"Ohara."
As soon as Daniel Davis claimed to be a survivor of Ohara, the expressions of Zephyr, Fujitora, and Ain shifted drastically. The Ohara Buster Call incident was a well-known event. While Fujitora might not know the full details, Zephyr, who had been a Navy Admiral at the time, was well aware of the truth.
Zephyr broke the silence after a long pause. "Rocks was one of your people?"
"No," Daniel shook his head. "But the formation of the Rocks Pirates was orchestrated by our predecessors behind the scenes. Otherwise, do you think it's mere coincidence that Kaido, Big Mom, Whitebeard, and Shiki all ended up on the same crew?"
The Rocks Pirates were indeed legendary, but they didn't start as a traditional pirate crew. Initially, they were more of an alliance—a union of pirates united in pursuit of the legendary treasure on Laugh Tale and the dream of conquering the world.
"The rumors about Laugh Tale's treasure were deliberately spread by our predecessors to encourage resistance against the World Government. Unfortunately, Garp and Roger appeared, and years of effort went down the drain."
"Do you realize how many people became pirates because of Laugh Tale? How much suffering it caused?" Ain suddenly shouted.
"I do," Daniel replied calmly. "But do you know how much suffering occurs every year under the World Government's rule? Do you know how many people are enslaved by the Celestial Dragons annually? Do you know how many slaves die daily on the Red Line? Zephyr, you've been to Mariejois. You must know about their so-called 'automatic walkways.' You've seen what they're made of, haven't you?"
As a former admiral, Zephyr had been to Mariejois and was familiar with its horrors. Even without focusing his Observation Haki, the truth behind the walkways was impossible to miss.
Daniel laid bare the secret of the automatic walkways, leaving Fujitora and Ain visibly shaken. While they had heard rumors, hearing the truth confirmed struck a different chord.
"With the World Government's technological capabilities, they can create pacifistas, yet they choose to build walkways from such grotesque methods. What does that tell you?" Daniel asked.
The World Government's irrational actions weren't surprising. Even in Daniel's original modern world, with all its advancements, absurdities like caste systems and pseudoscience persisted. Technological progress didn't equate to societal or moral progress. It was cultural heritage that shaped institutions.
Looking at Marvel's cosmic civilizations, even in the interstellar age, absurdities abounded—like the Sovereign Empire, a parody of genetic and cultural perfection.
While some individuals like Tony Stark displayed brilliance that defied imagination, others demonstrated an equal level of ignorance and folly.
The technological disparity in the One Piece world was staggering. The World Government had Vegapunk, a scientist reputed to be 500 years ahead of his time. Germa 66 had perfected cloning and advanced weaponry. Even flying iron armor existed.
"Ohara decoded countless Poneglyphs and uncovered the key to achieving world peace," Daniel continued, seeing that Zephyr and the others had fallen silent. He pressed on, attributing his ideas to Ohara's legacy to strengthen his argument.
"To achieve peace, we must establish a new World Government and prioritize education. By ensuring widespread access to knowledge, we can drastically reduce the number of people turning to piracy. Right now, piracy thrives because education is inaccessible. People remain ignorant, creating a vicious cycle."
To convince Zephyr, Daniel needed more than rhetoric—he needed a concrete plan.
"This is where you come in, Zephyr. Stay in the Navy for now. When the time comes, publicly challenge the Navy and the World Government. With your reputation, many in the Navy will side with you."
Unlike his attempt to destroy the New World in despair, this approach could rally supporters rather than alienate them.
After a long silence, Zephyr finally nodded. "It's a good plan. I'll do it."
"Welcome aboard, Zephyr," Daniel said with a nod. "But let me be clear: Garp and Sengoku are staunch supporters of the Navy and the World Government. Don't expect them to join us. They'll inevitably be our enemies."
Daniel held no personal grudge against Garp or Sengoku, but their unwavering loyalty to the existing order placed them firmly on the opposite side. While Daniel's reasoning might sway Dragon, Fujitora, and Zephyr, it would fall flat with the likes of Garp and Sengoku. That was why Daniel hadn't even attempted to recruit them.
Among the admirals, only Aokiji might align with Daniel's vision. However, since Aokiji hadn't yet left the Navy, Daniel chose not to approach him yet. His current efforts were focused on laying the groundwork for the future, biding time until he could confidently confront figures like Imu or Uranus.
