Chapter 147 Education

"What?! A kid?!" Sengoku's voice rang out sharply, his brows knitting together as he adjusted his glasses. His disbelief was palpable, his sharp mind already dissecting the implications.

"Oi, oi… You serious? A damn kid?!" Garp grumbled, scratching the back of his head, his usual carefree demeanor faltering for a moment. His gaze hardened as he took in the sight before him. This is getting messy…

"Ooooh? So young, yet already in prison… How scary~." Kizaru drawled, his voice as lazy as ever, though a glint of curiosity flickered behind his half-lidded eyes.

The three turned in unison, eyes locking onto the source of the commotion. Their confusion twisted into something colder, heavier—outrage simmering beneath the surface as they took in the scene unfolding before them.

In their eyes, there was no way a child—so small, so seemingly harmless—could be the heinous criminal Blueno had claimed.

Their gazes drifted downward, settling on the depths of SMILE Mineral Drug Prison. There, a young boy, no older than six or seven, stood shackled in thick iron restraints, his small hands gripping the handles of a cart loaded with chunks of raw Seastone. He was clad in a tattered pink kimono, his face hidden beneath unruly dark locks.

Beside him were two older boys dressed in samurai garb—not much older, but noticeably larger in stature. One had his black hair tied in a traditional samurai topknot, while the other had long red hair that draped over his shoulders.

Yet, what unsettled the onlookers was the dynamic playing out before them.

Despite their size, the two samurai boys were letting the younger one handle the heaviest task. The child in pink strained under the weight, pushing the loaded cart forward inch by inch. But when the cart was finally full, the older boys stepped in—not to help him carry the burden, but to hoist him onto the cart itself. Then, without hesitation, they pushed both him and the cargo back toward the prison's main chamber.

Sengoku, Garp, and the others felt a slow, creeping dread rise within them. Their instincts screamed at them, warning of something unnatural. If not for their sheer force of will, their Conqueror's Haki might have erupted right then and there.

"You call this a heinous crime?!" Momousagi's voice cut through the silence like a blade as she turned on Blueno, her sharp glare brimming with outrage.

Yet, while the Marines' fury boiled over, Blueno remained eerily composed. He smirked, his tone laced with a venomous mockery as he replied,

"You Marines are the bastions of justice, huh?" He tilted his head slightly as if amused. "Can't stand to see children suffer? And yet, Ohara's refugee ships weren't spared, were they?"

The room grew still.

"That ship—so big, so full of innocents. Hundreds of people aboard. Do you think there were fewer children on that vessel than here?" Blueno's voice was calm, almost indifferent, but his words cut deep.

"And let's not forget the human auction house beneath Mariejois." His smirk widened. "The very heart of the Holy Land, where the World Nobles amuse themselves. And yet, the Marines—you fine, upstanding guardians of peace—stand guard at the gates, ensuring their safety."

He clicked his tongue, shaking his head in mock admiration. "Now that—that is a real commitment to justice."

"You—!" Momousagi clenched her fists, and her face flushed with fury, but the words caught in her throat. Blueno had struck a nerve, and the bitter truth lingered in the air like an inescapable weight.

Sengoku and Garp, still burning with anger, suddenly felt their momentum wane. Their once-commanding figures seemed to slump ever so slightly.

Really.

Why did people like them direct their anger at the Crimson Empire? Why did witnessing this scene stir such rage within them?

So many atrocities had unfolded right under the Marines' noses, yet they had failed to stop them. And now, here they were—furious, questioning their sense of justice over the fate of three children.

No matter how they justified it, the truth remained.

They had no right to argue.

Unlike Sengoku, Garp, and Momousagi, Kizaru—ever the seasoned opportunist—didn't let himself get worked up over mere words. Instead, he offered his usual lazy smirk and drawled,

"Oooh? I never expected Buggy's crew to be so articulate. How terrifying." His tone was light, mocking. "In this regard, our dear Marines really can't compare."

Originally, Kizaru had planned to exchange a few verbal jabs with Blueno first. After all, he was well-versed in sarcasm and wordplay himself.

Who in the world could match his level of detached, cryptic commentary?

Kizaru looked at Blueno with amused confidence.

To his surprise, Blueno merely scoffed and replied with open disdain,

"Of course, you Marines can't compete with us when it comes to words." He smirked. "Do you think we're as ignorant as you?"

