Claudius sighed in frustration. As much as he wanted to visit Little Garden to capture some dinosaurs, an urgent summons from Mariejois left him no choice but to abandon his plans. Occasionally, he couldn't help but think about how easy life would be if he were just a typical, pampered Celestial Dragon, living idly without a care in the world.
But, of course, that was just a fleeting thought. He couldn't help but chuckle at the ridiculousness of it. The reality was that an order was an order, and he had no intention of testing the limits of the higher-ups' patience.
Rushing back to Mariejois, Claudius didn't want to risk arriving late. After all, many influential figures would be present. It wouldn't do to appear disrespectful by showing up last, as though he thought himself above everyone else.
When the ship docked at the port, Hancock, still pouting, voiced her displeasure. "I thought we'd have more time to enjoy ourselves. We didn't even get to see any dinosaurs! And now we're heading back to the cage?"
Claudius glanced at the young Hancock, her face still carrying traces of childhood innocence despite her growing beauty. Amused, he replied, "In this world, once you step into the fray, you don't get to make all your own choices. Work hard and grow strong, and maybe one day you'll be able to live as freely as Enel."
That's right Enel had stayed behind in Alabasta, eager to learn from Crocodile. His goal? To understand what it meant to be a great pirate.
The thought made Claudius laugh to himself. Was there really a need to seek guidance on how to become a pirate? Still, it wasn't entirely surprising. Crocodile had played something of a mentor role for Enel, even teaching him the finer points of fishing. So, for now, Enel intended to study under Crocodile before setting out on his own.
As for Hancock, her relationship with Claudius had improved during this trip. Though she was still somewhat guarded, she had grown to acknowledge that Claudius wasn't like the other Celestial Dragons she had encountered.
However, her defiance hadn't entirely faded. Hearing Claudius' words, Hancock scoffed, "I won't let myself become one of your pawns like Enel."
"'Pawn'?" Claudius echoed, knocking lightly on her head with his knuckles. "Don't talk about him like that. Enel isn't a pawn, he's one of my precious subordinates. And who knows? Maybe you will be, too, one day."
Hancock swatted Claudius' hand away. "Don't count on it. I'm the heir to Amazon Lily's throne. I'll become the empress of the Kuja Tribe. I'm not one of your subordinates."
"Is that so?" Claudius teased with a grin. "I thought I was quite generous to my subordinates. If you joined me, perhaps Amazon Lily would thrive like never before. But, never mind you can't force these things, can you?"
Hancock froze for a moment, then glanced at Claudius. She wanted to retort but hesitated, feeling trapped by her own earlier defiance.
She couldn't deny the truth in his words. Claudius wielded wealth, influence, and connections that could undoubtedly benefit Amazon Lily. If she were willing to lower her pride a little, she could potentially secure immense advantages for her people.
"Should I really lower my head for the sake of Amazon Lily?" Hancock wondered silently, conflicted.
But Claudius paid her no further attention. As the ship docked, he disembarked quickly. Not far away, he spotted a warship, and to his surprise, Sengoku was stepping off it.
Claudius decided to put the Hancock situation aside for now. After all, the duck was already in his grasp. It wouldn't fly away so easily.
As Sengoku approached, Claudius waited, greeting him with a smile.
"Your Highness, what a coincidence! I didn't expect to run into you here at the port," Sengoku said, his tone warm and cordial.
"Indeed," Claudius replied with a smile. "I rushed back as quickly as I could and managed not to be late."
Despite the fact that Sengoku had planted an undercover agent in Doflamingo's operation, Claudius bore him no personal grudge. He understood that Sengoku had been forced into a difficult position. There was no need to hold it against him.
The two exchanged casual pleasantries as they walked. Soon, a few other Marine officials joined them, and the group headed to the World Government's headquarters in Mariejois.
Without even stopping by his residence, Claudius went straight to the familiar conference room. The room was already filled with figures from both the Marine and CP agencies. Claudius took his seat, with Sengoku sitting next to him.
Looking around, Claudius noticed that the Five Elders had yet to arrive. Figuring it would take some time before the meeting began, he turned to Sengoku and asked, "So, what's the rush this time? Why the urgent summons?"
"What else could it be?" Sengoku said with a bitter smile. "Your Highness, you must have heard about it. Whitebeard—Edward Newgate—has more influence in the New World than our World Government. His flag alone offers more security than the franchise agreements of the World Government."
Claudius chuckled lightly. "Isn't that old news? Everyone knows the World Government's control over the New World is weak. It's no secret."
"It's true that this has always been the case," Sengoku admitted. "But until recently, it was a quieter reality, hidden from the public eye. Now, with the rumors about a so-called 'Pirate Emperor,' Whitebeard's dominance has been thrust into the spotlight. It's becoming a matter of public perception, and that's bad for the World Government's image."
Claudius smirked and teased, "Well, it sounds like the Marines are about to take the brunt of the criticism for this. Pirates are your jurisdiction, after all. I'm sure the CP agents will have a field day mocking you."
Sengoku sighed, his expression bitter. "As if I don't already know that. Your Highness, you'll need to speak up for us later."
Claudius burst out laughing. "Oh, no, no—I wouldn't dare cross those five old men. You'll have to fend for yourself, Sengoku. Good luck."
Shaking his head, Sengoku sighed again. He knew Claudius was only teasing. Regardless, he couldn't escape the inevitable scolding from the Five Elders.
After a moment, Claudius raised an eyebrow and asked, "Do you have any concrete countermeasures in mind?"
"Against the World Government or against Whitebeard?" Sengoku replied with a wry smile.
Before Claudius could answer, Sengoku continued, "For the World Government? The only 'countermeasure' we have is to keep pretending to be humble. What else can we do? Refuse their funding?"
Claudius laughed again, finding Sengoku's honesty amusing. Beneath his serious exterior, Sengoku clearly had a sharp sense of humor.
"We're used to being scolded, beaten down, and then being the ones to clean up the mess. It's just how it is," Sengoku said. "As for Whitebeard…" He trailed off, his expression growing serious.
After a brief pause, he shook his head. "There's not much we can do. The tide has already turned. If we're being honest, this all traces back to Roger and his parting words before his execution. That bastard…"
Claudius nodded in agreement. Without Roger, there would have been no Great Pirate Era. The Marines' carefully laid plans to suppress piracy had been thrown into chaos, and now they were struggling just to maintain balance.
The original Marine strategy had been straightforward: eliminate Roger and his contemporaries to strike fear into the hearts of pirates everywhere. With that fear, they'd clean up the remaining major figures like Newgate, Kaido, and Linlin.
But Roger's declaration of the One Piece had turned the seas into a chaotic free-for-all, rendering those plans irrelevant. Now, the Marines were just trying to hold the line.
"It really is a tough situation for you," Claudius said sympathetically, shaking his head.
***
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