When it comes to the slave trade, whether seller, buyer, or transporter, all bear the same guilt.
And the place with the greatest demand for slaves has always been above the Red Line.
Mariejois, that resplendent and magnificent land, is a paradise for the Celestial Dragons, a place yearned for by nobles, yet it is also the source of suffering for countless others.
The number of slaves who died there, or who were unable even to die, cannot be counted.
“You want to… liberate all the slaves on the Red Line?”
Inside Ryugu Palace, Amphitrite could hardly believe what she was hearing, even though the one saying it was Nereus.
She knew Nereus had been cracking down on the slave trade, but whether it was striking at slave traders or targeting human trafficking markets, compared to what Nereus was planning to do now, all of that seemed utterly insignificant.
“That’s the headquarters of the World Government. Even if you’re strong enough, still…”
“Amphy, ever since I decided to change this world, these are things that I was bound to do.
I won’t do anything I’m not confident in. If I dare to do this, then naturally I have the confidence and the resolve to see it through.”
As for the issue of slaves, the World Government never truly cared that much. After all, Fisher Tiger had once made a trip up the Red Line himself and freed the slaves there at the time.
Even in the subsequent pursuit, the strongest involved was only Kizaru, who was still at the Vice Admiral rank. The reason Nereus was making such thorough preparations was simply because what he intended to do would cause far greater upheaval.
“Fishman Island needs to step onto the world stage, and stepping onto the world stage requires reputation. I’m well known on the seas, but that reputation is as a pirate.
No matter what one does, once the World Government brands you with the label of ‘pirate,’ as long as the World Government still exists, it will ultimately be an evil reputation.”
What had happened in the past had already proven that playing it safe or hiding away was useless. All Fishman Island gained from avoidance was an even harsher environment.
Unless, as Vander Decken VIII had said, they waited for the world to be swallowed by the sea, only then would Fishman Island naturally take a more proactive position.
“The people of the World Government… won’t change how they see you just because you are freeing those slaves.”
“I know that, of course. But that doesn’t matter. Even being crowned the most heinous criminal isn’t a big deal.
This liberation will inevitably be known to the world. People will realize that what we are pursuing is true freedom and liberation.
Besides, this is merely a declaration by force. I want to tell those on the Red Line that the sky of this world has already begun to change.”
A weak nation has no diplomacy; this is an unchanging truth throughout the ages.
When you are weak, no one takes you seriously. But when you take on eighteen gangs single-handedly and beat them into submission, the world will look at you in a new light.
A legitimate enough reason, sufficiently powerful strength, and a proper beginning. That was Nereus’s true objective.
Liberating the slaves was the direct result and goal, but it was not the most fundamental purpose.
“I’ll go with you.”
“No.”
“Why? After eating that fruit, my strength has risen by more than one level. Battles of the previous caliber can’t do anything to me now. Even your own senior officers don’t want to fight me.”
Sebastian and the others truly didn’t want to fight Amphitrite. Whether she was their sister-in-law or not wasn’t the main issue; the real problem was that she was just too difficult to deal with.
After fighting for half a day, you’d realize the opponent’s health bar hadn’t moved at all, you were only consuming their mana. And even after the mana was gone, they could still regenerate their health. Unless you went all-out and fought to the death, sparring with that kind of opponent could drag on for months without end.
“Because that is the Red Line. The Red Line is the homeland of all you Lunarians, isn’t it?”
“Maybe it is, but I wasn’t born there. What does that have to do with anything?”
“It’s just risk avoidance. When I come back, I’ll explain it all to you. During this time, you just need to guard Fishman Island for me.
Others will handle matters at sea. As for pirates who land on shore, I’ll leave them to you.
Nanamo! You too, this matter isn’t something a kid like you can take part in!”
After giving Amphitrite her instructions, Nereus turned and spoke sternly to a nearby pillar.
Nanamo was hiding behind that pillar at the moment. Seeing that Nereus had noticed her, she didn’t bother hiding anymore and walked straight out.
“Dad~”
“Calling me that won’t help; you stay put and guard Fishman Island well.”
“Hermes, stop hiding. Come with me, this time, I’ll be needing you.”
After Hermes was caught by Nereus, on the one hand it was because Nereus truly had a use for it, and on the other hand it cut off any possibility of Nanamo following him.
Without Hermes as a means of transportation, many things would become far less convenient for her.
“Lord Nereus, as the most loyal retainer of Princess Nanamo, I believe that during your absence, I should remain by Princess Nanamo’s side to protect her!”
Hermes presented its argument with righteous conviction, but Nanamo rejected it outright, even ordering it to work hard on her behalf.
“You’re just a cloud. You can’t even die, what are you afraid of?”
