351-355

Chapter 351

At this moment, many people on the battlefield had stopped fighting. They stood in a state of mutual vigilance, all turning their heads toward the direction of the mushroom cloud, their faces a mix of shock and confusion. 

"Are these powers even from the same dimension as ours?" 

Whether it was Imu-sama or the "Witch of Light," their own battles seemed meaningless in the face of this clash. A fight between such powerful beings could easily sway the course of the war. No matter who won, they could likely kill over eighty percent of everyone present on their own. So, instead of continuing to fight, it was better to take a break and wait for the result of that battle. 

In this strange lull, a tense quiet settled over the battlefield. Only the Admirals and the Emperors continued to clash. 

RUMBLE 

That sound came from the platform where Imu had first stood. Unable to withstand the impact of the "Super - Meteor Shower," it had delayed for a moment before beginning to shatter. From a bystander's perspective, they could clearly see cracks spreading like spiderwebs across the stone, turning into a cascade of rubble. 

A massive wave of dust poured out, engulfing any Marines and pirates who hadn't managed to get away. All figures were swallowed up, their fates unknown. 

Deep within the smoky ruins, the battle between Uchiha Hikaru and Imu raged on. 

"So... you're still alive, huh?" Hikaru narrowed her eyes, looking across from her. 

She had now left her "meteor fireball" state and was maintaining her twenty-meter-tall perfect Susanoo. She casually swung her dark red greatsword to clear a cloud of smoke, her gaze fixed forward. 

Not far away, a massive, dark humanoid creature, a grotesque combination of different monstrous features, was slowly writhing. Tiny pieces of flesh and bone around it were being absorbed by its tentacles, making it even larger and more horrifying. 

Yes, this bizarre thing was Imu. 

Hikaru's "Meteor Shower" had indeed caused immense damage, tearing Imu apart into countless pieces of flesh. But somehow, this creature was still alive, continuously absorbing and reassembling the scattered pieces of itself into this monstrous, flesh-and-blood giant. 

Putting aside its terrifying regenerative abilities, Imu looked like... 

"A patchwork of many Mythical Zoan creatures?" 

"Could it be that the powers of the Five Elders were all split off from this person?" 

It was a reasonable assumption. The Five Elders' classic dark, Mythical Zoan forms and their unusual healing abilities made a connection almost certain. Perhaps Imu was the true oddity of the One Piece world, making Blackbeard's unique body seem insignificant in comparison. 

Out of curiosity, Hikaru didn't attack right away. She waited for Imu-sama to finish regenerating. 

"Heh... heheh..." 

"Foolish woman. You didn't kill me when you had the chance..." 

"And those idiots outside... they're so laughable, thinking you're the legendary 'Joy Boy'..." 

Due to its flesh reconstructing itself, Imu's voice began to waver, as if coming from all directions at once. One thing it said was true: Uchiha Hikaru was, in fact, not "Joy Boy." 

But at this point, those details were unimportant. For Imu, the only thing that mattered was using all its power to destroy the enemy in front of it. 

"...I don't know where you came from, but since you've dared to commit such treasonous acts, prepare to pay for your sins with your life!" 

With that final declaration, Imu's aura surged upward like a flame. 

Hikaru noticed that while Imu was speaking, it had dispersed its fleshly tissues around the area. In an instant, they rose and closed in above the ruins, transforming the space into a fleshy palace, or perhaps the inside of some monster's guts. 

"So... this is your true form?" 

Hikaru nonchalantly looked around and nodded slightly. "It reminds me of an old acquaintance." 

The "acquaintance" she was thinking of was a certain demon king from the Demon Slayer world. Both had immortal bodies and were made of flesh. Imu's current form bore a striking resemblance to Muzan Kibutsuji. The difference, however, was in strength; Imu was far more powerful, like the difference between a sun and a star. 

With that in mind... 

"I'll capture you and study you a bit." 

Hikaru shook her blade, making her decision. 

Imu clearly heard her words. Its already unstable aura became even more ferocious. In an instant, it formed countless flesh-and-blood blades and spears that flew at Uchiha Hikaru with unstoppable force! 

