom. Butterflies fluttered freely among the flowers. Although they appeared to be free, they were forever trapped in this cage.
In the midst of the verdant grass, a slender figure clad in a robe and crown silently watched the butterflies. This figure was none other than Im, the true ruler of the world.