Chapter 119
After the speech, we started getting to work. I assigned Laffitte, Robin, and Sabo to take care of setting up a tax system and using the money we took from the bastards on this island to build new houses, shops, and things like that. We will also employ the citizen so that they can earn money. I left the three of them to figure out everything.
I wanted to give the armor and weapons to the footsoldiers, but they said that they didn't like to wear restrictive armor, so I told Robert to sell all the armor. I hooked him up with the bastard Morgans, who knows some guys that are interested. But my soldiers all welcomed the weapons. The swords and guns were of better quality than the ones they have now. There are still 9.600 weapons left, which I'll keep for the future.
I walked to the roof of the palace and looked at the beautiful island. ⅓ of the island is taken up by the city, and the rest is covered with a forest, with a small grass field at the back of the island. The palace is on top of a hill, right in the middle of the island, and the houses are built going up to the mountain.
Defending the palace will be easy since the forest ends at the foot of the mountain. We will be able to easily see our opponents and hit them. But that's only if they attack from the back. While I was thinking about the future and how awesome this place would look, I got approached by Jinbe.
"Hello, Captain."
He stood next to me and looked at the city that is filled with happy faces.
"Sup, Jinbe. You also came to admire this beautiful view?"
"Yes, and I also came to ask you something."
"Hm? What is it?"
"Do you really care about these people?"
I looked at him, surprised.
"Why are you asking that?"
"From the time that I've been on your crew, I've been starting to understand your character. You definitely didn't come here because you felt bad for the people."
"What about it?"
"Huh?"
He was the one to get surprised this time.
"We're no heroes. We're pirates. Caring about strangers isn't something that should be expected from us. We saved these people because we needed to have a base of operations. And by governing over these people, we will be able to increase our strength if we start recruiting people. And the World Government wouldn't dare to attack us recklessly."
"I understand that already. But these people are now your people. I'm asking if you care about your people."
"Sigh, of course, if anyone dares to hurt my people, I won't let it slide. Why are you even asking? Are you still trying to compare me to that old man?"
Just by looking in his eyes, I could tell that I was right.
"Jinbe, if you're looking for someone similar, you'd better leave now. We might have some similarities, but we are way different. If you're looking for a look-alike, I'm not the one you should be following."
I looked at the horizon as the sun was beginning to set. I smiled.
"If you said something nice, this could have been a romantic moment."
"Huh!? Don't joke with me, Captain. You're totally not my type."
We looked at each other and started laughing.
"Good to know that we can still laugh together. Even though I told you that you should leave, you better not. It's really fun having you around."
I tapped his shoulder and started walking away.
"You're like the cool uncle."
"Cool uncle, huh. Then you're the irritating nephew. "
"Hahahaha, you really are a stupid uncle."
[Sengoku P.O.V.
1 day later]
I'm in my office looking at a report while Garp is sitting here eating crackers.
'He's so annoying.'
"Knock, knock."
Someone knocked on the door.
"Come in."
My secretary came in with a stack of paper, and I couldn't help but sigh. He placed it on my desk and handed me the top paper.
"This is something you should look at first, sir."
I grabbed the paper from him and after reading it, I placed it down while sighing.
"So that brat did the opposite of what we wanted and got himself a territory. What do you know about Vulcan island?" I asked my secretary
"It's an island that's even bigger than Dressrosa. It's called Vulcan island, and it has a kingdom called the Vulcan Kingdom. But the Azure Pirates killed the royal family, all the nobles, all the royal guards, and all the criminals, so they renamed the island and Kingdom to Jiyū."
I looked at the report in my hand.
"Freedom, huh. They are confident to call it that. But why does this report say that the number of criminals killed was 15.000."
"Well, that's where it gets complicated."
Garp stopped eating and my blood started boiling. I already have a feeling about where this is going.
"Spit it out already." said Garp in his rare serious voice
"The king of Vulcan Kingdom and all of the people the Azure Pirates killed were oppressing the civilians and doing whatever they wanted with them. The civilians were living in fear every day."
Someone suddenly came into my office.
"Then why the hell didn't I know about it!" screamed Akainu
"Akainu, what the hell do you think you're doing storming into my office!"
"I just overheard the conversation. And I won't leave here till I get answers."
He sat down on the couch.
'Tsk, this bastard!'
I looked at my secretary, telling him to go on.
"When our spies asked one of the civilians about it, they said that a guy who perfectly fitted Vice Admiral Doberman's description has been seen going and leaving the palace. The day he arrived was the day their hell started. I also did some research on it, and I found out something serious."
"Spit is already!" screamed Akainu
"Vice Admiral Doberman is backed by a Celestial Dragon."
Everyone immediately became quiet.
"We couldn't find out who, but we're certain. And there'd be no way for him to keep it hidden if there wasn't someone with at least that much influence behind it."
Before I could say anything, Garp and Akainu stood up at the same time.
"I'm going to kill that bastard!" said Akainu as the room temperature suddenly rose
Garp walked towards the door.
"Garp, where the hell are you going!?"
He didn't turn around and kept walking.
"I'm going to find out what really happened."
"You bastard! You can't just go to that brat!"
"Well, that brat did do something that we should have done long ago. But it seems like we were blinded by the money."
I couldn't say anything, and I doubt that I could stop him without using force.
"Akainu, you're to bring back Vice Admiral Doberman for interrogation. Don't you dare kill him or severely injure him! This is an order, so you better follow it correctly!"
"Yes, sir."
He walked out, and my secretary also took his leave. I smacked my head on my desk.
'This is so humiliating! Having a god damn pirate so our job! I bet those civilians will be hating us to the core and I wouldn't blame them. I swear if I found out who that damn Celestial bastard is, I'll kill him! I know that they do these kinds of things every day, but never on such a large scale. Even they need to have limits.'
I looked at Ken's bounty poster.
'I should have known that he was dangerous the moment he dared tried to kill a Celestial Dragon. He was just a squirt back then. But now, I can't even call him a brat anymore. He has become a dangerous pirate. But I've prepared for this. Even though finding out that he has a new crew member who has an Ancient Zoan and is really strong wasn't something I calculated for, It's nothing I can't handle.'
I threw his bounty to the side.
'I should focus on Vice Admiral Doberman first.'
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[Jiyū means freedom. I thought that it was a fitting name.]
Anime Quotes:
"Taking away someone's freedom is the ugliest thing one can do in this world."
- Jae-Ha (Akatsuki no Yona)
"Whether I live or die makes no great difference. In truth, death may be the only absolute freedom there is."
- Kaworu Nagisa (Neon Genesis Evangelion)
"Happiness depends on each person. If you think you're happy, then you must be happy."
- Gintoki Sakata (Gintama)