Morgans followed Stussy and arrived behind Cudius. As he looked around, his gaze suddenly sharpened, he had spotted something remarkable.

  It was a massive naginata, one so famous that anyone could recognize it at a gnce.

  It was the weapon once wielded by the Strongest Man in the World—Edward "Whitebeard" Newgate.

  One of the Twelve Supreme Grade Bdes, a peerless weapon—Murakumogiri.

  Yet now, it was casually leaning against a tree nearby, as if someone had simply tossed it there after losing interest.

  This nonchant dispy only added to Morgans' unease. It reminded him once again of the terrifying reality, the man sitting before him, with just his back visible, had utterly destroyed the once-mighty Whitebeard Pirates.

  Indeed, Murakumogiri was now Cudius' trophy.

  Originally, it was highly likely that Shanks would have taken the naginata and pced it in front of Whitebeard's grave as a memorial.

  But this time, Cudius hadn't given Shanks any face, he had forced him to leave in disgrace, so naturally, Murakumogiri never ended up in Shanks' hands.

  As for Whitebeard's burial, the World Government had initially pnned to use his severed head as a warning to the New World. However, they were too preoccupied dealing with their own internal chaos to follow through.

  Instead, Cudius personally chose a prime location for Whitebeard's grave, ensuring he received a proper burial.

  It wasn't Whitebeard's identity as a pirate that Cudius respected—after all, he had no respect for pirates.

  What he respected was Whitebeard's strength and his title as the Strongest Man in the World.

  And so, Murakumogiri remained in Cudius' possession.

  He had no interest in using it, he wasn't fond of rge weapons but as one of the Twelve Supreme Grade Bdes, it was an excellent collector's item.

  Just a few days ago, Zoro had taken it out to "py with", but after messing around for a bit, he had left it there and never bothered to put it back.

  ---

  "Your Highness, Morgans has arrived," Stussy said softly as she approached Cudius.

  Cudius didn't respond, his gaze remained fixed on his fishing rod, looking somewhat frustrated.

  "Have these fish gotten smarter?" he wondered.

  Lately, it had been incredibly difficult for him to catch anything in this pond.

  Unbeknownst to him, Nami had been secretly feeding the fish every day, making them completely uninterested in bait.

  As soon as Stussy finished speaking, Morgans didn't dare dey.

  Here in the Domain of the Gods, he might be able to rely on Stussy's protection to avoid bowing to other Celestial Dragons, but when it came to Cudius, there was no room for hesitation.

  Without a moment's pause, Morgans immediately dropped to his knees, pressing his forehead against the ground.

  In a deep voice, he decred, "Morgans greets Saint Cudius!"

  "You can get up," Cudius said, still not turning around.

  At least he didn't torment Morgans.

  Had it been Teach, he probably would've forced him to kneel for a long time.

  Come to think of it… Cudius did feel a little nostalgic about that fool.

  A clever, loyal pdog, beaten to death by Sakazuki…

  It was almost a shame.

  After hearing Cudius' command, Morgans didn't hesitate, he immediately stood up.

  This wasn't the time to py games.

  This Highness was known for his decisiveness, and the st thing Morgans wanted was to annoy him by trying to act humble.

  As soon as he got up, Stussy gave him a brief nod before turning and leaving.

  Meanwhile, Cudius remained motionless, still sitting calmly by the pond, not speaking a word.

  Morgans didn't dare utter a sound, standing there as silent as a quail.

  The pond's surface was still, and no fish took the bait.

  Just as Morgans' legs were starting to get sore, Cudius finally broke the silence.

  "Stussy mentioned that you're a Devil Fruit user?" Cudius asked casually, still not looking back.

  Morgans immediately answered, "Yes, Your Highness. I possess a Zoan-type Devil Fruit, the Bird-Bird Fruit, Model: Albatross."

  "Ah… so it's true," Cudius muttered.

  Then, he chuckled and added, "You know, at first, I thought you were some kind of mutated Mink."

  "Stussy had to correct me and let me tell you, she ughed at me for ages."

  Morgans smiled awkwardly.

  "Your Highness, you are all-knowing, surely you don't have time to care about trivial gossip like this?" Morgans said, his tone fttering.

  "If I had a choice, I'd have reincarnated differently… not as a birdman, but as a being who could stand in your presence without kneeling."

  His fttery was loud and clear, but Cudius was amused rather than annoyed.

  "Hahahaha!" Cudius burst into ughter.

  "You really know how to talk."

  "Your praise is an honor," Morgans responded quickly.

  "How's the World Economy News Paper doing these days?" Cudius asked.

  Morgans immediately replied, "Thanks to Your Highness, business has been booming! The sea has been full of major events, and our sales have been excellent. There's no need for you to worry!"

  "Oh? Is that so?" Cudius said.

  "Got any interesting news for me?"

  Morgans didn't dare disappoint. He immediately shared several intriguing stories not about major figures, but entertaining tales filled with rumors and sea legends.

  Cudius listened with interest, occasionally commenting.

  At one point, he ughed out loud.

  "Hahaha! That brat Ace is really making a mess, huh? So desperate to prove himself?"

  Ace had been rampaging in the New World, wiping out numerous rival pirate crews who had tried to seize power.

  His reputation was growing rapidly.

  Some rumors even cimed that Portgas D. Ace was actually the illegitimate son of Saint Cudius…

  Though the rumor hadn't spread far beyond Mariejois, many dismissed it as nonsense.

  But Morgans knew better.

  He didn't know if the "illegitimate child" part was true, but he was certain that Ace had a deep connection to the Highness before him.

  "His Highness Ace is smart, strong, and bears some resembnce to you," Morgans said carefully.

  "Yeah, that brat's got potential," Cudius chuckled.

  "Takes after his old man."

  Morgans assumed Cudius was joking and didn't dwell on it.

  But Cudius himself was deep in thought.

  One day, he would take control of the World Government. And when that day came, he would still need pirates.

  "A Pirate King of my own making… one under my control… that might not be a bad idea."

  Among all the candidates he had considered—Enel, Crocodile, Dofmingo, Hancock—none were quite right.

  But Ace?

  He might just be the perfect choice.

  ***

  This book is complete. Support me on Patreon to read all advanced chapters: patreon.com/Blownleaves.