In the Holy Land of Mariejois, ihe residence of the gods, Cudius sat fortably in his study, leisurely reading a book.

  Naturally, he was unaware that, thanks to Zephyr's remarks, he had gained quite a reputation within the Naval Headquarters.

  The book Cudius held in his hands was one of many that Nia, had retly provided. It detailed the s and governance of the world, specifically introdug the various national situations of the more than 170 tries allied with the Wover.

  "Although svery was officially abolished, it's not just the Celestial Dragons who btantly disregard this decree. Even among the ordinary here are still sves to be found..." Cudius murmured softly to himself as he read.

  This was in lih his prior uanding. While Dofmingo was still just a child at this time, the infamous sve trade of the Sabaody Archipego hadn't relied solely on his future influeo flourish.

  The business was already thriving. Celestial Dragons often bought sves when visiting the isnd, and when they weren't around, the nobles served as the primary tele.

  For the moment, Cudius had no particur i in meddling with the sve trade. Even if he had the ination to intervene, he cked the power to do so. He wasn't some idealistic hero who could ge things with mere words.

  Aside from the sve trade operating in the shadows, most tries still operated under a feudal system. Kings ruled over their nations, and nobles were entrusted with the ma of territories much like in the aimes of his previous life. This brought Cudius to some deeper thoughts.

  Just as he was pting these matters, a gentle knock sou the door of his study.

  "Yhness," Nia's soft voice called from outside.

  Cudius snapped out of his thoughts and replied calmly, "e in."

  With his permission, Nia quietly opehe door and stepped into the study.

  "Any news?" Cudius asked, still not turning away from the book in his hand.

  "Yes, Yhness," Nia replied with a nod, and before Cudius could prompt her further, she tinued, "At Naval Headquarters, there is indeed a Vice Admiral by the name on. Although he hasn't been promoted yet, many within the Marine know that he is the son of Garp, the hero of the Marines."

  "Just as I thought..." Cudius said with a small smile, muttering to himself.

  Garp was indeed a Marine hero, a man who clearly despised the Celestial Dragons, but whose loyalty to the Marine and the Wover was beyond question. Otherwise, he wouldn't have risked his life during the God Valley i.

  Even if Garp's loyalty was to a peace shaped by the Wover's trol, it was still unwavering. At the very least, Garp had a deep love for the Marines.

  As a hero, Garp naturally hoped his son would follow in his footsteps, and it seemed he had succeeded. Dragon was already a Vice Admiral a clear indication of his talent.

  Judging by Dragon's age, he should be in his early twenties probably around twenty-three or twenty-four.

  Even without Garp's influence, Dragon's position as Vice Admiral was well earned.

  So Cudius wasn't particurly surprised by the news.

  "Why does Yhness have suterest in Garp's son?" Nia asked, a little puzzled.

  Cudius chuckled and replied, "Because this man is rather iing."

  Nia still didn't fully uand. Despite her curiosity, she quickly suppressed it.

  Ever since Saint Cudius had returned from his "trip" to the New World, there had been many ges. His attendants, including Nia, all noticed that his temper had signifitly mellowed. The once irritable and troublesome noble, known for causing daily chaos, had bee a quiet figure who rarely left his estate.

  Naturally, Nia had noticed this transformation as well. Though she had her doubts, she rationalized it by assuming that Cudius had matured. Perhaps his experiences had calmed his mind, allowing him to adopt a more stable and level-headed approach to life.

  But Cudius, deep down, khe truth. It wasn't a mere ge of mi; it was a plete ge of soul.

  As for why he was so ied in Dragon, it was because Cudius khe man would eventually bee the greatest enemy of the Celestial Dragons.

  He o find out more about Dragon's current situation. Had he already started to distance himself from his father's ideals? If Dragon had already begun to oppose the Wover, then Cudius had to act swiftly.

  If Dragon had broken away from his father's beliefs and reparing to gue, it would be disastrous for Cudius and the other Celestial Dragons.

  That would mean Dragon had already undergone his transformation he had already set his revolutionary ambitions.

  If that was the case, Cudius o eliminate Dragon immediately, before he grew into a greater threat.

  Cudius wasn't the type to be seal. Even though Dragon had a legendary father in Garp, that didn't earn him any special treatment.

  The saying "Your positioermines your as" applied here. Whatever role Cudius found himself in, he would act accly.

  If he had been reinated as a pirate, he would've lived as a pirate raiding, plundering, pursuing the title of Pirate King without a sed thought.