SHUU SHUU SHUU— 

A piercing sound ripped through the air. 

Each of these tentacles was clearly infused with an incredibly dense Haoshoku Haki. The strength of each attack was nearly on par with Yamato's "Thunder Bagua." Hikaru's Sharingan was now fully active, watching all directions at once. The greatsword in Susanoo's hand split into two, swinging and cutting down the tentacles on either side. 

Even though it was Susanoo who was doing the swinging, Hikaru could gauge the toughness of the tentacles by the damage to her dark red greatsword. They were truly formidable. 

What was more troublesome was that the tentacles, once cut off, would squirm and reattach to Imu's body, restoring its power. It didn't matter if she cut them into a fine paste; they would still regenerate. 

At the same time, Imu was rapidly compressing the "walls" of flesh around them, seemingly trying to crush Hikaru and trap her within the fleshy palace. 

"...Fine." 

"I was hoping to practice my sword skills a bit longer, but now... I'll use this jutsu instead." 

Hikaru sighed. As Imu's crazed laughter grew louder, she closed her eyes, then opened them again. 

It was the simplest of blinks. 

In the next moment, a crimson flame appeared in her eyes, gently swirling into the shape of a Mangekyo Sharingan. 

"Amaterasu!" 

Black flames erupted! 

Chapter 352: The Curtain Falls 

Having decided to use "Amaterasu," Uchiha Hikari no longer held back. She pushed her Mangekyo Sharingan's power to its absolute limit, then manipulated the black flames to coalesce around her into a twisting, dragon-like form, roaring as it surged outwards! 

"This is..." 

At first, Imu merely thought these black flames were a special kind of high-temperature fire and tried to forcibly disperse them with his tentacles. It wasn't until he realized that the parts of his body touched by the black flames became irreparable that he began to show signs of terror. 

Just a moment of hesitation. Uchiha Hikari immediately caught his shift in emotion, then scoffed and whispered, "Trying to run? Too late!" 

The next second, the Amaterasu black flames coiling around Uchiha Hikari spun wildly, many times more intensely than before. In the blink of an eye, they grew from five or six meters to twenty or thirty, then to a terrifying size of over a hundred meters! And a red line of fire emerged within this "Black Flame Dragon," making "its" body even more scorching! 

—The divine weapon, Hiraishin, born from the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan! 

The original "Amaterasu" had a temperature of around 6000 degrees, already a higher temperature than the Mera Mera no Mi (Flame-Flame Fruit) and Magu Magu no Mi (Magma-Magma Fruit). After being enhanced by "Hiraishin," this number rapidly soared in a very short time, reaching over ten thousand degrees in just a few breaths! 

In fact, this temperature wasn't even the limit of Uchiha Hikari's ocular power, but it was already more than enough to deal with Imu, who had already begun to retreat. It was even overkill. 

Wherever the "Black Flame Dragon" passed, within the visible range, everything melted. Even the ground beneath Uchiha Hikari and Imu was scorched and cracked by the scorching flames. Some parts turned into black-grey molten rock, flowing outwards, while others vaporized into a misty cloud, dispersing into the surroundings. 

In some areas, the rocks had already begun to collapse and sink, revealing the ocean below. And these waters, previously hidden by the island, began to churn and boil under the high temperature. 

By this point, Imu no longer cared about killing Uchiha Hikari. Instead, he rapidly contracted his remaining flesh, fleeing quickly in the opposite direction. But Uchiha Hikari didn't give him a chance to escape. With a thought, the black flame dragon beside her roared and pursued, engulfing Imu's body layer by layer, chasing him high into the sky, nearly a thousand meters above the sea! 

From an outsider's perspective, it looked as if a massive black pillar of fire had risen into the heavens, connecting the sky and the earth! 

Then, Uchiha Hikari's main body, carried by her Susanoo, also shot into the sky, chasing after that towering pillar of fire! During this process, she released the multiple shadow clones she had been maintaining, then formed new hand signs, splitting her body into five. Four of these clones used the Dance of the Sky to fly to the four corners of the towering fire pillar, then simultaneously channeled their chakra, forming a series of hand signs: "Sealing Jutsu... Four Red Yang Formation!" 

