"What do you mean...?" Sengoku appeared to grasp the situation slightly and asked a question.
"It's very simple. The new world government established in the future will abolish the sea ban, allowing all nations to communicate freely and even establish sea trains for transportation."
"Only pirate groups that have truly committed acts of looting, murder, and similar crimes will be classified as pirates. The rest—adventurers, researchers, and even merchant ships—will no longer be considered pirate vessels," Shin stated seriously to Sengoku.
"And here in the New World, the so-called Four Emperor Pirates can transition into sovereign nations. After all, what we're doing now isn't much different from governing a country, is it?"
What Shin said was undeniably reasonable. Aside from the Red Hair Pirates, the former Four Emperor crews were already functioning as independent nations. Even Kaido's Beast Pirates could no longer claim to be a mere pirate crew.
After listening to Shin's words, Sengoku's expression eased slightly. "But... how will the New World Government be established? You know, not all countries will recognize you."
"That won't be too difficult. I have some ties with the Revolutionary Army. Additionally, your Marines can convene some allied nations to lay the foundation. We can figure out the rest as we go."
"Some nations may see this as an opportunity to seize power amidst the chaos. But there are also weaker countries that rely heavily on the Marines. They won't want the Marines to collapse."
"We'll provide some initial support, stabilize the more chaotic regions, remove corrupt rulers, redirect a significant portion of the Heavenly Tribute tax, and implement a structured taxation system. I believe self-sufficiency will come soon enough!"
"It's not that easy to maintain the Marines... The annual military expenditure alone—" Sengoku frowned. Before he could finish, a golden light flickered before his eyes.
Gold, silver, precious gems, and a vast array of treasures poured endlessly from the black energy in Shin's hand, forming waves of wealth that filled the massive conference hall, overflowing across the floor and reaching the walls.
One meter high, two meters high, three meters high... The mountain of treasure nearly reached Whitebeard's height before Shin finally withdrew his black energy.
The conference hall, located in Dressrosa's royal palace, was immense—nearly the size of a football field. Now, every inch of it glittered with gold and gemstones.
Sengoku was speechless.
"I don't know exactly how much the Marines need, but it seems the Fleet Admiral has forgotten—I destroyed the entire Holy Land of Mary Geoise. The vast fortune accumulated by the Celestial Dragons is now in my possession."
"This is just a fraction of the total treasure. I believe it should cover the Marines' immediate military expenses, yes?"
"Enough. More than enough. This alone can fund the Marines for at least two to three years," Tsuru remarked with a slight smile.
No matter how much conflict there had been between Shin and the Marines, this wealth alone guaranteed their cooperation.
Ultimately, only a select few high-ranking Marines held rigid ideals of justice. The majority, much like common soldiers in any army, followed whoever provided them with resources and wages.
As long as Sengoku wanted to prevent the Marines from dissolving, he had no choice but to accept Shin's support. Without these funds, even if Sengoku wanted to argue with the pirates in the New World, he would lack the leverage to do so.
Although Shin had said that the New World's pirate crews functioned similarly to nations, it was undeniable that many still engaged in criminal activities.
Kaido's Beast Pirates and Big Mom's crew were infamous for their brutality. Even among Whitebeard's forces, there were more than a few who indulged in plundering.
In his youth, Whitebeard had been part of the infamous Rocks Pirates, a crew known for their sheer might and chaos. Had he been executed back then, it wouldn't have been entirely unjustified.
However, after forming his own crew and adopting his so-called "sons," he had mellowed. Now, his group mostly sustained itself by collecting tribute in the New World.
That said, just because Whitebeard's main forces avoided direct criminal activity didn't mean his allied crews did the same. Many of them were little more than high-ranking criminals masquerading as loyal subordinates, akin to noble bandits.
Yet Shin knew where his interests lay. Once the New World Government was established, these pirate crews would need to transition into formal nations. At that point, looting and lawlessness would have to end.
If they refused to comply, he would deal with them personally.
In Shin's view, reform had to be decisive and ruthless. If handled improperly, chaos would fester and threaten the entire foundation of the new order.
With funding secured, negotiations between Sengoku, Tsuru, and the New World's pirate factions became much smoother. It was simply a matter of recognizing the pirates' new status as legitimate nations, signing a non-aggression pact, and allowing them to integrate into the new system.
Some of these groups would even be granted official roles within the Marines as independent forces with special operational privileges.
As the meeting neared its conclusion, Sengoku finally raised his own request. "More than a month ago, three of our Admirals, along with their subordinates, went missing during a mission. What is their current status?"
"They're still being held as captives," Shin replied. "If the Fleet Admiral wishes, I can release them now."
A wave of relief passed over Sengoku's face. "Thank you."
The three Admirals were the most recognizable faces of the Marine forces. Their presence would lend credibility to the restructuring efforts and reassure the remaining allied nations as the new government took shape.
Shin, on the other hand, had little concern over their release. Having extracted their Devil Fruit abilities, their combat power was now only marginally higher than that of an Emperor's top commanders. They no longer posed a threat to him.
Still, Shin had no intention of releasing them without securing something in return.
"Actually, there is something I'd like from the Marines in exchange. I want to meet Dr. Vegapunk."
In Shin's eyes, Vegapunk was the most valuable figure in the entire world. Even if he had dismantled the World Government, no one could truly replace Vegapunk's contributions.
Not even the Admirals held as much importance as he did.
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P.S. Can anybody help me create a new cover fic? I don't know where to create a fire cover. Just drop it in the comments. Shin will travel to the multiverse after this One Piece Arc.