After less than two hours of conversation, Aokiji had come to realize that the young man beside him knew things that genuinely shocked him.
This was a remote kingdom, yet Nero knew about the World Government’s CP agencies and even seemed familiar with the way they operated.
As unbelievable as it sounded, there was no denying it.
“Why are you so certain about these things?” Aokiji asked.
“Whether I say it or not, I think Vice Admiral Aokiji already knows the answer.”
“From CP0 to CP9, everyone knows what kind of people the World Government’s intelligence agencies are.
I don’t think I need to explain it.”
“But I also believe that neither the World Government nor Marine Headquarters has the time to concern itself with a place like the Tru Kingdom, even if we possessed something important.”
“The seas are changing.
The Great Age of Pirates is coming.
How many forces do you think you can spare to deal with our affairs?”
Nero looked at Aokiji with a faintly sinister smile.
The era of the Four Emperors would soon arrive, and the age of the Seven Warlords was not far behind.
The true Great Age of Pirates had only just begun.
That was where his confidence came from.
The more Aokiji listened, the more uneasy he became.
Nero spoke as though everything was already within his grasp, giving Aokiji a growing sense of foreboding.
Still, since the conversation had reached this point, he decided to stop circling around the issue.
“The training methods used here seem very familiar.”
“The Six Powers,” Nero replied immediately.
“The combat techniques that became standard Marine training two years ago.
They push the body beyond its normal limits in offense, defense, and mobility.
Combined with Haki, they become one of the Marines’ greatest weapons.”
“Am I wrong?”
Once again, Nero spoke without the slightest hesitation.
Aokiji felt a weight settle in his chest.
At this point, the only explanation he could think of was that someone from the Tru Kingdom had infiltrated Marine Headquarters.
But Nero’s next words immediately crushed that theory.
“Don’t worry, Vice Admiral Aokiji.
None of this came from Marine Headquarters.”
“Two years ago, the Tru Kingdom was still a poor nation.
We didn’t have the resources to place people inside the upper ranks of the Marines.”
“More importantly, regarding what happened to the Tru Kingdom, I hope Marine Headquarters will give us an explanation within the next few years.”
“If Marshal Sengoku refuses, I don’t mind making the matter public.”
“When that happens, the Marines’ reputation will suffer greatly.
In this era of rampant piracy, that definitely wouldn’t be a joke.”
Nero was openly threatening the Marines.
He was referring to what had happened in the Tru Kingdom ten years ago.
The tragedy of Baterilla Island.
More than two thousand pregnant women had died because of that incident, making it one of the darkest chapters in the island’s history.
Aokiji had personally participated in that operation.
Naturally, he understood exactly what Nero was talking about.
The two continued walking through the streets while countless eyes watched them from both sides.
Aokiji kept his expression under control, but he finally understood why Sengoku had repeatedly warned him before his departure not to take action in the Tru Kingdom under any circumstances.
For perhaps the first time in years, the usually lazy Aokiji became completely serious.
A trace of killing intent flashed through his eyes as he looked at Nero.
“There’s no need to look at me like that, Vice Admiral Aokiji.”
“Honestly, you’re one of the people in the Marines I respect more.”
“Ohara in the West Blue… I imagine that incident left a deep impression on you.”
“The things the Marines have done over the years have been disappointing, haven’t they?”
Nero spoke with a smile that was both provocative and calm.
“What a headache.”
“I never expected a kid like you to know so many secrets.”
“This really puts me in an awkward position.”
Aokiji returned to his usual lazy demeanor, though his gaze remained fixed on Nero.
These matters should have remained Marine secrets, yet this sixteen-year-old boy knew them all.
His assessment of Nero had changed completely.
“I never intended to use this information to threaten Marine Headquarters.”
“But regarding what happened on Baterilla Island in the Tru Kingdom, the Marines owe us an explanation.”
Nero stared directly at Aokiji.
The pressure in his eyes was so intense that his Conqueror’s Haki seemed ready to burst forth.
“Oh… that’s something Marshal Sengoku will have to decide.”
“I can pass the message along.”
“As for anything more than that, I can’t promise.”
“What a troublesome situation.”
Aokiji spoke in his usual lazy tone.
On the surface, he appeared indifferent, but his thoughts were already racing.
The Baterilla Island incident was one of the Marines’ greatest stains, something that could never be exposed to the public.
Since Nero had brought it up so openly, he clearly had confidence in whatever information he possessed.
Aokiji knew the state of the world better than most.
And as Nero had said, the seas were entering a period of chaos.
Marine Headquarters simply didn’t have the manpower to focus on a small kingdom in the South Blue.
Nero felt rather satisfied.
Aokiji’s attitude likely reflected the position of Marine Headquarters as a whole.
He wasn’t arrogant enough to believe the Tru Kingdom could challenge the entire Marine force.
If not for the chaos of the Great Age of Pirates, merely possessing knowledge of the Six Powers might have been enough reason for the Marines to crush his nation several times over.
That was exactly why he wasn’t worried about Marine Headquarters investigating him.
“Vice Admiral Aokiji, you’ve traveled a long way and must be tired.”
“Why not stay in our country for a few days?”
“You can experience our local customs and culture, and perhaps offer some guidance to the young talents we’re currently training.”
By now, the two had reached the palace gates.
