Hachinosu.
Charlotte Linlin, Kaido, and Edward Newgate were currently gathered together. The three were seated in a triangular formation, a layout that implied no clear hierarchy or supreme leader.
While they still harbored mutual defiance, this alliance lacked a formal "boss" and was more of a partnership of convenience, the atmosphere was significantly better than during their last meeting in the Gold City. There was no snide sarcasm and no blatant double-crossing.
Having spent this time acting in concert, they had regained some of that old feeling from their days in the Rocks Pirates. But unlike then, when the Rocks crew was plagued by internal fratricide, such a thing would not happen now. At least until the Navy was defeated, they trusted one another.
None of them were fools. They understood all too well that even with their combined strength, victory over the Navy was not guaranteed. To engage in internal strife while the Navy was readying its forces would be an insult to their own intelligence; they might as well kill themselves before the Navy got the chance. Because they knew their counterparts were clever men, they understood that until the Marines were beaten, they could afford to be allies.
That said, one could still see that the bond between Charlotte Linlin and Kaido was slightly tighter. But that was neither here nor there.
Currently, Newgate and the others looked far from pleased. Despite the wine bowls in their hands, their expressions were heavy. Whether it was Kaido, Whitebeard, or Charlotte Linlin, all were powerhouses who possessed both brawn and considerable brains.
The three had previously devised a relatively clear battle plan. As Sakazuki had surmised, they intended to strike during the Reverie. The plan was simple on the surface but held deep strategic intent.
By launching a war against the New World Marines during the Reverie, their goal was to seize the "Gateway Waters" of the New World to create strategic depth. Once those waters were back in pirate hands, it would be extremely difficult for the Navy Headquarters to pour reinforcements into the New World. It would make the war much easier to manage.
Furthermore, holding the gateway allowed for freedom of movement, the ability to advance or retreat at will. They wouldn't have to worry about a single defeat resulting in them being hunted like dogs, fleeing in disgrace. They could trade space for time, regroup, and fight a second campaign.
Tactically, they chose the Reverie for a reliable reason. Whitebeard, Kaido, and Big Mom all knew that Mariejois was a cesspool of corruption and the World Government was an inefficient organization. The Navy was essentially their most vital defensive shield.
By striking during the Reverie and raising the banner of "Attacking Mariejois," whether they actually intended to do it or not, the mere slogan would suffice. With the combined prestige and terrifying aura of three Emperors, they aimed to paralyze the World Government and the residents of Mariejois with fear, especially the hundred kings of the member nations, the numerous nobles, and the Celestial Dragons.
If they could scare them, those "idiots" who were technically their enemies would instantly become the pirates' greatest "allies."
Why? Because while those people were useless at everything else, they were experts at dragging others down.
The Navy wouldn't be afraid. Even if the pirates shouted such slogans, the Marines would likely stay and fight in the New World, as evidenced by their recent deployments. However, once the elites above panicked, they would inevitably sabotage the Navy's efforts, demanding that the Marines prioritize protecting Mariejois with their strongest forces.
At the very least, you'd need two of the three Admirals, wouldn't you? There are three Great Pirates out there; we won't feel safe with anything less!
Once the weak and incompetent power-holders pressured the Navy, the Marines' strategic posture would shift from an offensive in the New World to a defensive one. Their primary objective would no longer be defeating pirates, but guarding Mariejois. For Whitebeard and the others, this would have been a massive boon, fundamentally altering the tempo and landscape of the war.
This was the "best-case scenario" they had labored over. It was highly feasible.
As the heads of the three crews, they agreed unanimously, and naturally, no subordinate dared object. After leaving the Gold City, they began mobilizing their fleets, preparing for total war. The Navy followed suit, creating a tension where a clash could happen at any second.
It was in this high-pressure atmosphere that the Reverie was set to begin. And then... a massive "accident" occurred.
On the first day of the Reverie, a cataclysmic shift hit Mariejois. The Marine forces that were supposed to defend the World Government suddenly became the "rebel army." The Revolutionary Army, which was supposed to be the world's most heinous criminal organization, suddenly became the "good guys"!?
The World Government, the supposed rulers of the world, were suddenly "street rats" that everyone wanted to beat. The Holy Land of Mariejois was transformed in an instant. The Gorosei were dead, the Celestial Dragon class was uprooted, and the entire World Government system was demolished. The Navy now held absolute power, controlling everything.
Just like that, Whitebeard's plan to use the incompetent fools of Mariejois to sabotage the Navy's momentum was utterly dead.