Red flames appeared, then spread and converged over the sea, outlining a square barrier! At first glance, it looked as if the entire ocean around Mariejois had been set ablaze! The flames formed a massive square, hovering above the sea! 

The Four Red Yang Formation. This technique was almost the pinnacle of sealing jutsu in the Naruto world, requiring four individuals with Kage-level chakra to use it together. Once activated, it could even withstand the impact of a Ten-Tails Tailed Beast Bomb. Uchiha Hikari's current chakra reserves were far more than four times that of an ordinary Kage! 

Imu, fleeing in a panic, crashed into the newly formed barrier, was scorched by the flames on its inner wall, and then began to fall. Uchiha Hikari pursued from the side, casually swinging the greatsword formed by "Hiraishin," and with a single strike, cut him in half at the waist! 

By now, the Four Red Yang Formation was completely sealed. Inside the barrier, Amaterasu's flames were everywhere, dyeing the previously translucent barrier black. 

At this point, Imu was completely incapable of fighting Uchiha Hikari. His humanoid outline struggled weakly for a few moments, then his black flesh began to melt and shrink, and the aura of a powerful being rapidly faded. 

Uchiha Hikari waited quietly. When Imu's body was eighty percent burned away, leaving only a small charred humanoid outline, she raised her hand and dispersed the black flames surrounding Imu. Then, she threw out the Coral Blood Orb, sealing him within its barrier, and added another layer of Eight Trigrams Sealing. 

—This Imu-sama's immortality principle was probably different from Muzan and Naraku. Sealing him temporarily should be fine. But how to deal with him specifically would likely require discussing it with Minato Namikaze and Kikyo, both masters of sealing jutsu, before making a decision. 

Having done all this, Uchiha Hikari looked around at the land and sea, which had been ravaged and scarred by the battle, and sighed softly. 

First, she retracted the remaining Amaterasu into her right eye. Then, she raised her hand to dispel the "Four Red Yang Formation," recalling her shadow clones. 

Only then did the scene inside the barrier become visible again to those on shore. Although Imu hadn't been completely killed, but existed as a partial remnant, temporarily sealed by Uchiha Hikari using the Blood Orb barrier, to those unaware of the truth, this scene held a different meaning. 

"Imu-sama... was actually killed?!" 

"How is this possible?!" 

"Can even a Lord be defeated?" 

The Five Elders and the Holy Knights stared at the scene with disbelief written all over their faces. 

High above the sea, Uchiha Hikari's eyes were slightly closed, the Mangekyo Sharingan's pattern hidden. She then turned around: "...It's over." 

"The era of the Celestial Dragons has come to an end." 

After speaking, she looked distantly at Sengoku and Kong on Mariejois Island, then, amidst their astonished and uncertain gazes, let out a soft breath: "Now... it's your turn to make your choices." 

Before her words even finished, Uchiha Hikari let out a heavy snort, and an unprecedented "aura" erupted from her, sweeping across the entire battlefield like a storm! 

—Conqueror's Haki!! 

Chapter 353: The World Has Suffered Under the Celestial Dragons for Too Long! 

This was the first time Uchiha Hikari unleashed her Conqueror's Haki in the One Piece world. 

The "Ki" that had been swirling around her, showing signs of agitation since the sealing of Im, finally erupted completely at this moment. 

BOOM—!! 

Amidst violent gusts of wind, towering waves of water rose behind Uchiha Hikari, and countless ripples visible to the naked eye burst forth in the air. Everyone on the island of Mary Geoise, Marines and pirates alike, felt an overwhelming surge of power heading their way, which then transformed into a mountain-like pressure that pressed down on their shoulders. 

With cracking sounds from their bones, these individuals involuntarily knelt or prostrated themselves. The weapons in their hands could no longer be held, clattering to the ground. 

Whoosh— 

As the strong winds howled, even the very colors of the sky and land seemed to change! 

"This level of Conqueror's Haki... surely only 'Joy Boy' from eight hundred years ago could achieve it!" 