  Had he been reborn as a Marine, he would've dohe cloak of justice, worked his to Admiral, and used the power of the Buster Call to annihite anything he found displeasing.

  And if he had been born in Dragon's time and ended up under his and, Cudius might've devoted himself to revolution, fighting to overthrow the corrupt powers of the old world.

  But none of those sarios had pyed out. Cudius had been born as a Celestial Dragon, with all the wealth, power, and privilege the world had to offer.

  Thus, his role was clear: protect the Celestial Dragons and maintaiatus quo. As long as the Wover stood strong, he could tio enjoy the privileges that came with his title. The choice was simple. There was o hesitate.

  That meant anyone who threatehe Celestial Dragon's way of life had to be dealt with no exceptions.

  Cudius khat while the Celestial Dragons were untouchable now, that might not be the case iy or thirty years. The winds of ge would eventually sweep through, and whether the Wover could withstand the ing storm was uain.

  If the Wover fell and the Celestial Dragons lost their power, everything Cudius enjoyed now would be taken away. Worse yet, iermath of the revolution, the rulers of the ime the Celestial Dragons would be hunted down.

  The fate of Donquixote Homing and his family was a stark reminder. Even though they had voluntarily given up their Celestial Dragon status, they were still hated by the on people, who wanted nothing more than to see them dead.

  If the Wover colpsed, Cudius could easily imagine what would happen to him and the rest of the Celestial Dragons.

  This was why Cudius was determio ehe survival of the Wover and the Celestial Dragon's rule.

  From his memories and uanding of the world, Cudius could identify several key factors that might lead to the downfall of the Wover.

  At the top of the list was Garp and his family the Monkey family.

  Their influen the world was undeniable. Garp was a hero in the Marine, one of the stro figures of the time.

  His son, Dragon, although currently a Marine Vice Admiral, would eventually bee the leader of the revolutionary army, waging war against the Celestial Dragons and the Wover.

  And then there was Garp's grandson Monkey D. Luffy, the future Pirate King. Though still unborn at this time, Luffy's fate was sealed. With his protagonist's luck, he was destio bee a major pyer in the world's future.

  Between Garp, Dragon, and Luffy, the Monkey family had their hands in all three major power structures Marine, Revolutionaries, and Pirates. It was only a matter of time before they shook the very foundations of the world.

  Of the three, Cudius wasn't too worried about Garp. By the time the revolution began in ear, Garp would be old, likely retired. Having spent his entire life serving the Marines and the Wover, it was uhat Garp would suddenly bee an enemy.

  In fact, Garp could even be an ally, one of the few who could help hold the Woverogether wheime came.

  Dragon, oher hand, was a different story. Once he fully embraced his revolutionary ideals, he would bee a direct threat to the Celestial Dragons.

  As for Luffy, Cudius had already made up his mind to stay out of the boy's way. The protagonist's aura was to, aing involved with him would only irouble.

  Still, if Luffy tinued dowh to being the Pirate King, Cudius wouldn't hesitate to eliminate him before he could cause too much damage.

  "But I'll have to give Garp some face," Cudius thought. "Once Luffy ehe New World, I'll have no choice but to deal with him. Whether it's in Abasta or Enies Lobby... well, perhaps by that time, my aight ge his fate entirely."

  "As fon," Cudius mused. "Once he bees a true threat, I'll have no choice but to deal with him decisively. If I handle him before he establishes the Revolutionary Army, all the better."

  For now, however, Dragon was still a Marine Vice Admiral. He was young, still bound by the ideals of justistilled in him by his father. If Cudius pyed his cards right, perhaps he could even sway Dragon to his side, or at the very least, ralize his ambitions before they fully developed.

  "It's not like I just kill him right now, though," Cudius thought. "He's still Garp's son, and Garp, despite his disdain for Celestial Dragons, is fiercely loyal to the Marines and the Wover. If I somehow mao eliminate Dragon through underhanded means, Garp would no doubt lose his mind and e after me."

  Cudius could already imagihe enraged Marine hero st Mariejois, fists swinging, ready to punch him into oblivion.

  "I o be careful," Cudius thought, his expression growing serious. "But I also o act before it's too te."

  Thus, his pn began to take shape watch Dragon closely, steer him if possible, and if not, eliminate him before he could truly threaten the Wover and the Celestial Dragons.

  With his mind made up, Cudius let out a sigh, already feeling the weight of the decisions he would o make iure.