Speaking of it, it's quite a coincidence.
The entire Straw Hat Pirates now only consists of five people.
However, three of them have met Uehara Naraku. Nami and Sanji have rather complex feelings towards him, while that brainless Monkey D. Luffy keeps defending Uehara Naraku.
Luffy glanced at Nami, then at Sanji, tilted his head and pondered for a moment before mumbling.
"I don't care."
Luffy inflated with anger and sat on the figurehead of the Golden Merry: "Makino said, even though he also took your money, Uehara Naraku really is a good person. You'll know when you see him again in the future!"
"Hmph..."
Sanji chewed a cigarette slowly and said, "If that guy can be a decent person, that would already be not bad!"
"Come on, let's not talk about it..."
Usopp, who hadn't met Uehara Naraku, suddenly brought up something Hawkeye mentioned before leaving: "Speaking of which, didn't Hawkeye say that person named Uehara Naraku will soon come to the East Sea, and we might run into him..."
"Then we can't delay anymore!"
Nami's mind flashed with the smiling face of Uehara Naraku, and she punched the railing of the Golden Merry: "I have to go back to Cocoyasi Village to tell Nojiko, then we'll set off to the Grand Line immediately!"
To be honest...
Nami really wants to meet Uehara Naraku face to face, but she's also worried that Uehara Naraku might snatch away the money she saved with much effort, and the rat Colonel at the East Sea Branch also extorted her money. Who knows if Uehara Naraku will try to rob her again?
No...
Judging by his foul nature, he probably will, right?
In fact, Nami was simply overthinking. When the Straw Hat Pirates reached Cocoyasi Village, Uehara Naraku was still on his way back from the New World to the Navy Headquarters Marinford, because Navy Admiral Sengoku wanted him to report in person.
And to enter the First Half of the Grand Line from the New World, one has to pass through either Fishman Island or Holy Land Mary Geoise.
According to Kizaru, he naturally hoped to avoid trouble. What if Uehara Naraku, after being humiliated by the Celestial Dragons, decided to destroy Mary Geoise?
It's more straightforward to take the Fishman Island route.
After all, Fishman Island is the territory of the Akatsuki.
Kizaru rubbed his chin, looked down at Uehara standing in front of him, and chuckled: "If we pass by Fishman Island, we can meet Mr. Kisame.
By the way, the World Government has been quite satisfied with the Seven Warlords of the Sea from our Akatsuki in recent years because they have fulfilled their duties..."
"Not going to Fishman Island."
Uehara Naraku shook his head and said lazily, "I want to see Holy Land Mary Geoise, aren't the Five Elders of the World Government interested in meeting me?"
"Well..."
Kizaru couldn't help rubbing his chin, his gaze drifting. Does this leader have no sense of his own importance?
The Five Elders are the highest leaders of the World Government. How could they possibly meet with a mere Navy Captain? Even a Navy Admiral finds it difficult to meet them...
"Forget it."
Perhaps because of spending three years in Wano Country, Uehara Naraku's personality seemed to have softened a lot. He just looked up at the approaching Red Earth Continent and sighed slightly.
Uehara Naraku said leisurely, "It seems that only when Mary Geoise becomes a pile of ruins will it be our true meeting time!"
"..."
Kizaru's expression was somewhat subtle, and he spoke slowly: "It shouldn't come to that... maybe very soon you can meet them!"
Speaking of this, Kizaru continued: "After we return to Marinford, since Mr. Uehara has contributed as an undercover in Wano Country, he will surely be promoted..."
"Almost three years..."
Uehara Naraku clasped his hands together and sighed in despair: "These three years of life, it's simply not for humans..."
"..."
Kizaru's expression became even subtler.
The Admiral of the Navy Headquarters twisted his mouth into a peculiar smile: "Is it a life of a god? Mr. Uehara is supposed to be a god walking in the world... By the way, did something interesting happen in Wano Country?"
"Not really."
Uehara Naraku frowned, reluctant to talk more with Kizaru.
The reason for Uehara Naraku's bad mood is, of course, not because of Konan and Kaguya, but because the entire Akatsuki Organization is expanding too much.
Within the Akatsuki Organization, there have also started to emerge some factions.
Among them, the hawkish group naturally consists of the Fourth Raikage and other members of the Five Great Ninja Villages, who believe that the ninjas have become accustomed to this world's power system. Having enough strength, they can gradually take over this world.
Because the growth rate of ninjas will continue to rise gradually, yet the land in the Ninja World cannot provide enough to distribute among the Five Great Ninja Villages, so they can only find ways to develop in the New World.
This aligns with Hundred Beast Kaido's ideas.
Both Hundred Beast Kaido and Doflamingo strongly support this proposal, as they also want to get a piece of the pie. With the Akatsuki Organization being so powerful, wouldn't it be a pity to not rule the world and just stay in the small place of Wano Country raising kids?
Since there's a hawkish group,
naturally, a dovish group will also emerge.
Led by Admiral Aokiji and Yakushi Kabuto, surprisingly, the three admirals within the Akatsuki Organization are all doves, adhering to a principle of smooth transitioning and wishing to avoid major upheavals in the world.