A cook, vice-captain of the Rocks Pirates?

A flicker of hesitation crossed the blond Elder's face: "Use it now? The cost is too high, and what if it gets out of control..."

"No price is greater than shaking the foundations of the world government's rule!"

The Five Elders, wielding their swords, interrupted him decisively: "That chef's abilities have touched upon the power of creation, even Lord Im..."

He stopped abruptly halfway through his sentence.

The air in the room seemed to be sucked out instantly, and the temperature plummeted to freezing.

It wasn't a physical cold, but an absolute fear that originated from the depths of the soul when facing a higher-dimensional life form.

The three elders, who were usually high and mighty and regarded all things as ants, turned around in unison at this moment, and then knelt on one knee with utmost respect, their heads bowed deeply, and even their breathing became cautious.

A massive shadow, filled with terrifying pressure, silently appeared on the throne.

Im.

This being at the pinnacle of the world simply sat there quietly.

His gaze seemed to pierce through layers of space, across the red earth continent, overlooking the azure sea below, and finally, it seemed to land on a white giant whale that was slowly sailing.

Time seemed to freeze at this moment.

The Five Elders remained kneeling on one knee, their foreheads dripping with cold sweat. They dared not raise their heads, dared not speculate, and could only wait for the final judgment of the gods like the most devout believers.

After a long while, a faint, indistinct voice, seemingly from another dimension, rang out in the empty room.

The voice was devoid of any emotion, yet it carried an unquestionable, absolute will to erase everything.

"Temporarily withdraw."

Just one word.

But it was like a silent thunderclap that exploded in the hearts of the three elders.

Temporary withdrawal?

why?

They couldn't understand.

Even though the other side severely damaged the World Government's top combat force, and even though their existence seriously threatened the balance of the world, why did Lord Im not only not unleash divine punishment, but instead demand that they back down?

Especially that chef, whose power had touched upon forbidden territory, the very power that Lord Im was most wary of and abhorred.

Chapter 188 The Banquet and Rest After the Battle

"Lord Im..."

The five elders holding the sword couldn't help but raise their heads, as if they wanted to say something.

However, when his gaze met those deep eyes on the throne, eyes that seemed to hold the birth and death of countless stars, all his words were instantly frozen in his throat.

In those eyes, he saw no anger, no murderous intent, only a complex emotion that he couldn't understand—a mixture of curiosity, amusement, and a faint trace of something else, as if he were looking at an interesting collectible.

"Go back."

Im's voice rang out again, this time carrying an undeniable air of authority.

"Yes!"

The three elders dared not raise any further objections and bowed their heads deeply.

When they looked up again, the figure on the throne had vanished as if it had never been there, and the terrifying pressure that could freeze the soul had also disappeared.

A deathly silence returned to the realm of power, broken only by the heavy breathing of the three Elders and the monotonous hum of the medical robots.

The three of them slowly stood up, looked at each other, and saw unprecedented confusion and solemnity in each other's eyes.

"Lord Im's will... we cannot fathom."

The blond Elder's voice was somewhat hoarse: "But orders must be carried out."

"Pass down the order."

The Five Elders, wielding their swords, had icy eyes. He walked to the window, looking down at the world shrouded in a sea of ​​clouds, his voice resolute.

"Block all news about this battle. Issue the highest-level warning to Morgans, the head of the news agency. If he dares to utter a single word, he and his newspaper will be wiped off the face of the earth. Furthermore..."

He paused, then added, "For the time being, all operations against the Whitebeard Pirates are suspended, especially... don't provoke that cook again."

"Yes."

The other two responded in deep voices.

A storm capable of overturning the world order was forcibly submerged into the deep sea by Im's incomprehensible command, without causing a single ripple.

But everyone knows that this is only a temporary calm. When the sea rises again, there will be even more terrifying, towering waves that will engulf everything.

……

The New Moby Dick is currently resting quietly in the harbor of an unnamed island.

The island is lush with vegetation, and a clear stream meanders down from the mountains and flows into a green lake. The air is filled with the fragrance of earth and wildflowers, making it a peaceful and secluded paradise.

In stark contrast to the oppressive and somber atmosphere of the Holy Land of Mary Geoise, this place is filled with a languid and comfortable feeling of surviving a catastrophe.

On the deck, Gatz was fast asleep, his massive body rising and falling with each breath, his snoring like thunder, startling countless birds in the forest.

The fierce battle with the Five Elders' direct guard had almost exhausted all his strength, and he was sleeping more soundly than ever before.

Not far away, Oden was enthusiastically using his twin swords to dismantle a sea king he had just captured.

His sweeping, powerful knife skills, when used to process ingredients, exuded a violent aesthetic, making Dorum, who was watching from the side, tremble with fear, afraid that he would cleave the deck in two with a single stroke.

"Hey! Oden! Be careful! I just reinforced that deck with shape memory alloy yesterday! It's still a new one!"

Dorum, clutching his little notebook, roared at the top of his lungs.

"Hahaha! I know, I know! Dorum, you're so long-winded!"

Oden swung his sword nonchalantly.

