It wasn't strange that Mikita sometimes felt Peter was biased. The moment Robin calmed down a little, Peter immediately noticed something on her mind.
"What's wrong? You seem like you want to say something."
Peter wasn't truly biased toward Robin, but Robin was always the most rational among them, the one most capable of calm thought.
She often offered useful suggestions that helped him fill in the gaps in his plans, and he, in turn, enjoyed the feeling of having an "external brain" by his side.
That was why he paid special attention to her, always asking for her opinions at the right time.
Robin, with her long black hair tucked quietly behind her ear, spoke in a mature and calm tone:
"I was just thinking… what will happen if news of the Divine Dragon spreads? Something so supernatural is bound to attract everyone's greed. When that happens, we'll certainly face huge problems."
The other girls, who had just been lost in dreams of their wishes being granted, suddenly realized the gravity of Robin's words.
"That's true… if we're this excited about the Divine Dragon, what about the great powers and those with enormous ambitions? Do you think they'll let such an opportunity slip away? No… they'll turn us into their main target instead…"
Just imagining that sent shivers down their spines.
Worse still, the Divine Dragon's voice hadn't been quiet. Though it hadn't resounded through all of Rainbase, every customer in the casino must have heard it.
If the news spread, it wouldn't take a day before all of Alabasta was flooded with pirates from across the Grand Line.
At that moment, everyone's eyes turned unconsciously to the one who was their pillar—Peter.
His calm face was like medicine soothing their restless hearts, bringing them back a sense of peace.
"Heh… if I were afraid of that, I wouldn't have summoned the Divine Dragon in the first place."
Peter smiled coldly, then added with confidence:
"With my current strength surpassing a thousand, do you think I'd fear a swarm of insects in this world? If I did, I might as well slit my own throat."
He paused briefly, then continued:
"On the contrary… I want the entire world to know about the Divine Dragon. Consider it early publicity for my plans."
Robin straightened up in her seat, looking at him seriously:
"What plans? Can you tell us?"
Peter thought for a moment before answering slowly:
"Why not… telling you in advance won't hurt. I intend to reveal the truth of the Dragon Balls to the whole world—through an event so shocking it will grab everyone's attention!
I'll distribute the balls among multiple forces: the Government, the Marines, the Revolutionaries, even the great pirates. Then I'll give them an entire year to fight over them… it will be the greatest treasure hunt in history!"
"What…?!" Robin was shaken by his madness, left at a loss for words.
The other girls were equally stunned. They couldn't imagine the scale of chaos such a plan would unleash on the world.
Hina was the first to object:
"No! That's insanity! Your plan will ignite a war that will engulf the whole world. Have you thought of how many innocent lives will be lost because of this?"
Carina and the others looked anxiously at Hina, who dared to oppose Peter, and they admired her courage.
But Peter only smirked mockingly:
"Wars and chaos are inevitable in this world… all I'm doing is speeding up destiny a little. Think about it—Revolutionaries, pirates, opportunists, and a Government desperate to maintain its rule, all clashing over the Dragon Balls. Imagine that magnificent spectacle."
His eyes sparkled with excitement:
"And whoever gathers the seven balls in the end will turn the balance of power in this world upside down!"
He then turned to Hina, his voice carrying a tempting edge:
"And if the Marines have the courage, why not break away from the World Government and join the struggle as an independent power?
Wouldn't that be the true justice?"
Hina sank into silence, sat back down in her place, and gave no reply.
In the corner of the room, Kalifa trembled as she muttered:
"Madman… this man is completely insane!"
Her fear wasn't for the Government, but for its violent retaliation if Peter tried to manipulate it.
She lifted her gaze toward her sister Alpha, only to find their eyes meeting in mid-air.Both saw the same fear and despair reflected in the other's eyes.
"Damn you, Stussy… what kind of cursed pirate crew have you dragged us into?!"
As for Stussy herself, she was lost in thought, overwhelmed by everything that had happened.
Today she had witnessed things that overturned everything she thought she knew about the world: a dragon that granted wishes, and a mad plan that could change the fate of humanity.
While the women were drowning in confusion and fear, Peter was the only one smiling. He knew that no matter the outcome of the coming war, the final decision lay in his hands.
Even the so-called "Treasure War" he spoke of was nothing more than a game for him to amuse himself with.
Outside the Rain Dinners, the entire world was already shaken by the strange phenomenon and the appearance of the Divine Dragon.
Rumors, conspiracy theories, and doomsday prophecies spread like wildfire, sending waves of panic across the seas.
Some tourists who had seen the dragon with their own eyes spread the story, but with so many versions and speculations, the truth was drowned out in the noise.
The idea of a "wish-granting dragon" sounded more ridiculous than saying the sun had been covered with a blanket!
As for the residents of Rainbase itself, they remained silent.
Everyone knew who controlled this city…
Even if Peter destroyed it entirely one day, no one would dare protest. Instead, they would give him a thumbs-up and say:
"Well done, Peter!"