While the "Joy Boy" claim wasn't actually true, at this moment, the Gorosei and others truly felt the same despair that the Celestial Dragon ancestors had felt when facing the original "Joy Boy" eight hundred years ago. 

Under such pressure, even breathing became extremely difficult for them; they felt as if they were suffocating. 

On the other side, because the impact of the Conqueror's Haki didn't distinguish between friend and foe, Whitebeard, Yamato, Hancock, and others within the affected area also felt that suffocating pressure. 

Even powerhouses of the Yonko and Warlord tiers felt uncomfortable at this moment, barely able to maintain their footing by gritting their teeth, preventing themselves from directly collapsing to their knees. 

In comparison, only Esdeath seemed relaxed, as if she wasn't much affected. 

She even shifted her stance, turning her body to face Uchiha Hikari directly. Then, looking up at the black-haired girl standing tall in the sky like a monarch, surveying all below, she curled her lips slightly. "Just as expected of you... Hikari." 

After a brief silence, Uchiha Hikari's cherry lips parted, and she spoke directly forward: 

"Surrender..." 

"...Or die!" 

Under the amplification of her Conqueror's Haki, the surging sound waves exploded like a spring thunderclap, spreading outwards from Uchiha Hikari's body in a massive, fan-shaped area. Whitebeard and others were slightly better off due to their distance, but the Marines closer to the sea surface collapsed in droves, clearly no longer capable of fighting. 

"..." 

Sengoku glanced towards Kong, then at the Gorosei further away, and sighed. 

There was no other way. 

Im-sama's defeat was a foregone conclusion, and this meant the era of the Celestial Dragons was over. While the Marines served the Celestial Dragons, they didn't exclusively belong to them. There was no need to challenge such an unbeatable foe just to die alongside Im. 

So, after a moment of careful consideration, Sengoku finally made a difficult decision: 

"All Marines... surrender to 'Joy Boy'!" 

"!!" 

As Sengoku's voice fell, Kong and Akainu, who had been half-beaten by Whitebeard, widened their eyes, their faces contorted with rage. "Sengoku, what are you saying?! How can the glorious Marines surrender to these despicable pirates?! Even if we die..." 

"...You just said 'despicable,' right?" 

A sudden female voice spoke from behind them. 

Kong and Akainu simultaneously turned their heads, seeing the black-haired girl's figure appear beside them. A gentle smile even graced her face, but the fiery crimson in her eyes was chilling. 

"You..." 

"Tsukuyomi!" 

As the two words were uttered, Kong and Akainu both fell into a daze, as if unsure of their surroundings. The two afterimages of Uchiha Hikari that had appeared beside them faded away, reappearing beside the Gorosei on the other side. 

"You five also seem to have objections?" 

"..." 

The Gorosei opened their mouths, then exchanged glances, ultimately not daring to curse out the thoughts in their minds. 

However, Uchiha Hikari had no intention of letting them off the hook. "You all seem to have similar immortality abilities to Im, right? Since ordinary methods won't kill you... then come on in. Self-Curse Seal!" 

Five sealing scrolls were successively opened and closed in Uchiha Hikari's hands, and the figures of the Gorosei vanished from their spots. 

This scene caused the surrounding Marines to widen their eyes in disbelief. In their understanding, they couldn't possibly imagine any Devil Fruit or Haki that could produce so many different applications. Some even looked at Uchiha Hikari as if she were a demon, their faces etched with fear. 

"Hoo..." 

Another soft exhale. 

As Uchiha Hikari lightly exhaled, the Conqueror's Haki that had been swirling above the area finally receded. 

But most people remained dutifully in place, not daring to move freely. 

Only a few on the outskirts of the battlefield, who hadn't participated in the recent melee and were quite far from Uchiha Hikari, like "Heavenly Yaksha" Doflamingo among the Warlords, quickly used his Devil Fruit ability to slip away. 

Uchiha Hikari glanced in that direction but didn't bother with him. 

— That level of opponent wasn't worth her personally intercepting. She'd leave it to a certain true "Joy Boy" to deal with. 

"Fleet Admiral Sengoku." 

Uchiha Hikari lightly tapped her foot, her figure flickering like a ghost, reappearing before Sengoku, who had just straightened up. 

