"Unlike during the God Valley, this cooperation isn't purely about combat."

Facing the representatives from all three factions gathered before him, Michael spread his hands with a smile.

"Back then it was to deal with the Rocks D Xebec ... but now, the Whitebeard Pirates don't want all-out war with the Marines, do you?"

"As long as the Marines don't provoke my crew, I've no interest in fighting them... except maybe you."

"Tch, at your age you shouldn't be thinking about fighting all the time... And of course, we Marines have no desire to waste resources forcibly dealing with the Whitebeard Pirates either."

"Michael's right—the Whitebeard Pirates have actually been quite restrained lately. In recent years it's been Big Mom and Kaido causing chaos in the New World." Garp nodded.

As the Marine's hero, his stance largely represented the Marines' position.

With both the Marines and pirates having stated their positions, Fishman Island naturally had no objections.

After all, their hopes had always rested either with the Marines or the Whitebeard Pirates.

"In that case, cooperation is inevitable." Michael nodded. "Fishman Island dont need to worry. Ultimately, the goal of this alliance is to resolve your current predicament."

"Michael-san... is this truly what you mean?" Fisher Tiger, who had been drinking just moments ago, now leaned in closer.

For him, whether it was pirates or the Marines—as long as they could save Fish-Man Island…

Anyone would do!

It didn't matter who!

"Good. Since there are no objections, I'll outline the cooperation plan for you."

"First clause: From the moment this agreement is finalized, Fish-Man Island will become an absolutely neutral trade buffer zone, with its trade status equivalent to that of Sabaody Archipelago. Defense responsibilities will be jointly handled by the Marines and the Whitebeard Pirates."

After Michael stated the first clause, those seated around him silently set down their drinking glass…

Processing.

Just the first clause alone surpassed all previous cooperation terms.

Absolute neutrality? A trade buffer zone? Joint defense by the Marines and pirates?

Each word made sense individually, but strung together, they felt utterly foreign.

Especially for those less educated—like a certain Marine hero and the world's strongest man—who had already begun rubbing their heads subconsciously…

It itched.

Like their brains were about to grow.

Meanwhile, Queen Otohime's eyes lit up.

Trade!

Fish-Man Island had no shortage of vast resources!

To put it bluntly, the endless resources of the ocean floor were theirs alone to harvest.

This clause alone magnified Fish-Man Island's advantage infinitely!

"Second clause: Fish-men, merfolk and all other lawful citizens of Fish-Man Island will receive joint protection from both the Marines and the Whitebeard Pirates! Those caught smuggling or trafficking fish-men or merfolk will face pursuit and bounties from both factions."

This clause wasn't as shocking as the first.

But once it sank in, Garp and Whitebeard nodded repeatedly.

The Marines and the Whitebeard Pirates fought tooth and nail—that was a matter of principle.

But both sides equally despised anyone involved in the slave trade.

Watching the nods of approval around him, Michael smirked inwardly.

Oh, they wouldn't just be hunted by the Marines and the Whitebeard Pirates.

If some fool dared to defy the law and commit such crimes, he'd personally hand their information over to the Cross Guild and the Revolutionary Army.

A four-sided siege!

"Third clause: The Marines will establish a branch on Fish-Man Island, while the Whitebeard Pirates will set up an equivalent office. The expenses will be covered by Ryugu Palace. Additionally, 20% of trade profits will go to the Marines, and 10% to the Whitebeard Pirates."

"Profit sharing?" Whitebeard raised an eyebrow. "Why do the Marines get an extra 10% over my crew?"

"Don't start, old man," Michael rolled his eyes. "Your crew is tiny. This 'joint defense' is mostly about borrowing the Whitebeard Pirates' reputation—the Marines will handle most of the actual work. Is it unfair we get a bigger cut?"

Michael's words gave Whitebeard pause.

…Fair point.

The Whitebeard Pirates were small in number.

Even if they sent forces for defense, it'd only be one or two squads on rotation.

At most, a hundred or so people—truly not much.

But then again… Whitebeard absentmindedly stroked his chin.

He was the world's strongest man!

His name alone was worth that extra 10%.

As for the additional defense personnel…

Consider it a gift to his friend, Neptune!

"Hmph, fine, even if what you say makes sense."

Michael shrugged.

This was the advantage of negotiating with people who had a sense of shame.

"Alright, next is the fourth and final clause." Michael cleared his throat and said, "The fish-men and merfolk of Fish-Man Island may join the Whitebeard Pirates or the Marines and become part of Fish-Man Island's defensive line."

The dagger is drawn at last!

This was Michael's ultimate goal.

While the 20% trade share was also crucial, nothing was more important than securing a source of troops.

But in the eyes of others, this final clause seemed the least significant.

Amidst the three factions—the pirates, the Marines, and Fish-Man Island—the later much-celebrated 'New World Gateway and Fish-Man Island Joint Front' was officially established.

Yet the outside world remained unaware that the mastermind behind it all was merely a Marine Headquarters Rear Admiral.

*****

"Michael, though I roughly understand the terms of this cooperation... I can't shake the feeling it's not as simple as it appears on the surface."

After the banquet ended, Michael and Garp returned to their warship.

Garp stood at the bow, gazing at the breathtakingly beautiful Fish-Man Island, and spoke to Michael.

"Old man Garp, isn't it straightforward?" Michael walked over to Garp and said with a smile.

"With this cooperation treaty in place, it means... whenever we're on Fish-Man Island or its surrounding waters, the Marines and the Whitebeard Pirates can essentially be considered allies."

"Here, peaceful coexistence and collaboration are driven by a massive shared interest. Interest is the most stable and unbreakable bond of all... And once people grow accustomed to peaceful coexistence on Fish-Man Island, even outside its borders, would the Marines and the Whitebeard Pirates immediately revert to hostility? Human emotions have inertia—such a thing is nearly impossible. In other words..."

"We've indirectly neutralized the world's most powerful pirate crew."

"The pressure on the Marines in the New World will inevitably plummet! Even Sakazuki, who believes all pirates deserve death... will force a smile uglier than a frown and have every Marine at G-1 shout, 'Michael-sama, you're amazing!'"

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