Pirates on Rocks' Ship 996

Reina nodded and replied, "I know that the World Government and the Navy rule this world and are the most powerful forces in it, but that doesn't stop us from taking our revenge!"

Seeing Sengoku and Advisor Tsuru frowning, Reina smiled and continued, "So, to make them pay the price, we plan to abandon the North Blue defense zone and retreat to the New World! Then, when the extraterrestrials attack, we'll launch a surprise attack on the World Government from behind!"

"How dare you!" Upon hearing this, Sengoku stood up abruptly, trembling as he roared at Reina, "Do you know the consequences of doing this?"

“I know!” Reina chuckled and nodded, saying, “We’ll all be finished then!”

"If you dare to do that, I will wipe you out before you retreat to the New World!" Sengoku roared angrily.

"It's alright, anyway, our chances of surviving an attack on the World Government are slim! But you should understand that if we retreat from the North Sea, the extraterrestrials can quickly occupy it, and the world will fall even faster! So your best course of action is to quickly fill in our defense zone when we withdraw from the North Sea, so that the North Sea might be able to hold out for a little longer!"

"Of course, without the World Government's support, you'll be finished just the same. The Destroyer and the Guardian will not let such an opportunity pass by, you should understand that! So while you're quickly filling our gaps, you'd better ask the World Government and the Navy for help! And as long as they dare to send reinforcements, we will immediately launch an attack on them!"

Reina said calmly:

"Warring States... I'm telling you our plan now, so I'm not afraid you'll find out! This is an open strategy! It's also to tell you our determination! Actually, I don't want this world to be occupied by extraterrestrials, after all, this is our home, but... the World Government has gone too far! We're fighting to the death here, and not only do they not help, they're also making underhanded moves behind our backs? Do they really think we're made of clay?"

As Reina spoke, his tone grew increasingly harsh, and by the end, he could no longer suppress his anger.

After hearing Reina's words, Sengoku and the others remained silent, because they knew that this was very likely the work of the World Government. Only fools would provoke the Whitebeard Pirates at a time like this; no one else had the guts or the ability.

Chapter 1196 Speculations about the Warring States Period

Reina's words left Sengoku speechless for a moment, and he didn't even know who to direct his anger at.

He believed that Reiner's visit today was not only to threaten them, but also to inform them.

If the Whitebeard Pirates were to suddenly withdraw, the Marines would suffer heavy losses without their knowledge.

As allies of the Whitebeard Pirates, the Straw Hat Pirates and the Revolutionary Army will definitely retreat as soon as the Whitebeard Pirates choose to retreat.

If the clueless naval forces are left to face the extraterrestrial visitors alone, they will likely suffer heavy losses.

“I will try to find out information for you, but I really don’t know anything about this. So even if your people are really dead, I hope you can calm down and have a proper discussion. No matter what the cost, I think there is room for negotiation, isn’t there?” After a moment, Sengoku sat back down, sighed, and said.

“As long as a person is alive, everything can be discussed; once they're dead… there’s no point in talking!” Reina shook his head and said, “I only came to give you advance notice because I thought your Coast Guard soldiers were quite good; otherwise, I wouldn’t have needed you to gather information!”

"You brat, was this your decision or Newgate's?" Karp, who was sitting there, suddenly asked.

"Does it make any difference whether my brother or I make the decision?" Reina countered.

In the Whitebeard Pirates, although Whitebeard is the core, if Reyna really makes a decision, Whitebeard will definitely agree and support him.

“Of course there is a difference. If it were Newgate, I believe he wouldn’t have gone to such extremes! This world doesn’t belong to the World Government, nor to the Navy, but to all of us!” Garp said in a deep voice.

“The fact that we are here in the North Sea proves that we still love this world, but since the World Government hasn’t come, they don’t count as people of this world!” Reina chuckled and said, “In that case, I don’t mind wiping them out first, and then fighting for this world I love! If we are all dead, it doesn’t matter to us who rules this world!”

“You brat, the Celestial Dragons are annoying, but they don’t hurt people indiscriminately. But the extraterrestrials are different. Their attacks on us are indiscriminate! They only want the power of destiny, not this world!” Garp shook his head and said.