By this time, Yamato had also recovered and wanted to finish her fight with Sengoku, but Uchiha Hikari raised a hand to stop her. Yamato reluctantly lowered her kanabo and then stood guard by Hikari's side, glaring fiercely around them. 

"Since you've made your choice, please help gather the remaining Marines and end this war." 

Though phrased as a "please," Uchiha Hikari's words carried an undeniable sense of authority. 

"...I understand." 

Sengoku's expression shifted a few times before he finally let out a heavy sigh, speaking in a deep voice. 

The World Government's humiliating defeat spread across the seas within days, becoming the hottest topic in the One Piece world. 

Many people's initial reaction to the news was "fake news." 

After all, the Celestial Dragons had stood at the apex of the world for eight hundred years. During this time, there had been attempts at rebellion, but each ended in disastrous failure. The last such warning was Fisher Tiger twenty years ago. Many nations that refused to join the World Government had been silently annihilated in the preceding years. 

Therefore, most people found it hard to imagine that such supreme beings as the Gorosei could actually fall from grace. 

— As for "Im-sama," over ninety percent of the populace didn't even know such a figure existed, so no one discussed him at all. 

It wasn't until the "World Economy News Paper" published a special feature detailing the rise of the "Dimensional Pirate Crew," starting from sinking Jack near Onigashima, to their rampage in the Sabaody Archipelago, and then to "Marineford War 2.0." This detailed yet concise account, complete with corresponding photos, finally dispelled their doubts. 

What followed was widespread celebration— 

The world had suffered under the Celestial Dragons for too long! 

Many who had been oppressed and persecuted by the Celestial Dragons and the "Heavenly Tribute" began holding parties, celebrating their downfall. 

Others were worried, fearing that the upheaval brought by the changing era would swallow up the common people. Some even worried that the next era might just be another cycle. 

Of course... 

Some people had more complex feelings. 

Like Kaido. 

Several months had passed since the "Dimensional Group" caused chaos on Onigashima. 

Kaido had mostly recovered from his injuries and was now taking a newspaper from King. After reading the news reports several times, he tilted his head back and guzzled half a jar of sake. "Haha... Even 'Im-sama' was defeated, huh?" 

"And that Whitebeard, a Yonko, actually needed to form an alliance with others just to rescue his crewmate. What a... Hmph!" 

"..." 

King hesitated beside him, not daring to bring up Yamato. 

But Kaido himself didn't seem to care, even having the mind to scoff a few more times. "And that brat Yamato, betraying her own father and the Beast Pirates to join that 'Joy Boy's' crew, only to end up as the fourth-in-command? How shameful!" 

After a tirade of grumbling, Kaido finally sighed. "Oh well, let her be." 

Originally, Kaido had a faint desire to train more during this time, develop some new moves, and try to get revenge on Uchiha Hikari and Esdeath. But now... after seeing the "Dimensional Group's" latest achievements, a thought suddenly occurred to the "Strongest Creature": 

"Perhaps... it wouldn't be so bad to just peacefully retire?" 

Meanwhile, Big Mom in Whole Cake Island was still completely bewildered. 

What... what happened? 

News reports about the "Sabaody Archipelago Pirate Rampage" had indeed reached Whole Cake Island recently. But... that's different from the World Government collapsing, isn't it? It felt like she woke up one morning and the whole world had changed. 

As a former member of the Rocks Pirates and a survivor of the "God Valley Incident" over thirty years ago, Big Mom knew just how terrifying "Im-sama's" true power was. If someone could break through his control of "Uranus" and defeat him head-on... 

Suddenly, Big Mom felt deeply uneasy. She couldn't even enjoy her favorite cake anymore. 

Chapter 354: Laying It All Out 

At this moment, Uchiha Hikari, now the fifth... or rather, the sixth Emperor of these seas, was actually wrestling with a problem. 

She was just an ordinary Uchiha girl who originally came to help Yamato rescue Ace. How did she, purely by accident, manage to overturn an entire empire... again? 

That's right, "again." 

