"Are you interested in being one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea?"
...
Ha, the Seven Warlords.
The Seven Warlords, huh.
"...Is that an invitation?"
"What do you think?"
You jerk! You didn't give me a straight answer!
"...It is a great honor to be noticed by important people like the Five Elders, but..."
"Are you refusing?"
"I also have Robin to think about. I can't just join the government's side."
It's so obvious! You just want me on your side so you can control me! But at the same time, it seems like they don't want to be my enemy...
The first thing I can think of is that they want to watch me and Nico Robin, who is a danger to them. But if I join them, it would be easy for them to kill me.
...Yes, it's a bad idea to join them without thinking.
"Also, I have doubts about the Seven Warlords system. There is no one less suited for the job than me."
"Doubts? About the Seven Warlords?"
"Yes."
"...Is it because we give rights to pirates?"
"No, it's because you give them land and time."
Crocodile and that guy with the stupid pink sunglasses are perfect examples of that.
"The Seven Warlords of the Sea are pirates who are allowed to rob people under the World Government."
...Wait, that doesn't sound right. The World Government is like a stronger version of the United Nations... and the Warlords are under a "king"—oh, right, the World Nobles exist.
"A pirate like that can settle down in a country that is part of the World Government. Over a long time, they can become a part of that country. This is very dangerous."
"...You think they would try to take over? They are still pirates, even if the government accepts them. I don't think the king or the people would allow it."
"No. In this new age of pirates, power is the most attractive thing."
People know about Devil Fruits from the encyclopedia. They must know about scary powers that can control people—well, maybe they wouldn't think a strong power could control a person.
Bege even turned his castle body into a tank. When you think about it, Devil Fruits are kind of... vague and not very specific.
"Pirates have bounties, which is a simple way to show their status that the Government or Marines don't have."
"..."
"Like with Robin, a bounty shows how dangerous someone is to the World Government. But to the public, it just looks like a number that shows their strength. And the government accepts them. This makes things complicated."
"So to the public, the meaning of 'danger' is a little different. So they misunderstand."
"Also, people tend to avoid things they don't understand and are drawn to simple things. It doesn't matter if it's a king or a pirate."
I can kind of understand Crocodile's plan. He took his time to fit in. But what happened in Dressrosa... yeah, that was a bit...
"It is easy to imagine that people would look for someone with power if they started to deeply distrust the royal family, without thinking about what would happen next."
Well, there wasn't much the people could do in that situation.
"And if something happens, the pirate's actions could ruin the government's reputation. It's just... too risky."
"...Silent Step Kuro. Why did you become a pirate? No, I know why. It is because you refused to become a slave for the daughter of a World Noble, Saint Jalmack."
"Yes."
"After that, a bounty of 1,000 berries was put on you just for being alive. ...With a bounty that small, couldn't you have hidden and lived a quiet life?"
Do you all want me to break your jaws!? ...The guy who gave me the bounty—probably that Marine with the afro and sunglasses—must have thought the same thing.
"No matter how small the amount, a wanted person is a wanted person."
"..."
It was so hard to even buy things! Especially in the peaceful East Blue! And because my bounty was so low, some people would try to catch me for some quick cash!
"If you become a Warlord, you will not be chased anymore. Neither will Nico Robin."
No way, you idiots! Do you even know what the Seven Warlords are!? They're just punching bags for Luffy to get stronger!
And if a kid with no achievements like me becomes a Warlord, all kinds of pirates, good and bad, will come after me for fame—is that your plan!?
"I do not need it. I am still a pirate who lives by robbing others, even if I have never hurt a civilian."
To be honest, it's the same for Robin and Ohara. They were probably good people, and I think banning the study of the Void Century is a bad law... but a law is a law, and they were criminals to the World Government.
Well, in this world, a lot of criminals who fight back will show up over the next 20 years.
"Well... I'm sure there were other paths I could have taken. A thief, a pickpocket, a bandit, or the mafia."
"Yes, that is what I want to hear. Why did you choose to go to sea?"
Well, why...
"Because all of those jobs feed on innocent people. I couldn't live with myself if I did that."