And the only true winner in this chaos was one man:
The president of the World Economy News Paper, Morgans.
Exploiting the wave of panic, Morgans gathered the various conspiracy theories and prophecies spreading across the globe and combined them into sensational stories.
His newspapers sold out completely, forcing him to work day and night printing extra copies while rushing to prepare new issues.
At the same time, he had to handle an endless stream of calls from powerful figures demanding to know the truth.
"Hello, Linlin? Sorry, I'm drowning here, the reports are conflicting, I can't tell truth from lies. Yes, yes… if I hear anything I'll let you know right away. Don't say that, we're friends.
Ah, almost forgot, your wedding is coming up. Don't worry, I'll attend personally, and make sure to reserve me the best spot for photos."
Barely catching his breath after Big Mom's call, his phone rang again—this time it was Umit the Shipping King.
"Hello, Umit? Why are you calling me? You're the one with fleets across the world, and yet you have no accurate information? How do you expect me to know? Honestly, I've had hundreds of so-called eyewitnesses trying to trick me with fake information for a reward, not to mention all the rumors. Even if I had eyes everywhere, how could I tell fact from fiction? Anyway, that's all I've got. If you learn anything, share it with me—and don't forget to keep me in the loop."
After minutes of pleasantries, he hung up, sighing deeply. But his rest didn't last long—more and more calls poured in. For over two straight hours, he answered them all until his voice was nearly gone.
"Damn it… every one of them hides good news from me on normal days, but when disaster strikes they all rush to me for information!"
He grumbled, slumping into his chair, his bird-like features twisted with exhaustion.
After resting a bit, he straightened up and muttered to himself:
"I didn't expect even the Five Elders to call me personally about this… it seems the impact of this incident is far greater than I imagined."
He remembered the shallow attempt by Saint Saturn to downplay the matter, and chuckled quietly to himself before pulling a photograph from his desk drawer.
"You fools… if this were just a normal climate change, I'd have reported it without hesitation.
But a blue dragon that grants wishes… how could I possibly reveal that to you?"
He studied the photo taken by one of his reporters at the moment the dragon appeared, along with the scene's description, and his excitement reignited.
He admitted to himself that luck had favored him—he had happened to send a reporter to Rainbase, who by chance witnessed the Divine Dragon's appearance and managed to capture it on film.
Thanks to his courage and quick reflex to press the shutter at that critical moment, Morgans rewarded him with ten million Berries on the spot, even promoting him to Editor-in-Chief, with a firm promise never to leak the information elsewhere.
The deal was made even better when the reporter returned voluntarily to headquarters, staying under Morgans' watchful eye, and provided another piece of explosive news:
"The Queen of the Pleasure District, Stussy, is currently a guest at Rain Dinners."
Morgans slammed the table with his fist, furious:
"Stussy, that woman… everyone has called me, except her! She definitely knows something! Damn it, why does it have to be her?!"
He thought for a while in unease. It wasn't just that she was one of the six Underworld Emperors like him, but he was convinced now that the dragon's appearance was tied to that mysterious newcomer… Peter, the so-called 'God of Destruction.'
And Peter was infamous for his lust, while Stussy's strongest weapon was her fatal beauty… if she was involved, Morgans might never get a single useful piece of information!
He racked his memory: had he ever offended her before? Then he finally decided to call her directly.
"Boro boro boro… boro boro boro…"
He waited a long time with no reply. His legs shook with anxiety. Just as he was about to give up hope, someone finally answered.
"Mmm~ who's calling at such an hour?"
It was a man's voice. Morgans froze, then glanced at the window, realizing the moon was already high in the sky.
But it wasn't the time that concerned him…
"Who is this? Why is a man answering from Stussy's line?!"
On the other end, Peter lay shirtless in bed, while Stussy, breathing heavily, rested her soft body against his chest.
His face twisted with annoyance, and he said coldly:
"You fool, your snail's been ringing since we started, and now when I answer you say nothing… are you tired of living and want to die?"
Stussy lifted her head, saw the Den Den Mushi in Peter's hand, and smiled slyly:
"Oh… it's Morgans. You wouldn't be calling me at this hour unless it was something important, right?"
Morgans stammered:
"S… Stussy! So you're there…"
He wanted to ask about the man beside her, but her breathless voice told him more than words could. Wisely, he held his tongue.
It was clear what was happening there.
Stussy chuckled, her voice dripping with seduction:
"No need to pretend. I can guess why you're calling me now. But you're too late… sorry, if you want to know something, you'll have to ask Peter yourself."
Morgans' eyes hardened on the other side of the line, and he muttered to himself:
"So it is about him… that man!"
At the same time, he was baffled. How had those two ended up together? Were they also after that legendary dragon?
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The novel? It has only just begun! This is where the real fun starts.Don't forget the Power Stones!