ZenpaiTrans
patreon
The Strongest Frost Loli (102)
🕑 Added 2024-08-16 17:00:16 +0000 UTCChapter 102 - First Meeting
Mary Geoise, the Holy Land.
Perhaps the most sacred place in the world, the residence of the Celestial Dragons.
Naturally, it was heavily guarded by intelligence agents protecting the World Government, and many Marines from the nearby Marine Headquarters were constantly stationed there as well. However, in all of history, Mary Geoise had never been attacked. Security was more of a formality than a necessity.
Yet, at this very moment, one location in this seemingly impenetrable fortress was enveloped in an atmosphere of unprecedented tension.
“Sengoku the Buddha and Garp the Hero... and a gathering of renowned Vice Admirals to boot,” a voice remarked.
“Seems the higher-ups in the World Government are terrified of us. Don’t you think so, Crocodile?” another voice chimed in.
“…Who knows. It doesn’t matter to me,” a third, dismissive voice replied.
These were the pirates who would be known as the “Seven Warlords of the Sea”.
Of the seven chosen by the World Government, six were already seated at a round table. They had been selected not only for their high bounties, but also for their exceptional strength. The Marines naturally had to strengthen their defenses, considering these pirates were gathering in Mary Geoise, home to the Celestial Dragons.
Garp, Sengoku, Tsuru... enough firepower was present to immediately quell any potential uprising.
However…
(…I understand why they would deploy Marines because they're bringing pirates chosen by the World Government to Mary Geoise, but isn't this a bit excessive?)
The World Government envisioned the Seven Warlords as a deterrent against the ever-increasing number of pirates. They were also intended to serve as a force to counter the powerful pirates residing in the New World, alongside the Marines.
But even with seven skilled pirates gathering here, it wasn't a valid reason to deploy such a powerful force, especially considering the current situation with the Marines being short-staffed. Garp and Sengoku alone could easily overwhelm the six individuals present.
Perhaps the higher-ups were simply being overly cautious... or perhaps, he had been caught in a trap set by the World Government.
Crocodile, one of the pirates chosen as a Warlord, discreetly heightened his vigilance. If this was a trap to lure rising pirates, he would need to respond accordingly.
“Hey Sengoku, aren’t they here yet?”
“Just wait a little longer. I've been informed they've arrived.”
Garp, growing impatient, yawned, but Sengoku, seemingly unconcerned, simply sipped his tea.
It took some time to reach Marine Headquarters, and then transfer to Mary Geoise. They would arrive soon, Sengoku said... and indeed, a messenger arrived shortly after, announcing their arrival.
Footsteps echoed, unhurried, unafraid, announcing their presence.
“–What?!”
“Why is she here?!”
“You’re late. You’re tardy.”
“Ah, sorry about that. I was debating until the very last moment whether to break the contract. It wouldn’t sit well with me to simply become the government’s dog.”
The woman known as the “Dragon Slayer Witch”.
Her hair was as beautiful as obsidian, framing a face that captivated all who beheld it. Though she was somewhat short, her porcelain skin, accentuated by a black dress, and her striking red eyes held the attention of everyone present, save for Garp, Sengoku, and a few others.
She was one of the most powerful pirates in the world, known throughout the land.
“…To be honest, I never expected you to become a Warlord.”
“Yes, I wasn’t planning on accepting the offer. However, as someone who also works as a merchant, I felt it would be inappropriate to simply break a contract.”
“You’re surprisingly dutiful.”
Kanata exchanged pleasantries with Sengoku, then sat down in the empty seat.
The other Warlords were speechless, but Crocodile quickly regained his composure.
(…I see. If she was coming, then this excessive deployment makes sense.)
Rumors about her were rampant. She was said to be friends with the Pirate King, and to have destroyed the Golden Lion Pirates after Shiki disappeared.
Big Mom, Whitebeard... countless pirates roamed the seas, but only a few were called “Great Pirates”.
If this “Witch” was one of them, then it was only natural for Garp and Sengoku to be present. The other Marines wouldn’t stand a chance.
“Now that everyone is here, let’s begin,” Sengoku declared, initiating the meeting.
