Chapter 805: Not Coming Back
This battle, though cumbersome to describe, had in fact only been a few hours since the Beast Pirates' assembled army was attacked by Uranus. However, the shock this war brought to the world was absolutely unparalleled!
At the time, in the live broadcast footage, the people were already anxious, thinking that the World Government and the Marines had been hit by a streak of bad luck. First, the Four Emperors Ian killed a Marine Fleet Admiral, and now they faced an attack from the Four Emperors Kaido. At this rate, it seemed like the end was near. Amidst these successive events, many nations and their people had lost confidence in the World Government's rule.
But who would have thought that the situation would turn around so quickly?
Caught in the nuclear blast, most of the reporters covering the scene perished in the battle. However, they had faithfully transmitted part of the live footage. The massive military force of the Beast Pirates proved utterly helpless against the giant dragon Uranus, leaving everyone watching worldwide stunned.
Although the footage soon cut out, many had already seen the fate of the Beast Pirates. Ordinary people, with limited information, didn't know what the giant dragon was, but they could tell it belonged to the Marines and the World Government. So, while breathing a sigh of relief, they also rejoiced.
For the rulers of many nations, however, it was a cause for concern. As kings and leaders, they knew much more than ordinary people. Countries like Alabasta, which knew about the Ancient Weapons, had kings who vaguely guessed the dragon's identity. The immense power displayed by Uranus forced these kings to remain vigilant.
Many nations quickly sent spies to the waters where the incident occurred, hoping to learn the truth. But before their spies could even set out, a newspaper delivered by News Coos had already appeared before them.
This newspaper was issued by the World Economy News Agency, pre-approved by the World Government and the Celestial Dragons for publication. It was expedited by the News Coos, as if the Celestial Dragons had foreseen the fate of the Beast Pirates. Just two hours after the Beast Pirates' army was dismantled, it was delivered into the hands of the rulers of various nations.
The photo printed in the newspaper captured the moment Uranus emerged from the clouds. Needless to say, the article reported the annihilation of the Beast Pirates.
This report seemed to be penned by the Celestial Dragons themselves, as the text described Uranus as a "Divine Weapon" and "The Power of the Great Creator," among other boastful terms, declaring that the World Government and the World Nobles had the strength to eliminate any opposing force!
The kings of various nations, through their channels, exchanged information and realized that this newspaper had not been distributed to the common people—only the leaders of each country had received it. They immediately understood: this was a warning from the World Government!
The next World Conference was not far off...
The World Government had over 170 member nations, whose funding supported the operations of the World Government and the Marines. Since the death of Pirate King Roger and the arrival of the Great Pirate Era, the military expenditures of the World Government and the Marines had been increasing year after year, with the growth rate accelerating annually. Yet, despite these massive expenditures, the impact on pirates was minimal. The Seven Warlords of the Sea were replaced wave after wave, the Four Emperors still stood, and pirates could not be eradicated.
Of course, the member nations had no complaints about these military expenses. They also wanted to protect their citizens from pirate harassment, so spending a bit more was acceptable. But the problem was that, besides these military costs, the member nations also had to pay the Heavenly Tribute to the Celestial Dragons, and the amount of this tribute was also increasing year by year.
Many member nations had already been struggling under the burden for years. The rampant pirates affected their national economies, and as the economy declined, tax revenues naturally suffered. With decreasing tax income, they still had to bear the growing military expenses and Heavenly Tribute—this was a recipe for national ruin!
So, in recent years, at every World Conference, the issue of the Heavenly Tribute was a key topic of discussion. Except for a few tyrants, almost all national leaders wanted to reduce the Heavenly Tribute, and in recent years, the call to abolish it entirely had grown louder.
Spending vast amounts of money to support the Celestial Dragons, these World Nobles, brought no benefits, and their own citizens might even become their slaves. Any national leader with a conscience was furious about this.
After the World Government's prestige had taken a major hit due to the Ian incident, many member nations had been secretly conspiring to forcefully abolish the Heavenly Tribute at the upcoming World Conference.
To hell with the Celestial Dragons! To hell with the World Nobles! My country is on the verge of rebellion because of you—who cares about you bloodsuckers!
