One Piece: King of the World

Chapter 288: Battlefield—Marineford!

Ever since Roger ignited the Great Pirate Era, nations across the world had suffered under its influence.

There was no denying that Roger was an extraordinary man, full of ideals. His goal had been to sacrifice himself to usher in a new era, one that would ultimately change the world.

He had gambled everything on the hope that someone capable of bringing true change would emerge.

Claudius was one of the contenders in that game.

Because while it was the pirates who had started this era.

No one ever said that pirates had to be the ones to finish it.

However, no matter how noble Roger's intentions may have been, his actions had undeniably caused immense suffering.

Piracy had spiraled out of control, and countless innocent lives had been lost. The sheer collateral damage caused by his era was immeasurable.

In the eyes of history, Roger was a legendary figure.

But in the eyes of ordinary people?

He was a curse.

After all, in the original timeline, Ace had struggled with the weight of his father's legacy, so much so that it tormented him psychologically.

The entire world loathed the Great Pirate Era and everything it had brought upon them.

That was why the idea of ending Whitebeard's era was so tempting to the World Government.

It was an opportunity to declare the end of piracy's golden age, to prove that the age of reckless freedom was over.

However, while the plan to expand the Reverie as a smokescreen was appealing, Nusjuro wasn't in a position to approve it alone.

Even the Five Elders as a whole couldn't make such a decision lightly.

So, after some thought, Nusjuro rapped his knuckles against the table and said,

"We'll put this proposal on hold for now.

I need to deliberate further before making a final decision.

That said... it's a very tempting strategy.

For now, proceed as if we're implementing it."

His wording was careful.

Essentially, he was saying: I can't officially approve this yet, but go ahead and move forward, there's a good chance it'll be greenlit.

Claudius smiled.

He was fairly confident that the plan would pass.

Expanding the Reverie wasn't just about Whitebeard, it was about his own ambitions.

After all, he planned to make his move against the World Government at the Reverie itself.

The more countries present, the greater the impact of his revolution.

If he could get a hundred nations to witness his reforms firsthand, then pushing forward with his plans afterward would be far easier.

Of course, there was always the chance of failure.

But even if things did fall apart...

At the very least, he would make sure that his downfall was one to be remembered.

---

With that topic set aside, Kong shifted the discussion forward.

"If we're dealing with Newgate, then we also need to be wary of Kaido, Shanks, and the others."

At that moment, Gis sneered slightly.

"And what if Newgate sinks Marineford?" he mocked.

Sengoku didn't even bother responding to him.

He had long since stopped entertaining Gis' provocations.

But he did take the question seriously.

"Yes, we do need to account for Newgate's abilities," he admitted.

"That's why our scientific division recently developed a new type of earthquake-resistant alloy.

It should be able to mitigate the effects of his powers to some extent."

Claudius immediately recognized what he was referring to.

"The encircling wall, huh?"

In the original timeline, the Marines had used that exact mechanism to trap Whitebeard's forces.

And it had worked, Newgate had been caught off guard and suffered heavily because of it.

"That should work," Tsuru said with a smile.

"When we start construction, we can just tell the lower ranks that we're 'upgrading' the base defenses."

"It'll be tight on time," Sengoku admitted, "but we should be able to finish before the battle begins."

"Then let's finalize the fortifications as well," Kong added.

After all, they weren't just installing a wall, they needed to reinforce the entire base.

More cannons.

Stronger defensive structures.

They had to turn Marineford into a true war fortress.

Sengoku let out a small sigh.

"It's a shame our secret weapon isn't ready yet.

It would have been a great trump card."

Claudius raised an eyebrow.

"Secret weapon?"

Sengoku chuckled.

"It's an advanced combat weapon, a mechanized war machine.

We call it the Pacifista Project—PX Units."

Claudius' eyes gleamed.

"So, they have been developing the Pacifistas."

Although they wouldn't be ready in time for this battle, he knew that eventually, they would be complete.

And once they were...

If he could mass-produce them?

The entire New World would be forced into submission.

A future where the Great Pirate Era was crushed beneath an army of PX Units...

Was one step closer to becoming reality.