"I understand," Zephyr replied, his tone calm.
"Do you want me to handle Edward Weevil for you?" Daniel offered. Since Zephyr had joined Akatsuki, Daniel was more than willing to help him settle old scores. Testing Weevil, rumored to possess the strength of a young Whitebeard, would also be a valuable experience.
Weevil's monstrous strength reminded Daniel of Tian Yan from The Legend of Qin—simple-minded but exceptionally powerful.
Currently, the "Three Great Powers" of the sea—Navy, Warlords, and Emperors—maintained a fragile balance. Of the Warlords, only Mihawk could contend with an Emperor's crew. Figures like Doflamingo struggled even against a single commander.
However, the current lineup was different. Daniel, Mihawk, and Weevil were all capable of holding their own against an Emperor's crew, making the Warlords a more formidable force.
"There's no need," Zephyr said firmly. "I'll kill him myself."
Now that Zephyr had resolved to fight against the World Government, the constraints of its rules no longer mattered. Weevil's status as a Warlord didn't protect him in Zephyr's eyes.
"Right now, you're not his match. But don't worry. I'll see to it that your arm and body are restored. When the time comes, you can take your revenge personally."
Zephyr's body had deteriorated significantly—not just from losing his arm but also from years of physical and emotional strain. Among his contemporaries, only Whitebeard was in worse shape. Even Shiki fared better.
Hearing this, Ain's face lit up with hope. "Can my teacher's body really recover?"
"Of course," Daniel assured her. "I have exceptional doctors. As long as someone isn't dead on the spot, even a sliver of life is enough for us to save them."
"That's wonderful news, Sensei!" Ain exclaimed, tears of relief welling up in her eyes.
"Once preparations are complete, I'll contact you. In the meantime, don't forget about Vegapunk," Daniel reminded them.
Recruiting Zephyr had another advantage—potential access to Vegapunk, the World Government's most brilliant scientist. While Caesar Clown bragged about being the second-smartest, Vegapunk's unparalleled genius made him the true crown jewel of the World Government's technological prowess.
As Daniel left Zephyr, he shifted his focus. "It's time to meet Dragon."
To overthrow the World Government, the Revolutionary Army was an indispensable ally. Unlike the Five Great Ninja Villages in Naruto, the One Piece world's fragmented geography made global unification nearly impossible. Even the World Government had failed to achieve it after centuries.
The solution lay in pragmatism—forming a new, decentralized federation. This approach could also ease fears of a new tyranny akin to the Celestial Dragons, addressing concerns from skeptics like Sengoku and Garp.
After his meeting with Dragon, Daniel received a report: Fujitora had rapidly ascended to become a Vice Admiral during the Navy's mass recruitment drive. With his strength, he could have become an Admiral if a vacancy existed.
"Let's see if Fujitora can locate that so-called Green Bull," Daniel mused. If Green Bull was among Fujitora's acquaintances, his recruitment would strengthen their cause significantly.
In applying strategies from The Legend of Qin, Daniel pursued alliances like those formed by Kaido and Big Mom. Conversely, figures like Whitebeard and Shanks were uninterested in such collaborations, making them less viable targets.
Returning to the Marvel Universe, Daniel found an invitation from Tony Stark.
"Ultron is complete?" Daniel muttered, surprised. Stark's invitation was for the unveiling of a global defense system led by Ultron, which Stark claimed would reduce the need for superheroes by handling most disasters and crimes autonomously.
"Monitoring and preemptively stopping crimes? This sounds eerily similar to HYDRA's Insight Project. Or worse, Minority Report in the making."
Reading more about Ultron's capabilities, Daniel's unease grew. Something didn't feel right.
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Fairy Tail: Igneel's Eldest Son (Chapter 256)
I Am Thalos, Odin's Older Brother (Chapter 336)
Reborn in America's Anti-Terror Unit (Chapter 542)
Solomon in Marvel (Chapter 924)
Becoming the Wealthiest Tycoon on the Planet (Chapter 1284)
Surgical Fruit in the American Comics Universe (Chapter 1289)
American Detective: From TV Rookie to Seasoned Cop (Chapter 1316)
American TV Writer (Chapter 1402)
I Am Hades, The Supreme GOD of the Underworld! (Chapter 570)
Reborn as Humanity's Emperor Across the Multiverse (Chapter 660)
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