Aboard the Radiant Eclipse

Shakky was responsible for compiling the crew’s intelligence, focusing particularly on gathering information from the outside world.

“Has the Mythical Zoan, Buddha form, reappeared?” Kuke asked.

Ever since defeating Sengoku, the previous wielder of the Buddha form, Kuke had asked Shakky to keep an eye on any news regarding its reappearance. It was a top-tier Devil Fruit, and when its previous owner died, the fruit would naturally manifest elsewhere.

Currently, Kuke had no other solid leads for acquiring such high-level fruits, and Mythical Zoans like the Buddha were extremely rare and valuable.

While common Devil Fruits could be found through influence and connections, a high-level fruit was something that could only be encountered by sheer luck. Before he found the Dark-Dark Fruit, this Buddha form was one of his top priorities.

Shakky shook her head, “No news yet. I’d bet every major power has eyes peeled for it. The moment it resurfaces, there will be a lot of competition. It’s likely that it simply hasn’t been discovered yet.”

Kuke nodded. “As long as it hasn’t disappeared forever, we’ll keep waiting. There’s not much else we can do.”

Patience was key for such things.

“What about the movement of the major powers?” Kuke inquired further.

“Charlotte Linlin has extended another invitation for you, Captain,” Shakky said, her gaze sparkling mischievously. “And she’s called back all her crew members who were spread across the seas.”

Kuke smiled. He knew Big Mom was wary. She was a formidable and unpredictable woman, and though she had extended the invitation herself, her actions showed how seriously she was taking Kuke’s crew. To see her gathering her forces like this was rare, even for someone as cautious as her.

“Whitebeard’s crew seems to have also recalled their subordinate crews to form a defensive perimeter,” Shakky added, the gleam in her eyes intensifying.

Kuke raised an eyebrow. “Whitebeard, too?” he chuckled. “Interesting.”

He understood very well why the Yonko were moving their pieces back into place. They feared him. They had seen what the Radiant Eclipse could do, and now they were gathering their strength to protect their territories.

“Let them do as they please,” Kuke waved his hand nonchalantly. “The more prepared they are, the more satisfying it’ll be to crush them.”

What mattered most to Kuke was the potential benefit to himself and his crew. The idea was to extract the maximum value from each encounter.

Whitebeard’s forces were formidable, but they could wait. Big Mom, on the other hand, had always been a tempting target—especially when it came to a few of her daughters. After learning about the benefits of reaching a million achievement points, Kuke’s ambitions had only grown bigger.

The recent victory over Kaido had already shaken the world. Rumors were flying that he had even taken Kaido’s wife and daughter.

The world was in shock.

If Kuke defeated Big Mom next, and took her daughters as well, the impact wouldn’t be as profound as the first time. To maintain momentum and avoid diminishing returns, he’d need to do something even more shocking.

“Shakky-sis, what if we took Big Mom as well?” Kuke asked with a grin. “Think the world would lose its mind?”

Shakky’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Captain… are you serious?”

She knew about Kuke’s interest in Big Mom’s daughters and believed he could probably pull that off. But Big Mom herself? That was beyond insane.

“Captain, that’s Big Mom you’re talking about! Even if Rocks himself came back from the dead, he wouldn’t be able to make Charlotte Linlin submit,” Shakky exclaimed, barely containing her shock.

Kuke shrugged nonchalantly. “There’s no harm in trying. Beating her is one thing, but making her join us willingly—that’s the real challenge.”

He wasn’t confident he could achieve it, but if he did, the reward would be astronomical—not just in terms of achievement points, but Big Mom’s power itself would be a huge addition to the crew.

Shakky gave him a long look, half incredulous, half admiring. “Captain, if you can actually do that, I swear I’ll do anything you ask.”

She almost reached out to touch Kuke’s forehead, as if to check for a fever. Was he delusional?

Kuke quickly batted her hand away. “No, thank you. I don’t need Rayleigh coming at me with a sword.”

Shakky gave a wicked smile. “Forget about him. I don’t have any ties to him anymore,” she teased.

Kuke leaned back, putting some space between them. He noticed Belo Betty sneaking glances at the interaction, her expression revealing a mix of curiosity and amusement.

Kuke tried to steer the conversation back on track. “Shakky-sis, what about the Marines and the World Government? Any movements?”

Shakky flipped open her notebook. “Nothing significant. They seem content to let the Emperors fight among themselves. Ten days ago, Kong officially appointed a new Fleet Admiral.

Kuke raised an eyebrow. “The new Fleet Admiral has already taken office? That’s a shame.”

Shakky tilted her head, puzzled. “Why’s that, Captain?”

“A new Fleet Admiral is a big deal. Imagine if he died right after taking the position—it would’ve caused absolute chaos,” Kuke said with a smirk.

Shakky couldn’t decide if she should pity the Marines or be relieved that they were spared from Kuke’s machinations.

“But it’s only temporary. Kong won’t be Fleet Admiral for long. Eventually, Akainu will take the position,” Kuke said, his eyes narrowing.

Of all the admirals, he had clashed most frequently with Akainu. He had met Sengoku only once, and that had ended in Sengoku’s death. Akainu, on the other hand, had faced him multiple times.

“I’ve heard the rumors—the ones about me threatening the World Government, saying that I won’t allow Akainu to become Fleet Admiral, and that if he does, I’ll crash his inauguration ceremony.” Kuke laughed. “Maybe that rumor should become reality.”

Shakky’s eyes widened. “Captain, how many more insane ideas are you hiding?”

She was at a loss for words.

“Why should we always wait for the Marines to make a move before responding? Why not strike first?” Kuke asked.

Shakky froze. Those were words she had heard before.

Rocks had said something similar.

This was why Shakky had always looked down on the other Emperors, like Whitebeard and the rest. They played defense, not offense. They never directly threatened the World Government. Could they truly be called Emperors?

To Shakky, they were not real rulers but pirates with a bandit mentality—a mentality that made them feel inferior to the Marines. True Emperors were those who faced threats head-on and took the fight to their enemies.

“Rocks failed, but what about Captain Kuke?” Shakky felt the blood pumping through her veins. She was grateful to be part of something this bold. Twice in her life, she had been a part of the most audacious pirate crews.

“It’s all about timing,” Kuke said, looking at Shakky. “Right now, let’s head for Big Mom’s territory.”

Shakky immediately understood and handed Kuke a dossier.

It contained detailed information on all of Big Mom’s daughters.

After handing over the dossier, Shakky took her leave while Kuke started leafing through it.

Not just anyone would do. He needed strength, beauty, or a unique ability—something that made them valuable.

Suddenly, Belo Betty, who had been quietly massaging his legs, climbed into his lap.

“Captain, if you actually do everything you just said, I’ll do anything for you,” she whispered.

Kuke paused for a moment, surprised. This sounded familiar.

Betty smirked, clearly pleased with herself. She thought she had found Kuke’s weakness.

“Alright then, I’ll hold you to that,” Kuke said, grabbing Betty by the waist.

Betty froze. This wasn’t how she expected things to go.

“Captain, wait—here? On the high deck? Someone will see us,” she stammered, her bravado suddenly gone.

“If I’m not worried, why should you be?” Kuke said with a mischievous grin. “Now, don’t make a sound.”

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DONT FORGET POWER STONE

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P/S: If you are interested, you can read up 40+ chapters at patreon.com/Emik01.

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Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep