Chapter 100: Scheming
Soon, Hades had been with the Rocks Pirates for over a year.
Hades turned fifteen.
Maintaining a low-key approach and not overly pursuing wealth, Hades hadn't taken much action.
Whether it was against Kingdoms or for Heavenly Tribute, Hades had no intention of personally taking action.
It was just a waste of time; he might as well stay in Hachinosu and silently improve his Strength.
Did these ordinary actions pose a greater pressure than that brought by Newgate, whose Strength was becoming increasingly terrifying?
Newgate had gotten used to being used for training, and didn't mind Hades using him as a sparring partner.
Shiki was gradually shaking The Great Sea with his fame, but Newgate wasn't in a hurry to stand out.
He just needed one opportunity, and he would let the World know his true Strength.
This was the confidence brought by absolute Strength.
If there was anything worth Hades's attention during this year, it would naturally be the twenty-year-old young Monster who emerged two months ago during the Rocks Pirates' Recruitment Tournament.
A Logia Type Earth-Earth Fruit Ability User named Tim Duncan.
Relying on his young yet overbearing Strength, he took the top spot in the Recruitment Tournament.
With an expressionless face as calm as a mask and strong mental fortitude, he remained unfazed by any Pirate's provocation.
His state of mind, like a Buddha, combined with his Devil Fruit Ability, earned him the moniker "Stone Buddha".
This also corresponded to the "Sengoku the Buddha" among the Marines, who was now famous in the New World.
Few people knew Duncan's true identity, but Hades was not among them.
Like Hades, Duncan didn't seem like a Pirate, nor did he possess Hades's innate nobility.
Beneath that calm face lay a very overbearing Will.
Just one month after joining the Rocks Pirates, Duncan established the Great Earth Pirates.
He set up his base camp in Stone Country, which had been "destroyed" by the Rocks Pirates a year ago.
He became the ruler of Stone Country.
Duncan was the Royal Heir of Stone Country.
After the Rocks Pirates left, the fleeing Royal Family of Stone Country returned to Stone Country and secretly resumed governing the Land.
This prevented greater turmoil and the collapse of the Kingdom's order.
The main reason was that the Rocks Pirates hadn't caused too much slaughter; otherwise, they would have had to hide for a while longer.
Perhaps influenced by Hades, Tim Duncan joined the Rocks Pirates under the name of a Pirate.
Under the name of a Pirate, he established a Pirate Crew and ruled the Kingdom that originally belonged to him.
Stone Country wasn't restored, but merely changed its facade.
The so-called Pirates of the Great Earth Pirates were basically the original Elite Unit of Stone Country.
There was no difference from before.
The people weren't fools; they knew the truth of the matter and were happy to "play dumb," submitting to a Pirate's Subordinate.
In Hades's view, this was a very interesting and exceptionally clever approach.
The Rocks Pirates weren't fools; they just maintained a tacit understanding.
Since Duncan had joined the Rocks Pirates, it meant there was no hatred between the two sides.
Where would Stone Country's emotions be vented? Only towards the World Government.
Stone Country, which was originally close to the World Government, no longer trusted the World Government.
Even if the Stone Country Royal Family were to restore the Kingdom with the World Government's support in the future, it would just be utilizing the World Government.
During this period, it was impossible for Hades not to participate in any actions.
This would cause dissatisfaction among other Pirates.
It would cause even greater dissatisfaction from Rocks towards him.
Hades was invited to join, not to just coast along; if he couldn't create value, he might as well leave early.
Besides patrol duties, Hades would participate.
For the missions to destroy countries, Hades would basically let Titan handle them on his behalf, or let Titan take a few of his Subordinates to train.
Titan was, to a certain extent, Hades's representative, and he himself was a very powerful combatant.
Already seventeen years old, possessing a massive body exceeding seven meters, with a Monster-like Physique and terrifying Strength, he was one of the Monsters of the Rocks Pirates that could not be ignored.
His Ability was also inevitably exposed, earning him the title "Glutton".
He was even more famous than Hades, with his Bounty steadily increasing to nearly 400 million Beli, yet no one dared to underestimate Hades, who stood behind Titan.
The passing of time caused Hades to accidentally overlook certain matters.
This time, the Rocks Pirates set their sights on a small country.
Titan was involved, and Charlotte Linlin was also involved.
After multiple joint operations and spending time together in Hachinosu, Titan and Charlotte Linlin also became quite familiar, gradually lowering their guard.
The Rocks Pirates' Warship, over a hundred meters long, sailed on The Great Sea.
They were now on their way back, the ship fully loaded with Treasure, excitedly holding a Banquet.
How could a mere small country stop the two Monsters, "Natural Born Destroyer" and "Glutton"?
The Marines didn't even have time to arrive before the entire Kingdom was already destroyed.
Titan drank Fine Wine in big gulps, enjoyed the Food, and reveled.
In this regard, Hades did not restrict him.
He was completely unaware that he was in the process of being schemed against.
"Are you sure it won't fail?"
Charlotte Linlin looked at Streusen and said softly, somewhat cautiously.
Her words suppressed anticipation and excitement, along with some doubt.
"Don't worry, I've calculated it all."
Streusen said confidently, though he also felt a bit uneasy in his heart.
To help Charlotte Linlin, he had racked his brain and finally found a suitable opportunity.
"It's a super enhanced version of the potent potion bought from the Black Market in the Food. Titan will definitely fall for it. I just don't know how effective it will be, after all, he is a Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit User."
"To ensure no accidents occur, it depends on his Ability. The Spring-Spring Fruit's Ability can amplify a person's desires a hundredfold."
"To be safe, I had secretly tested it on Newgate, Shiki, Silver Axe, and others beforehand, and the effect was good. You should know that the Ability they were affected by wasn't even amplified tenfold, and Titan also ate the enhanced potent potion."
This made Charlotte Linlin a bit surprised.
Streusen hadn't even told her about this kind of thing.
Seeming to have seen the eager flame in Charlotte Linlin's eyes, Streusen immediately curbed her crazy idea.
"This plan can only be used once. When experimenting on them, I didn't dare to overuse the Ability. Once the effect is too strong, it will be noticed."
A thin man trembling beside them broke out in a cold sweat, listening to Streusen and Charlotte Linlin's secret scheming.
He was truly terrified in his heart.
He was just a Pirate with ordinary Strength, whose Devil Fruit Ability was just a bit special.
But now, he already didn't know how many Great Pirates he had offended.
Each one could tear him into a hundred pieces.
But he was already sinking deeper and deeper down a road of no return.
Unlike the previous secret experiments, this time it was truly targeting a Great Pirate, and it was "Glutton," this Monster whose actions he had witnessed multiple times with his own eyes.
He could crush him to death with a single finger.
But, he had no choice but to do it!
His life was controlled by Charlotte Linlin.
Dying now versus living a bit longer, he undoubtedly chose the latter.
Maybe he could still be saved.
"Then the action can begin. If Titan reacts, and if his Ability has a counteracting effect on the potion, I will use Seastone Handcuffs to make him lose his ability to resist."
Streusen had thought the plan through very thoroughly.
"However, after this operation is over, we need to be prepared to run. We need to hide for a while, Linlin."
Looking at Linlin, Streusen reminded her seriously.
"Don't worry, I understand. We'll choose the northern part of the New World, the Totto Land Sea Area we previously decided on. We'll occupy that place."
This was the first step of Charlotte Linlin's "great" goal, so naturally, they must be extra careful.
(end of chapter)