Watching Junhe leave, Nero couldn’t help feeling irritated.
He wasn’t particularly angry about the stolen cargo itself, but he was deeply dissatisfied with the attitude of the person responsible.
A short while later, Junhe returned, practically dragging a young woman who looked to be around twenty years old.
She kept her head lowered, not daring to say a word.
“And this is your attitude after something like this happened?”
Nero’s voice was cold.
“Your Majesty, I’m sorry.”
Gogoya immediately dropped to her knees.
“The cargo was stolen because of my negligence.
I’m willing to accept any punishment.”
She never once raised her head.
“I entrusted HNA Transport to you because I trusted you.”
Nero’s expression darkened.
“If something goes wrong, that’s a problem for me to solve as well.”
“The cargo was stolen.
The first thing you should have done was investigate and track down those responsible, not hide behind everyone else.”
His voice rose sharply.
“If you continue acting like this, how will this kingdom function in the future?”
The sudden reprimand made Gogoya’s shoulders tremble.
Tears began falling onto the floor.
Junhe and the others stood silently nearby.
No one dared to speak.
It was the first time they had ever seen their king this angry.
Gogoya bent forward until her forehead nearly touched the ground.
Tears continued dripping onto the floor.
Seeing her like that, Nero finally sighed.
His anger eased somewhat.
“Get up.”
His tone softened.
“Is everything ready?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Gogoya hurriedly stood.
“Everything has been prepared.
We can depart at any time.”
“Good.”
Nero turned around.
“Once we’re aboard, tell me everything from the beginning.
I want every detail.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Gogoya followed closely behind him.
Everything aboard the ship had already been prepared.
Although the expedition wasn’t large, around fifty members of the Royal Guard would accompany them.
As the sails were raised, the Tru National, which had been quietly anchored in the harbor, slowly began to move.
Countless people gathered at Nanniwa Port, waving as the ship departed.
After boarding, Nero stood on the deck and gazed toward the horizon.
For the first time in a long while, he felt truly relaxed.
At this moment, he didn’t have to carry the burden of the entire kingdom on his shoulders.
“Your Majesty…”
Gogoya approached cautiously.
“Tell me everything.”
Nero looked out at the sea.
“What exactly happened?”
Gogoya nodded.
“According to the reports from those who returned, the cargo was stolen entirely by pirates.”
“The incident occurred near Reverse Mountain.
At the time, our vessel encountered a pirate crew preparing to enter the Grand Line, and the attack happened there.”
“Have you identified the pirates responsible?”
Nero asked calmly.
“Yes.”
Gogoya hesitated before answering.
“It was the Red Hair Pirates.”
“Them?”
Nero was genuinely surprised.
He hadn’t expected to come into contact with Shanks and his crew this early.
But after a moment’s thought, it wasn’t particularly strange.
Pirates were pirates.
No matter how famous they became later, robbery remained one of their primary occupations.
“Fine.”
Nero waved it off.
“There’s no need to worry about it anymore.”
“If that’s the case, going to the Grand Line isn’t a bad idea.”
Gogoya blinked in surprise.
“Your Majesty… you’re not blaming me?”
“What is there to blame?”
Nero smiled.
“Encountering pirates at sea is inevitable.”
“Besides, their strength isn’t something you could have controlled.”
Relief filled Gogoya’s face.
“But how do we recover the cargo?”
Nero thought for a moment before smiling faintly.
“Who said we’re going to recover it?”
“We don’t even know where they are.
Finding a pirate crew in the middle of the ocean is nearly impossible.”
He stretched lazily.
“We’ll just continue forward and see what happens.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Reverse Mountain was the only route connecting the Four Blues to the Grand Line.
There was no alternative.
Unless a nation possessed enough strength and technology to cross the Calm Belt directly, every ship entering the Grand Line had to pass through Reverse Mountain.
Standing on the deck, Nero watched the endless sea rise and fall.
Perhaps it was because this was his first true voyage, but everything seemed beautiful to him.
At least within the South Blue, the waters remained relatively safe.
The Tru National was enormous.
The vessel stretched over a hundred meters in length and featured three massive sails.
Operating it required at least fifty people.
In addition to living quarters and dining facilities, the ship even contained entertainment areas and a swimming pool.
No matter where one looked from, it was undoubtedly one of the most luxurious ships sailing these seas.
The flag of the Tru Kingdom fluttered proudly atop the mast.
Its crescent-shaped emblem stood out against the sky.
“Your Majesty.”
Gogoya approached once more.
“Where should we head next?
Should we go directly to Reverse Mountain, or make stops elsewhere first?”
“Did you bring a Log Pose?”
Nero asked.
“A Log Pose?”
Gogoya looked completely confused.
Nero immediately felt a headache coming on.
As the person responsible for the kingdom’s maritime transportation, she didn’t even know what a Log Pose was.
“Forget it.”