"Thieves and pickpockets are obvious. Even if I only targeted other criminals, I would have eventually hurt innocent people if I stayed in one place."
"It would be even worse for bandits or the mafia, who need to control their own territory."
...Oh, wait. Are they thinking that I'm trying to uncover the secrets of the past?
"Even a normal person can't live without causing trouble for someone..."
Was this Warlord invitation also a way to find out what my goal is? After all, I have Robin with me.
"Because I am a wanted man, I want to at least choose a way to live that I can accept."
Great, now some more annoying people are watching me. I guess I can't help it.
"Then at least give us Nico Robin."
"Do you really need me to say the obvious answer?"
"...You will regret this. As long as you have Nico Robin, we will keep coming after you."
"So, she was your main goal after all."
"You seem to have a vague idea of what's going on. That's why that girl must disappear."
"The Void Century is just something unnecessary to the government?"
"That's right."
"If you keep cutting away unnecessary things, won't you just end up with a weaker, worn-out world?"
"..."
"Everything has a meaning. If you hide it, someone will always appear to look for that meaning, no matter how many years pass. Will you kill all the innocent people who get involved every time?"
"...Yes."
These guys, seriously! They are so bad at hiding things! Are the Five Elders really the ones who decided the policy on the Void Century? It feels more like a policy that they've been following for a long time that doesn't work anymore...
Would the world they have protected for so long really fall into chaos just because of one idea from a scholar like Professor Clover?
...Actually, it might collapse. This is the One Piece world, ruled by corrupt nobles.
...
Wait a minute. Wouldn't it be better if it collapsed?
"...I can understand. It's not hard to see why you would be afraid of something that could cause big changes if it got out. It makes sense to want to keep a lid on it if you don't know how bad the fire will be. In a way, that is also justice."
"Then!"
"But what I believe is right tells me this: Killing everyone just because they gained some knowledge is not justice."
"Tch!"
"This whole slave incident happened for the same reason as history being hidden. It was caused by wanting an easy peace without dealing with problems. If the people captured this time had been regular citizens, how far would the Marines have gone to help? How much would they have cared about how those people felt?"
I heard a small groan. It was probably one of the Marines.
...If that was you, Sengoku, I am so sorry. That must have hit you hard!
But I've already taken Robin in. I can't turn back, and I can't run away!
"A Marine I fought before told me that things would have been simple if I was captured as a slave. He said that's just how the world works."
"...That is correct."
"No. I couldn't do it, but everyone is just putting up with it. The people who are made slaves, the people who are afraid of becoming slaves... and now that I think about it, even that Vice Admiral. In a way, even the World Nobles who can only live in that kind of world are just putting up with it."
I suddenly thought of Garp. He's definitely someone who is just putting up with things.
"It is easy for those at the bottom to just endure. It is also easy to think that's normal. But there is a limit. A day will surely come when it all breaks."
Actually, that day is coming soon. The Revolutionary Army doesn't exist yet, but it will be formed by the time Luffy is born.
"You ignore that possibility. You don't try to fix the problems of the World Government. You call an easy peace that is built on the sacrifice of many people 'justice,' all while you chase and try to kill a single girl just because she can read old letters."
"So I will say this, based on my own pride."
"Come on. I'm ready for you."
–
A single ship broke through the Navy's blockade, ignoring their cannon fire.
A nameless pirate crew, with only four young pirates and their former rookie Marine followers, set off on a journey that would later become a legend.
"No... it's not 'would be.' I must be the one to tell their story—the story of this departure."
On a ship hidden behind some rocks, a little far from the battle, a man held a Den Den Moshi for listening in. He had watched everything.
"Go. Go with your noble pride held high."
"Will the world catch up to you, or will you carve a new path for the world?"
The man with a large tattoo on his face smiled with satisfaction as he watched the last warship chasing the pirates get attacked by a swarm of ghosts and have its sails torn.
"I need to make up my mind as well..."
The man quietly set sail, leaving the Navy ships that were desperately chasing the pirates behind.
The man's name was Dragon.
He was the man who would one day challenge the world.
--
is this what they call PEAK?!
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