The Navy was now an unstoppable force, having cast off its shackles to act as it pleased. Their massive war potential was no longer constrained by Mariejois; they could bring their total strength to bear.
Furthermore, the victory at Mariejois had sent Marine morale through the roof. Admiral Sakazuki had returned to the New World immediately to take command, leaving Whitebeard and the others no opening for a surprise attack.
It was agonizing. After planning for so long, an entirely unforeseen variable had caused their entire strategy to collapse.
What is wrong with you Marines? You worked with Mariejois for eight hundred years! Don't you have a shred of loyalty? How did you suddenly become 'rebels'?
In the past, such chaos in Mariejois would have made pirates ecstatic. But now, they were miserable, almost missing the Gorosei. They cursed the fallen regime in their hearts: You useless trash, couldn't you have held out longer? Couldn't you have dragged the Navy into a long-term civil war?
The day after securing Mariejois, Sakazuki had returned to the New World on the Fleet Admiral's orders. It had to be said that Fleet Admiral Sengoku's vision and strategic placement were masterful, pinning Whitebeard and the others right where it hurt.
With Sakazuki, an Admiral, personally overseeing things, and with the New World Marines already fully prepared for combat, there was no window for a quick strike. Even if the Pirate Alliance arrived to start the war, the Navy could hold them off long enough for the heavyweights from Mariejois to arrive as reinforcements.
Whitebeard and the others understood this logic. That was why they had stayed their hand, abandoned their original plan, and gone into hiding, waiting to see how the situation developed.
They knew that the longer they delayed, the more the situation favored the Navy. But they had no choice; they had lost the initiative and the window of opportunity.
In their hearts, they had harbored a sliver of hope. The World Government had stood for eight hundred years; even if it collapsed, it was a massive beast. Though the "head" had been taken out in a single decapitation strike, it should have been a "centipede that is dead but not stiff." They hoped some ambitious figure would raise a banner to "restore order" for the World Government, dragging the Navy into a new civil war.
If that happened, a new window for war would open.
Theoretically, their thinking was sound. But after waiting for two months, with the year 1517 fast approaching, the "World Government Remnants" they fantasized about were non-existent. Not even a whimper of resistance had surfaced.
Mariejois had already established something called the "Pan-Global Covenant United Organization." One look at its structure showed it was designed to replace the World Government, and even the Revolutionary Army had become a part of it. This move had effectively removed another massive enemy for the Navy.
Now, on a global scale, the only ones left with the strength to make trouble were them, the pirates. There would be no reinforcements. The situation had grown even bleaker.
It might have been better to just gamble everything against Sakazuki at the start. Perhaps if they had taken the lead then, those ambitious remnants might have responded... It wasn't impossible.
But now, it was too late. One wrong move led to another; losing the initiative meant they were falling further behind. The gap between their strengths was widening.
They were full of regret. And because they were smart enough to see the writing on the wall, Newgate and the others were in a very dark mood.
After several gulps of wine, Kaido's explosive temper finally reached its limit. He slammed his hand on the table. "What the hell are we going to do now? If it comes to it, let's just fight them! We're being too timid! I said back then we shouldn't delay—who does Sakazuki think he is? But you two insisted on waiting! Now look! We didn't wait for an opportunity; we just waited for our deaths to become more certain!"
Previously, if Kaido had dared to huff and puff like this, Whitebeard wouldn't have tolerated it. But the facts were as Kaido stated. After Sakazuki arrived to take command, Kaido had been the strongest advocate for immediate war.
Newgate and Charlotte Linlin had preferred a more stable approach, and the result was this mess. Now that Kaido was in the right, nothing he said was considered over the line.
Newgate remained silent for a long time, a flash of resolve crossing his eyes. He was ready to support Kaido—might as well just do it. Put life and death aside and just fight. Even if they were to fall, they would take two of the Navy's teeth with them; if they could take Sakazuki down with them, even better.
But before Newgate could speak, Charlotte Linlin pondered for a long while and said with a touch of desperation, "There is one way... a way to seek life within death."
As soon as she spoke, Kaido and Newgate turned to look at her.
While all three were clever, it was clear that Whitebeard was the brawn, and Charlotte Linlin was the strategist. Kaido? Kaido wasn't bad, but he was prone to reckless impulses. Furthermore, Charlotte Linlin possessed an advantage greater than both of them: the Big Mom Pirates' intelligence network was the best in the pirate world. Her financial resources were also top-tier. In war, money and information were no joke.
"Explain," Newgate said in a low voice.
"A mutual destruction tactic," Charlotte Linlin said after a pause. "I wonder if you've ever heard the legends of the three 'End Islands'?"