Although the New World was dangerous for a three- or four-year-old child, with someone protecting them, it could become a paradise for nurturing the strong.
“Not right now, but if we’re not in a hurry, we won’t leave immediately. The time it takes to get from here to the East Blue… should be just about right.”
The year 1516 was drawing to a close, and a long time had already passed since Roger became the Pirate King. Counting it out, it wouldn’t be long before he turned himself in.
“You should come too. Nanamo has grown up already. I can trust her to stay behind and guard Fish-Man Island. With Sebastian and the others helping her, she is more than capable of protecting the Fish-Man Island.
It’s been so long since we’ve gone out and traveled together properly. This is a good opportunity.
This period can also be considered… the final calm before the storm.”
“Alright.”
Over all these years, Nereus had proven through actions that as long as his military deterrence was strong enough, the World Government would ignore the fact that she was a surviving member of the Lunarian race.
The World Government’s painfully obvious attempt at concealment was so ridiculous it made her want to laugh.
Alber still had the habit of wearing leather clothing, but Amphitrite’s title of “Miss Mummy” had long become something only the older generation joked about when reminiscing.
Some time later, Barbell’s vacation ended, and he returned to the office in the Sabaody Archipelago.
Meanwhile, Nanamo was entrusted with the important responsibility of “acting as regent”. At that moment, she was inside Ryugu Palace, looking at the empty Royal Palace while contemplating life.
“Princess Nanamo, what are you thinking about? This is Lord Nereus’s absolute trust in you. This is a legitimate opportunity to sit upon the throne.”
“Hermes, has it ever occurred to you that I can sit in that chair whenever I want? Dad has never cared about things like that.”
“No, no, Princess Nanamo. The chair you’re talking about is merely a physical chair. The one I’m talking about is the throne that symbolizes royal authority.”
“You… why is this still the sort of thing occupying your mind?”
Glancing at Hermes beside her, Nanamo resumed reviewing the kingdom’s asset inventory. This was the greatest joy of her current position.
“Ahem… force of habit. As your most loyal servant, I naturally have to consider matters concerning your future~ The chances may be low, but what if?”
“Rather than worrying about something so far off, look at what’s happening now. The Marines really pulled off something huge. They captured Roger without anyone noticing.”
Morgans had now directly established a branch office of the World Economy News Paper on Fish-Man Island, or rather, a small newsstand. It only had a handful of employees.
Their primary task was to promptly send reports of major events on Fish-Man Island back to headquarters while ensuring newspapers reached the Ryugu Kingdom more punctually.
Since it benefited Fish-Man Island, Nereus had not rejected Morgans’s request to establish the branch.
Now, the latest newspaper had arrived at the royal palace. The bold headline, “Pirate King Captured,” was impossible to miss, occupying nearly an entire page. It was one of the Marines’ few “significant accomplishments” in recent years.
Under Marine direction, newspapers across the world were heavily publicizing the event, intending to use it to suppress the arrogance of pirates everywhere.
“A bounty of over five billion, and the Marines actually caught him. I wonder to whom that reward money will go to. But on the Marine side… it doesn’t seem like anyone could defeat Roger one-on-one. That’s pretty strange.
Wasn’t that girl Shyarly supposed to have predicted the arrival of a new era?”
“Yes, Princess Nanamo. According to that young fortune-teller, a turbulent age is about to begin.”
“Dad left too. Looks like there’s a lot about this matter that I still don’t know.”
Nanamo ignored the exaggerated embellishments in the newspaper. The article was filled from beginning to end with praise for Marine heroism, yet it never once specified exactly who had captured Roger.
Not long afterward, the Marines published news that Roger would be executed in Loguetown in the East Blue. The announcement prompted countless people across the world to head for the East Blue, hoping to personally witness the downfall of this “King.”
Many applauded the news.
In the eyes of ordinary people, Roger was an out-and-out devil. His death was viewed as a tremendously good thing.
During Roger’s voyages, he had made many companions, but even more enemies. They had been unable to defeat him themselves, so the thought of the Marines executing Roger filled them with excitement.
Among all those rivals, however, one man was an exception.
“Impossible! That’s a man I acknowledged! How could a bunch of Marine trash possibly capture Roger?!”
Veins bulged across Golden Lion’s forehead as a terrifying aura filled the room. The famous swords Kogarashi and Oto floated to his side under the influence of the Float-Float Fruit.
With a single slash that split open the roof, Golden Lion flew off into the distance without a second thought.
Torrential rain poured down as dark clouds shrouded Marineford.
Golden Lion floated outside Marine Headquarters. Massive warships were as easy for him to manipulate as toys in a child’s hands. The shoreline was littered with the wreckage of warships, and one large warship had even been hurled directly into Marineford, destroying a vast swath of buildings.
Below him, the corpses of Marines were piled high. This was indiscriminate slaughter—any Marine who entered Golden Lion’s field of vision became a target.
“Hand Roger over!”
Golden Lion’s furious roar pierced through the curtain of rain, while his harsh mocking voice rang in the ears of every surviving Marine.
“You worthless trash… what gives you the right to capture Roger?!”
After large numbers of Marines had been killed, Sengoku and Garp finally appeared before Golden Lion. Sengoku had already removed his suit, and the form of the Great Buddha was beginning to emerge.
“Hand him over! If anyone’s going to kill him, only I have that right, not a bunch of useless trash like you!”
“Roger has already been arrested. He will be transported to the East Blue, where he will be executed! And as for you, the only thing waiting is Impel Down!”
The words “East Blue” seemed to touch a fragile nerve within Golden Lion. The reputation of the weakest sea felt like an insult to him.
“Lion: Scattering Valley!”
Countless flying slashes rained down below as a battle between three top-tier powerhouses erupted in Marineford. Golden Lion’s madness caught Sengoku completely by surprise.
He couldn’t understand why Golden Lion would choose to fight Marine Headquarters to death over Roger, even abandoning the advantage of flying. Even when he was clearly losing, he never attempted to flee.
Half the town was destroyed by the aftermath of the battle. Although they successfully captured Golden Lion, Headquarters paid an enormous price.
The Marines stationed there suffered heavy casualties, and nearly all nearby warships were destroyed. Yet from the Marines’ perspective, the losses were worth it.
But before Sengoku and Garp could even catch their breath, a new piece of news was brought before them by a messenger.
“Reliable information: Nereus himself… has arrived in Loguetown.”
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