…
The scene was eerily silent.
The Spade Pirates, the Marines, Isuka, even the Boa Sisters at the helm, couldn't understand why Alistair was bringing this up now.
No, they couldn't understand why he was fulfilling this promise. Pirates cared only about victory and profit. Alistair had just led them to a glorious victory, everyone was elated, yet this was like a bucket of cold water, sobering the pirates—they weren't the same.
Why bother?
Many thought this inwardly, their eyes fixed on Alistair, waiting for his next move.
"We agreed that once we left the Calm Belt, after you followed my orders and fought one last battle, you would be free."
"Now, you are free." Alistair declared loudly.
With no one speaking, his voice carried clearly to everyone.
"But our story isn't over."
"Fifteen days."
"In fifteen days, you have been transformed."
"Do you want to go further?"
Alistair's words were like the whispers of a devil, subtly shaking everyone's resolve.
The people of this world had an innate desire for power, much like the East's pursuit of order. This world's people were incredibly insecure, desperately seeking power.
But that wasn't right…
"Do you think you can become stronger?"
"Of course, you can become stronger, as long as you survive and continue sailing these seas."
Alistair chuckled. "But what's the point?"
"You are still pirates."
"They are still Marines."
"Marines catch pirates."
"Pirates kill Marines."
"For you, this is the unchanging law of the world, or your entire lives."
"Don't you think something is wrong with this world?"
"This world shouldn't be one where everyone is forced to leave their homes, do jobs they don't want, and become people they don't want to be."
"The Marines should be incorruptible, disciplined, loyal to the people, protecting their territory, and defending their country."
"Pirates would naturally disappear from the seas."
"You," Alistair pointed at Barabaro, "will become a farmer."
He pointed at another studious pirate. "You, a preacher."
He pointed at Todd. "And you, a bar bouncer."
"But now, you chose to go to sea, joining a pirate crew, fighting for money, using violence to exploit others."
"Is this right?"
"Is it right to not create wealth with your own hands, but to violently seize the wealth of others?"
Alistair finally revealed everything, laying it all bare.
The Marines shuddered, wanting to stand and loudly support Alistair: "Of course it's not right, it's evil!"
"But who forced you to leave your homes, join pirate ships, and become exploitative raiders?"
Alistair's next words made the Marines instinctively think, "Of course it was other pirates."
But the Devils Luck Pirates' answers were unexpected.
"Barabaro, you speak."
Barabaro stepped forward. "Report! My family was deeply in debt. The landlords wanted our land, tricking my father into gambling. We lost everything. My father was killed, my mother hanged herself, our house burned down, our land was taken. Homeless, alone, I could only become a pirate."
"Todd!"
"Report! I'm an orphan, I could only become a pirate."
"Wood!"
"Report! The nobles forced me to become a pirate!"
"Charlin!"
"Report! The king no longer wanted to see us commoners!"
"Gapon!"
"Report! Our family went bankrupt because of the World Government's taxes!"
Report after report, each like a hammer blow to the Marines' hearts.
They had only seen these pirates as murderous thugs, deserving of death, always ready for a fight, but had never asked why they became pirates.
Now, as prisoners, hearing the pirates' true stories, they felt a deep resonance.
Who would choose a life of danger if they had another option?
Except for those who were extremely righteous and upright, who would set out to become Marines and fight pirates?
Most of them became Marines because they couldn't survive, and the Marines offered a stable job.
Their only difference was that one became a Marine, the other a pirate.
Even their reasons for bankruptcy and ruin were strikingly similar, almost like looking at themselves.
"So, what is the collective term for those who caused your ruin, who made you pirates?"
"Exploiters!"
"And you, are the exploited."
"These exploiters include landlords, nobles, royalty, corrupt Marines, the World Government, and the Celestial Dragons. They all have one name: exploiters!"
"As long as these exploiters exist, they will continue to create people like you, who have nothing."
"You are alone, with no assets, you have nothing, therefore you fear nothing!"
"You don't need to fear the Marines! Because besides killing you, they can do nothing else!"
"You don't need to fear the Celestial Dragons! Because besides enslaving your bodies, they can no longer enslave your free souls and spirits!"
"My friends, the power of one person is small! But together, we are strong! Iron discipline can increase your strength tenfold, a hundredfold, as we have just proven."
"Will you choose to take enough money, return to your hometowns, and continue to be exploited?"
"Or will you, right now, take up arms, and with your lives, fight for a brighter future for your descendants?"
Alistair looked at them, catching his breath, waiting for their answer.
The scene was silent, yet everyone's breathing grew heavy…
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