“I used to think that way too, but Princess Nanamo… setting aside Lord Nereus and Mama, just look at that woman’s blue flames, and that skeleton.
I feel like there are still far too many things in this world that can threaten me…”
There were very few people in the world capable of launching soul attacks, and unfortunately, Hermes knew almost all of them. That alone gave Hermes a constant sense of crisis.
That said, Nereus didn’t need Hermes to take part in combat anyway. It would mainly serve as a meteorological weapon.
Even though Hermes felt the plan wasn’t careful enough, it was still dragged into the meeting room. Everyone present were former members of the Fish-Man Pirates, trusted old subordinates of Nereus.
“Everyone, the time to act has arrived. I trust you all know the objective of this operation.
Your main task is to seize Red Port and provide support. I’ll deal with the troublesome guys.
If the situation turns unfavorable, retreat immediately. Is that clear?”
“Yes!”
When Nereus said this, it was clearly not to seek opinion, but to issue orders. At times like these, all they needed to do was obey.
“Don’t worry. I’ve consulted the most professional fortune tellers on Fishman Island, this operation of ours is guaranteed to end in victory.”
Nereus himself didn’t particularly believe in prophecies, since anything tied to time tended to become quite elusive.
After all, the very act of asking could itself influence the outcome, such logic wasn’t impossible.
But this was part of Fishman Island’s traditional culture, and the locals deeply believe in the results of divination. Just like those who believe in the Holy Light, when they receive its affirmation, they can unleash even greater combat power. [TN: World of Warcraft’s paladins, who channel the Holy Light faith for greater strength.]
The words of a veteran fortune teller on Fishman Island could influence public confidence to a certain extent, making it a rather effective platform for publicity.
“Boss, everything’s ready. The new king of Alabasta has been destroying this stuff, so production is low now. This is pretty much all that’s left in stock.”
Barbell pulled out several sacks, packed full of green powder.
This wasn’t some special contraband, it was Dance Powder.
A kind of “weather weapon” invented by arid nations.
By burning this powder and letting the smoke rise into the sky, it would draw surrounding clouds together and cause rainfall in the area.
The price, however, was that downwind nations would lose the rainfall that should have been theirs.
Just like fighting over water during a drought, using this powder could even spark large-scale wars between nations, which was why it had long been banned.
In low-rainfall regions it was forbidden, as reckless use could trigger war; in high-rainfall regions, it was useless. As a result, it never spread widely and was even considered somewhat of worthless.
But for the Fish-Men, it was different. This item could even be considered a strategic resource, capable of turning the environment into terrain more suitable for their own combat.
The area around the Red Line wasn’t lacking in water, so using Dance Powder there wouldn’t harm neighboring countries.
“We’ve also retrieved the item from Wobbegong. He said that Vegapunk was involved in its development as well. Once activated, there won’t be a single electromagnetic signal transmitted from all of Red Port for the entire night.
But correspondingly, while the jammer is in effect, we won’t be able to contact the outside world either, nor even reach you on the Red Line, Boss.”
Sunbell took several oddly shaped devices out of a box. Seemingly designed to prevent accidental activation, the device was incredibly simple to operate, featuring only a huge mechanical lever as its switch.
Red Port was very close to Marineford. To prevent Marine reinforcements from arriving, blocking the spread of information was an effective method.
The later the news got out, the slower Marine support would arrive, and the easier it would be to handle the subsequent withdrawal.
“That’s why we need a detailed plan. Barbell, Sunbell, Sebastian, your task is to protect Red Port. During this process, if any Marine warships approach, sink them immediately.
Try to resolve battles at sea as much as possible.”
Nereus spread out a map—a topographical layout of Red Port, where the main defensive positions of the garrison were clearly marked.
On the sea chart surrounding Red Port, the likely directions of Marine reinforcements were also marked.
Nereus didn’t know how Tiger had pulled it off back then, but if he was going to do this, he would naturally make thorough preparations.
It wasn’t just about ability, other factors had to be considered as well.
“Pan, you’ll have to go up the Red Line with me. Your Devil Fruit ability will be extremely useful this time. Remember to follow my orders. Understood?”
After that, Nereus turned his gaze to Big Pan nearby. After several months of intensive training, Big Pan had finally mastered the use of the waterproof membrane, making his movements much more convenient.
“And you too, Hermes. Your mission is quite important, I’ll leave the Dance Powder to you.”
The standard way to use Dance Powder was, of course, to burn it. But with a Homie like Hermes around, Nereus naturally had a new method in mind.
As long as Hermes swallowed all of the Dance Powder, it could essentially turn into a mobile rain-making weather bomb, allowing for much finer control over the range of the rain clouds.
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