There were still over five thousand Beasts Pirates soldiers left on Onigashima. Ash did not need to make any special arrangements for them. The fighters, whose strength had improved significantly, handled everything on their own, clearing out Onigashima and turning it into a true island of the dead.
The Dawn faction had become extremely efficient at killing, burning, and erasing traces. Under Ash's influence, they had mastered these methods thoroughly.
After the cleanup, Ash unexpectedly gained nearly two hundred thousand Energy Points.
The number surprised him. The energy gained from these ordinary soldiers far exceeded what he received from stronger opponents.
After thinking it through, the result began to make sense.
In his previous life, Ash had seen people argue that anyone capable of using Haki in Paradise was already considered strong, yet the New World seemed filled with Haki users, which they claimed was inconsistent.
Ash disagreed with that view.
First, there were places in Paradise where nearly everyone could use Haki.
Amazon Lily was a clear example.
The reason was simple. Amazon Lily functioned as both a nation and the base of the Kuja Pirates. Their techniques, including Armament Haki and Observation Haki, were passed down internally. Once someone met the conditions, they could learn them.
It was similar to the Marines and their Rokushiki techniques. With enough merit or status, one could learn them. After mastering Rokushiki to a certain level, awakening Haki naturally followed.
Outside of structured factions like the Marines or Amazon Lily, very few crews shared such knowledge openly.
Most pirate captains would not teach Haki to their entire crew. Passing it on to a few trusted subordinates was already considered generous.
That was why Haki users were rare in Paradise. It was not because Haki was too difficult, but because most people never had the opportunity to learn it.
The New World operated differently.
Those who could not use Haki were eliminated quickly or reduced to expendable fighters.
Those with some ability were either absorbed into stronger crews or forced to adapt.
Anyone who survived the journey from the Four Seas, crossed Paradise, and entered the New World had already proven a certain level of capability. After repeated battles, learning Haki was not difficult.
When everyone around you was fighting with hardened bodies and blackened arms, curiosity alone would push you to learn.
Of course, not all Haki users were equal. Basic Haki meant little in the eyes of true powerhouses.
Even in large scale battles like Marineford, someone like Akainu could wipe out countless enemies in a single attack without caring whether they could use Haki or not.
Within groups like the Four Emperors or the Seven Warlords, those who failed to rise to higher ranks remained expendable, regardless of whether they had awakened Haki.
Returning to the Beasts Pirates, Ash had previously estimated that awakening Armament Haki required around one hundred points of physique. While the system never confirmed it, the data he observed suggested that the threshold varied slightly but stayed close to that range.
That explained the large energy gain.
Out of the five thousand remaining soldiers, Ash estimated that at least a third had already mastered basic Armament Haki, while most of the others were close to reaching that level.
With an average physique around one hundred, even accounting for weaker individuals, the total gain made sense.
That evening, inside the great hall of Onigashima, a bonfire was lit once again.
Members of the Dawn faction from all three ships, along with the reserve members, gathered for a banquet.
Once everyone had eaten their fill and conversations grew lively, Ash stepped into the center and cleared his throat.
The hall quickly fell silent.
Ash looked around and laughed.
"This time, we destroyed one of the Four Emperors, the Beasts Pirates. At the same time, everyone achieved breakthroughs in their training. I am satisfied with the results."
Smiles spread across the crowd.
Ash then shifted his tone.
"However, the Beasts Pirates were one of the Four Emperors. Their presence carried weight across the seas. Even the Marines and the World Government do not casually wage war against such forces."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"Is it because they cannot defeat a Yonko crew? No. If the Marines and the World Government were willing to mobilize even a fraction of their strength, they could destroy a Yonko crew without much difficulty."
The atmosphere changed immediately.
The smiles faded.
Sali and the others who had followed Ash the longest remained composed. They had already heard about the Gorosei and the God's Knights from him before.
But for Wyper, the Skypiean warriors, and the reserve members from the three villages, this was the first time they were hearing such information.
The realization struck heavily.
Even though they were not currently enemies of the World Government, the mindset within the Dawn faction had already shifted. Without anyone explicitly guiding it, the idea of preparing for powerful enemies had spread throughout their ranks.
No one wanted to remain weak.
Living under the rule of the World Government was one thing. Choosing not to oppose them was another. But lacking the strength to resist them if necessary was unacceptable.
Ash noticed their reactions and felt satisfied.
He continued.
"For now, we cannot reveal the destruction of the Beasts Pirates. Instead, we must create the illusion that they still exist."
Sali and the others immediately understood.
Linking this to Ash's abilities and glancing at the reserve members, they quickly grasped his plan.
Ash allowed a brief pause before speaking again.
"This time, I need a group to remain in Wano. You will impersonate the Beasts Pirates and continue drawing attention from the outside world."
He looked across the hall, his voice steady.
"This will continue until the day no force in this world can threaten our homeland."