"Mom!"
Bill, not particularly perceptive, still immediately threw himself into his mother's arms.
Aunt Linlin gently stroked the boy's back with affection.
"But, Ian," After making her decision, Aunt Linlin felt a weight lift off her chest, her entire body relaxing considerably.
She even asked out of curiosity, "Since you've become this strong, do you really still have to fear the World Government?"
The Conqueror's Haki Ian had displayed earlier was truly astonishing.
Aunt Linlin could say with certainty that even if she went all out, facing Ian in that state, she would likely be easily defeated.
Yet such a powerful Ian had barely moved in the six years he had occupied the New World.
Something wasn't right here.
Katakuri, however, understood clearly in his heart.
His suspicion was probably correct: the World Government was secretly hiding a terrifying power.
A power so great that even someone as strong as Ian would remain cautious and refrain from acting.
"That's obviously because the World Government also hides terrifying power."
Ian smiled. "A good friend of mine once told me that the Celestial Dragons possess a secret weapon they call a national treasure."
"Secret weapon?"
Aunt Linlin frowned. "What is it?"
"If nothing goes wrong," Ian said, "it should be the thing legends call the Ancient Weapons."
Aunt Linlin's face changed drastically. She instinctively held her precious son tighter. If Bill hadn't inherited her indestructible body, even that simple embrace alone could have been deadly.
Her breathing grew rapid. "You… said, Ancient Weapons?"
"It is said that many of the islands we live on now are just fragments of the continent from over eight hundred years ago,"
Ian explained some history to Aunt Linlin. "Back then, the land was submerged by rising seas, eventually forming the world as we know it today."
Aunt Linlin looked a bit puzzled. Weren't they talking about ancient weapons just now? How did it suddenly shift to rising seas flooding the land?
What connection could there possibly be between the two?
"The reason the seas rose," Ian said, "was because, at that time, people were fighting using some terrifying weapons."
In an instant, Aunt Linlin understood the connection between the two events. Her voice trembled. "Ian… are you talking about the ancient weapons?"
"The Pluton, Poseidon, and Uranus," Ian said with a smile, "the legendary three weapons said to have the power to destroy the world."
"They really can destroy the world," he added, "and that part isn't exaggerated at all."
The World Government possesses ancient weapons!
And the ancient weapons truly hold the power to destroy the world!
These two pieces of information struck Aunt Linlin's mind like a thunderclap.
No wonder Ian hadn't dared to act recklessly before!
Wait a minute!
Then why is Ian willing to start a war now? Could it be…?
Aunt Linlin turned her gaze toward Ian.
"Only an ancient weapon can counter another ancient weapon," Ian said.
"So there's nothing to fear from the ancient weapons in the World Government's hands. As long as we find one too, we'll be fine."
Not just one.
Poseidon is quietly resting on Onigashima, and Pluton is buried somewhere in Wano Country.
"Ian… do you know the whereabouts of the other ancient weapons?"
Aunt Linlin could hardly contain her excitement.
Ian just smiled at her and said, "We don't know yet, but once we reach the Final Island, we should find out."
"Is there news of ancient weapons on the Final Island?"
"Aunt Linlin," Ian gave her a look that said, how could you be so naive? "Do you think the World Government back then was fighting someone without using ancient weapons?"
Aunt Linlin understood immediately.
That legendary treasure, of course, must have been left behind by the enemies of the World Government.
If that group from eight hundred years ago also had access to ancient weapons, then it would make perfect sense for information about them to be hidden within the treasure they left behind.
Suddenly, Aunt Linlin realized something and stared at Ian in shock.
Ian only smiled back at her.
That damn brat!
He had deliberately told her this information just to further strengthen her resolve to go to the Final Island.
There was no way she didn't have even a trace of rebellious intention.
All it took was a single opportunity!
And now, Ian, that damn brat, had just handed her that opportunity!
But…
To rebel against Ian, that brat, she had to seize the ancient weapon. And to obtain the ancient weapon, she had to go to the Final Island.
Yet to go to the Final Island, she had to obey Ian!
That little bastard really deserved to be cursed!
"All right, since you, Aunt Linlin, are willing to help, I won't hold back either."
Ian smiled. "Next, let's head to the West Blue together. We're going to find the Cross Guild."
Was he seriously trying to treat her as a hostage?
Aunt Linlin clenched her teeth in silence.
But there was no way around it. That brat combined charm and force so perfectly that she simply couldn't refuse.
She had to go to the Final Island!
Soon, a massive bubble rose again from the island, heading directly back toward Onigashima.
Before going to the West Blue, they still had to pick someone up.
After all, after the Cross Guild, they still needed to meet the Red-Haired Pirates. Uta and Hawkeye—both of them had to be present.
It wasn't until they had been gone for a long while that Katakuri regained his mobility and began waking his brothers and sisters one by one.
After hearing him recount everything that had just happened, the Charlotte Family executives were left dumbfounded, one after another.
With nothing but Conqueror's Haki, he had defeated everyone in the Charlotte Family except their mother!
What kind of power was this?
Amidst their shock, even hearing that their mother had been coerced and taken away by Ian didn't allow the Charlotte Family executives to speak harshly.
What would happen next?
Katakuri gazed at the endless azure sky, pondering this very thought.
Meanwhile, the West Blue.
The Flower Kingdom.
"Damn it!!"
The man, once a fearsome pirate of the previous era, known as Chinjao the Drill, struggled to lift his head from the ground.
"Crocodile!!"
In front of him, the yellow sand slowly took the shape of a man. "So, what's your answer?"
"Chinjao the Drill."
Chinjao didn't answer; he only turned his head back with difficulty.
Behind him, at the base of the Happo Navy, the place was now a complete mess.
Pirates from the Cross Guild had easily overrun it.
Even he, a pillar of the Happo Navy, had fallen to the hands of this bastard.
"This war didn't need to happen at all, did it?"
Crocodile said, "While we want to bring the Happo Navy under our wing, it's not domination or control."
"Anyone familiar with us knows that the senior members of the Cross Guild have always operated on a cooperative basis."
Chinjao gritted his teeth.
But finally, he nodded dejectedly. "I'll remember your words!"
A smirk appeared on Crocodile's lips.
With this, their power expanded once more.
Before confronting Ian in the New World, they had a small goal to achieve first.
Dominate the West Blue!
**********
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