"Hahahaha..." Garp's words made Reina burst into laughter. After laughing, he said to Garp, "Old man Garp, let's not even talk about whether I believe it or not, do you believe it yourself? Celestial Dragons don't hurt people randomly? Don't make people laugh! In their eyes, apart from themselves, are all other people considered human? In their eyes, we are all slaves, do you understand slaves? Even if they were ruled by extraterrestrials, I believe they wouldn't be much worse than the Celestial Dragons. The only thing they are better than extraterrestrials is their limited destructive power, so the damage they cause is small-scale! If they were given the strength of extraterrestrials, do you believe it... they would definitely be even more outrageous than extraterrestrials!"

Reina's words darkened Garp's expression, because he knew that Reina was telling the truth. As a former high-ranking officer in the Navy, he knew more than Reina did, which was why he had stubbornly refused to be promoted to admiral back then.

Once you become an admiral, you have to work for the Celestial Dragons. But if you are only a vice admiral, you don't need to come into contact with the Celestial Dragons. You only work for the Navy and for the justice in your heart!

Seeing that Karp did not refute him, Reina stopped grumbling and arguing with him.

"Who did the World Government capture?" Just then, Staff Officer Tsuru suddenly asked.

Reina was silent for a moment before speaking, "Our Eighth Division Captain Namur, and the researcher Ichiro from Xuan Yue Island!"

He wasn't sure who the spy was, or even whether there was a spy at all, so he didn't reveal Dr. Assie's identity.

"So, the only person you're asking for is Namur, right?" Staff Officer He said softly.

If even ordinary researchers are within Reina's reach, then Chief of Staff Tsuru believes it's time to go to war, because capturing the Whitebeard Pirates' captain will inevitably result in casualties.

Even if the World Government didn't intentionally kill those researchers who lacked combat capabilities, they would likely still suffer some losses.

Reina hesitated for a moment, then said, "The researchers' leader must also be returned to us!"

"Hmm?" Sengoku looked at Reina with surprise. He was just a researcher, and he might not even be a member of the Whitebeard Pirates. Why would Reina specifically want such a person?

As pirates, all they care about is combat strength. Although the Four Emperors' pirate crews all have their own researchers, those people are not of high status or position, and they don't even have the rank of a typical leader. Only someone like Queen, who has strong combat strength, might receive different treatment.

Therefore, Reina's special mention of such a person surprised Sengoku and the others.

“He joined our Whitebeard Pirates a long time ago, but he didn’t like fighting, so he stayed on Crescent Moon Island to do research. This time, he discovered a ruin and decided to go take a look, but you guys captured him!” Reina shrugged and replied.

Sengoku and the others exchanged bewildered glances. Did the Whitebeard Pirates have someone like that? Why didn't they know?

However, Reina didn't explain much; he simply made a request.

Staff Officer Tsuru and Sengoku exchanged glances and nodded before Sengoku spoke, "I can't guarantee anything about this, but I will relay your words to the World Government. As for how you two will negotiate afterwards, you can discuss it yourselves, how about that?"

Reina smiled. He understood that Sengoku didn't want the Navy to get involved in this troublesome matter, but he also didn't intend to drag Sengoku and his men into it, so he nodded and agreed with Sengoku's statement.

After the negotiations were completed, Reina temporarily stayed at the Navy's base. He was waiting for the outcome of the negotiations between Sengoku and the World Government, and staying here would also allow him to better negotiate with the World Government.

However, before contacting the World Government, Sengoku specifically called together Advisor Tsuru and others to re-analyze Reyna's purpose for coming.

"I don't think this is as simple as it seems!" Advisor Tsuru rested his chin on his hands and said softly, "The Five Elders suddenly appeared in the North Blue and fought against the Straw Hat Pirates and the Whitebeard Pirates in the Red-Haired Pirates' territory. Afterwards, they went to Future Island. I heard that Vegapunk even defected to the Whitebeard Pirates, so the World Government definitely won't let this go!"