He sighed.
“We’ll buy one later.”
“In the Four Blues, an ordinary compass is enough.
But once you enter the Grand Line, a compass becomes useless.”
“The only way to navigate there is with a Log Pose.”
“You need to learn more about the world in the future.
Don’t stand there looking clueless like you did today.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Gogoya lowered her head helplessly.
She truly hadn’t known.
For her, this voyage would be an opportunity to learn many things.
The ship drifted with the wind.
Unfortunately, the sea was unusually calm.
Without strong winds, the vessel moved at an agonizingly slow pace.
Still, there was no urgency behind this journey.
After all, nobody truly expected to recover the stolen cargo.
Pirates wandered constantly.
Tracking them down was almost impossible.
Of course, luck was another matter.
If they happened to encounter them, that would be a different story.
“Tell everyone to train and rest properly.”
Nero reclined lazily in a deck chair.
“We don’t have much to do right now.”
“Once we reach a port, we’ll restock supplies.”
“This voyage should be treated as a learning experience.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
With his Observation Haki, Nero could sense activity within a ten-kilometer radius.
As long as he paid attention, he could immediately detect potential dangers at sea.
The first few days passed pleasantly enough.
But after several days at sea, the novelty gradually disappeared.
No islands.
No excitement.
Nothing but endless ocean and sky.
Nero lay in his chair with a bored expression.
The scenery was beautiful at first.
Now it was simply repetitive.
Nearby, Gogoya looked equally exhausted.
Although she managed transportation, she had rarely gone to sea herself.
Several days aboard a ship had already drained her enthusiasm.
“Gogoya.”
Nero glanced at her.
“Why do pirates enjoy life at sea so much?”
“Isn’t this incredibly boring?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
She sighed.
Nero laughed.
“Then tell me something.”
“Why is it so hot and humid today?”
“Did the navigator mention anything?”
“He said last night that we’d probably reach Reverse Mountain in another two or three days.”
Gogoya paused.
“There shouldn’t be any unusual weather in the Four Blues, but—”
Before she could finish speaking, the sky suddenly darkened.
Massive storm clouds rolled in from the horizon.
At the same time, enormous waves surged toward them.
Some were more than thirty meters high.
“Your Majesty!”
Several soldiers immediately rushed forward.
“Please return to the cabin!
It’s too dangerous out here!”
The laziness that had filled the ship moments earlier vanished instantly.
Everyone sprang into action.
The navigator hurriedly turned the ship, attempting to avoid the incoming waves.
The moment Nero saw it, he shouted furiously:
“What is that idiot doing?”
His voice thundered across the deck.
“Turn the bow back immediately!”
“If we keep turning sideways, we’ll all die!”
The navigator’s decision was unbelievably foolish.
Even Nero couldn’t help cursing inwardly.
The order was relayed immediately.
The ship slowly corrected its course and pointed directly toward the approaching wave.
The wall of water stretched so far that its edges couldn’t even be seen.
Dark clouds filled the sky above.
Heavy rain and violent winds would arrive at any moment.
“Tell the navigator one thing.”
Nero’s expression turned serious.
“No matter what happens next, the bow must stay pointed forward.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
For most people from the Tru Kingdom, this was their first experience facing such terrifying waves.
Their country had once been too poor to even maintain proper ships.
Many of them had never truly sailed before.
“Everyone!”
Nero shouted.
“Lower the sails immediately!”
“Grab onto something sturdy and don’t let the waves wash you overboard!”
The Royal Guard sprang into action.
Some climbed the masts.
Others cut the ropes securing the sails.
Everyone moved frantically.
The giant wave was getting closer.
Closer.
Closer.
Their hundred-meter vessel looked insignificant before it.
One impact could easily shatter the ship.
The navigator gripped the helm tightly.
This was his first encounter with such monstrous waves.
He couldn’t understand why Nero insisted on charging directly toward them.
Standing alone at the front of the deck, Nero summoned Muramasa from the system space.
His gaze remained fixed on the approaching wall of water.
He ignored the frightened expressions around him.
He ignored Gogoya’s cries.
The wave closed in.
The distance vanished.
At the final moment, Nero drew a deep breath.
“Draw Slash!”
In an instant, Muramasa left its sheath.
The speed exceeded the limits of ordinary vision.
A brilliant sword beam erupted forward.
The towering wave was split cleanly in half.
The force behind the strike didn’t stop there.
Even the sea itself was cleaved apart for miles ahead.
Everyone aboard stood frozen.
Their jaws nearly dropped to the deck.
The Tru National passed safely through the divided wave.
Moments later, the separated seawater rushed back together, causing the ship to shake violently.
Fortunately, the turbulence gradually subsided.
The sea slowly returned to calm.
But the people aboard remained motionless.
Every pair of eyes was fixed on the young king standing at the bow.
None of them could believe what they had just witnessed.