Festa ultimately became nothing more than a background figure, a part of the World Government's propaganda used to promote their own achievements.
After all, they had truly eliminated a large portion of the pirates' fighting forces. Aside from a few troublesome monsters, the small fry pirates who participated in the festival were almost completely wiped out.
The World Government was not in panic because of this. Based on the intelligence in their hands, the threat posed by Regigigas was actually greater.
"What is that white monster? A Devil Fruit user?"
"Earlier, more than 90% of its body was submerged in water. A Devil Fruit user couldn't be in the water that much and still have the strength to move.
So either it's a product of technology, or…"
"That thing created other monsters out of Sakazuki's magma. Can technology really reach that level?"
The Five Elders did not believe that life could exist within magma, nor did they believe that any technology could create living beings from magma.
Even if it wasn't in seawater, they still wouldn't consider Regigigas to be a Devil Fruit user.
Even though some studies suggested that Devil Fruits were manifestations of human wishes, their abilities shouldn't be like this; even idealism should have its limits.
Not technology, and not a Devil Fruit user. That seemed to leave only one possible answer.
"…"
The meeting room fell into silence. No one continued to speak, but everyone understood what the others were thinking.
"Continue. We've already come this far."
"Mm."
The World Government's decision did not stall because of this. Instead, as previously discussed, the information was released to the public.
Bullet was not mentioned at all. Just like before, the World Government treated him as a person who had never existed.
Kaido himself hadn't brought a camera, and Morgans, due to the actions of Tiger and the others, had shifted all his attention to the Revolutionary Army.
What was happening there was world-level big news, enough for Morgans to work for quite some time.
To be precise, the global upheaval stirred up by the Revolutionary Army was far more serious than this pirate gathering.
People obsessed with news all had their own matters to attend to, and thus the Pirates Festival came to an end.
Among the remaining people, there weren't any loudmouths either, so the incident itself didn't create much of a stir.
The biggest impact instead came from the Eternal Pose incident.
[The Eternal Pose to Laugh Tale has fallen into Kaido's hands.]
[The man closest to becoming the Pirate King.]
Without further adding to Kaido's record of achievements, the announcement still let the pirates understand just how great an impact Kaido would have on them.
The term "Pirate King" carried immense influence within the pirate community, and for a time, Kaido once again became the center of attention.
"Men, keep moving forward! The new Pirate King is about to be born!"
"Don't give up! The one who'll become the Pirate King will definitely be me! Since that compass is in his hands, we'll just take it from him!"
"That's right! We've survived in the New World for so long and never even saw where Laugh Tale was.
Now that we have that compass, everything's different!"
Some wanted to join his banner. Others wanted to pull him down. Jealousy, envy, hatred—countless emotions ultimately converged upon Kaido.
Kaido himself, however, was unaware of all this for the time being. He was still on the road, transporting the island.
This time he wasn't flying drunk, because he had already drunk all the alcohol. Even if he wanted to fly drunk now, he had no chance.
When the Kuja held their temporary banquet earlier, there wasn't a drop of alcohol left on the island. That was all the result of Kaido's previous actions.
Some time later, in the outer seas of Wano Country.
"Lap~ras"
Clear cries echoed across the sea as groups of Lapras hunted schools of fish.
In these waters capable of nurturing gigantic Sea Kings thousands of meters long, the mysteries of the sea far surpassed human imagination.
Even on the oceans of Earth, the sea can sustain big eaters like blue whales, let alone this world.
Lapras have quite large appetites as well, but before the vast sea, they are only an insignificant part of the ecosystem.
As time passed, they had gradually been accepted by the sea and became a part of it.
"Lap! Ras!"
A scar-faced Lapras cried out in dissatisfaction toward a group of young Lapras.
It was the leader of this Lapras pod, and the scar on its face had been left behind from a battle.
This sea was not safe. Even Pokémon would encounter all kinds of dangers.
Marine life, natural disasters, humans—visible and invisible threats existed everywhere.
Magikarp survived their hardships through sheer numbers, while Lapras relied on other methods.
Among Pokémon communities, the leader's decisions represented the strategy of the entire group. Even the young had to obey.
The playful young Lapras swam off into the distance, while the adult Lapras gathered together.
Ice-blue beams shot from their mouths, and a huge arrow made of ice appeared on the sea's surface.
This arrow was not alone, there was a whole row of them, arranged side by side and pointing forward, as if guiding something.
Following the direction indicated by several arrows, farther ahead in a vast stretch of ocean there was a large X-shaped mark.
This was the chosen site for the New Fishman Island.
The sudden appearance of an island would have a major impact on the surrounding environment.
Existing sea currents might be blocked, and in the New World, the crossing of new sea currents could give rise to countless new landforms.
Sea whirlpools, sea waterfalls, sea stairways, Knock Up Streams; many strange phenomena could become reality.
The distribution of marine life would also be affected. These sea currents were connected to the Beasts Pirates' shipping sea currents, the giant sea currents, and the living environment of marine Pokémon.
Thus, while Kaido and Regigigas were transporting the island, Onigashima had not been idle under Arceus's leadership.
They surveyed the seabed, planned the positions of sea currents, predicted future changes, and ultimately selected this location as the site for the New Fishman Island.
The original New Fishman Island had been embedded beneath the sea, relying on bubbles created from the resin of the Yarukiman Mangrove trees as an outer barrier to isolate a dry space.
However, those mangrove trees only existed near the Sabaody Archipelago. This place was already far beyond the range of the mangrove trees, making a bubble barrier impossible.
So the only option was to raise the island's position.
These Lapras were the guides marking the island's new location.
According to scholars' speculations, the island here would block the sea currents below. Once the currents looped around, they might form a new fishing ground, perhaps well suited to Lapras' habitat.
After all, Lapras have large appetites, and if their numbers grew too large, they could become a species capable of causing ecological disasters.
"Lap~ras"
The Lapras let out another sharp cry; their preparations were nearly complete.
Having completed the task assigned to them, the Lapras' lives returned to normal.
Some Lapras were sliding across the ice. Aside from swimming, skating was one of their favorite pastimes.
Whoosh...
With their limbs spread wide, a Lapras pushed off with its body, launching itself from the ice arrow. After tracing a graceful arc through the air, it splashed back into the sea.
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