In the corner, Teach was holding a rag and carefully wiping the railings that had been splattered with blood from the fighting.

He worked very hard, with an innocent yet ingratiating smile on his face, as if he were full of curiosity and goodwill towards everything around him.

Newgate leaned back on his throne, sipping his drink and looking at his energetic family with a satisfied smile.

His injuries had mostly healed thanks to Raine's cooking, but the exhaustion from the battle still left him feeling somewhat tired.

His gaze passed over the noisy deck and looked into the dense forest deep within the island.

Renn is there collecting some local spices and herbs.

For that child, nothing seemed more important than researching new ingredients.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, at the news agency headquarters.

President Morgans, the news king who could command the winds and waves in the new world, was now sweating profusely as he hung up the golden Den Den Mushi in his hand.

On the other end of the Den Den Mushi is the Chief of the CP0, the highest authority in the world government.

The other person's tone was calm, yet filled with an undeniable, chilling threat that could wipe him and his newspaper from the world in an instant.

"Regarding the failed attack on the Whitebeard Pirates...not a single word is allowed to be reported?"

Morgans wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, feeling his heart still pounding.

"This is huge news! Big news that could shock the world!"

He muttered to himself, his eyes filled with the excitement of a journalist and the greed of a businessman.

But the thought of the cold warning from the other end of the Den Den Mushi instantly extinguished all his excitement and greed.

"Forget it, money can be earned again, but life is only once."

Morgans sighed and helplessly threw the draft of the front-page headline, which he had already written and was enough to cause a global earthquake, into the shredder.

"What a pity... Oh dear!"

The world's storms were thus forcibly smoothed out by an invisible hand.

As night fell, a huge bonfire was lit on the island.

The crew sat around the campfire, heartily enjoying the roasted meat that Renne had cooked with the freshly gathered ingredients from the day, and drinking the captured wine. The atmosphere was both lively and warm.

Ryan didn't join in the revelry; he simply sat quietly next to Newgate, wiping his kitchen knife, nicknamed "Butcher Ding."

"strangeness."

Newgate took a big gulp of liquor, looked at the flickering campfire, and suddenly spoke.

"What's strange?"

Ryan asked without turning his head.

"Those Five Elders have suffered such a huge loss this time, yet they haven't made a single move."

Newgate's voice held a hint of doubt: "This isn't like them."

Logically speaking, given the World Government's domineering and uncompromising style, the defeat of the two Five Elders would inevitably lead to a more intense and costly retaliation.

Whether it's deploying a naval admiral or using other secret weapons, it's impossible for things to remain calm for several days like this.

Something's not right.

Raine nodded, put down his kitchen knife, and looked up at the deep starry sky: "Something is definitely amiss. Perhaps they are brewing a bigger conspiracy."

"Perhaps."

Newgate grinned, a smile full of disdain and arrogance.

"I don't care about their schemes or tricks. If they dare to come, I'll smash them and their plots with my fists!"

"Goo la la la la!"

Looking at his smug expression, Ryan couldn't help but laugh.

Yeah, why think so much?

there is always a solution to a problem.

There's more than one monster on this ship.

"Since they're not coming, we're happy to have some peace and quiet."

Ryan stood up and stretched: "Captain, I'll go prepare some late-night snacks. What would you like to eat?"

"Hmm... I'd like a bowl of hot oden, with lots of radish and beef tendon."

"it is good."

Silence returned to the campfire, broken only by the crackling of burning firewood and Gatz's deafening snores in the distance.

Chapter 189 Roger's Decision

The calm before the storm is always exceptionally peaceful.

Seven days passed in the blink of an eye.

On this secluded, nameless island, the Whitebeard Pirates received the perfect rest.

Rein's cooking was like a miracle. Newgate's hidden injuries from his battle with the Five Elders were completely healed, and he even felt that his domineering aura was more refined than before.

The rest of the crew also recovered to their peak condition through daily feasts, each one full of energy and vitality, which made Dorum's dark circles even deeper.

Because of Gatsu and Oden, these two battle maniacs, they would fight fiercely on the island every day over trivial reasons such as who could eat one more piece of grilled meat, and incidentally demolish a few small hills.

The damage to the New Moby Dick was largely restored thanks to the tireless repairs of the top shipwright, Dorum. Although some core damage still requires more specialized materials and a dry dock for complete repair, it was already sufficient to support the next voyage.

On the morning of the seventh day, as the first rays of sunlight pierced through the clouds and cast golden light upon the pristine white hull, Newgate's booming voice echoed throughout the entire island.

"My men! The holiday is over! Set sail! Begin your voyage!"

"Oh oh oh!"

Amidst deafening cheers, the enormous white sails rose once more.

Like a white behemoth awakening, the New Moby Dick slowly sailed away from the harbor that had witnessed their rest and recuperation, embarking on a brand new adventure towards the more magnificent and unknown sea.

Unbeknownst to them, during their seven days of rest, turbulent undercurrents were surging on the world's oceans.

Although the World Government forcibly suppressed the news of the Five Elders' defeat, some clues still reached the ears of those who truly stood at the pinnacle of the world through various channels.