With Tea pce, the key piece of the pn had been "arranged perfectly," signifitly increasing its feasibility.

  Now that the blueprint for the operation had taken shape, the step was to report it to the Five Elders.

  At the same time, Cudius was already preparing to dig a trap for them.

  A few days ter, after refining his pns into official dots and submitting them, the Five Elders spent three days deliberating. Ultimately, they agreed the strategy was viable and proceeded to vehe higher-ups of the Wover.

  Officials from Marine Headquarters, the CP agencies, and eveain underworld fas were summoo Mariejois for a strategy ference aimed at finalizing the pn.

  Once everything was set in motion, it would only be a matter of execution.

  ---

  Cudius sat leisurely in the courtyard, a neer in hand.

  There was nothing particurly important in it, just gossip and rumors. Oicle cimed that Red-Haired Shanks had stirred up trouble in the New World and then abahe mess to Whitebeard. Another absurd cim suggested that the "stingy old man" was still spending time with women, refusing to pay up.

  Cudius chuckled at the ridiculousness of it.

  Shanks ditg responsibilities? That sounds pusible.

  But Whitebeard? That old man needs an IV just to stay alive, and they expect me to believe he's out womanizing?

  Clearly, these rumors were nothing but nonsense.

  As he tinued reading, his Den Den Mushi suddenly rang. Cudius g it before answering with a smirk.

  "Well, well, if it isn't our dear young master. What's the occasion?"

  "Furufurufuru~ e on, cousin, drop the act. Do you have to call me that?"

  Dofmingo's voice came through the line, his tone amused.

  "Hahaha," Cudius chuckled.

  The two tinued exging small talk for a while before Cudius finally asked, "So, King of Dressrosa, what brings you to me today?"

  "Well, funny you should mention Dressrosa," Dofmingo said. " year, the Reverie is happening.

  As Dressrosa's king, I'll be heading to Mariejois for the summit.

  And cousin, from what I hear… you're pnning something big for that ference.

  Isn't that right?"

  ---

  The year was 1517 of the Sea dar.

  The Reverie, held once every four years, was set to take p 1518. Dressrosa was on the list of participating nations, and as its official, Wover-reized king, Dofmingo would be attending.

  Hearing his words, Cudius' expression became ptive.

  After a brief pause, he muttered softly, "Yes… the Reverie... That's where I'll ge the entire Wover."

  Oher end of the line, Dofmingo's breath hitched slightly, his excitement growing.

  Like Cudius, he despised the Celestial Dragons of Mariejois—all of them, except for his cousin.

  He knew Cudius' ultimate goal: to pletely reshape the Celestial Dragon hierarchy.

  For turies, the desdants of the Twenty Kings had ruled, but Cudius inteo ge that.

  Iure, there would only be one king.

  And that king… would belong to the Donquixote family.

  Dofmingo knew he would never sit on that throne himself, but he didn't care. He was more than happy to see his cousin asd to the highest seat in the world, so long as it meant watg those damned Celestial Dragons suffer.

  So, with a sinister grin, Dofmingo spoke.

  "Then, cousin… wheime es, I have those bastards for myself?"

  Cudius ughed.

  "Wouldn't that be a bit b?" he mused.

  "For 800 years, the people of the world have been forced to ehe oppression of the Celestial Dragons.

  Wheime es, we o give them a way to vent all that rese, don't you think?"

  Dofmingo took a deep breath, intrigued.

  "What are you pnning, cousin?"

  Cudius' smirk widened.

  "Those arrogant bastards love funting their nobility before the world, don't they?

  Fine.

  Let's make sure the whole wets a good, long look at them."

  Dofmingo's eyes lit up.

  "Oh… He's pnning a public dispy."

  As Cudius said, the people's hatred had been building for turies. If he wanted his new govero be seen as a true force of ge, he o give them a symbolic victory—ohat would make them feel the shift firsthand.

  Imagi:

  The oouchable Celestial Dragons, dragged out in s.

  The so-called "gods" of the world, paraded through the streets before the people they had tormented.

  The same people who had once been forced to kneel before them… now standing tall as their former oppressors cowered in disgrace.

  Dofmingo grinned.

  "Cousin… Leave that task to me."

  "Ahahahaha! I was ting on it!" Cudius ughed heartily.

  After their ughter died down, Dofmingo grew quiet, his tone more serious.

  This was no small matter. They weren't just rebelling against the Wover, they were waging war agai turies of absolute power.

  Even after everything he had seen, the sheer scale of Cudius' ambition was overwhelming.

  And for the first time in a while… he felt uneasy.

  After a moment of silence, he spoke.

  "Cousin… are you sure about this?"

  ---

  Cudius didn't answer right away.

  Instead, he gazed at the ke before him.

  The surface was calm, refleg the sky above.

  Then, suddenly, a tiny i nded oer, creating ripples that spread outward.

  In an instant, several rge fish surged to the surface, snapping at the disturbance.

  A small, seemingly insignifit ripple… had throwire ke into chaos.

  Smiling, Cudius finally responded.

  "Dover… in this world, there is no such thing as certainty.

  All I do is give it my all… and leave the rest to fate."

  He paused for a moment before adding,

  "But that's enough.

  Eight hundred years ago, our aors, the Donquixote family rose from Dressrosa and reshaped the world.

  Now, eight turies ter… I will lead us to the top once again."

  ---

  "The King of the World huh?" Dofmingo chuckled.

  "Yes," Cudius decred fidently. "The King of the World."

  "Furafurufuru… Cousin, you never ge.

  Ah… but we are family.

  I'll bet my life on you."

  Cudius smirked. "It's not just you.

  Nia. Stussy. Crocodile. Eesoro.

  Thousands of people have pced their fate in my hands.

  With so much at stake… do you really think I'd let them lose?"

  Dofmingo didn't press any further.

  He didn't o.

  After exging a few final words, the two brothers eheir call.

  ---

  Cudius turned back toward the ke.

  A single bug had fallen onto the water's surface.

  And just like before, it sent ripples through the ke, drawing in the predators lurkih.

  ---

  "Yhness," Nia's voice came from behind. "Sengoku has arrived. The meeting with the Five Elders is about to begin.

  It's time to go."

  Cudius rose to his feet.

  Nia stepped forward, draping a dark brown coat over his shoulders.

  Cudius adjusted it slightly before smiling.

  "It begins now," he murmured.

  "Let's lead them onto the stage."

  Nia smiled. "Wishing you victory, Yhness."

  Cudius chuckled.

  "Victory?

  I never lose."