In a quiet corner of the square, a group of pirates was engaged in hushed conversation, while their captain calmly smoked a thick cigar.
Capone Bege, born in West Blue, arrived in the New World after the end of the Summit War. He married Big Mom's daughter and joined her command.
Capone Bege didn't truly want to submit to Big Mom; he had his own plans. However, for now, he still needed to show allegiance to Big Mom.
For example, trying to conquer Whitebeard pirates? Capone Bege simply found this idea illogical, thinking that Big Mom was truly crazy.
After Whitebeard wiped out the Blackbeard Pirates, there was probably no one in the entire New World who dared to challenge him.
If they were not stronger than the Four Emperors' Blackbeard, there would be no suspense for Whitebeard.
In such a scenario, who would dare to provoke Whitebeard? Even after the Blackbeard Pirates collapsed, the other Four Emperors wouldn't dare to compete with Whitebeard for territory left by Blackbeard
In other words, aside from a few scattered individuals, there are no pirate groups of enough power that dare to cause trouble. There's no way to avoid these nuisances, but they can't make any significant waves either.
However, at this time, Big Mom actually took the initiative to launch a conquest against Whitebeard. Seeing this scene, it appeared that she was serious, ready to fight to the death.
"Captain, if Big Mom fights Whitebeard, what if we get caught in the crossfire?"
A crew of Fire Tank Pirates asked, with a hint of worry.
"Huh, do you think it's that easy to kill us if you follow me? I won't work hard for Big Mom"
Capone Bege replied casually.
Expecting him to work hard for Big Mom? That's impossible. Not to mention that even if Big Mom is his mother-in-law; no one could demand his life.
But, truth be told, some of Big Mom's children don't even fear her and secretly hope for her defeat.
Especially during this war, Big Mom's fury completely disregarded others' opinions, making many of her children and subordinates dissatisfied.
"Of course the captain won't go all out for Big Mom, but we're concerned about the chaos on the battlefield"
The subordinates remain deeply concerned; after all, the opponent is Whitebeard.
But have witnessed the devastating power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit in the Summit War. It can shatter an island, trigger a tsunami, and push back an army, leaving no room for opposition. If a massive attack is launched directly, the consequences could be dire.
As captain of the Fire Tank Pirates and wielder of a formidable Castle-Castle Fruit ability, Capone Bege typically shelters his crew within his own fortress-like body.
This strategy allows them to ambush and assault enemies unexpectedly during battles, launching coordinated attacks from within the safety of their concealed fortress.
So, while these crew members are concerned for themselves, their true worry lies with their captain, Capone Bege.
Capone Bege exhaled a thick plume of smoke and spoke with confidence: "Don't worry. Trust in your captain. I'm not one gonna die easily, and this could be just the opportunity we've been waiting for."
While Capone Bege considered Big Mom's decision to fight Whitebeard as foolish, he also saw the foolish part in the Fishman Island's involvement.
In a scenario where no one dared to provoke Whitebeard, Big Mom secretly seized control of Fishman Island. If Whitebeard were to die in the Summit war, then it would be reasonable claim Fishman Island.
Indeed, Fishman Island's harsh environment makes it vulnerable to capture and exploitation by humans. Thus, it requires a strong protective shield.
The fact that Whitebeard is still alive and his bounty has reached Roger's level shows how much the Marine Headquarters fears him.
Despite the risks, Big Mom still ordered the capture of The Fishman Island. However, this decision not only led to its recapture by Whitebeard but also resulted in the loss of a minister.
The loss was huge, causing Big Mom to negotiate with Whitebeard to salvage her reputation. However, the outcome was chaotic and ended in embarrassment for Big Mom.
Capone Bege couldn't help but feel frustrated about the situation. Despite having abundant resources and a powerful family, he believed that Big Mom doesn't have the qualities of a true leader.
Simply put, no matter how talented or powerful Big Mom may be, it's unlikely she'll ever become a true Pirate King.
However, this situation provided Capone-Bege with an opportunity to make his move. He could already anticipate the outcome of Big Mom's confrontation with the Whitebeard Pirates.
In other words, both sides will suffer losses, but while the Whitebeard Pirates may lose some members, the Big Mom's entire army will likely be defeated, making Whitebeard the ultimate victor.
Capone Bege sensed an opportunity to quietly expand his influence amidst the chaos following the war.
Certainly, given the association with Big Mom, it should be relatively easy to recruit the remaining subordinate forces .
However, Capone-Bege is clearly not stupid enough to attempt to integrate the main forces of Big Mom. He doesn't have the capability to do so, and he has no intention of trying.
In such a scenario, Whitebeard would undoubtedly get revenge. Therefore, Capone-Bege could choose to recruit lesser-known individuals, avoiding drawing attention and becoming a target for retaliation.
"Seems like Big Mom is risking it all this time. If this backfires, it might shatter everything she's built over the years"
The subordinates remarked, showing regret for her actions.
Capone-Bege sighed in resignation and added, "With Whitebeard reigning over this era, who knows how long it will last? Under his shadow, it's hard for the seeds of a new era to sprout."
Originally, when Whitebeard died during the Summit War, it changed the world's balance. However, with Whitebeard's resurrection, the world once again underwent huge change because of him.
In a short span, the ascending Four Emperors, Blackbeard, was wiped out by Whitebeard, marking the imminent downfall of one of the Four Emperors.
But no matter how fast the world structure changes, the leader in this era is firmly in the hands of Whitebeard, and no pirate can reach the height of Whitebeard.
"Captain, look over there."
Just as Capone-Bege was lost in thought, his crewmate's urgent tone snapped his attention in that direction.
He noticed a pirate crew disembarking from a docked ship. More precisely, it was a group of pirates, led by two of the infamous Eleven Supernovas.
"That's Kid and Killer," Capone-Bege remarked, somewhat surprised seeing the two of them
The 11 supernovae are particularly eye-catching. Even after entering the New World, Capone-Bege kept an eye on their movements.
Capone-Bege hadn't heard from these two for a while, but he didn't expect to see them here.
"So, did the two of them join Big Mom's pirate?" Capone-Bege wondered.
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TO BE CONTINUED
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