"So you suspect that the researcher Reina mentioned is Vegapunk?" Sengoku asked, frowning.

“Very likely!” Staff Officer Tsuru nodded and said, “If the World Government took Vegapunk away, then the chances of them getting him back are extremely slim! As for that commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, I don’t think he’s that important!”

Chapter 1197 The World Government's Demands

Advisor Tsuru's analysis immediately put Sengoku on guard. If Reyner wanted to ask the World Government for Vegapunk, the World Government would absolutely not give it to him.

As a former Fleet Admiral, Sengoku was well aware of Vegapunk's importance. Even if the World Government destroyed him, it would never allow him to join another faction.

“Perhaps… Reina’s purpose in coming here isn’t to ask us for the person, but to find out Vegapunk’s location through us?” Aokiji, standing to the side, thought for a moment and then said, “If it really is Vegapunk, he should know that the World Government will never release him under any circumstances!”

Sengoku pondered for a moment, but still couldn't understand Reina's purpose.

"Right now, all of this is just speculation. We'll find out the truth by contacting the Five Elders!" Advisor Tsuru lowered her hand and said with a light laugh, "In any case, our role is merely that of a bridge. Whatever agreement the World Government and the Whitebeard Pirates ultimately reach is none of our concern!"

“But… if the Whitebeard Pirates really retreat from the North Blue…” Fujitora said hesitantly.

"No way!" Sengoku and Staff Officer Tsuru shook their heads simultaneously, saying, "Even if Reina really wanted to do that, Newgate wouldn't agree. For that man, retreating from the North Blue battlefield is simply not in line with his style! If it were just for Vegapunk, he wouldn't go this far! As for that captain... I'm still confident I can get the World Government to return him to them!"

Sengoku believed that Reina's goal was still the captain. As for Vegapunk, it would be best if he could be brought back, but if not, they would find the place where Vegapunk was being held and send a small elite force to rescue him.

After figuring out the other party's purpose, Sengoku felt relieved enough to dial the Five Elders' Den Den Mushi.

"This is the Five Elders..."

The Den Den Mushi was connected, and the voices of the Five Elders came through.

"I am Sengoku!" Sengoku introduced himself first, and then recounted the news of Reina's arrival.

"Heh~ What a shrewd shrew, is he threatening us?" The Five Elders chuckled and said with displeasure.

Sengoku really wanted to ask them, why did they provoke the Whitebeard Pirates at a time like this?

However, considering Vegapunk's importance, he kept quiet.

"It's not bad that he was able to find out it was us. In that case, tell him that if he wants their people, he can exchange them for Vegapunk!" Jegarcia Satan Saint, one of the Five Elders, said with a hint of sarcasm.

He was very unhappy that Vegapunk had escaped from his grasp, so now that he had the chance, he naturally wanted to bring Vegapunk back!

But upon hearing this, Sengoku was stunned. They had previously guessed that the World Government might have captured Vegapunk, but now the Five Elders' demand was to exchange the hostages in their hands for Vegapunk, which meant that the World Government had not captured him. So who exactly had the World Government captured?

Is he really just a researcher who joined the Whitebeard Pirates early on, as Reina said?

With an inquiring attitude, Sengoku cautiously asked, "How many members of the Whitebeard Pirates did you capture? Weren't there researchers among them?"

"That's right, a Whitebeard Pirates captain and a team of researchers!" The Five Elders nodded in confirmation.

As for that ruin, it was beyond the knowledge of the Warring States period. It was a vassal kingdom of a once-great kingdom, an existence that could not be known to others. Since it had already sunk to the bottom of the sea, let it continue to slumber there.

After receiving a positive response from the World Government, Sengoku, though still unclear about the specifics, had a general understanding of what had happened.

So after consulting with the Five Elders, Sengoku suggested that Reina speak directly with them so that communication would be smoother.

The Five Elders agreed to Sengoku's request, and after agreeing to negotiate at this time tomorrow, Sengoku hung up the Den Den Mushi.

