"Mr. Brian, Mr. Brian, please wait a moment!"
"Hmm?"
"King Riku? What else do you have? It had better be worth my time." Brian's tone carried a hint of displeasure.
Brian casually glanced at the plainly dressed King Riku, who was not yet as aged as in the original story, his hair still black, appearing quite energetic.
"It's like this, Mr. Brian,"
King Riku ignored Brian's cold attitude, quickly bowing in salute, his posture extremely humble.
"Mr. Brian, all your supplies have been fully prepared. I had absolutely no intention of delaying." King Riku explained urgently.
"However, after a long voyage, Your Majesty and your Beast Girl Legion must be weary."
King Riku took a deep breath, mustering his courage, and looked up to plead: "I would like to cordially invite Your Majesty to attend a brief palace banquet! Not to delay time, but because I have a matter of great importance concerning the world that I wish to privately report and discuss with you!"
A flicker of interest passed through Brian's eyes. King Riku's expression did not seem feigned. Moreover, what kind of "worldly matter" could a king under the protection of the World Government possibly know?
Any information that could add even a sliver of enjoyment to his conquest was worthwhile.
"Great importance?" Brian sneered, "Fine, I'll give you this chance. I hope you won't disappoint me."
He turned and said to Berlos and Agni: "Notify the warship to set sail in three hours."
At the Dressrosa Palace, a banquet was being held.
Night had fallen. The banquet within the palace was extremely modest, with only a few trusted ministers present. There was no grand orchestra, only a quiet and somewhat tense atmosphere.
Brian sat upright in the main seat, two Mythical Zoan Beast Girls standing behind him like statues, with no one else present.
The other Beast Girls remained on the warship. King Riku was not an unreasonable man, having long prepared a large quantity of food to be sent to the ships at the port as a gesture.
King Riku personally poured the strongest fine wine for Brian, his attitude as respectful as that of a subject.
"Mr. Brian, please forgive my boldness." King Riku raised his glass, his voice carrying suppressed tension.
"You are the storm of the New World; your existence represents a new order. As the helmsman of one of the member nations of the World Government, I have my own special channels of information regarding the world's movements."
Brian drank the strong liquor in his cup, signaling King Riku to continue.
King Riku took a deep breath and finally revealed the message he most wanted to convey tonight.
"Your Majesty, several months ago, the Five Elders secretly summoned the kings of all member nations to convene an emergency World Conference. The scale of this meeting far exceeded that of the usual annual conference."
"Over ninety percent of the kings attended. The core of the meeting was the 'Final Resolution' targeting the Rocks Pirates."
Brian's eyes suddenly sharpened, and he set down his glass. "Final Resolution?"
"Yes." King Riku's voice was extremely low, filled with utmost secrecy. "The highest echelons of the World Government have already issued an order:
In one year, the Rocks Pirates are to be completely crushed. The Navy has already been preparing for several months now."
"Completely crushed—" Brian repeated the words, a hint of interest curling at the corner of his mouth, yet his eyes gradually turned icy.
"They are conducting an unprecedented secret mobilization. All of the Navy's elite forces, the deployment of secret weapons—everything is concentrated on this single objective."
King Riku continued to drop bombshells: "What's even more shocking is that during the meeting, the Five Elders revealed that when the time comes, they will use a hostage to constrain Rocks's actions."
"But they didn't specify who this hostage is. Based on our speculation, it must be a key figure connected to Rocks, someone who can truly influence his actions." King Riku continued his guesswork.
Brian's eyes lit up completely.
A hostage? Wife? Son?
The factors that could affect Rocks were exceedingly few. No one knew what truly went on in that man's mind.
Suddenly, Brian recalled something recorded in the original work, instantly connecting all the pieces.
According to the original records, the true catalyst for the God Valley Battle wasn't just Shakuyaku's capture. More importantly, the World Government had kidnapped Rocks's wife and son—and that son was none other than the Blackbeard of the original work.
In other words, the World Government had already set their sights on Rocks's family long ago. It's just that, perhaps because of my influence, they've accelerated the process.
Brian's mind raced with possibilities, and it took him a good while to snap back to the present.
"Excellent." Brian picked up his wine glass, a smile on his lips that carried the confidence of one who held all the cards. "Your information is indeed valuable."
Seeing Brian's interest, King Riku felt a wave of relief. He knew that his own life and the safety of his kingdom had finally secured a preliminary guarantee.
Subsequently, King Riku detailed for Brian the locations of several major secret supply and intelligence outposts the Navy had established in the New World, as well as the recent fleet movements of both the Navy and the World Government.
Although this intelligence was fragmented, it would prove to be an extremely valuable reference for Brian's upcoming strategic planning.
The banquet lasted an hour, ending with both host and guest satisfied.
Brian had obtained the intelligence he desired, while King Riku had successfully demonstrated his sincerity to this monster of the New World.
As Brian was about to leave, King Riku made a grand gesture, presenting the most precious treasures collected by the royal family of Dressrosa over generations: several chests filled with glittering diamonds, rubies, and ancient gold artifacts.
"Sir, these are but a humble token of my respect," King Riku said respectfully. "Consider it a favor, a foundation for our future cooperation."
Brian did not refuse. He looked at the mountain of treasures, his eyes filled with approval for King Riku's ability to assess the situation.
"King Riku." Brian nodded, his voice slightly softer than before. "You are a clever man, and I very much enjoy dealing with clever people."
"Agni~"
"Yes, Master."
Understanding the cue, Agni took out a Den Den Mushi and tossed it to King Riku.
"This Den Den Mushi can directly contact me. From now on, any new intelligence regarding the World Government or the Navy can be shared through it."
"In exchange for your sincerity, if Dressrosa encounters any major difficulties in the future, you may contact me. Of course, you will have only one opportunity—use it wisely."
Brian's words were undoubtedly the strongest promise and protection he could offer to King Riku and Dressrosa.
Upon hearing this, King Riku was moved to tears and bowed deeply once more.
Though this king was not particularly remarkable in the original story, at this moment, he had secured an immense opportunity for his nation.
Brian's promise genuinely extended the lifeline of Dressrosa for decades to come.
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