The corner of Carlo’s lips curled into a wicked smile.

"Yes."

But no matter how anyone looked at it, that smile clearly meant he was planning something bad.

Beside him, Robin’s eyelids twitched almost imperceptibly. That smile was far too familiar. As expected, they were cut from the same cloth. Equally black-hearted...

As if thinking of something, Robin hesitated briefly before speaking, "Wait. After something like this happened, will they really agree to communicate? And if they do... wouldn’t everything that happened in the New World be exposed to the entire world? That would have a huge impact on the Marines. Wouldn’t it be better to let the public know after the war ends?"

What happened in the New World was still largely unknown outside the region itself. It had only happened last night, and now it was merely the following morning.

If they wanted the news to spread worldwide, it would at least take some time for newspapers to circulate the information everywhere.

But if they held this kind of conversation, then the entire world watching the live broadcast would know immediately...

Carlo narrowed his eyes. "Who said that just because they’re having a conversation, they have to be allowed to speak...?"

Robin froze for a moment after hearing that, then helplessly pressed a hand to her forehead.

Alright. She truly had not thought of that.

But this was just too... cruel...

Seeing Robin’s helpless expression, Carlo simply shrugged his shoulders and smiled.

Sakazuki gazed into the distance and spoke calmly. "Trash like pirates. What they pursue is a kind of freedom that exists outside the rules. Lawlessness is their trademark. And that kind of freedom is often accompanied by personal heroism.

"They create slaughter and flaunt violence to make the world acknowledge them. But in truth, all of that is low-level. In comparison, a conversation and meeting worthy of being recorded in history books... do you think they could refuse it?

"The war has already reached this stage. The leaders of both sides meeting face to face. Could they retreat now? 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

"What do you think this conversation is? A little chat? Then they admire each other and head into the final battle with mutual respect and appreciation? After deciding the victor, they grandly bury the loser like some childish game?"

Sakazuki gave a soft chuckle as he stared into the distance. His tone remained leisurely.

"They’re worthy of that? I’m not that bored. Nor am I an idiot like Sengoku and Garp.

"The only value they still have left... is to act like clowns tomorrow and perform a silent play called ’powerless rage’ for the people of the world. To entertain this world..."

Beside him, Carlo smilingly continued his words, "And that will be... their final contribution to this world."

* * *

This world-shaking news spread throughout the New World in only half a day.

Even Knox and Shanks, who were currently lost at sea with nothing but endless ocean in sight, were informed of it by the other two Emperors. They began discussing tomorrow’s conversation together.

Newspapers and Den Den Mushi stations across the world worked day and night to spread the explosive news.

They wanted this shocking event to reach every corner of the world overnight with the greatest force possible...

* * *

Evening.

New Marineford.

Inside the Fleet Admiral’s office.

Carlo rolled his neck and stood up after finishing the last document. He walked to the window, took a deep breath, then slowly let it out.

"Fuuu..."

His mood relaxed slightly.

Turning around, he returned to the desk, picked up the documents, and distributed them to the various departments. After that, he left the massive fortress and returned home to use his ability.

Whoosh!

He vanished instantly.

Not long later, he appeared once more with two large boxes of desserts in his hands. More than half of them were filled with chocolate and pudding.

"Hm? Robin."

Carlo had just returned when he immediately noticed Robin sitting on the sofa inside the room.

"What’s the matter?" he asked.

Robin rested her chin on one hand while looking at him with a smile. "Nothing really. I’m just a little bored."

Her tone carried a strange hint as her gaze shifted toward the pink boxes in Carlo’s hands along with the rich sweet aroma coming from them. It was obvious they were filled with desserts. No matter how she looked at it, though, they definitely did not seem like gifts for a man...

Carlo placed the desserts onto the table as he explained, "A little girl’s final meal."

Robin froze at that. "A little girl?"

Carlo nodded. "That’s right. The last Three-Eyed Tribe member left on the seas."

Robin fell silent after hearing that.