The meeting itself wasn’t anything special. They would reconfirm the conditions for becoming a Warlord, and only those who agreed would remain.
Some were drawn by the privileges granted to Warlords, while others sought a stable haven, a way to avoid being pursued by the Marines.
Their reasons varied, but their duty was one and the same – to hunt other pirates.
Their bounties ranged widely, but they had been carefully selected by the World Government, and their strength was undeniable. The Marines, now with some breathing room, sighed in relief.
“How will the forces be allocated? Are we all heading for the New World?” one of the Warlords inquired.
Each pirate present possessed a certain level of strength, but that didn’t mean they could stand alongside Whitebeard or Big Mom.
And since their primary objective was to deter the increasing number of pirates, concentrating their forces in one location wouldn’t make much sense.
“I’ll do as I please. I don’t have a base,” Crocodile declared.
The other pirates reported their respective base islands, and ultimately, the forces were divided – two in the New World, and five in Paradise. The decision slightly favored the first half of the Grand Line, but no one complained.
Establishing a base in the New World, home to the Great Pirates, carried significant risks. And some, like Crocodile, didn’t have a base at all. The Marines wouldn’t interfere in such matters.
“As far as we’re concerned, as long as you hunt pirates, we don’t care where you base yourselves. Our priority is to maintain a balance of power against the likes of Whitebeard.”
The Marines’ workload wouldn’t decrease, but they would have some breathing room.
Whether these pirates would actually fulfill their duties was another matter… but pirates were pirates. They couldn’t be trusted.
In that sense, Sengoku felt the current World Government was somewhat naive.
“It seems like a simple job. If you’re truly on my side, you could easily take Linlin’s head. But I don't sense any such intention.”
“…The time is not yet right.”
“I see.”
Sengoku had simply wanted to gauge Kanata’s intentions. She smiled faintly at his reaction, then fell silent, no longer interested.
The other pirates present might not be able to maintain their position for long… but for the government and the Marines, Kanata was the only true Warlord. The others were simply filler.
And filler could be replaced easily.
“Now that we’ve confirmed everything, let us begin,” Sengoku declared, initiating the main discussion.
It wasn't a discussion in the true sense of the word. They would simply reconfirm the conditions for becoming a Warlord, and those who agreed would remain.
The discussion and introductions concluded smoothly, and the six pirates, aside from Kanata, left the room.
“About the conditions you proposed… approval has been granted, with some modifications.”
“I’ve heard. We’re here to discuss the specifics, I assume.”
“Yes.”
The World Government had added three conditions.
One, they had to notify the government at least one month in advance before passing through Mary Geoise.
Two, Marines would be dispatched to monitor their passage.
Three, they could only pass through the outer edges of Mary Geoise.
Those were the main conditions.
However, contacting them every time they wanted to pass through would be troublesome, so Kanata had simply said, “Set aside one day each month where we can pass through,” and had the condition modified.
Even then, considering the vastness of the sea and the many islands to visit, one day per month was still quite frequent.
“…Is that all?”
“For now, yes. Do you have any complaints?”
“No…”
While the conditions were simple, Kanata had expected something more stringent.
They weren’t inspecting her cargo for dangerous goods, nor were they entrusting the Marines with transporting it to prevent infiltration.
Such leniency only strengthened her suspicions.
Perhaps they were truly desperate… but even then, it seemed careless.
Of course, Kanata wouldn't complain about such favorable conditions.
“How many Marines will be monitoring us?”
“A few officers. We might increase the number depending on your performance.”
“Then I’ll make sure they have their hands full. It would be troublesome if you had enough manpower to spare.”
Of course, both of them knew it was a lie.
The World Government wouldn’t have granted passage through Mary Geoise if the Marines were truly short-staffed, and Kanata would be removed from the Warlords if she didn’t actively hunt pirates.
…The World Government officials present simply glared at them, seemingly unable to comprehend their banter.
“Just to satisfy my curiosity… are there any plans to defeat Linlin or Newgate?”
“…There are no such plans at the moment. However, if the Warlords perform well and free up some of the Marines’ resources, we might consider it.”
