Nagato in One Piece - Chapter 45
### Chapter 45: The National Treasure
#### Holy Land, Mariejois
The highest seat of power within the World Government. After five seconds of ringing, the blond man at the central round table picked up the Transponder Snail. To his surprise, there was no immediate report from the other end. Frowning, he asked, “Hello? Who is this?”
“Uzumaki Nagato,” the Transponder Snail replied.
Hearing this, each of the five reacted differently.
The bald elder scoffed, “Who is this nobody?”
The long-bearded elder questioned, “How did he get connected to this line? Who patched him through?”
The kimono-clad elder checked and noted, “It was Sengoku. What is he doing?”
The curly-haired elder, despite his cold demeanor, seemed the most composed, saying, “Let’s hear what he has to say.”
The blond man, sharing this sentiment, spoke up, “Who are you, and why are you contacting us?”
Ignoring the dismissive remarks from the Five Elders, Nagato calmly stated, “I’m here to inform you that the king of Dressrosa has changed.”
“How dare you!”
“Such insolence!”
The Five Elders couldn’t help but reprimand him immediately.
The blond man, equally displeased with Nagato’s rudeness, kept his composure as he had answered the call and was responsible for communication. Frowning, he said, “The World Government hasn’t issued such permission. Who do you think you are? But from what you’ve said, that Donquixote brat is done for?”
Nagato did not answer his question, instead, he coolly responded, “Let’s get one thing clear: this is an announcement, not a request. The World Government has no authority to interfere in the internal affairs of its member nations. Dressrosa remains an independent kingdom!”
This time, the Five Elders refrained from further outbursts. They were seasoned rulers, knowing that Nagato wasn’t here on a friendly visit. Their expressions turned cold.
The long-bearded elder asked, “What qualifies you to become the king of Dressrosa?”
Nagato explained, “Overthrowing Donquixote and gaining the support of the Riku royal family.”
Hearing this, the Five Elders fell silent.
Given today’s events and the worldwide broadcast, they realized Nagato might indeed meet the requirements: liberating the kingdom from Donquixote, gaining the support of the populace, and according to his claim, having the endorsement of the former royal family. With the World Government having no jurisdiction over Dressrosa, it could autonomously appoint Nagato as the new king.
“And Doflamingo?” the bald elder inquired, “What’s his current status?”
The other four also focused, awaiting Nagato’s response.
To them, Doflamingo’s status was more crucial than Dressrosa. As long as the taxes were paid, the identity of Dressrosa’s king was irrelevant. However, Doflamingo held vital information about the “national treasure,” which had long caused them sleepless nights.
“Dead,” Nagato’s straightforward answer brought a sigh of relief to the Five Elders.
To the Five Elders, Doflamingo was a ticking time bomb. Initially unaware of his knowledge about the “national treasure,” they missed their chance to act. As he grew stronger, he became uncontrollable.
Now with Doflamingo dead, if the cost was today’s Dressrosa incident, the Five Elders found it entirely acceptable, as they had eliminated a significant threat.
Feeling relieved, the Five Elders no longer minded Nagato’s earlier impudence. After exchanging meaningful glances, the blond man responded, “Alright, your report is accepted. Dressrosa’s king will handle their own affairs. Ensure taxes and the Heavenly Tribute are paid in three months.”
“No,” Nagato’s denial came as a surprise to the Five Elders, “As I said, taking over Dressrosa is a notification, or you can view it as a report to the World Government, but not a request. I contacted you to discuss how the World Government will compensate Dressrosa for its losses.”
“Overstepping your bounds!”
“Insolent commoner!”
This time, the Five Elders couldn’t tolerate Nagato’s brazenness and erupted in curses.
Holding the Transponder Snail, Nagato replied, “The Shichibukai is your World Government’s system, seven legally sanctioned pirates responsible to the government. Doflamingo plundered Dressrosa for eight years, and the crimes of the Donquixote Family are countless, all due to the World Government’s protection and indulgence. Now that I am about to assume the throne, this account must be settled for Dressrosa.”