This wasn't the first time something like this had happened. The last time was in the Akame ga Kill! world. She merely wanted to witness the power of those top-tier Imperial Arms firsthand, but she inadvertently went a bit overboard, adding fuel to the already crumbling empire. It truly felt like history was repeating itself. 

The only difference was the location and the people involved: 

This was the conference hall the World Government used for their World Summit. 

Inside the hundreds-of-square-meter room, a massive round table was set. Uchiha Hikari sat at the head, flanked by Bulma and Esdeath. Below them were Yamato, Minato Namikaze, Hancock, Whitebeard, Sengoku, Rayleigh... and a certain "Face-Face Fruit" user, Red-Haired Shanks, who arrived fashionably late with his crew after the "Paramount War" concluded. 

Marines, pirates, Warlords, former Roger Pirates members... 

You could say that over half of the major players in the entire One Piece world were gathered here. 

The only ones missing were the Revolutionary Army. 

However, the Revolutionary Army likely had no reason to be here. Due to the plot changes, Ivankov and his group, who would have participated in the original "Paramount War," didn't show up. And Dragon, the leader of the Revolutionary Army, was probably sweating it out in some corner somewhere... So, that missing piece of the puzzle in this meeting likely wouldn't be filled. 

Once everyone was seated, all eyes turned to Uchiha Hikari, waiting for her to give orders. 

But Uchiha Hikari... 

was calmly chatting with her "Dimensional Crew" members. 

[No_Name: So... in this kind of setting, shouldn't the esteemed Captain be sitting at the head of the table, leading the charge? @Bulma I'm just an ordinary co-captain, how did I end up in the lead seat?] 

[Bulma: Well, everyone's already decided, we're choosing you, Little Hikari, to be this generation's 'Joy Boy.' Plus, Im-sama and the Five Elders were defeated by you, and the Marines were suppressed and convinced by you. I, your captain, won't try to steal your thunder now~] 

[Ironhead: Yeah, yeah! Ms. Hikari was so cool that day, like a god descending from the heavens!] 

[No_Name: ...] 

Alright, fine. 

Indeed, this situation was a bit different from the last time in the Akame ga Kill! world. Back then, the Revolutionary Army was already planning to invade the Imperial Capital; Uchiha Hikari just happened to be in the right place at the right time. But this time, the entire "Paramount War 2.0" was practically orchestrated and led by her. Now that the Celestial Dragons had fallen, the Pirate World was in complete chaos. Just packing up and leaving would be a bit improper. 

"Very well." 

"Since everyone is here, I'll be frank." 

Uchiha Hikari cleared her throat and began, "First off, my comrades and I have no interest in ruling the world." 

"However, we are very interested in 'correcting' the wrongs of this world." 

"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, and Vice Admirals Garp and Tsuru, perhaps from your perspective, all of us here are pirates, a group that needs to be regularly purged and arrested. But from my perspective, and my comrades', you and the Celestial Dragons are no different." 

"Pillaging, burning, and robbing at sea, arbitrarily taking innocent people's lives and property, is naturally evil. But is the arbitrary power over life and death, the 'those who obey prosper, those who defy perish' attitude of the Celestial Dragons, not evil? And you, who have faithfully executed the Celestial Dragons' decisions for so many years, even acts of genocide like the Buster Call—is that truly the Marines' justice?" 

"When it's indiscriminate slaughter against innocent people, who's to say who's more noble?" 

"..." 

Sengoku hesitated, wanting to speak but holding back. 

As a Marine who had risen from a common soldier to Fleet Admiral, he, of course, knew exactly what kind of characters the Celestial Dragons at the top were. 

Let's not even talk about trivial matters like public murders, forced prostitution, or slave trading. 

And let's not even mention the immense burden of the "Heavenly Tribute" on the affiliated nations. 

The most outrageous thing was undoubtedly the Celestial Dragons' "slaughter one country every three years" game that they'd been playing over the years. Although the definition of "country" in the One Piece world is quite broad, a "country" typically refers to a population of tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands. So many people were being massacred in batches every three years, merely to satisfy the twisted desires of certain elites. 

Sengoku sometimes wavered in his own convictions, doubting whether serving such people truly aligned with "justice." 