Kizaru raised an eyebrow.

Blueno continued, his voice carrying an unmistakable air of pride,

"In the past two years, Lord Buggy has helped us grow in more ways than just combat. After every day of training, we attend cultural lessons!"

Garp blinked. Cultural lessons?

Blueno straightened, as if quoting sacred scripture.

"Lord Buggy always says: 'A person must never stop learning!'

If we truly want to become stronger, we can't just train our bodies—we must also refine our minds. Expanding our intellect will enhance our Devil Fruit abilities! The more we understand ourselves, others, and the world, the deeper our control over our powers will become."

Silence.

Sengoku, Garp, Momousagi, and even Kizaru—who had been so smug moments before—were utterly dumbfounded.

What?

They had just made one remark—how had Blueno turned it into an entire philosophical lecture?

And more importantly... Are pirates taking cultural studies?!

The very idea was beyond absurd!

It was so ridiculous that, for a brief moment, Sengoku and Garp completely forgot that Blueno had tied it all back to Devil Fruit development.

Because, at its core, it was still training. Yet, they couldn't deny the truth behind it.

With Robin, a scholar of history, as their teacher, even the Buggy Pirates—despite their small numbers—had managed to educate themselves.

And in the past two years, their collective knowledge has grown significantly.

Just as Buggy had envisioned, expanding their understanding of the world had led to a deeper comprehension of Devil Fruits, allowing them to develop their abilities in ways they never imagined.

This phenomenon had become commonplace within the Buggy Pirates.

And in this world, where power dictated one's fate, the idea that "learning could make you stronger" was no longer just a theory—it was a proven reality.

It was no wonder the Buggy Pirates had become so passionate about learning.

At one point, the enthusiasm for studying became so intense that some crew members even considered skipping daytime training altogether just to focus on their lessons.

Buggy encouraged this behavior—after all, anything that made his crew stronger was a win in his book. But most of the real advocates for education were veterans like Douglas Bullet, Scopper Gaban, Duval, and Juan.

As for fighters like Gecko Moria, Enel, and Crocodile—who still had glaring weaknesses in close combat—Buggy insisted they stick to the original training schedule and only study at night.

Kizaru, who had been lounging without a care, finally showed a reaction. His usual carefree demeanor flickered with the briefest trace of genuine surprise.

"Oooh? Did I hear that right?" His drawling voice carried an almost lazy disbelief. "Pirates actually... study?"

Blueno, unwavering, replied without hesitation.

"Isn't that normal?" His voice was calm, resolute. "We're here to help Captain Buggy achieve his dream! So, we can't afford to stagnate in any way!"

Kizaru sucked in a slow breath, his lips curling slightly. He thought to himself, This is unnecessary. A strong pirate crew is one thing. A pirate crew that's educated?

Now that's terrifying. This time, it wasn't just the Marines' top brass who were left speechless.

Meanwhile, in SMILE Drug Prison, an argument was breaking out.

"Oi! Why do the three of us only get this many dumplings?!"

"Yeah! How is this supposed to be enough?! We're gonna starve!"

"You claim you don't mistreat prisoners, but this is abuse! Look at us—we're just kids!"

The jailer, unimpressed by their complaints, let out a sharp sneer.

"Oh? Just kids, huh?" He crossed his arms, a wicked smirk stretching across his face.

"The three of you are from the Kozuki Clan—do you think we'd let you off easy?"

His voice dropped to a mocking hiss as he continued,

"Lord Ain made it clear: You should experience firsthand what the people of Wano Kuni went through back then."

His grin widened. "And if you ask me? Your situation is already a lot better than theirs."

The jailer kicked the wooden bowl toward them, the meager dumplings inside rolling against the floor. "You should be grateful. Lord Buggy doesn't believe in cruelty to prisoners, so unlike your ancestors, you're getting by with fewer whippings."

His voice turned cold. "And in case you forget, the food here is distributed based on labor. Just because you're Kozuki brats doesn't mean we'll break Captain Buggy's rules for you."

He then crouched slightly, his sneer turning menacing. "One last thing—you'll be poisoned to death long before you ever starve. That's your final fate."

He let the words sink in, then chuckled darkly. "Maybe after you die, you'll finally get to see the millions of Wano citizens who perished from poison before you!"

