"For the kings who want to be liked by the Celestial Dragons more than anyone else, rather than the nations or armies outside the Government's framework, they are worried sick about the other affiliated nations working hard to curry favor. Is that the gist of it?"
"Yes, that's right," I nodded, impressed. "...I believe that is likely how they will think."
That's exactly it. The World Government, regardless of its name, is not in reality a so-called alliance or federation. It is merely a group where 'if you join and pay a huge amount of money, certain human rights are recognized.' It has become that way.
Setting aside the official stance, that is the reality.
That is why, in this emergency where even that premise has been blown away, things will become increasingly complicated. They will never fall in step, nor can they be made to. It is absolutely impossible.
"If they aren't liked by the Celestial Dragons, their country will burn. So, let's increase the tribute. Up to this point, it's a natural line of thought. But as that progresses, I think some countries will eventually think, 'Let's drag down the countries that look like they're going to be favored.'"
"...By making them the targets of pillaging using pirates?" Hina asked.
"That too, or perhaps rumors... in other words, they might try to drag them down using badmouthing."
You can't make light of it just because it's badmouthing. Especially in this oceanic world, and even more so in these times when pirates are likely to increase drastically.
'It seems that country was attacked by pirates, but I hear the neighboring country was pulling the strings behind the scenes'... If conspiracy theories like that circulate, the momentum would likely be enough for people to accept them.
"Or, surrounding nations might team up to stop logistics to a wealthy nation... anyway, from here on out, anything goes. Therefore—"
"You mean the remaining foundation, the affiliated nations, are the ones that actually need watching?"
"Rather than watching, I should say they need 'careful attention'... But yes."
Making them feel safe would directly contribute to stability... but looking at the Government's moves since the Marine Slave Incident, they have a bad habit of easily resorting to cover-ups.
As a result, the framework of the World Government is that. It's in a state as shaky as a Jenga tower in the endgame.
"If it were me, I'd first rebuild control. ...However, I also understand the urge to rush retaliation against nations and armies that committed clear acts of betrayal against the Government. The larger the organization, the heavier the concept of 'face' becomes."
"In the first place, they weren't the ones who betrayed first," Hina muttered.
Hey, Marine.
...Well, I guess it can't be helped. It's essentially equivalent to being betrayed twice in a row.
The problem is... setting aside the slave incident, it's doubtful whether the Government even perceives this current incident as a betrayal...
This is bad. I seriously can't see a thread leading to a solution.
If it were Sengoku-san, considering the situation where replenishing troops would be difficult, he would probably try to start by persuading the Marines. But whether the Government would allow that...
"Even if they were to bring them back in through persuasion, this time they would need to have the Celestial Dragons pay a definitive penalty. But it's unclear if the Government would let that pass. And if they decide to crush the defecting forces..."
"They would be splitting their already diminished forces even further," Hina finished my thought.
"Yeah. And if that happens, the pirates' movements will become active again."
Rather, they might mobilize Government forces and purge the Marines who defected on their own accord.
Man, I can't believe I'm running into the moment we enter a genuine era of chaos...
Why did it turn out like this... It's still... probably about twenty years before the original storyline. Why is it this rough?
There was something—something fatal. Something that drastically obstructed the flow of the original story at this time.
Think. What is the biggest difference?
What on earth is fatally different from the original work—
— BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"What's wrong, Kuro!?" Hina screamed. "Why did you suddenly start bashing your head against the pillar with a face like you're about to bite off your tongue!!?"
"Sorry," I gasped, dazed. "I'm really sorry for everything. I'm just gonna go cross the Sanzu River for a bit and apologize to a lot of people."
"Wa—Hey! Issho-san, help me restrain this idiot—this isn't the time to be laughing!! Hina is indignant!!?"
–
(POV: Daz Bones—Third Person)
"Good grief, that was quite a stormy meeting," Rayleigh remarked, chuckling.
"Though nothing concrete was decided," Crocodile added with a smirk. "What do you intend to do? Vice-Captain."
Seeing the suggestive smiles of Rayleigh and Crocodile, Daz Bones, having placed the receiver down, gave a wry smile.
"I was told to do as I please," Daz replied. "Then, I have no choice but to do so."
Don't think in terms of can or cannot, Kuro had told him.
He said it, but quietly, Daz thought that with this lineup of people, there were very few things they couldn't do.
"As the Captain says, the chaos might be less compared to other seas, but even so, unprecedented difficulties will likely strike various places. Avoiding this is no longer possible."
If so, it came down to what he wanted to do. But currently, if asked what he wanted to do, there was only one thing. The primary goal for the West Blue that the Captain had set forth. To realize that, they had come this far, even doing things unbecoming of pirates, like cooperating with the Navy along the way.
"To survive this chaos, military power to break through and the productive power to support it are essential. In that case, our basic policy remains unchanged," Daz declared to the room.
"We will drive hunger out of the West Blue, from as many islands as possible."
Mihawk grinned as if to say, 'Is it finally time?' He probably knew where they were going to attack and develop next. The experience of taking on the massive task of developing the Kanan Kingdom alongside Robin over the past few months had become sustenance for the Black Cat's strongest swordsman.
Note that Robin let out a deep sigh upon seeing Mihawk's face, and Perona was patting her back consolingly.
"What is needed for that is land capable of food production, and the personnel and supplies to support it. But kidnapping people and forcing them to work is not our way," Daz continued.
"—In that case, we have no choice but to ask for cooperation."
When Daz signaled Robin with his eyes, realizing his intent, she took one map from the ones she had prepared—the largest one among them—and used her ability to paste it onto the wall.
It was something most people here, with a few exceptions, were most familiar with. It was a map of the West Blue.
On that map, various notes were scribbled in the right-slanting handwriting that was Kuro's habit. The 'island' that had newly appeared in the West Blue due to the recent incident was also drawn in, with something scribbled next to it as well.
"Parallel to colonization and development, we will make full-scale contact with the neighboring non-affiliated nation groups that must have felt a sense of crisis due to this incident, connect them, and realize the Captain's initial philosophy."
Commodore Taki, whose eyes were swollen red from crying, wiped his eyes and braced himself anew. The former Marines surrounding him also looked at the map with faces full of motivation.
A map where the details of this sea's major arable lands and logistics flows were written as preliminary research to drive starvation out of this West Blue.
"From this point on, we, the Black Cats, will move to realize Captain Kuro's parting gift—"
Daz placed a hand on the map.
"The 'West Blue Island Alliance' Concept."
He looked around the room.
"Is that clear?"
There was no one to deny the words of the man recognized as Kuro's proxy.