The Red Line, Holy Land Mary Geoise.
In this land that exclusively belongs to the Celestial Dragons, a massive structure stands prominently in the most conspicuous location. This is the seat of the world's greatest power—the World Government.
At this moment, within the grand building's top-floor conference room, five elderly figures, known as the Gorosei (Five Elder Stars), were gathered around a circular table. The atmosphere in the room was heavy, as though something monumental was about to occur.
"Nico Robin!?"
One of the Gorosei, wearing a flat hat, suddenly raised his eyebrows and threw the report he was holding onto the table with a troubled expression.
"I never imagined she would show up in the Kingdom of Alabasta!"
"And she's become a legendary trainer as well…"
"Indeed."
Beside the flat-hatted elder, a bald Gorosei in a kimono frowned, rubbing his temples vigorously.
"The Devil's Child, capable of reading the ancient texts—Nico Robin! Now that we've tracked her down, we can't let her escape this time!"
"No…"
A voice interrupted the bald Gorosei.
"I believe that, for now, we should set aside the matter of Nico Robin."
The Gorosei with a long white beard stroked his beard thoughtfully as he spoke:
"Our immediate concern is how to deal with the sudden emergence of the Transdimensional Chamber of Commerce and these dimensional merchants appearing around the world!"
"This…"
The bearded Gorosei's words caused the other four to fall into immediate silence.
After a pause, the mustachioed Gorosei with a shaved head sighed deeply.
"The problem is, we can't determine if they're simply individuals with special abilities or if they truly are beings from another dimension…"
Since his arrival, Leo had caused numerous miraculous events, exhibiting behavior that was distinctly different from that of ordinary people in this world.
But this is the world of pirates!
A world filled with endless wonders!
In this magical sea, nothing is surprising.
There are towering giants who can lay waste to cities, fish-men who dwell beneath the sea, mink tribes who transform under the full moon, zombie legions resurrected from the dead, and living toys who coexist with humans. Not to mention the various Devil Fruit powers, the Gorosei have long ceased to be startled by any unusual occurrences in this world.
However, what makes them most anxious is...
This dimensional merchant, who appeared without warning, is expanding far too quickly!
Now, nearly everyone in the East Blue knows about Pokémon!
Adding to that, the opponent's ability to effortlessly defeat Akainu, the incident where Akainu attacked civilians; the battle tournaments with resurrection as a selling point; the mysterious structure erected in Alabasta; and the Navy's clandestine dealings with him.
All these signs suggest that this entity's existence could profoundly disrupt the World Government's rule.
"No, we can't delay any longer!"
The Gorosei with golden hair narrowed his eyes, placing his finger directly on Robin's photo on the table.
"Whether or not this individual is truly from another world…"
"The fact remains that this magical creature called Pokémon does exist!"
"And so does the power capable of resisting Akainu!"
"The question now is, should we report the dimensional merchant to Lord Imu?"
"Report to Lord Imu?" The bearded Gorosei shook his head slightly at the suggestion.
"This kind of uncertain news will only anger Lord Imu!"
"Right now, Lord Imu's focus is entirely on the one who is about to return."
"Joy Boy…"
The bald Gorosei murmured, prompting another silence to fall over the group.
After a long pause, one of the Gorosei suddenly spoke up:
"In any case, we must find a way to contact the dimensional merchants!"
"The unknown is terrifying! Perhaps things aren't as dire as we fear."
"But…" The flat-hatted Gorosei hesitated, saying:
"Except for Alabasta, we have no means of contacting the dimensional merchants."
"And in Alabasta, CP9 has confirmed that they have been unable to establish contact…"
Due to Sengoku's secrecy, the Gorosei were unaware that many within the Navy had already been granted access to the dimensional merchants.
As a result, they were left fretting over how to reach Leo, the dimensional merchant.
In fact, ever since they decided not to support the Navy in engaging with the dimensional merchants, the Gorosei had given up on relying on the Navy.