"In other words... the World Government hasn't captured Vegapunk, so they want to exchange him for hostages!" Advisor Tsuru, who had listened to the entire conversation between Sengoku and the Five Elders, stroked her chin and said, "I reckon the Whitebeard Pirates won't agree!"

“That’s right, they’re not the kind of pirate crew that would betray their own people!” Aokiji nodded in agreement.

"So do you think they'll go all in?" Sengoku asked after a moment of silence.

Because the Whitebeard Pirates would definitely not agree to exchange Vegapunk for hostages, and the World Government only wants Vegapunk, the negotiations would most likely break down. In the end, the World Government might publicly execute members of the Whitebeard Pirates to damage their reputation and prestige.

The Whitebeard Pirates couldn't just stand by and watch the World Government take action against their people. They would definitely have to fight the World Government, and then they would very likely have to retreat from the North Blue.

Everyone understood this, so no one spoke.

The consequences of the Whitebeard Pirates' retreat from the North Blue are too severe; it could very well lead to the destruction of the world. Therefore, they must stop it if possible.

“Let’s try our best to facilitate their negotiation!” Garp sighed and said, “Given Newgate’s character, he’s unlikely to ignore the situation in the North Blue, but he also won’t stand idly by while his people are executed by the World Government! So Reina’s opinion is very important at this time. According to that brat’s personality, he will most likely choose the plan he just mentioned. If they can rescue the people after attacking the World Government, they will continue to resist the extraterrestrials!”

"But if they and the World Government and the Navy are both severely weakened, and there is no new force in the North Blue to fill the void left by the Whitebeard Pirates, then we are likely to be defeated!" Fujitora said in a deep voice.

Sengoku felt a bit of a headache. The World Government's actions at this time made him wonder if the Five Elders were getting old and their thinking was becoming outdated.

"No matter what, let's tell Reina the news first, and then we'll talk about it after he negotiates with the Five Elders tomorrow! Aokiji, go and inform Reina!" Staff Officer Tsuru felt that there was no good solution for the time being, so they could only take it one step at a time.

Aokiji nodded, got up and left.

Meanwhile, Reina, having received Aokiji's message, immediately contacted Whitebeard in front of him, telling him that the World Government's demand was to exchange Dr. Vegapunk for the hostages.

Whitebeard didn't answer or say anything, but after exchanging a few casual words with Reiner, he hung up the phone.

After Reina put away his Den Den Mushi, Aokiji casually asked, "Now that the World Government clearly wants Vegapunk back, what are you planning to do? Change his personnel or not?"

Chapter 1198 Negotiation

Faced with Aokiji's question, Reina did not hide anything and shook his head directly, saying, "We would never do such a thing. Although Old Man Behemoth is a newcomer to our crew, once you join the Whitebeard Pirates, you're family!"

"In that case, what are your plans for tomorrow's negotiations? Aside from Vegapunk, the World Government probably doesn't care about anything you have!" Aokiji shrugged and said, "Do you really intend to fight the World Government to the death? I don't believe it!"

Reina rolled his eyes and said, "Am I stupid? Going to fight the World Government myself? As long as I open the North Blue, the extraterrestrials will be a piece of cake for them! When our Whitebeard Pirates retreat, the Revolutionary Army and the Straw Hat Pirates will definitely retreat as well. Then, only you and the Red-Haired Pirates will be left in the North Blue. Do you think you can hold it? The North Blue will definitely be lost!"

"If we lose the North Sea, the extraterrestrial visitors will become even stronger, and they might even produce several Venerables! Will the World Government still have time to deal with us then? Even if they execute our people as planned, we will have the resources and strength to fight the World Government! When the Revolutionary Army rises up in various places, the world will be in chaos, and with the threat of the extraterrestrial visitors, it's not impossible to overthrow the World Government!"

Reina's words sent a chill down Aokiji's spine, because all of what Reina said could come true. If they really did that, the whole world would become a battlefield.

Looking at the silent Aokiji, Reina sighed and said, "That's true, but I don't really want to do this until the very last moment, because the sacrifice would be too great. Countless innocent people would be dragged into it, and the number of deaths wouldn't be just one or two. Even our Whitebeard Pirates wouldn't be spared!"