This sentiment was not limited to one or two nations but was widespread. This anger and dissatisfaction flowed in secret, likely detected by the World Government's intelligence agency, CP, and reported back. The World Government feared that if this issue was not handled well at the World Conference, the alliance of the World Government might fall apart.
So, taking advantage of the Celestial Dragons' deployment of the Ancient Weapon Uranus, the World Government flexed its muscles to the member nations. This was the purpose of the newspaper!
Upon realizing this warning, many kings began to hesitate. The World Government not only had the Marines as a card but also had such a devastating weapon hidden away. From the live battle footage, Uranus's power was catastrophic for any land-based nation. These kings worried that if they forcefully united to demand the abolition of the Heavenly Tribute, the enraged Celestial Dragons might send this giant dragon to retaliate against the member nations.
This was not an unfounded fear but a real possibility. Forget about morality—attacking member nations would violate principles. The Celestial Dragons could simply target a few rebellious countries, make an example of them, and intimidate others. The common people were shortsighted; if they saw other nations destroyed for resisting, they would fear for their own lives and pressure their kings to submit...
Military force had always been a key tool for maintaining an alliance. With over 170 member nations, it was impossible for all of them to unite perfectly against the World Government. As long as some were scared by the "kill the chicken to warn the monkey" tactic, they could no longer advance together.
And most importantly, once they submitted this time, it would mean the World Government had truly established its leadership over the member nations. From then on, the member nations would have to follow the World Government's lead, losing their voice at the World Conference.
So, the best course of action was to prevent the Celestial Dragons and the World Government from ever showcasing their military might again. But that meant, at the World Conference, the member nations would have to pretend nothing had happened and silently accept the continued payment of the Heavenly Tribute...
Hesitation, inner conflict, unwillingness, and anger—various emotions swirled among the leaders of the member nations, and they all fell silent for the time being.
Even the pirates on the seas and the Revolutionary Army, which had been quite active recently, suddenly quieted down considerably...
These developments were reported back by CP intelligence agents, allowing the Celestial Dragons to sense the atmosphere and mood, making them feel smug.
See? This is the fate of those who defy the creators!
The Five Elders of the World Government remained silent. They now only hoped that no one else would be foolish enough to step forward, that the Celestial Dragons would not be further provoked. The dangerous Ancient Weapon Uranus should be displayed only once, no more, or the world would once again plunge into the great chaos of eight hundred years ago.
Faced with such forceful oppression, some chose to resist, while others chose to submit. The World Government clearly belonged to the latter...
Time passed slowly. The Celestial Dragons gathered in Mary Geoise had initially been excitedly boasting together, but gradually, they sensed something was wrong. Why hadn't their ancestor, who had taken Uranus to pursue Golden Lion Shiki and Blackbeard Teach, returned after so long?
Calculating the time, Uranus should have reached its limit by now and probably needed to land, right?
Feeling a bit uneasy, the Celestial Dragons tried to comfort themselves, thinking that perhaps Uranus's heat dissipation was taking a bit longer. After all, it was an ancient creature over a thousand years old; maybe its body wasn't as good as before. If they waited a bit longer, it might return...
However, after several more hours passed, Uranus still hadn't returned...
Except for the increasingly foolish younger generation of Celestial Dragons, who still felt nothing, the older Celestial Dragons began to grow anxious!
What the hell was going on!?
So, they sent trusted individuals, avoiding the eyes and ears of CP intelligence agents, to secretly gather information.
The news came back quickly, but it hit the Celestial Dragons like a thunderbolt, leaving them almost completely dumbfounded...
The information indicated that, two hours earlier, a massive explosion had occurred on Amazon Lily in the Calm Belt, caused by Uranus. But the problem was that, before this, someone had witnessed the Four Emperors Ian flying at extremely high speed toward Amazon Lily. In other words, the Four Emperors Ian might have clashed with Uranus on Amazon Lily!
After that massive explosion, Uranus flew away, and no one knew the outcome of the battle. However, after Uranus flew off, they could no longer contact the Celestial Dragon ancestor who was with Uranus.
So, it was highly likely that the Celestial Dragon ancestor had met with misfortune...
[Author's Note: Stuck in writing]
My mind is blank, and I haven't written anything. Don't wait for me tonight, everyone. I need to think it over. I might update very late, so check in the morning.
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