But... 

"Even bad order is better than no order at all," he thought. 

"Bullshit!" 

This time, it wasn't Uchiha Hikari speaking, but Bulma from beside her. "The only reason those Celestial Dragons have gotten away with acting like tyrants for so long is because there are too many people like you!" 

"You talk about 'justice' all day, but when it comes to the unjust actions of the Celestial Dragons, you don't even dare to make a peep! You even chase down anyone who tries to stop them! If this world needs to maintain order this way, then it's better to just smash it all and start over—it'd be more satisfying!" 

"Gurahahahaha~ You're right!" 

Whitebeard slammed his fist on the table, declaring loudly, "I pretty much know about the shady dealings you've all been involved in, following the Celestial Dragons. I'm ashamed that I wasn't strong enough to stand up against them publicly like Ms. Bulma and Ms. Hikari. But I firmly agree with Ms. Bulma's words! Even if you gathered a bunch of dogs to form the World Government, it would be better than being ruled by scumbags like the Celestial Dragons!" 

"...Isn't that a bit exaggerated?" 

Uchiha Hikari tilted her head, imagining it, and felt like it wasn't far off the mark. 

After all, dogs wouldn't issue an order to "destroy a country every three years"... 

"My thoughts are the same as Whitebeard-senpai, and Ms. Hikari and Ms. Bulma." 

Hancock, who had experienced being enslaved by Celestial Dragons, also expressed her support. 

Then came Yamato and the others, and even Garp surprisingly seconded it. 

Sengoku gave an awkward glance at his old friend beside him, then took a deep breath. "Then, what is your intention, Lady Hikari?" 

"My intention... is to form a new, democratic governing body." 

"The era of the Celestial Dragons has ended; no one can change that. And a new world needs a new order to maintain it. All of you here are the cream of the crop in this world. You've witnessed the evil deeds of the Celestial Dragons, and you understand the hardships of ordinary people. If that's the case... why not form a council and collectively decide where the future of this world will go?" 

Ultimately, the matters of the One Piece world should be decided by the people of the One Piece world. 

All Uchiha Hikari could do was give it a push from behind. 

Of course... 

Even if this "council" were truly formed, it wouldn't be realistic to end the chaos in the One Piece world overnight. 

After all, the territory of these seas is truly vast. The World Government alone has 170 affiliated nations, and if you count the unaffiliated ones, there must be two to three hundred, with populations in the hundreds of millions, scattered across the North, South, East, and West Blues, as well as the Grand Line. It's simply impossible to govern so many different countries, races, and humans with a single, universally applicable method. 

Even the Celestial Dragons couldn't do it, nor could Kami from the Dragon Ball universe. 

However, at least a slight change in the future's direction, allowing the common people to live better lives than they did during the Celestial Dragon era, should be achievable. 

Regarding this... 

Bulat and Akame, among others, probably had some ideas. Now that the Celestial Dragons had fallen, no one would issue bounties for them, so they could try implementing their plans without restraint. 

Chapter 355

The discussion then moved on to Whitebeard and Shanks. With Uchiha Hikaru, Bulma, and Esdeath not planning to get too involved, and the Marines being the losing side and therefore not fully trustworthy, these two pirate emperors were the best candidates to lead the "new order." 

Whitebeard, in particular, had been thinking about retiring in recent years due to his old age and illness. But with the "Demonization Serum" rejuvenating him by almost a decade and his recent victory over Akainu, he was full of fighting spirit again, eager to contribute to the new order. 

From the "Dimensional Crew," Brand and Minato Namikaze also offered many ideas. Brand's suggestions had a clear influence from the Akame ga Kill! world's empire, while Minato subtly brought up the situation in the Hidden Leaf Village and the five great nations. It seemed he was using this discussion to organize his own thoughts and see if he could find any practical methods for achieving lasting peace. 

Uchiha Hikaru rested her chin on her hand, listening idly. Then, she saw a message from Yamato in the chat group: 

[Oni Princess@No Name: Miss Hikaru, what did Mr. Minato mean just now? 'Centralized government'? 'Dealing with corruption'? And what about everything Whitebeard was saying? I don't understand any of it!] 

