One Piece: King of the World

Chapter 257: Godson and Biological Son?

Sitting beside Zephyr's hospital bed, Claudius held a cup of hot tea in his hands, his expression thoughtful.

"Is Edward Weevil really Newgate's son?" Claudius asked while taking a sip of tea.

Sengoku shook his head and replied, "There are too many people on the sea claiming to be the children of famous pirates. Let me tell you, Your Highness, there are even people claiming to be Roger's son."

For a brief moment, a flicker of embarrassment flashed across Claudius's face. Meanwhile, Garp, chewing on a senbei, pretended to know nothing.

Sengoku, oblivious to the unspoken exchange, continued, "Marine doesn't have any concrete information on Weevil's parentage either."

"You haven't investigated?" Claudius asked.

"No progress," Sengoku admitted. "Unless we capture him and conduct a blood test with Newgate, we can't say for sure."

But Claudius knew that approach was practically useless. Even if Weevil turned out to be Whitebeard's biological son, what difference would it make?

"Regardless of his lineage, there's no doubt that he's extremely powerful," Sengoku said, his tone serious.

Zephyr nodded in agreement. "That's true."

"The reports I received say that he defeated you. Is that...?" Claudius trailed off, hesitating.

He had almost blurted out 'How strong can someone be if they managed to defeat you?' but realized how tactless that would sound.

Zephyr, however, didn't seem bothered. He waved a hand dismissively and said, "Looking back, maybe that was part of his 'strategy.'"

Claudius raised an eyebrow.

Everyone on the sea knew that Weevil was not a strategic thinker. And yet, he managed to land a decisive blow on Zephyr?

"It was his... mother? Or whatever she is to him," Zephyr said with a hint of frustration. "That woman shouted for him to surrender, and Weevil actually stopped. When I let my guard down, she suddenly gave the order to attack again, and he followed without hesitation. I didn't even have time to react."

It was understandable. Zephyr had never fought Weevil before and wasn't familiar with his erratic behavior. To be caught off guard like that was unfortunate but not entirely surprising.

Hearing Zephyr's explanation, Claudius understood the situation. Weevil's immense strength wasn't exaggerated, even if his intelligence was lacking. His raw power alone made him a dangerous foe.

"That guy... He might actually have the same level of strength Whitebeard had in his youth," Zephyr said, almost as if he didn't want to believe it.

Claudius chuckled. "Oh, I'm not against it. Marine hunting pirates, that's completely reasonable."

After a pause, he continued, "But weren't you just saying you wanted to avoid an all-out fight?"

"That's for a disorderly battle," Sengoku explained. "But if we can arrange things on our terms, that changes everything."

Claudius nodded in understanding. "So what's the plan?"

Sengoku chuckled. "It's only been a few days. There's no plan yet, just an idea. Right now, we're just discussing intentions, so there's no need to worry."

Claudius froze for a moment. This again?

The last time Sengoku said something was merely an "intention," it was the precursor to an elaborate scheme that took down Big Mom. And now he was pulling the same stunt?

Sengoku seemed to sense Claudius's skepticism and coughed awkwardly. "I mean it this time, there really isn't a detailed plan yet. Don't get the wrong idea."

"...Fine, I'll believe you this time," Claudius muttered.

Sengoku continued, "The idea is to use Weevil as a focal point, to uncover his true relationship with Newgate, or better yet, to stir up conflict between Whitebeard's biological son and his 'adopted' sons."

"If a fight breaks out among them, and a few get taken out in the process... well, let's see how Newgate reacts."

Sengoku's tone was casual, but his intent was anything but.

Claudius was momentarily stunned. Damn, that's cold.

Assuming Weevil really is Whitebeard's biological son, you're planning to have him kill off Whitebeard's adopted sons just to see how the old man reacts?

That's ruthless... but honestly, kind of genius.

Of course, whether or not it would work was another matter. Pirates weren't exactly known for playing by logical rules.

Zephyr finally spoke up, turning to Claudius. "Your Highness, what do you think?"

Claudius smirked and said, "Well, since you're on board with it, I have no objections."

***

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