The outcome of the battle between the monsters quickly spread across the entire island, carried by fearless pirates.
"Did Roa win?"
"Roa definitely had the upper hand! What a monster, he's actually stronger than Boss Wang Zhi!!"
"I thought Hachinosu (Beehive Island) was going to be sunk by them! Good thing they didn't fight to the bitter end! How can humans be this strong?"
"So, is Hachinosu going to be under Roa's control now? Is he really going to rebuild the Rocks Pirates?"
"Hehehehe! I'm going to sell this news to the World Economy News Paper right away, I'm sure I'll make a fortune!"
While the pirates on Hachinosu discussed animatedly, a welcoming banquet for Roa and his group was underway in the banquet hall of the Skull Building. Here, Roa met Wang Zhi's executives for the first time. He only gave them a glance, then never looked their way again. They were all nameless individuals, likely even weaker than Bullet and King, completely insignificant.
However, Roa was actually in a very good mood, having learned another new Haki secret technique from Wang Zhi. As proof, he even sampled the food meticulously prepared by Wang Zhi's chefs. This greatly surprised Wang Zhi. "I thought you detested human food, brat?"
"It's just not as tasty," Roa put down his cutlery. "But it's not unpalatable." He disliked human food simply because there was something better.
"So, Uncle Wang Zhi, where's my grand meal?" Roa urged somewhat impatiently. "Is this your way of hosting guests? After finally coming back, are you going to let me leave on an empty stomach? With so many pirates on Hachinosu, you can't possibly lack a bite for me."
This was the downside of Hachinosu under Wang Zhi's governance: the quality of the 'dark qi' was much worse than during the Rocks era seven years ago.
"You brat..." Wang Zhi chuckled. Roa's appearance and strength had changed so much since he was a child, but he remained the same in his disregard for humans and his view of human suffering as food.
"I've already sent someone to prepare it for you," Wang Zhi said. He was a man who valued order. The pirates on the island were his reserve force, always available for deployment, so he certainly couldn't let Roa mess with them. However, since the island was populated by pirates, there were quite a few unruly individuals who challenged Wang Zhi's rules. Hachinosu's dungeon was always overflowing. Now was the time for those guys to be put to use.
"Hmm, now that's more like a host." Roa nodded in satisfaction.
Wang Zhi also nodded in satisfaction. This kid truly had no intention of seizing Hachinosu.
"But speaking of which, Roa, I never thought you'd actually become a weapons merchant one day." Wang Zhi was curious. As this kid's power gradually increased, even the remnants of the Rocks Pirates began to acknowledge that Roa was Rocks' successor. Yet, this kid had turned to selling weapons.
"Not a weapons merchant, just selling weapons," Roa said casually. "I also rent out armies. Do you need one, Uncle Wang Zhi?"
Wang Zhi waved his hand. "As for soldiers, I'm not lacking." The pirates gathered on Hachinosu weren't all his subordinates, but at least a large portion accepted his command. The remaining small portion could be controlled with certain means.
"I thought you'd be like Rocks, aiming to become the King of the World."
"King of the World?" Roa raised an eyebrow. "How tiring would that be? I just want to enjoy life and taste all the delicacies of the world." Governing was a troublesome business. Wasn't there an old saying: "It's easy to conquer a country, but hard to rule it?" So Roa thought he'd just conquer countries and not bother ruling them. Let the world develop freely. Wasn't freedom what everyone pursued?
Delicacies? Wang Zhi couldn't help but smile. He understood a little better now. Human suffering was Roa's delicacy. Both weapons and armies served this purpose. How much profound disaster would this brat bring to the world for the sake of his cherished delicacies?
"You haven't changed at all. I still remember how everyone was shocked when Rocks allowed you to join the crew back then." Even a man like Wang Zhi couldn't help but sigh with emotion. Roa was still Roa, and this banquet hall was still the same banquet hall. But the people who once feasted here had long since gone their separate ways, some never to return. However, Wang Zhi was certainly not nostalgic for the Rocks Pirates. After all, what was there to miss about that pirate crew? Just being subservient to others was something the current Wang Zhi found unacceptable.
"That just shows why the Captain was the Captain; your foresight still falls far short." Roa shook his head, sighing with emotion.
Wang Zhi couldn't help but laugh out loud. Looking at it now, that was indeed true. At the very beginning, who could have imagined that Roa would grow to such a level with lightning speed? Rocks not only possessed power and ambition that surpassed everyone else, but his foresight was also truly unique.