The expressions on the three "boys" shifted drastically. Their faces paled, their bodies stiff with horror.

The boy in pink, already trembling, suddenly burst into tears.

Watching all of this unfold, Momousagi and the others clenched their fists. Their instincts screamed at them to intervene, to deliver justice.

But just as Momousagi opened her mouth—

She caught Blueno's gaze.

His half-smirk, his knowing eyes... daring them to say something.

The words died in her throat.

Gritting her teeth, she swallowed her anger.

Because she knew if she spoke up now, that smug CP9 turncoat would never let her hear the end of it.

Just as they were struggling to find a way to respond, their attention was drawn to the jailer's mocking laughter.

A member of the Kozuki Clan?

That caught them off guard.

After Buggy's speech in the Mokomo Dukedom and the live broadcast from Wano, the Marines received a complete briefing on the situation.

Sengoku, Garp, and Kizaru had all read through the reports. And as much as they hated to admit it…

Buggy had a point.

If it weren't for Kozuki Oden's recklessness, Wano wouldn't have ended up in ruins.

Back then, Kaido alone wouldn't have stood a chance against the combined forces of the Roger Pirates and the Whitebeard Pirates. Either crew could have crushed him.

And yet, despite having deep ties to both groups—one as a sworn brother, the other as a trusted crewmate—Oden let Wano fall into Kaido's grip.

A failure born from arrogance, stupidity, and sheer negligence.

Buggy wasn't wrong. The thought left an uncomfortable feeling in their chests. Even now, hearing the name "Kozuki" stirred something close to disgust. But then—

Garp and the others stiffened, eyes widening in alarm. Momousagi reacted next, her brows furrowing as she realized something. They had been swayed by Buggy's words. That wasn't just dangerous—it was unacceptable.

She quickly pushed the thought aside and refocused on the situation at hand.

"This isn't the time to debate history," she said sharply. "I want to know—what exactly did these three Kozuki children do to deserve the same punishment as the criminals from the Siege of Wano?"

Kizaru, still wearing his lazy smirk, tilted his head.

"Oooh? Yeah, that's a good point," he mused. "What could three possibly have done to make the Crimson Empire see them as a threat?"

Blueno merely gestured toward the pink-clad boy, who was currently splitting his meager dumplings with the two samurai beside him.

Garp's brows furrowed, his fists tightening at his sides. "What kinda joke is this?!" His voice was gruff, but beneath it, there was something else—irritation, maybe even frustration.

Sengoku's expression hardened, his hand instinctively brushing against his beard. "Kozuki Oden died years ago! Are you seriously telling me his brat survived?" His tone was sharp, filled with the weight of experience and suspicion.

Momousagi exhaled, pressing two fingers against her temple as if fighting off a headache. "I thought Kaido wiped out the Kozuki Clan… How is this even possible?" Her voice carried disbelief but also a quiet calculation, already working through the implications.

Kizaru, ever the enigma, tilted his head and let out a drawn-out hum. "Oya oya~ so history has a way of repeating itself, hmm?" He adjusted his glasses, golden eyes gleaming with unreadable amusement. "And here I thought the Kozuki name was just a ghost story now… Seems like the past doesn't like staying buried, ne~?"

A heavy silence settled over them, tension thick in the air. This wasn't just unexpected—it was troublesome.

Blueno nodded.

"In theory, yes," he said. "But you've heard of the Toki Toki no Mi, haven't you? A Devil Fruit that grants power over time."

The Marines remained silent, listening intently.

"Twenty years ago, Kozuki Toki used her ability to send Momonosuke and his retainers—Kin'emon and Kanjuro—forward in time. Kaido was about to execute them, but she saved them by flinging them two decades into the future.

And that future… is now."

He let the words sink in before continuing.

"Recently, the three of them returned to Wano—but not to live in peace. No, they refused to believe that the country's prosperity was real. They called it an illusion created by Buggy's 'sorcery' and sought to tear it down. Determined to restore the Kozuki Clan to power, they tried to rally their old allies, hoping to overthrow the Crimson Empire."

Blueno's voice remained calm and measured, but his words carried weight.

"The people of Wano—the very ones they claimed to fight for—reported their actions to the Marines' intelligence division. We monitored them for a while, and what did we find? Every night, these three would carve the Kozuki Clan's crest into the walls of the Flower Capital, hoping to signal their hidden allies."

