XX-level Hokage

"A pirate alliance? Is this the purpose of your organization?" Sengoku instantly understood.

"Yes, it is managed by several powerful pirates, such as Kaido and Big Mom. Although I have defeated them now, they will still be an important force."

There are other exceptionally powerful pirates, such as Whitebeard, Shanks, and the Seven Warlords of the Sea; they will all be under my command.

In this alliance, pirates will no longer be rampant villains, but rather like adventurers, continuing to explore the seas and search for treasure.

We must never bully the common people.

Whether it's pirates or so-called justice, I will redefine them all.

Upon hearing this, Aokiji fell silent, pondering Mashiro's idea, which was very similar to his view on justice, except that he had never considered how to truly change this deeply entrenched system.

Mashiro's plan is to provide a way out for pirates who are not entirely evil at heart, which may be more practical than simply eliminating them.

Mashiro's eyes flashed with calmness and decisiveness as she continued, "On the other hand, the Navy will also be transformed. After overthrowing the World Government, I will establish a new ruling system above all the kingdoms in the four seas—the Ocean Kingdom."

At that time, the navy will become an integral part of the host country, responsible for ensuring its smooth operation.

The justice you uphold will continue, but no longer to serve the corrupt Guanlong people; it will serve true peace and order.

"A kingdom of the sea?" Sengoku repeated the phrase Tsuru and Akainu had uttered countless times in his ears, sensing the immense upheaval it implied. "How do you intend to establish this kingdom? Will all the nations willingly join?"

A confident smile appeared on Mashiro's lips as she said, "I won't give them a choice. When the Four Emperors, the Seven Warlords of the Sea, the Navy, the Revolutionary Army, and other forces..."

Once I have control of the power, the world will fall into a power vacuum.

The rulers of those kingdoms will have no choice but to submit to me, or they will be powerless to resist the ensuing chaos.

At that time, I will inform all the kingdoms across the four seas of the establishment of the Maritime Kingdom. This will be a completely new system that transcends national boundaries.

Sengoku and his two companions listened in silence. Although they were still reluctant to cooperate with pirates, they had to admit that Mashiro's plan had solved, to some extent, a problem he had been unable to solve—how to maintain long-term order in this turbulent world.

Mashiro continued, "And in this kingdom, the Revolutionary Army will also become an important force. They have always been working to overthrow the corrupt rule, and now I will give them a legitimate identity. They will be responsible for dealing with evil on land, especially overseeing officials in various countries to ensure that there is no more corruption and oppression."

"So, this is what you meant before, wanting the Revolutionary Army to control the land and the Navy to control the sea?" Sengoku said in a complicated tone.

"As expected of a Marine Grand Master, you understood my meaning so quickly." Mashiro nodded. "Most importantly, there will be no more nobles in this kingdom. The Celestial Dragons will be completely eradicated, and their rule will be ended forever. This world doesn't need those so-called nobles. Instead, there will be a unified society without class differences. I will rule the entire kingdom in the name of God."

"The wisdom of the gods?" Aokiji frowned, feeling uneasy about the title.

Mashiro smiled slightly and continued, "That's right. In this new era, I will become the sole ruler of the world. Pirates, the Navy, and the Revolutionary Army will all obey my orders."

I will use absolute power and wisdom to ensure the stability and prosperity of this kingdom.

And if you wish, you will all become leaders of the new navy, leading commanders who represent justice.

Sengoku's brow furrowed deeply. In Mashiro's vision, he found a completely new definition—a justice that neither entirely depends on the existing system nor merely serves corrupt rulers.

However, this justice comes at the cost of Mashiro's absolute rule.

He had to admit that Mashiro's plan was extremely tempting, especially after years of experiencing the corrupt rule of the World Government. However, Mashiro's ambition and ruthlessness also made him feel a vague sense of threat.

"Your plan sounds...not bad." Sengoku said softly, a hint of hesitation in his voice, "But I have one more question, sorcerer. You say you want to rule this empire in the name of the gods, so once you have all that power, who will oversee you?"

Sengoku asked the same question as Akainu had asked before.

Mashiro paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "It's very simple. I don't need anyone to supervise me, because only I can truly understand the suffering of this world and lead it to true peace. The concentration of power is inevitable in order to prevent new chaos from arising. As for supervision, I will let the facts and results prove my decision."

Sengoku fell into deep thought. He knew that excessive concentration of power could very likely lead to new corruption and dictatorship, but at this stage, he could not deny the feasibility of Mashiro's abilities and plans.