The current senior Navy officers could be said to be the most challenging group they had ever led!
Sengoku, Tsuru, Garp.
As the Navy's brightest trio from decades ago…
Garp has always acted on his own terms, showing no deference to the World Government.
Tsuru shares Garp's mindset, though her actions are less blatant. However, her sharp intellect often makes her the most troublesome for the Gorosei!
Only the current Fleet Admiral, Sengoku, seems more compliant.
But the Gorosei know all too well.
The reason Sengoku is so cooperative now…
Is mainly because his dream of protecting civilians and maintaining the stability of the seas requires him to hold the position of Fleet Admiral.
Should the World Government ever commit an unforgivable act, Sengoku could easily defect and become their enemy!
Among the Navy's top brass, the only one who pleases the Gorosei is Akainu, who staunchly upholds the World Government's brand of justice.
But this man has lost all respect within the Navy since his exposure and crushing defeat by the dimensional merchant.
Relying on Akainu is no longer an option.
The bald Gorosei's expression hardened as he spoke with determination.
"It's clear that meeting the dimensional merchants is now our top priority!"
"If no effective method exists, then we'll have to resort to the most basic approach!"
"Deploy CP1-CP6 to gather 200 elite agents, form teams, and conduct a wide-ranging search across the East Blue."
"Assign CP7-CP9 to dispatch agents capable of moving to search the first half of the Grand Line."
"Once they find something, have their commanders connect us immediately…"
"At the very least, we must establish contact with the dimensional merchant!"
"This…"
The other Gorosei exchanged glances, before finally exhaling in unison.
"This is our only option."
"And one more thing…" the bald Gorosei continued:
"Have CP9 agents on standby in the Kingdom of Alabasta, ready to capture Nico Robin at any moment."
"If conditions permit, eliminate her on the spot!"
"Agreed! The Devil's Child, Nico Robin, must not be allowed to return to the seas!"
On this point, the Gorosei were unanimous.
Though the dimensional merchants were crucial, maintaining the World Government's rule was just as vital!
...
...
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
In the first half of the Grand Line, Water 7.
As a world-renowned shipbuilding hub, the island sees hundreds of ships passing through daily.
With such a large population influx, the government work in Water 7 is enormous.
Mayor Iceburg spends his days either overseeing the ship designs at the Galley-La Company or managing the city's operations, wishing he could be in two places at once.
However...
Today, in the mayor's office, Iceburg suddenly let go of his pen, a puzzled expression on his face.
All because of the resignation letter before him.
Iceburg frowned.
"Kalifa, what does this mean?"
He asked, looking at the young woman standing before him. Dressed in casual attire, she exuded the charm of the girl next door.
With a shy and apologetic expression, Kalifa softly replied:
"I'm sorry, Mayor Iceburg, but I may not be able to continue as your secretary."
"I came today specifically to say goodbye."
"Goodbye?"
Iceburg's expression grew complicated, his eyes flashing with disbelief.
"Why?" he asked.
"Have you encountered any difficulties? If you need anything, you can just ask. As the mayor, I should be able to help!"
Iceburg tried earnestly to persuade her to stay.
He had grown very fond of this beautiful, efficient, and capable secretary!
In fact, Kalifa's presence had boosted his work efficiency by at least 50%!
If possible, he really didn't want to lose such an indispensable assistant.
However...
Kalifa had clearly made up her mind to leave.
She shook her head slightly and said:
"It's not a matter of difficulty."
With a shy demeanor, she nervously fidgeted with the hem of her clothes before standing up and sheepishly saying:
"I've decided to return home, marry my childhood sweetheart, and start a new chapter in life."
"So I'm sorry, Mayor Iceburg, but I must resign from my position here."
Iceburg: !!??
"G-getting… m-married!?"
Kalifa's words hit Iceburg like a bolt from the blue. His eyes widened in shock as he stood up abruptly, staring at her in disbelief. He reached out his hand as if to stop her, but no words came.