He paused, letting the moment pass. Then, with a knowing smirk, he glanced at the gathered Marines.

"Guess what happened next?"

Under normal circumstances, they wouldn't have humored such a dramatic pause. But today…

They found themselves guessing.

"Their plan failed since they're here now," Momousagi said first.

"You used this as a trap to weed out the remaining Kozuki loyalists?" Sengoku offered.

Kizaru lazily chimed in, "Mmm… maybe you wiped them all out? A classic 'lure the snake from its hole' strategy. Very efficient."

Blueno glanced at Garp, then exchanged a look with Sengoku, Momousagi, and Kizaru. He shook his head.

"You've spent too long at the top," he said, voice even. "You don't understand what true suffering does to people. What peace, security, and a full stomach mean to those who have been enslaved for twenty years."

He let the words hang in the air before delivering the truth.

"Not a single person joined their cause. Not. One. Not even the last remaining Kozuki retainers answered their call."

The weight of his statement settled over them, heavier than they expected.

Even as Kozuki Oden had died proclaiming that in twenty years, his 'heirs' would return to liberate Wano…

When that day finally came—

No one had been waiting.

Many of the Kozuki clan's former retainers had once believed in the prophecy.

They had clung to the idea that twenty years of waiting would lead to liberation.

But faith, no matter how strong, could only endure so much.

It could survive the passage of time but not the crushing weight of slavery. It could not withstand the gnawing agony of hunger, the devastation of watching homes burned to the ground, and he slow, torturous deaths of loved ones from poison.

Even the most loyal warriors, after witnessing their families perish, after enduring two decades of suffering, would feel their resolve waver.

And then, after Buggy's speech, the truth spread like wildfire across Wano.

The real culprit wasn't Kaido.

It was Kozuki Oden.

That was the moment when the last remnants of the Kozuki clan's samurai may as well have vanished from history.

It was already a miracle they did not hate the Kozuki name outright.

Expecting them to answer a call to arms?

Impossible.

Life under the Crimson Empire was peaceful and stable. Every citizen had a home, a place to work, and the chance to eat their fill.

No war. No oppression. No senseless death.

As long as one was willing to work, they could live comfortably, even in homes that could be considered villa-tier compared to the hovels they once endured.

Who in their right mind would throw that away?

Who would rebel against the very peace they had bled for?

It wasn't hard to understand.

And yet, when Blueno finished speaking, Sengoku and the others were left in stunned silence.

They couldn't deny it.

For those who had survived twenty years under Kaido's rule, life had been nothing short of hell.

No matter how many Kozuki loyalists had once existed, they had learned to cherish what they had now.

Buggy had put it simply:

"They've known suffering, which makes tomorrow all the more precious."

Momousagi, still trying to wrap her head around it, frowned.

"So, just because the three children wanted to gather the retainers of the Kozuki clan, and they failed, you were arrested here?"

Blueno let out a chuckle.

"Three children?" he echoed, voice tinged with amusement.

"You still remember Ain, don't you? Zephyr's former student? She's a Vice Admiral of the Imperial Marines now."

He watched as recognition flickered in their expressions before continuing.

"She ate the Juku Juku no Mi—the Regression Fruit. One touch, and she can rewind someone's age by twelve years."

Blueno gestured to the two samurai standing behind him—one with black hair, the other red.

"The two men you see here? They weren't always like this. Ain hit them twice. That's why they look like children."

His tone was unreadable, but there was no mistaking the disdain in his eyes.

"They don't deserve your sympathy."

He let that settle before turning to Momonosuke, the so-called heir of Wano.

"And that one? He's even more interesting."

The Marines said nothing, waiting for Blueno's explanation.

"Would you believe me if I told you that three of his former retainers reported him to us?"

Sengoku's brow furrowed.

Blueno nodded.

"They knew exactly what would happen if Momonosuke was left unchecked. His mere existence could throw the empire into chaos. So, they turned him in."

His gaze swept across the assembled Marines, gauging their reactions.

"For the sake of the empire's peace, they made their choice. The son of Kozuki Oden—innocent or not—must answer for the sins of his father."

Blueno's voice was calm, even, and absolute.

"And let's not pretend he's innocent. He isn't. He tried to overthrow the empire. And in the end…"

"He was betrayed by the very people he sought to save."

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