At that moment, he suddenly remembered something Akainu had told him before he came.

“We can join him; with our strength, we can overthrow the second tyrant.”

Finally, he raised his head, looked at Mashiro, his eyes filled with complex emotions, and said, "If everything you say is true, we can follow you to overthrow the World Government and break this corrupt world."

The Economic News once again reported a series of shocking news stories.

Im looked at the newspaper in his hand, then crossed out five red marks. Meanwhile...

The Five Elders, located beneath the Four Symbols Seal, instantly turned into skeletons, and the black power vanished from their bodies.

Chapter 196: Immortality

In the underground cell, Mashiro looked at the five skeletons in front of him, a thoughtful expression on his face. The Five Elders, who were supposed to be "immortal," had actually perished in an instant.

Mashiro was well aware of the Five Elders' vitality. Even if they were burned by Amaterasu or attacked by Yin-Yang Release, as long as they were not completely reduced to ashes, they could quickly recover.

"Im is really decisive, but it's a real shame that a hidden move he made beforehand has been lost," Mashiro muttered to herself.

When she returned to the past, before leaving Mary Geoise, she planted a seed in Nasujuro Seishin's heart using five abilities: [Five Senses Manipulation], [Geass], [Visual Memory], [Illusion: Confusion], and [Human Path: Soul Extraction].

The original plan was to find an opportunity to release Nasujiro Sei back to Mary Geoise, and then detonate it, but he died just like that. What a pity.

Previously, Mashiro had been wondering how long the Five Elders had actually lived. The Satan of decades ago was exactly the same as he is now.

Furthermore, yesterday she had Bonney try it out, and the Age-Age Fruit couldn't control the ages of Satan and the other five. Afterwards, Mashiro used the Human Path to access Satan's memories; he had appeared 200 years ago. This means he has lived for at least several hundred years, achieving immortality in some way.

Mashiro initially thought that the five of them had been transformed into monsters by Im, like Orochimaru, thus gaining extraordinary lifespans. But now, seeing that they had become one after death, it seems they were actually human, not monsters.

However, their "immortal" power was indeed granted by Im. After all, Im could easily control their lives and then support a new surrogate at any time, just like now.

Moreover, according to Mashiro's speculation, this kind of "immortality" should be called "agelessness." This "agelessness" makes the Five Elders always maintain an old state. Their age may have been locked by Im, and their current appearance is not their true age. It is just that some force has frozen their lifespan at a certain moment.

The one capable of doing this is likely Im, the mastermind behind the Five Elders.

The only person who has truly survived from 800 years ago is Im, while the Five Elders are subordinates like Kui, whom he enhanced with his abilities.

Im could easily control the lives of the Five Elders, therefore the Five Elders were absolutely obedient to Im. One main body with four... Mashiro couldn't help but think of the Six Paths of Pain.

Furthermore, in Satan's memories, Mashiro also learned about the path to advancement for the Celestial Dragons.

God Valley is not just a large arena for the Celestial Dragons to enjoy, but consists of two parts: the arena and the selection arena.

The arena is like the Dressrosa bullring, where the Celestial Dragons put their slaves in to duel, and the winners get powerful Devil Fruits.

The selection arena is for the strongest among the Celestial Dragons.

The lucky ones among the Celestial Dragons will be selected into the Knights of God for intensive training, and then participate in the human hunting competition held every three years, which is equivalent to a graduation exam. The winners will receive powerful fruits to further enhance their combat power.

If Garin had eaten the Azure Dragon Fruit back then, his physical form would definitely be stronger than it is now. Each generation of elite knights would serve as candidates for the Five Elders, and he could successfully take over when the Five Elders made a mistake.

Becoming one of the Five Elders will bring rewards from Im.

First, you will gain immortality, which is both a blessing and a curse.

With their immortality, the Five Elders can charge into battle like war gods, seemingly invincible.

But this is also a curse. Based on the damage they have suffered, ordinary people would have died hundreds of times over. Based on the years they have lived, they have already surpassed several lifetimes. They are already dead, but are being forcibly kept alive by Im's power. As soon as Im withdraws his power, they will die immediately.

This also answers a logical question that Mashiro had been wondering about: Im's true strength is not that great, so why do the Five Elders, who have the power to see the world and are not weak themselves, not dare to disobey Im?

Because Im could kill them in an instant, as long as the Five Elders remain faithful, Im can firmly control the world.