Seeing that Aokiji had no intention of leaving immediately, Nero extended the invitation.
“It’s rare for me to have a little free time.”
“Then I’ll gladly accept His Majesty’s hospitality.”
Nero smiled.
“You speak as though you’re just an ordinary guest.”
“I doubt it’ll be long before you become an Admiral.”
“That is the highest position a Marine can attain.
I imagine there will be many opportunities for me to trouble you in the future.”
Aokiji stared at him.
“I wonder where Your Majesty gets all this information.”
“You seem to know an awful lot.”
For the first time, he voiced the question that had been bothering him all along.
Ever since arriving here, everything had felt strangely off.
Every conversation seemed to follow Nero’s rhythm.
Every question, every answer.
It was as though all of Aokiji’s cards were laid bare before him.
As a Marine Vice Admiral, being read so thoroughly by a teenager was an unpleasant feeling.
From the moment he stepped into the Tru Kingdom, it had felt as though invisible eyes were watching him from above.
Even someone as lazy as Aokiji found the sensation deeply irritating.
Nero simply smiled.
His objective had already been achieved.
This was his home turf, after all.
There was no reason to let himself be led around by someone else.
“I know many things.”
“Far more than you can imagine.”
“But what can you do about it?”
He answered directly.
By then, they had already entered the palace grounds.
Before Aokiji could continue questioning him, a guard hurried over and respectfully reported,
“Your Majesty, Captain Junhe has already led our forces to the capital of the Kingdom of Roya.”
“He sent word asking whether we should launch a direct assault or await further orders.”
“Oh?”
“So they’ve moved that quickly already.”
Nero looked at the guard, then turned toward Aokiji.
“Vice Admiral Aokiji, would you be interested in observing the situation personally?”
“I don’t mind.”
“It might be interesting to take a look.”
After all, investigating the Tru Kingdom’s military strength was one of the main reasons for his visit. Read this novel at g.com for the best experience.
There was no better place to observe than an active battlefield.
“Inform Captain Junhe to wait.”
“I’ll be bringing a Vice Admiral from Marine Headquarters to observe the operation in person.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The guard immediately departed.
In truth, everything had already been arranged beforehand.
Junhe could have contacted Nero directly through a Den Den Mushi if he genuinely needed instructions.
The messenger’s appearance had been planned from the beginning.
No one understood what Nero was thinking.
The war against the Kingdom of Roya had already been won.
There was virtually no possibility of failure.
But Nero had his own reasons.
The moment he learned Aokiji was coming, he had begun planning countless possibilities.
He would rather deal with anyone than Akainu, but he was also confident that Marine Headquarters would never send that man.
From the Tru Kingdom to the capital of Roya, even the fastest ship would need at least two days.
Yet Junhe had reached the capital in only five.
Along the way, almost no Roya forces had seriously resisted.
If they wished, they could have stormed directly into the capital long ago.
Among the dozens of nations in the South Blue, the Kingdom of Roya was neither exceptionally strong nor exceptionally weak.
This time, Nero had brought nearly all of his kingdom’s senior officials with him.
He wanted them to witness everything personally.
As the National set sail, Junhe and his troops continued waiting outside the capital.
The Tru Kingdom had deployed roughly ten thousand soldiers.
The Kingdom of Roya possessed a larger population and a larger army, yet that advantage had proven meaningless.
Ever since Roya’s current king had taken the throne five years earlier, he had become deeply unpopular with both the people and the military.
After seeing the prosperity and living standards of the Tru Kingdom, many cities had opened their gates willingly.
Some had even welcomed the Tru army as liberators.
As a result, Junhe’s advance had been astonishingly smooth.
Two days later, Nero arrived with Aokiji.
What greeted them atop the city walls was a shocking sight.
The figures standing there were not soldiers.
Most of them were pirates.
Using the civilians as shields, they prevented Junhe’s forces from entering the city.
Yet despite the standoff, there were no signs of active fighting.
Throughout the entire campaign, not a single soldier under Junhe’s command had been lost.
In the five years since Roya’s new king had taken power, the damage inflicted upon his nation had become impossible to describe.
Standing aboard the National and looking at the scene before him, Nero smiled.
“What do you think of this situation, Vice Admiral Aokiji?”
“Your Majesty,” Junhe reported respectfully from beside him.
“Most of the military forces inside the city have already been brought under control.”
“However, the number of pirates inside is far greater than we initially expected.”
“What exactly happened?”
“Why are there so many pirates in Roya?”
Junhe frowned.
“Your Majesty, it all stems from the King of Roya.”
“Most of these pirates came from the West Blue.
Their total number is close to eight thousand.”
“There are two particularly powerful pirate crews among them.”
“When they first arrived, the king promised that if they helped conquer the Tru Kingdom, all of the treasures within our royal palace would belong to them.”
“That is why so many pirates agreed to assist Roya.”
Nero nodded, then looked toward Aokiji once more.
“And what do you think of this, Vice Admiral Aokiji?”
“Oh…”
“Please don’t ask me about matters like this.”
“I only came here to observe.”
“I won’t be helping you.”
Aokiji replied lazily.
“Are the preparations complete?”
Nero asked as he turned back toward Junhe.
A wicked smile immediately appeared on Junhe’s face.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”