The more they talked, the happier they became, constantly laughing as they reminisced about what had happened on this island back then.
It was at this moment.
Buruburu buruburu. The Den Den Mushi rang.
Roa pulled out his Den Den Mushi and looked at Wang Zhi. "Do I need to leave?"
Roa smiled, took the Den Den Mushi, and walked out of the banquet hall. He answered the call.
"Boss! Help me!" An alarmed voice immediately came from the other end of the line.
Roa was a little surprised. "Du Feld?" The voice belonged to his moneybag, the New World's loan shark magnate, Du Feld.
"What's wrong?" Roa asked. "Did someone refuse to repay their loan and come knocking?" Over the past year, Morgans, Du Feld, and Umit had cooperated seamlessly. Morgans was responsible for instigating conflicts, Umit for transporting weapons to conflict-ridden countries, and Du Feld for providing loans to countries too poor to buy weapons—a full-service operation, so to speak.
"The situation is pretty much like that, but Boss," Du Feld's voice had a hint of a whimper, "the one coming to call... is a super monster!"
"Oh? Who is it?" Roa said casually. "It can't be Uncle Shiki, can it?"
"Uh, close enough."
"Hm?"
A little later, Roa returned to the banquet hall with a strange expression.
"What, ran into some trouble?" Wang Zhi asked with interest.
"If you call it trouble, then yes, it's quite troublesome." Roa nodded.
"Need help?" Wang Zhi was quite righteous. Helping Roa was not a bad thing. This kid had limitless prospects; no one knew how brilliant his future would be.
Roa looked at Wang Zhi with a slightly meaningful gaze. "Uncle Wang Zhi, are you sure?"
"Of course!" Wang Zhi naturally puffed out his chest. "Isn't that what our alliance is for?"
"That's great then!" Roa breathed a sigh of relief. "I just happened to feel a bit pressured facing Whitebeard alone."
"Who did you say?"
Let's rewind to a few days ago.
New World, Sphinx.
This country was one of the most common non-World Government affiliated nations in the Grand Line, characterized by poverty, dilapidation, and citizens struggling daily for survival. Recently, however, this country's development had taken a strange turn.
At this moment, within the tattered capital of Sphinx.
"Charge! Warriors!" People in tattered clothes, but holding remarkably fine weapons, moved through the broken streets of the capital under the command of a man. "As long as we overthrow the corrupt royal family! Our country will surely prosper like those government-affiliated nations!"
The equally gaunt man agilely climbed onto a low house by the roadside, roaring hoarsely, "Fight! Warriors! For our bread and milk! For our starving families!!"
"Oh!!" A tide of rebel forces stormed into the royal palace, meeting almost no resistance along the way. The citizens of the capital watched with cold eyes. The soldiers guarding the palace offered only a perfunctory resistance before making way.
Thus, the rebels easily reached the king. The king, however, merely sat calmly on his throne, alone; his family had been sent to an unknown location. The king's face was filled with weariness, his eyes numb.
"This time," the rebel leader strode up to him, grabbed the king's collar, and yanked him up, "Newgate won't be helping you!"
"I'm tired. Let it be destroyed," the king said indifferently. "Do as you please."
This was not the first rebellion. In the past year, thanks to the World Economy News Paper's heavy promotion of government-affiliated nations, the struggling populace had generally developed a yearning for World Government affiliated nations. They believed the air in those countries was sweet.
However, having grown accustomed to hardship, suddenly encountering a truly good life, the psychological gap quickly turned into dissatisfaction. The sentiment within the country abruptly changed. Some wanted to go to sea in pursuit of a better life. Some began to complain about the inaction of the royal family. Some began to want to change everything.
It sounded ridiculous. They had never truly seen what foreign countries were like, yet simply because of newspaper propaganda, these people believed that affiliated nations were a paradise on earth, and their own country was hell. And to change this hell, initially, there were only protests. When no change was seen, protests turned into unrest, and finally, rebellion broke out.
Because the newspapers said that all kings of affiliated nations were the wisest, most benevolent, most just, most kind, and most altruistic, with all their actions for the people and for the country. It was only with the leadership of these kings that all affiliated nations could thrive. Therefore, to save this country that had fallen into a quagmire, the rebels decided to replace the king.
The King of Sphinx found it laughable. He had never met the kings of affiliated nations, but did he not know what nobles were like? He believed he had done quite well. Most of the money Whitebeard secretly sent back, he used for the people's livelihood. It was just that this country was truly poor; even a great pirate like Whitebeard couldn't make it rich alone, and he had no profitable industries. With no resources and no geographical advantage, how could this country develop?