She naturally knew what the Three-Eyed Tribe represented. After all, she was extremely knowledgeable about history.

"A member of the Three-Eyed Tribe capable of reading the Poneglyphs..."

She could not help but think of Ohara’s destruction. That too had happened because of the ability to decipher the Poneglyphs.

But after these past few days, after completely reevaluating the Marines, Carlo, and Sakazuki, she realized something.

In their eyes, this crime did not seem particularly important. Because it could not affect any of their plans. This war that would decide the fate of the world was not something a little girl capable of reading Poneglyphs could influence.

Robin was filled with confusion. "Has she awakened it?"

Carlo smiled faintly. "Does that matter?"

Robin opened her mouth, but after recalling the theories of those few people who now controlled the world, she slowly shook her head.

She did not know.

Carlo let out a soft sigh. "It doesn’t matter. What matters is that aside from the World Government and us... the pirates at sea only have one way left to decipher the Poneglyphs.

"This Three-Eyed Tribe girl is the only thing giving them even a trace of hope. Otherwise, they’d have to find the ’Devil Child’ who escaped from Ohara.

"Those are the pirates’ only two options. They’ll never find the ’Devil Child’. So the only person left who can read the Poneglyphs is this Three-Eyed Tribe girl.

"Whether she lives or dies isn’t important. But what she represents is very important.

"She represents the destruction of the pirates’ final shred of hope. She is the ’key’ that those great pirates who struggled for decades need in order to become Pirate King.

"The cruelest method against these lawless pirates... is to crush their dreams, everything they pursued, their companions, their families, piece by piece beneath the Marines’ feet. To make them experience unbearable pain."

The smile on Carlo’s lips grew wider. The words he spoke made Robin feel strangely unfamiliar with him.

He seemed to realize his own loss of composure as well. After taking a slow breath, he asked, "Is it cruel?"

Robin gently shook her head. "No. Perhaps for those whose families were destroyed by pirates... this is the most satisfying form of revenge."

Carlo nodded. "Yeah. That’s also why the Marines have gained such overwhelming support from the world’s people. They hate pirates...

"But they are powerless. They’re too weak. Just surviving is already difficult enough, so how could they ever dream of revenge?

"But the appearance of Fleet Admiral Sakazuki gave them hope. They realized there is a Marine Fleet Admiral willing to use the cruelest methods possible to torment those pirates to death.

"So they chose to support the Marines with everything they had. Those with money gave money. Those with strength gave strength.

"In some nations massacred by pirates, during the World Military Draft, almost the entire younger generation enlisted. Can you imagine that level of hatred?"

Carlo softly sighed again. The memories in his mind seemed blurry.

"And it’s not just the civilians. The Marines are the same. Fleet Admiral Sakazuki has never spoken about his own family, but he’s remained alone all these years.

"When Chief Instructor Zephyr was still an Admiral, pirates murdered his wife. If Enel hadn’t arrived in time, Soter wouldn’t have survived either.

"But even though Soter survived, he lost his mother.

"My hometown was slaughtered by pirates too. Fortunately, years ago, I encountered Fleet Admiral Sakazuki while he was traveling across the Four Blues. He saved me when I was barely alive.

"Many elite Vice Admirals in the Marines, like Doberman and Onigumo, were also orphans rescued by Fleet Admiral Sakazuki during his pirate extermination campaigns in that era.

"More than half of the Marine high command grew up with experiences like these. And it is exactly because of those experiences that the Marines today possess near-fanatical faith in Fleet Admiral Sakazuki, along with unmatched execution and unity.

"No previous Marine organization was ever capable of this.

"And when facing the hatred of the entire world alongside Marines like these, what do those trash pirates have left to resist with?

"They can only watch helplessly as everything they built is destroyed and erased. After struggling for decades, they will realize it was all meaningless. Nothing will remain.

"They will personally experience the pain they once inflicted upon the world before dying in despair.

"That is the cruelest punishment for them. And it is also the Marines’ answer to this world..."

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