[Hard-Headed Kid: Um... I don't really get it either. It would be great if someone could explain it.] 

Seeing these two messages pop up, Hikaru's mouth twitched. She looked up from the main seat, glanced at Yamato and Tanjiro sitting at the corner of the round table, and sent her message: 

[No Name: Heh, you guys don't need to worry about that... Yamato, remember that you're different from them. You can't waste your time thinking about these complicated things. You'd be better off spending that energy in the 'Gravity Training Room.' That way, if your father Kaido ever shows up, you can take him on and teach him the meaning of 'fatherly love and filial piety.'] 

[Bulma: ...Huh?] 

Bulma couldn't help but chuckle at Hikaru's half-joking remark. 

Minato, however, took a moment away from his busy work to offer an explanation: 

[The Yellow Flash: Miss Hikaru is just joking... These issues aren't as complicated as they seem. I've been working on understanding some of them recently. If you're interested, Miss Yamato, I can explain it to you after the meeting.] 

[Oni Princess: Yay!] 

The meeting about "how to guide the One Piece world toward a brighter future" finally concluded as the sun set after lasting for most of the day. 

Minato kept his promise and set up a small whiteboard to teach Yamato some political science. After staying up for most of the night, he gave up. Yamato was simply too far behind in her knowledge, lacking even basic common sense. Tanjiro wasn't much better; he had never even been to school. Whatever he knew, like how to read a little and write letters, was something he'd diligently learned since joining the group. 

However, compared to the genius Bulma, Minato, the knowledgeable Kikyo, who was well-versed in Shinto and various other subjects, and the nine-year-educated Yuji Itadori and Miko, what Tanjiro had learned was still very superficial. As for Eri... although the little monster sometimes spoke in a disjointed way, her education level was actually quite high. What she lacked was life experience. 

Afterward, Whitebeard, Shanks, Sengoku, and others, following Hikaru's proposal, formed a temporary leadership team and began to operate. There was still a lot to be done. 

The news of the Celestial Dragons' downfall had spread throughout the world, but the reactions varied. Of the World Government's 170 member nations, only a small number had tried to contact Mariejois via phone, letter, or official visits to gather information. The rest were taking a "wait and see" approach. 

Of course, some member nations were openly defiant, refusing to recognize the legitimacy of the "new government" and even issuing proclamations against Uchiha Hikaru. Hikaru wasn't bothered by this at all. 

Why waste time on a bunch of suicidal insects? 

Imu and the Five Elders were gone. If these nations were truly stubborn and refused to accept the reality of the Celestial Dragons' fall, then they could be sent to join them. After all, few of these nations' ruling classes were clean; most had actively exploited their people. Replacing such governments would be a good thing. 

Additionally, many nations on the Grand Line, such as the territories controlled by Whitebeard and Shanks, had never joined the World Government. Deciding how to handle these people and whether to invite them to join the new order was another matter to be considered. 

During all this, Minato and Brand were also given positions to help with basic administrative tasks. Both had been leaders before—one was a former general of the Akame ga Kill! world, a significant figure even if not on par with Esdeath, and the other was a village leader from the Ninja World. While the village was a small nation's capital, he was still a high-ranking official. It was no problem for them to help with the new government. 

As for the other high-ranking official, Esdeath... she was obsessed with the "Gravity Training Room," focused on increasing her power and had no time for anything else. 

It's worth noting that the Revolutionary Army had sent a letter in the past couple of days, personally written by their leader, Dragon, expressing their willingness to cooperate in a gentle tone. 

Hikaru quickly read it and passed it to Whitebeard and Shanks to make a decision. She didn't have a high opinion of the Revolutionary Army, finding their convictions and abilities to be a bit too ordinary, as they had made little headway for so many years. However, she had to admit they were a powerful force in this world and were far more reliable than the useless Celestial Dragons. 

Therefore, cooperation was not an issue. As long as their goals aligned and they didn't get caught up in power struggles, the other details weren't that important. 

[No Name: By the way, Mr. Minato, what are your plans for the Shinobi World?]