One Piece:Becoming the King of the World from the Rocks Era

"Of course, darling! This is like that phrase you taught me—'a wily hare has three burrows!'" Yadina beamed, finally grasping the concept after pondering for a moment.

"Oh? So Yadina knows what 'a wily hare has three burrows' means now?" Li Yuan teased, enjoying the mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Of course! Yadina's clever, you know." She lifted her chin proudly, a small, satisfied smile forming. It wasn't long ago that her husband often used phrases she didn't understand. Now, having learned their meanings, she was rather pleased with herself.

"In that case, do you happen to know what 'playing with fire' or 'going all in' means?" Li Yuan grinned and pulled her close.

Today, Yadina was dressed in a modern style. She wore a white hat with her long blue hair tied back, an orange cropped top that bared her midriff, and a pair of short denim shorts that transformed her gentle, ladylike aura into something far more captivating.

"Hmph, you're incorrigible! I don't know about such things…" Although Yadina didn't fully grasp his words, the heat in Li Yuan's gaze gave away his intentions. She, a pure-hearted witch, couldn't possibly say such things aloud.

"In that case, let me teach you exactly what those phrases mean…" Li Yuan said, drawing her closer.

---

The Holy Land, Mariejois

At the Reverie, kings from around the world, under the World Government's protection, had gathered for another round of discussions.

In the grand meeting hall, rulers from various regions sat around a massive table, beginning the new session of the Reverie.

"The New World pirates are becoming bolder. Recently, pirates like John have crossed the Calm Belt to plunder the Four Seas, resulting in heavy losses for our allied nations. Despite the World Government's efforts, they were defeated in battle. Can they not handle these pirates?"

"The World Government and Navy must address these pirate threats. Otherwise, why should we pay this 'Heavenly Tribute'? If they can't protect us, we might as well pay the pirates for protection!"

"They need to seal off the Calm Belt! Pirates from the New World are freely entering the Four Seas, leaving us constantly on edge."

…

The main focus of the Reverie quickly shifted to the pirate menace in the New World.

"Honored delegates, as you can see, the World Government and Navy are striving to maintain order and suppress piracy. However, we face a serious resource shortage."

"For instance, the pirates possess advanced weaponry and seastone bullets, resources that the Navy lacks. We require greater funds to develop superior weaponry and manufacture seastone bullets."

"We need your support and increased financial contributions to fund our anti-pirate efforts."

The Five Elders made their appeal right at the beginning. In the past, they'd typically only make appearances toward the end of the Reverie, but after their recent defeat, it was necessary to address concerns head-on.

"I have no objection to an increase in the Heavenly Tribute," Queen Elizabeth of the Trent Kingdom spoke up, "but can you assure us that these funds will genuinely curb the pirate threat?"

"We guarantee that the pirates' ambitions will be stifled," said Saint Saturn, one of the Five Elders.

"We pay the Heavenly Tribute for the World Government to ensure peace and protect our interests. But in the meantime, the World Government has been printing a vast amount of berri, causing rapid devaluation and an economic crisis in our countries," a king from the East Blue spoke up. "Additionally, the Heavenly Tribute requires that no more than half of it be paid in berri. Isn't this damaging our allied nations' economies?"

"Indeed," the others echoed. "If you want an increased tribute, we need restrictions on currency printing to stabilize the economy."

"It's true; unrestricted currency printing creates instability for our countries."

The Five Elders, to secure the higher tribute rates, ultimately agreed to the request for tighter controls on printing berri.

But, as the Five Elders knew, when it came to emergencies, they'd still find ways to bypass these limitations and print berri if necessary. This agreement would simply prevent overt, excessive printing.

---

High Above the Seas

Flying in his massive hot air balloon, Morgans, the reporter known for uncovering major news stories, answered his private den den mushi with his trademark grin.

"Moshi moshi, this is Big News Morgans!"

"Well, Morgans, I hope you haven't forgotten my voice," came Li Yuan's relaxed tone. He leaned back, enjoying a shoulder massage from Shakky.

"Of course not! Who could forget the voice of the world's greatest swordsman, Li Yuan?" Morgans chuckled.

"Good. I wanted to discuss something with you. You know the den den mushi manufacturers, don't you?" Li Yuan asked.

"Have them modify the den den mushi so they can record, store, and broadcast visual feeds. I want this done within eighteen months," he continued, outlining the specific functionalities he envisioned for the modified devices.

"Incredible, truly genius! But you know, Li Yuan, those manufacturers won't lift a finger without a substantial incentive…"

"Then tell them this," Li Yuan responded. "In two years, I'll host a World Swordsmanship Tournament, inviting swordsmen from all over to participate."

"And at the same time, I'll organize a Grand Pirate Expo, gathering the world's finest goods for sale. My plan is to broadcast this entire event globally with the new den den mushi. Imagine the revenue this would bring to their companies."

"Would they be interested now?" Li Yuan asked with a wry smile.

"A global broadcast of a grand event? Li Yuan, this could be the story of the century!" Morgans' voice was brimming with excitement as he jotted down every detail.

"Morgans, this is big news, but keep it under wraps for now. And tell those den den mushi companies that if they refuse, the Infinite Pirates will develop a new communication device to replace the den den mushi entirely. Given our track record in modernizing weaponry, don't doubt for a moment that we can achieve this."

"An alternative to the den den mushi?" Morgans' quill scratched feverishly as he imagined the implications. This would be a groundbreaking shift in the world.

"Deliver my message, Morgans." Without waiting for further questions, Li Yuan hung up.

"Darling," Shakky said, glancing up. "If the den den mushi are controlled by the World Government, doesn't that mean they've infiltrated the Infinite Sea?"

Shakky felt a shiver at the thought. Fortunately, the Luowang network used her mirrors to communicate. Otherwise, the entire network might've been compromised.

"Don't worry. We've taken precautions. There are no den den mushi in any of our labs or factories, and few in Wano. Any sensitive discussions avoid those channels, so we're safe for now."

"Still, let's have Yumas initiate a project in the lab to develop an alternative communication device. We'll be ready if needed."

This was more of a preliminary measure, as Li Yuan knew Yumas lacked the expertise in this area. The project would be there, ready for specialists to advance when the time came.

"All right, I'll be careful with the den den mushi going forward," Shakky replied. "By the way, darling, the special ship for the giants and the supplies for Elbaf are all set. When do you plan to leave?"

"Since we're all set, let's head out now! It's been a while since we've gone on a family trip together. Let's make this a vacation and visit the Giant Kingdom of Elbaf," Li Yuan said with a grin.

With the recent pirate-world government clash just months behind them, both sides were still licking their wounds. It was the perfect opportunity for him to visit Elbaf, the world's strongest kingdom.

The power of giants was a force to be reckoned with. Charlotte Linlin had always been fascinated by the might of the giants, and Li Yuan was equally intrigued. Given his connections with the two giant pirate captains, he was confident that displaying his strength would earn the giants' respect and alliance.

"Great! I'll gather everyone." Shakky leaped up, eager to bring the family along.

"A mirror could have handled that…" Li Yuan muttered, watchin

g her rush out. But as he did, the soft comfort of her absence lingered, bringing a slight smirk to his face.

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