Secondly, Im's power would greatly enhance the Five Elders' own abilities, such as allowing their Devil Fruits to awaken through shortcuts, further strengthening their power.

It can instantly elevate a fruit's power to its highest level.

Finally, Im's power had an additional benefit: since the Five Elders' power all originated from the same person, they achieved something in a certain sense.

The five elements are integrated, enabling telepathic communication and mutual summoning and teleportation.

This reminded Mashiro of the Six Paths of Pain.

The key to all of this lies with Im, but what ability does Im possess to accomplish all of this? This is what Shinji is most curious about, because she desperately wants to obtain this power of immortality.

Immortality, ah. Although she, as an Otsutsuki, had long been immortal, none of the people around her, except Kaguya, could achieve it.

"Bury these skeletons right here," Mashiro whispered, leaving the cell where the Five Elders were being held. "Yes, Lady Mashiro!"

Leaving the cell where the Five Elders were being held, Mashiro turned and walked towards another cell. As the guard opened the door to her solitary confinement cell, Mashiro quietly stepped inside.

The cell was holding a woman who appeared to be around thirty years old. She was extremely beautiful and possessed an air of nobility. She identified herself as Caroline Angong, a member of the Knights of God.

"It really is you, Izumi-no-miya, no, I should just call you the sorcerer Hyuga Mashiro." The old man, Mashiro, who was bound by the sealing technique, spoke.

"It doesn't matter what you call me, it's just a code name," Mashiro said calmly.

"You came all this way just to see me, a stray dog, is there something you want to ask?" Caroline Angong asked. "A stray dog, quite a fitting name."

"After all, it's only a matter of time before Mary Geoise is overthrown by you, isn't it?"

"So, are you planning to cooperate or not?" Mashiro asked, glancing at Caroline Anmiya.

“That depends on what question you ask,” Caroline Anko said. “I want to know the secret of Im’s granting of eternal life,” Mashiro said softly.

“You should know that. There’s no way I could know the answer to that.” Caroline Angong shook her head.

“Then, you can choose to tell me about Im’s taboos, or anything that’s different about him,” Mashiro continued. “This…”

"If your answer satisfies me, I might consider letting you go; otherwise, you'll die here," Mashiro said calmly, pinching Caroline Anmiya's chin.

Looking into her pure white, milky eyes, Caroline Angong suddenly laughed.

She really liked this feeling. "The Illusion Room."

Finally, Caroline Angong uttered a single word.

In Maria, there exists a place called the Illusion House, where soldiers are said to mysteriously disappear because they have seen it.

Caroline once heard Garin mention that Mary Geoise contains a national treasure. Eternal life combined with this national treasure would grant one real power over the world. Currently, the one who holds real power is Im, which means that Im has already obtained eternal life and is controlling that national treasure.

Chapter 197: Nefit D. Lilly

“The Illusion House?” Mashiro muttered to herself, having seen the term before in Satan’s memories.

"Besides God, this place is the most forbidden place in the entire Pangu City, even though Lord Im obtained the power of immortality through other means."

"The conversation might very well take place here," Caroline Angong continued.

"I understand. I'll let you out once everything is settled." With that, Mashiro turned and walked out of the cell.

Caroline Anmiya watched Mashiro's retreating figure. She didn't really care whether she gained her freedom or kept her life. The reason she told Mashiro these things was simply because she wanted to see what Mashiro could do.

The atmosphere on the island was both lively and tense. Kings from various countries were gathered in the conference hall, awaiting her return. They arrived gradually after the naval warships.

The "Twenty Kings" meeting officially commenced. Mashiro entered the meeting hall, and her arrival caused all the kings present to rise and pay their respects. She smiled and nodded in response, then walked straight to the head seat and sat down.

"Your Majesties, I believe you are already aware of the defeat of Admirals Sengoku, Garp, and Aokiji." Mashiro's voice was calm and firm, yet carried an undeniable power. "And this marks the end of an old era and the beginning of a new one."

The kings looked handsome, but then all revealed complicated expressions.

They knew that the power represented by Mashiro was invincible, and resistance would only increase casualties.

"Rest assured, my proposed concept of the Ocean Kingdom aims to establish a new order of peace, prosperity, and freedom," Mashiro continued. "Under this order, nations will share resources, jointly resist external enemies, and achieve true peaceful coexistence."

The kings nodded in agreement, understanding that this was the best option at the moment.