Chapter 156: The Gorosei's Decision
"Levi, get ready. We're leaving."
Axel's voice came from the corridor.
Levi, who had been waiting in another room for quite some time, immediately stood from his seat. He turned, saluted out of habit, and said, "Captain Axel, is everything finished…"
His voice trailed off.
Not because he had a stutter, but because his gaze had locked onto the massive figure floating behind Axel.
If it had only been a matter of size, Levi would not have reacted so strongly. On the way here, they had passed through the second main gate and seen the giants stationed there. Compared with them, the figure before him was not the largest thing he had ever seen.
The problem was that this one was floating.
Axel's slender hand rested lightly against Tom's body, dragging the enormous fish-man forward horizontally through the air as if he weighed nothing.
Levi stared for a moment before asking, "Captain… what is this?"
"Our base's shipwright from now on," Axel answered casually.
Levi was at a loss.
They had come to Enies Lobby for official business, and somehow, they were leaving with a shipwright?
Still, he did not ask further.
If the Captain had done this, then he must have his reasons.
They returned along the same path. Before long, they were back aboard the warship. Axel brought Tom into a separate room and laid him flat on the bed.
Once Tom was settled, Axel looked at him.
"Is there anything you want to ask?"
He went straight to the point.
During the journey, Tom had opened his mouth several times as if wanting to speak, only to stop each time. Anyone could see that he had questions.
Tom's voice was weak, but steady enough to be understood.
"Are Franky, Iceburg, Kokoro, and Yokozuna all right?"
He had already guessed that the Pluton blueprints must have been handed to Axel by his apprentices. But he did not know how it had happened, nor what condition they were in now.
Especially Franky.
That boy had used his own body to stop the Sea Train.
Was he truly alive?
Tom had too many questions. In the end, all of them became that one.
"They're fine," Axel said. "Iceburg is even well liked by the people of Water 7 now. Kokoro is still managing the Sea Train. As for Yokozuna, he's probably in the sea."
"What about Franky?" Tom asked quickly, cutting him off before he could continue. "Didn't he block the Sea Train?"
"He's not dead."
Axel paused.
"That's all I can tell you."
He had not interfered with what had happened before, so Franky should currently be modifying his own body. If Axel revealed too much and caused Tom to search for him, it might interrupt that process.
In the worst case, it could even endanger Franky's life.
Tom fell silent.
That answer did not satisfy him.
A flesh-and-blood body stopping the Sea Train could not possibly come away unscathed. Even if Franky survived, he had to be badly injured.
The more Axel refused to say, the more Tom suspected the truth was being hidden because the situation was severe.
"Can you take me to see them?"
"No."
Axel refused directly.
It was not that he did not understand Tom's longing to return home. He understood it very well.
But the current situation did not allow Tom to go back.
"If the World Government suspects there might be another copy of the blueprints, and you meet with someone immediately after leaving Enies Lobby, what do you think they'll assume?"
Tom's expression grew heavy.
Axel continued, "They'll suspect I used you to transfer the blueprints out. The chance may be small, but do you think the World Government will ignore even the smallest possibility when Pluton is involved?"
Tom did not answer.
He already knew.
They would not ignore it.
The fact that he had been arrested despite committing no crime was proof enough. For anything related to Pluton, the World Government would stop at nothing.
"If you go back now," Axel said, "you'll only bring unnecessary danger to Iceburg and Franky."
Tom closed his eyes.
It was a painful decision, but a necessary one.
He could not return now.
He could not bring danger to his family just because he missed them.
If there was danger to bear, then he would bear it alone.
"Then when can I go back?"
"I don't know," Axel said. "When the Government stops paying attention to this matter, or…"
He stopped.
Tom looked at him. "Or what?"
Or when Axel became strong enough to stand beyond the World Government's control.
At that point, even if the World Government knew he had information on the blueprints, it would have no choice but to pretend not to know.
That was the privilege of the truly strong.
But such strength was not something that could be obtained overnight. Even now, there were still countless people in the world stronger than him.
"Nothing," Axel said instead.
He changed the subject.
"By the way, aren't you upset that I burned Pluton?"
Tom was quiet for a moment.
Then he smiled faintly.
"If it's burned, then it's burned. A man should face reality with his head held high."
His voice was still weak, but there was no resentment in it.
"Before it was destroyed, there were many things to consider. Once it was gone, I felt… relieved. Nothing is more important than family."
Axel looked at him in silence.
Tom was a respectable man.
Not everyone could be so open-minded after watching something they had protected for years vanish. Not everyone could remain calm when the legacy of countless shipwrights was burned.
And not everyone would place family above something with the weight of an Ancient Weapon.
But respect was not a reason to let him go.
If Tom was released now instead of remaining under Axel's watch, it would only create more trouble.
"Rest first," Axel said. "I'll have the ship's doctor treat you properly. As for news of you, I'll have someone pass it along."
Tom nodded slowly.
On the other side of the world, in the Holy Land of Mary Geoise, the five men who stood at the peak of the World Government were discussing the report that had just reached them.
Or rather, arguing.
"That boy named Axel actually burned the Pluton blueprints," said the man with white curly hair and a thick beard. "And not long ago, he was involved in the incident with the Celestial Dragons. Insolent does not even begin to describe him."
"He is as reckless as Garp," said the bald man with the mustache shaped like the character eight. "This matter must be punished. If we leave him unchecked like Garp, he may become just as uncontrollable in the future."
The bald man holding a long sword, dressed in a white kimono, spoke next.
"I see it differently. If the blueprints are destroyed, that may be a good thing. The Pluton blueprints were a variable from the beginning. Having them in our hands would have been useful, but if they accidentally fell into an enemy's hands, it would be better if they had never existed at all."
His tone was calm.
"What we need now is balance. A variable is still a variable."
The blond man with a prominent nose and a stern expression nodded.
"I agree. Punishment is not the most important issue right now. First, we must confirm whether the blueprints were truly destroyed. If they still exist and spread elsewhere, the damage would be immeasurable."
After the four of them had spoken, the last man, who had long straight white hair, gave his opinion.
"Let Spandam handle the investigation."
He stood by the side, his voice flat.
"He caused this trouble. The blueprints were burned in front of him. Then he can confirm whether they were truly destroyed."
With that, the decision was made.
The room at the top of the Holy Land fell silent once more.
.....
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