But the common people didn't care about any of that. They firmly believed that as long as they had a wise ruler, this country could prosper! The king originally wasn't concerned. Another rebellion? What would the poverty-stricken people, who couldn't even afford pants, use to rebel?
Facts proved him wrong. The poor populace somehow obtained a large quantity of advanced weapons. How advanced? Basically, the untrained rebel army, wielding these weapons, sent Sphinx's regular army scurrying in disarray. If Whitebeard hadn't rushed back to mediate, Sphinx would have seen a change in dynasty that time.
Only then did the residents of this country realize that the renowned great pirate Whitebeard was actually from their country and had always been looking out for Sphinx. But even so, it wasn't over. While Whitebeard declared that the newspapers were spouting nonsense and many World Government affiliated nations weren't living well either, people only superficially agreed with him. As soon as he left, the rebellion flared up again.
The rebels believed that a royal family colluding with pirates was truly too degenerate! Would kings of affiliated nations have ties to pirates? This was another major reason why Sphinx couldn't develop! The Whitebeard Pirates could only rush back again.
Whitebeard was furious. He concluded that someone must be pulling strings behind the scenes. Otherwise, why did the rebellious sentiment spread so quickly? And where did those highly advanced weapons come from? While diligently helping the king maintain the domestic situation, Whitebeard also investigated what was happening.
Not long ago, seeing the domestic situation stabilize, Whitebeard also discovered something overseas, so he set sail again. However, as soon as he left, a new round of rebellion immediately broke out. All stability was merely the calm before the storm. The king had completely given up, even bothering to let the army retaliate. He felt he had done right by this country. Although he had withheld some of the money Whitebeard sent back and there were times he exploited the people, there was nothing wrong with wanting to maintain basic dignity, right?
"Do as you wish to govern this country," the king said with a fake smile. "I'd like to see how you make this country prosperous and strong."
Hearing this, the rebel leader grew even angrier. "Good! So indifferent to this country! Every king of an affiliated nation has the resolve to sacrifice themselves for their homeland at any time!"
"Indeed, a worm like you, how could you possibly govern this country well!"
The king merely sneered. He truly had nothing more to say to such a mentally unstable idiot.
"We will hang your head at the palace gates!" the rebel leader shouted, "To let you see with your own eyes how we make this country strong!"
But, just then.
"Stop! Idiots! Are you proud of being played like fools?!" An infuriated voice came from the dilapidated palace gates.
The rebels turned around. A towering figure, carrying a naginata in one hand and a trembling man in the other, walked in.
"Newgate..." The king immediately breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed he wouldn't die. Although he had given up, it was certainly good to be alive!
"Whitebeard!" The rebel leader gritted his teeth. "Why are you back? This country doesn't welcome you! If you truly care about this country, you shouldn't be involved with it anymore!"
"With ties to someone like you, how could the Government ever allow us to become an affiliated nation?"
Whitebeard's eye twitched. "Leave your daydreams for when you're asleep. Affiliated nation? Don't make me laugh!" Affiliated nation? Without his funding, this country would have collapsed long ago.
"Fools, it's all premeditated!" Whitebeard threw the man in his hand onto the ground. "You've been tricked!"
"Someone is fanning the flames! All to sell weapons! A whole string of countries in the New World have seen rebellions! And the rebels are all using advanced weaponry!" He pointed to the man on the ground, who was baring his teeth in fear. "This guy is a loan shark. When you didn't have money to buy weapons, did guys like him pop up, offering to provide loans for you to buy weapons?"
"It's the same in other countries. Do you think that's just a coincidence?"
The king froze, then his face twisted. "Really, is someone behind this?" But why, why them, a country so poor they had nothing?
However.
"I understand!" The rebel leader's eyes lit up. "The Government must have detected our righteous actions, so they sent people to quietly help us!"
Whack! Whitebeard slapped his forehead. He looked at the king, veins throbbing on his forehead. "I'll deal with this rebellion for you first. You maintain the domestic situation well, and then I'll go find that loan shark and ask him what he's up to! He and the people behind him are looking for death!"
"Yes!" The king nodded vigorously.
And so.
"Well, there's nothing to be done about it."
The Snail Grand Fleet rumbled across the sea. Roa said with emotion, "Uncle Whitebeard has hated me since I was a kid, Uncle Wang Zhi, I'm counting on you!"
Wang Zhi's lips twitched. He's on a pirate ship now!