“So maintaining the balance of power is your top priority. You have a difficult job.”
In other words, it was the Marines’ and the government’s duty to maintain the balance between pirates and the Marines.
Newgate showed little interest in expanding his territory, Linlin was constantly clashing with Kanata, and Kaido, a rising force, was still considerably weaker than Kanata or Linlin.
Their influence was currently minimal, but things could change in the future.
The usefulness of the Warlords system would depend on their performance.
“It goes without saying, but… if you directly defy the World Government or the Marines, your Warlord status will be revoked. Keep that in mind.”
“Don’t worry. As long as there’s a benefit to upholding the contract, I won’t do anything unnecessary.”
Kanata implied that if a situation arose where she had to act, regardless of the consequences, she wouldn’t hesitate to abandon her Warlord status. The discussion ended peacefully.
***
A few days after the meeting between the Warlords.
The World Government, through various newspapers, announced the establishment of the “Seven Warlords of the Sea” system and its members, surprising the world.
Their bounties ranged from 70 million to 2.8 billion, and they became pirates who hunted pirates at the government’s behest.
Naturally, some pirates criticized them, calling them “the government’s dogs”… but these Warlords weren't the type to be bothered by such petty insults.
They were simply overwhelmingly strong, effortlessly defeating any insignificant pirate who dared to challenge them.
Kanata, too, encountered such individuals, but none had even managed to see her face.
“Boring,” she muttered.
She had expected more challenging opponents, but all she encountered were insignificant pirates. Even her usual training was more fulfilling.
“Bullet was captured in a Buster Call… We’re running out of sparring partners. At this rate, we’ll be the ones in danger,” Scotch remarked.
“I agree…”
Kanata, having effortlessly defeated both Scotch and George, sighed.
They were her long-time subordinates, but Kanata often thought too much, and her stress inevitably manifested as physical violence. They understood and simply accepted their fate.
“…So, what are our plans?” Scotch asked.
Things would likely remain the same for a while. But they had successfully obtained permission to pass through Mary Geoise. They needed to expand their trade routes and invest in education, even if it took time.
He pondered, but no brilliant ideas came to mind. He decided to set aside the matter of trade for now.
“We need more ships regardless. Water Seven seems to be in a critical situation. We’ll offer them support and try to recruit some shipbuilding companies.”
“I heard Tom was sentenced to death for building Roger’s ship.”
“It was a suspended sentence. I don’t know the details, but…”
There were shipbuilding islands in the New World, but they weren’t under Kanata’s direct control. She wanted skilled craftsmen who would prioritize building her ships.
They had no intention of destroying Water Seven, so they could only recruit a limited number, but based on the information they had gathered, many seemed willing to accept the offer.
Kanata decided on their priorities.
“One, recruit shipbuilding companies from Water Seven.
Two, invest in personnel development. You two will handle the merchants and craftsmen. I’ll train the combat personnel.
Three, pirate hunting. Those are our three priorities.”
Pirate hunting was the lowest priority. They had obtained permission to pass through Mary Geoise, but it wasn’t particularly useful yet. It was simply a convenient way to transport goods and people for a fee.
The Marines and the government might pressure them, but they could simply deliver the heads of the pirates who attacked them. It would be enough to satisfy them.
***
One year later.
They reunited with Tom and Iceburg in Water Seven, reminiscing about old times… and when they learned they were building a train that ran on water, they burst into laughter. They decided to provide them with the necessary support.
Many shipbuilding companies were struggling, and they eagerly accepted Kanata’s offer to establish new shipyards under her control.
Caterina led the research and development of new ship types, including paddle ships. Kanata was busy, her days filled with various tasks.
Then, one day, the newspapers reported a shocking incident.
A ship from the West Blue had been traveling the world, deciphering the “Road History Poneglyphs” – a forbidden act.
Furthermore, the ship had departed from Ohara.
And finally, a wanted poster for Olivia, who had escaped imprisonment, was included in the report.
Kanata, learning of this, immediately made her decision.
“–Prepare the ship. We’re heading for Ohara.”
