Outside the conference hall.
Garp wandered around Mariejois and found that it was the same as before. So, he casually made his way here to wait for the meeting to end.
Although he could have participated in the meetings, he usually didn't like to think about things that wasted brain cells.
So, he waited outside.
Soon, a group of people came out of the conference hall.
Garp spotted Sengoku right away, walked up to him, and asked, "Sengoku, is the meeting over?"
"Yeah, it's over."
Garp, curious, asked, "So, what was the meeting about?"
Hearing this, Sengoku didn't answer immediately, his expression complicated, and there was a hint of shock in his eyes.
The others around him looked similarly disturbed.
Garp quickly noticed the strange atmosphere among them and couldn't help but be surprised. "Has something really happened? Is the World Government going to attack the New World?"
Crane nodded but then shook her head. "Something big has happened, yes, but it's not about the New World. It's about… another world."
Garp frowned. "Another world? What do you mean?"
"Exactly what it sounds like."
"Let's go. We need to get out of here first. Barring any incidents we'll have to stay here for a few days," Sengoku said as he patted Garp on the shoulder.
Garp subconsciously followed but, after a few steps, his eyes suddenly widened.
Another world. Exactly what it sounds like!
"Are you serious?" Even Garp was shocked at this point.
Sengoku nodded, sighing. "We wouldn't be like this if it weren't true. I don't know how the World Government obtained this kind of ability, but there's no denying it, Garp… a new era is upon us."
"The changes that are coming might have an even bigger impact than Roger's famous words did!"
"We Marines… we need to prepare ourselves."
Inside the conference hall.
After lighting a cigar and taking a puff, Kaos looked at the five old men in front of him.
The one with the sword spoke calmly. "As for the god-making plan, we've already given secret orders for it to continue. We'll also arrange for the Marines to take action soon. Do you have any plans?"
Kaos shook his head. "No rush. After all, this kind of thing can't be achieved overnight. I don't yet have the power of faith."
"The top priority is to conquer the Otherworld. After conquering it, that world will merge with ours, significantly increasing our territory. I'll also gain additional rewards."
Kaos didn't hide this fact from the Five Elders or Im. There was no reason to.
The Five Elders were invigorated by his words.
The sword-bearing elder frowned. "That's indeed crucial. But what kind of conquest are you talking about?"
There are different ways to conquer a world, after all, and knowing the exact method could save time.
Kaos provided a direct answer.
"Three methods."
"First, cultural invasion: using the culture of our world to subtly influence and eventually dominate the Otherworld. But this method isn't suitable for the world we're currently targeting."
"Second, forceful conquest: taking over all regions of the Otherworld through sheer force."
"And third, source plundering."
The first two methods were easy to understand, but the third caused some confusion among the Five Elders.
Kaos explained, "Source plundering is a special method. In the Otherworld, there are certain beings, either objects or lifeforms, which are derived from the world's core essence, or 'source.' If we obtain or destroy them, we can take the world's power at its core."
"Without extracting the source, parts of the Otherworld will be integrated into ours."
"As for the source itself, once extracted, it will merge the two worlds into one."
"I see," one of the elders nodded in understanding. "So, do we know what specific items or beings make up this 'source'?"
"Not yet," Kaos replied. "We'll only know once exploration begins. That's why we need to mobilize an exploration force as soon as possible. The sooner we explore, the greater our advantage."
As he spoke, Kaos picked up a book he had brought earlier and tossed it in front of the Five Elders.
"What is this?"
Kaos smiled. "Take a look. This is a weapon from the Otherworld. It's similar to our weapons, but even more powerful. It's a testament to the wisdom of another world."
The contents of the book were anything but simple.
It described real modern firearms: guns, tanks, bombers, and more.
It was a manual on military technology.
But the most critical parts were about the missile system and nuclear weapons!
While personal strength is crucial in the One Piece world, there's no denying it.
Nuclear weapons, with their extreme destructive power, are terrifying to everyone.
More importantly, the application of these weapons can differ between worlds.
Some might think that the strong individuals of the pirate world wouldn't fear nuclear weapons. After all, what's a nuke? With the physical prowess of the top fighters in One Piece, they could likely escape before the weapon even hits.
That's not entirely impossible.
But here's the catch.
Different worlds have different strategies.
You might be able to dodge one.
But what about ten?
What about a hundred?
If I cover an entire ten-thousand-mile radius, can you still run?
With the destructive power of nuclear weapons, even someone like Kaido might not survive a direct hit.
Unless his life force evolves to an even higher level.
So, for the World Government, nuclear weapons are an absolute game-changer.
As expected, after hearing Kaos's explanation, the Five Elders eagerly picked up the book and began flipping through it.
Soon, their breathing became heavy.
They suddenly looked up at Kaos, their faces filled with ecstasy, eyes burning with excitement.
"Excellent… this is incredible."
"These beings from the Otherworld are so weak, but their weapons… their power is unmatched!"
"If these weapons are as powerful as described, then Pluton and Poseidon pale in comparison!"
"Nuclear weapons—what a perfect name."
"Not just nuclear weapons. These other weapons can drastically enhance the World Government's military strength. If we get our hands on them, the firepower of our forces will change dramatically!"
"Yes! We must have them!"
"I second that."
The Five Elders discussed excitedly.
Each of them was fascinated by the idea of modern thermal weapons.
No wonder. These weapons might not enhance individual strength, but for power? The impact would be immense.
And beyond weapons, so much more could revolutionize the world.
Take airplanes, for example.
With planes, travel across the four seas would become far more convenient.
It wouldn't take days to travel from one island to another, but mere hours.
It wouldn't take a month to cross from one sea to the next, but just a day or two.
If the distances across the seas could be shortened, the rule of the World Government would be even more stable.
Even the Revolutionary Army would be left powerless.
So, after reading the book, the Five Elders couldn't wait any longer.
They picked up their transponders and began giving orders, one after the other.
The final decision:
In two days, the official exploration of the Otherworld will begin!