Maybe it was because he couldn't argue against Kalifa's reasons, or maybe it was because he wanted to sincerely wish Kalifa well in her new life. In the end, Iceburg chose not to try and persuade her to stay.
After settling Kalifa's final paycheck, he even took time out of his busy schedule to personally escort her to the sea train bound to her hometown.
As he stood at the port, facing the gentle sea breeze, Iceburg watched with a heavy heart as the sea train slowly departed from the Capital of Seven Waters.
"Kalifa… my Kalifa…"
Seeing the beautiful secretary who always wore black stockings leave just like that, Iceburg felt a deep, aching sadness.
However, what the mayor of the Capital of Seven Waters didn't know was...
Not long after Kalifa boarded the train, her demeanor shifted entirely. The cold, professional expression returned to her face as she gazed at the shrinking view of the city behind her.
With a sigh, as if troubled, she impatiently pulled out a small Den Den Mushi from a hidden pocket.
"Sir Spandam, I've left the Capital of Seven Waters as instructed. Where do I go next?"
The Den Den Mushi's snail-like face twisted into the visage of Spandam, who spoke with a smirk.
"Ah, you've left safely? Just as I expected from one of my subordinates—quick and efficient!"
"Please get to the point, Sir. Seeing your face any longer would only serve to pollute my mind," Kalifa responded coldly, her tone dripping with disdain for her commander.
Spandam's smirk faltered at her icy words, but he quickly regained his composure, chuckling nervously.
"Hey now, no need to be so frosty, Kalifa!"
Fearing another cutting remark, Spandam hurried on.
"The World Government has issued new orders. Every intelligence department must send at least one elite agent to the Grand Line to search for traces of the dimensional merchants!"
"Jabra, Kumadori, and Fukurou are tied up with other important missions, so they can't go…"
"After careful consideration, you're the only one qualified for this task!"
"Dimensional merchants!?" Kalifa's expression stiffened. Even as a seasoned agent, the mention of dimensional merchants left her momentarily stunned.
Although she had seen news reports about dimensional merchants, Kalifa had always assumed they were just another criminal gang, driven by superstition. But now, with the World Government issuing direct orders to seek them out, she realized the dimensional merchants might actually exist.
Kalifa felt a wave of disbelief wash over her. If the dimensional merchants were real, did that mean another world existed too?
Her mind raced as she processed this revelation, but true to her professionalism, Kalifa nodded and accepted the mission.
"I understand."
As an elite agent, her duty was to carry out the mission, leaving the rest to the higher-ups.
Kalifa was about to hang up when Spandam's voice called out again.
"Wait! Wait!…"
As if anticipating her actions, Spandam's voice grew more urgent.
"The mission isn't just about finding the dimensional merchants!"
Kalifa paused, her hand hovering over the receiver, waiting for him to continue.
"I've seen some confidential footage," Spandam explained, "and I noticed that the dimensional merchant isn't very old—he's about your age and size!"
"Rather than just locating the dimensional merchant, Kalifa, I want you to use your... assets... to get close to him."
"Go undercover if possible, and gather as much intel as you can. This could be our key to gaining the upper hand!"
Spandam's sleazy tone made Kalifa's skin crawl, but she knew he had a point. Getting close to the dimensional merchant could provide invaluable information.
"Your request is bordering on harassment," she said, her forehead creasing in irritation.
But as a top-tier agent, Kalifa was prepared for such tasks. She understood the potential benefits of this approach, even if it meant dealing with her repulsive boss.
After ending the call with Spandam, Kalifa's expression shifted once more, from the cold visage of a goddess to the sultry, beguiling look of a temptress.
"Dimensional merchant?" she murmured, adjusting her glasses and swinging her long, black-stockinged legs with a languid grace.
"This is turning out to be quite the unexpected mission…"
(End of this chapter)