“Absurd!”
“Ridiculous!”
The Five Elders couldn’t help but berate him again, but Nagato’s words were logical, with clear responsibilities and authority, making it difficult for them to refute him legally.
After their tirade, the blond man replied, “The World Government bears immense responsibility, and occasional lapses are inevitable.”
The bald elder added, “Pirates are inherently lawless and difficult to control. Recruiting seven vicious pirates to serve the government is a great achievement of the World Government, deserving gratitude!”
The long-bearded elder continued, “Young man, understand the bigger picture! The World Government shoulders the responsibility for the entire world. It is natural for a mere member nation like Dressrosa to make sacrifices for world order!”
The other two elders also chimed in, trying to downplay Dressrosa’s tragedy and losses with a few words, even lecturing Nagato on the need to be grateful.
Their underlying message was clear: Even if Nagato becomes Dressrosa’s king, he is insignificant compared to the World Government.
Nagato had anticipated such an attitude from the Five Elders. If the World Government were not so corrupt, he wouldn’t have opted for a revolutionary path over reform. The Five Elders’ power was indeed formidable; even if they were unreasonable, what could Dressrosa do? Sue them? Take the World Government to court?
But the Five Elders were not just facing any king; they were dealing with Uzumaki Nagato.
In the inner chamber of Dressrosa’s palace, Nagato held the Transponder Snail in his left hand. His right hand rested on Doflamingo’s corpse, his fingers gripping Doflamingo’s head.
Nagato spoke to the Transponder Snail, “Since reasoning doesn’t work, let’s discuss this as Doflamingo would, gentlemen.”
The Five Elders immediately felt a chill, then heard Nagato say, “My ability allows me to read memories from the brain, whether alive or dead. In other words, I know everything Doflamingo knew about your ‘national treasure’…”
Before Nagato could finish, the previously composed Five Elders couldn’t stay seated, erupting in rage.
“Shut your mouth!”
“You’re courting death!”
“Knowing things you shouldn’t is a grave sin!”
“That worthless Donquixote brat!”
“This matter’s weight is not something a mere mortal can bear, boy!”
Now enraged, the previously calm Five Elders gathered around the blond man holding the Transponder Snail, demanding, “How much do you know?”
“Only as much as Doflamingo knew,” Nagato wasn’t bluffing. Doflamingo’s knowledge was indeed limited.
The Five Elders hesitated, unsure if Nagato was bluffing. But Nagato soon dispelled their doubts, “Over thirty years ago, your ‘national treasure’ disappeared.”
The Five Elders, unwilling to face this dire reality, realized Nagato knew their closely guarded secret. They had just relaxed at the news of Doflamingo’s death, only to find this persistent problem resurfacing.
“I agree with Doflamingo’s deduction. The Great Pirate Era merely accelerated the instability of your rule,” Nagato continued, “Outwardly, you pursued ancient weapons due to the turmoil caused by Gol D. Roger. In reality, the disappearance of the ‘national treasure’ weakened your grip on the world.”
The Five Elders, rubbing their temples in frustration, were forced to confront a secret they had fought to keep hidden. Like Doflamingo had once used this knowledge to blackmail them, Nagato’s revelation now caused them great distress.
The World Government’s rule had lasted for centuries, but there was a glaring anomaly: despite their dominance, they had never sought the Poneglyphs or attempted to reconstruct and collect ancient weapons—a behavior that defied logic.
After Roger, the World Government seemed to target ancient weapons due to the rampant piracy. While ordinary people might believe this, Doflamingo, a former Celestial Dragon, had deduced the truth based on hidden knowledge and coincidental timelines. He correctly surmised that the “national treasure” had vanished, a critical piece in the World Government’s puzzle.
By thoroughly probing Doflamingo’s memories and combining it with his own knowledge, Nagato confirmed the suspicion—the World Government’s focus on ancient weapons wasn’t due to ignorance or a lack of information.
Pluton, Poseidon, and the lost “national treasure” made sense only when considering the missing Uranus.
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