“Coward!”
“Wimp!”
“Disgrace to men!”
Mr.
9’s cursing grew louder; he was furious, and his insults became increasingly harsh.
Seeing that this hot-blooded youth was about to swing his club at someone, Nefeltari Vivi hurriedly pulled Mr.
9 away.
Was he kidding?
This Daddy had eyes as sharp as a hawk’s, and the threat he posed already felt significant.
Furthermore, the opponent was armed.
At this distance, facing a marksman carrying over thirty pistols without Armament Haki for protection, Nefeltari Vivi couldn’t guarantee her safety.
All that talk about not daring to go to the Grand Line or being timid were just excuses; only a hot-blooded youth like Mr.
9 couldn’t see that.
The opponent didn’t want trouble, and since Nefeltari Vivi and her companion weren’t pirates with bounties on their heads, Daddy wanted to live quietly in Loguetown and take care of his young daughter.
Naturally, he couldn’t just draw his gun at his doorstep, so he had to patiently waste his breath with them.
Nefeltari Vivi pulled the cursing Mr.
9 away: “Forget it, forget it.
Let’s go recruit the next person.
Let’s go, let’s go.”
Pulling and dragging, she hauled the still-angry Mr.
9 away.
Upon reaching the alley entrance, Nefeltari Vivi suddenly acted as if she had realized something.
She struck her left palm with her right fist and said with a look of surprise: “Oh no, I forgot to buy dried fish for Karu!
Shoot, shoot.
You go ahead, I’ll catch up with you in a bit!”
If it were someone else in a different situation, they would have definitely sensed her insincerity, but Mr.
9 was too hot-blooded and didn’t notice the issue at all.
He shouldered his two iron clubs and walked away alone with a heavy, steady gait.
Nefeltari Vivi waited for a while, and seeing that Mr.
9 had gone far away, she turned back into the alley and called out to Daddy, who was about to open his door to go home.
The middle-aged man was very cautious and did not underestimate her just because she was a woman.
He didn’t offer any polite pleasantries like “come inside and sit for a while.”
Nefeltari Vivi asked: “Mr.
Daddy, I heard that when you served in the Marine, you and Smoker, the White Hunter were in the same class?”
As the Marine Captain guarding Loguetown, the name of Smoker, the White Hunter was a household name in Loguetown.
Daddy wasn’t surprised that Nefeltari Vivi mentioned this name; his past could basically be found out by anyone who bothered to ask.
He gave a snort: “Yeah, I used to be a Marine.
Is there a problem with that?”
Nefeltari Vivi followed up: “Then are you also a Disciple of Fleet Admiral Zefa?
Can you help me get in touch with Fleet Admiral Zefa?”
Daddy looked at her strangely.
It was normal to know Smoker’s name, but given Nefeltari Vivi’s age, it was very strange for her to know Fleet Admiral Zefa’s name.
Just like when Nefeltari Vivi was selling cables and umbrellas, young pirates hadn’t even heard of the names Golden Lion or Red Count.
Were they born with low intelligence?
No, it was because they lacked the channels to learn about such things.
When Marine Captain Hina was dining at Red Port, she hinted at the connection between Kaido, Big Mom, and the Rocks Pirates, and was praised by Luffy’s grandfather, the Marine Hero Garp, saying, “You know quite a lot.” One had to remember that this happened over 30 years ago.
Were Kaido and Big Mom insignificant passersby?
No, they were the enemies of the Marine, their mortal enemies!
If you don’t even understand your enemy’s past, what the hell are you doing?
Regarding past history, pirates were clueless, and the Marine were about the same, not to mention the general public.
Going mainstream?
Non-existent!
The entire world lacked transmission of knowledge.
Starting from the World Government controlled by the Gorosei, the official method of rule had always been based on keeping the people ignorant.
The more ignorant the people were, the better.
They did not encourage the public to learn and were very strict regarding the control of books and knowledge.
Fleet Admiral Zefa had retired from active duty and moved to an instructor position over thirty years ago.
Logically speaking, a young Bounty Hunter like Nefeltari Vivi shouldn’t be able to know this name.
Daddy couldn’t help but sneer: “Heh, interesting.
I don’t know if I’m misunderstanding, but does your tiny Baroque Works actually want to recruit Instructor Zefa?”
A mysterious Okama Kingdom could make Nico Robin issue an order to lie low.
If he recruited a former Marine Admiral, Admiral Aokiji would likely kill his way over, and then upon seeing this, say, “Huh?
Nico Robin, you’re actually hiding here?!
Arrest them all!”…
Crocodile would blow up on the spot, and Baroque Works would be disbanded in minutes without question.
Nefeltari Vivi didn’t mention Baroque Works at all.
She said calmly: “I heard that Fleet Admiral Zefa’s teaching ability is extremely excellent.
I want to recruit him on behalf of the Nefertari Family to be the national chief instructor.”
Daddy had always kept his distance from the nobles of various countries, and for a moment, he didn’t realize what the Nefertari Family was.
To make a deeper impression on him, Nefeltari Vivi said with a heavy tone: “800 years ago, 20 kings formed an alliance and established the World Government.
Afterward, 19 families settled in Holy Land Mary Geoise and became the current Celestial Dragons.
Only the Nefertari Family did not leave their own country…”
Although Daddy hadn’t learned much knowledge when he was in the Marine academy, he had a vague impression of what Nefeltari Vivi was saying at this moment.
“…The desert kingdom of Alabasta?
Then you are…”
“I am Nefeltari Vivi.”
Daddy took some time to sort out the logical relationship.
After pondering for a long time, he said: “Why would a princess of a country become a Bounty Hunter?”
“Because a group of people is lurking within Baroque Works, attempting to use a conspiracy to overthrow my country and seize my father’s throne.
I don’t know exactly who they are, nor do I know what they are going to do.
For the sake of my people, I can only hide my identity and join Baroque Works to gather intelligence…
Mr.
Daddy, I’ve revealed my identity.
That should represent my sincerity, right?”
The middle-aged man nodded slowly.
These things didn’t sound like they were made up on the spot.
Nefeltari Vivi’s tone was very serious: “I heard that Fleet Admiral Zefa is very dissatisfied with many aspects of the current Marine and seems to have the intention of leaving the Marine.
Meanwhile, domestic conflicts in Alabasta are becoming increasingly acute.
We need to carry out military reforms to protect our homeland while downsizing the army to ease domestic conflicts.
Fleet Admiral Zefa needs our vast population and national strength to help him re-weave his dreams, and we need his personal ability and prestige to push forward military reforms.
Mr.
Daddy, Alabasta and Fleet Admiral Zefa have a great foundation for cooperation.”
Fleet Admiral Zefa’s personal combat power went without saying—he was a Marine Admiral, so he couldn’t be bad.
But what Nefeltari Vivi valued was the old man’s teaching ability.
Being able to train the Three Admirals—Akainu, Aokiji, and Kizaru—as well as a bunch of Vice Admirals and Rear Admirals, the old man’s teaching ability was definitely the best in the One Piece world.
Bringing the old man to Alabasta to be a commander of the 600,000-strong Imperial Guard would be more than enough.
Remembering that the old man still had some subordinates who had left the Marine, bringing them all over as the backbone might even lead to the establishment of the Alabasta Navy.
Even a desert country had dreams of a navy!