Author's Note:
This is the final chapter of this arc. Also, there's a brief announcement in the afterword, so I'd appreciate it if you could read that as well. Here's Chapter 190. Enjoy.
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Well then... from here on out, it'll be a bit of a "breather," both story-wise and in various other senses.
Me, and the Golden Lion Pirates that I've come to lead... we'll be busy with all sorts of activities, but in truth, something like a "period of lying low" will continue for a while yet.
The groundwork for the various plans Papa is pushing forward, and such.
Though when it comes to that, there's almost nothing for me to do. Papa himself is directing his own subordinates to carry things out. So there isn't much to tell, nor much that I could tell.
Instead, though not exactly as a replacement, let me try to briefly explain what's happening in various places right now... or what's about to happen.
☆☆☆
"So this is the place where we'll be living starting today. ...An uninhabited Sky Island?"
"...An island floating in the sky, of all things. This sea really does have everything..."
"It's one of the Sky Islands I personally own. As I explained, Saga aside, we can't have anyone spotting Zoro. So I've arranged for you to train in a place that's physically impossible for anyone to access."
During the 3D2Y period, I'd brought Zoro, whom I'd taken responsibility for looking after, to a privately owned Sky Island near Merveille. Along with both Saga and Zoro.
In the meantime, defense of Asuka Island has been entrusted to crews under the Golden Lion Pirates' banner. That place has been designated as one of our territories too, after all.
I'd stationed trustworthy people there, so the defenses are solid... and they wouldn't abuse their authority to cause trouble, either.
...Not that the island itself has anything worth plundering in the first place.
Zoro, having been to a Sky Island before, accepted it relatively calmly, but Saga was understandably taken aback. The sight of an island floating in the sky was apparently quite the shock.
This island is one that both I and my daughters use for training.
I usually stay at the Hideout island nearby, but when it's time to train, I come here to spar and do various exercises with the girls.
The Hideout is a Winter Island, so it's not exactly suited for romping around outside.
This island, on the other hand, has everything you'd need for various kinds of training, so I use it frequently. The climate's a bit hot, but generally warm and comfortable, with plenty of water and food.
The main means of procuring those is hunting and foraging, though. That's part of the training too.
"Over that way... you can see a rocky mountain in the center of the island, right? There's a mansion there, set up for living in. The ferocious beasts that swarm the island don't go near it, so it's safe. That's where you two will be sleeping as well, but... it's not just for you. Anyone using this island stays there as a rule, so play nice and don't start any fights."
"? There's going to be other people living here besides us?"
"You're not the only ones who want to train. My daughters, and... other subordinates who need toughening up will be living here too. Well, not all the time. It'll be more like intermittent training camps... or maybe they'll commute to this island."
But Zoro and Saga would basically be living here full-time. There's no way to leave the island, so settle in with that understanding and focus on your training.
And this island is teeming with ferocious beasts so violent that even Leona couldn't befriend them.
On par with Level 2 of Impel Down, or perhaps even more lawless than that.
There's a reason for this, but... that's a story for another time.
"The forest is lush, so you can find as much food as you want if you look. However... Zoro and company, you'll also be treated as food by the beasts if you're walking through the forest, so don't forget that. Also, the warm and humid climate means food spoils fast, so you'll need to hunt frequently... as in every day."
"That's exactly what I'd want, but... will you actually be teaching us?"
"Not around the clock, though. I've got work for the Golden Lion Pirates, work as a Shichibukai, and above all, my work as a writer. But even so, I think I can make a reasonable amount of time, and I have instruction for my daughters as well... so I'll do it properly. Don't worry."
"Sue's daughters, huh... I haven't met them yet, but are they really that strong?"
"Of course. Zoro... you've only met Leona, right? I'll be having the two of them serve as sparring partners for you three, so please get along."
"Managing the base, babysitting kids... that's the 'price' for training us, huh?"
"Pretty much. ...Fair warning, though. If you go easy on them because they're girls, you'll regret it. They've been getting stronger at an astonishing rate lately."
As I said this, I showed the two of them something.
The recently issued Wanted Posters for Suzu, Alice, and Lupus.
Of these, the only one Zoro would recognize was Lupus, but from the flow of the conversation, he could figure out that Suzu and Alice were my daughters.
Well, these had already been rescinded because I'd become a Shichibukai, but... even so, both of them were visibly startled that the amounts listed were higher than Zoro's own Bounty of 120 million.
Bounty doesn't necessarily equal strength, but it does mean they're seen as that level of threat... it should serve as a clear benchmark.
And if you tried to fight those three seriously... you'd absolutely need Haki.
To say nothing of Suzu, who's a Logia, even Alice's Powers render ordinary attacks ineffective. They'd be reflected back, in fact. Leona, too, is so tough that blades powered by mere arm strength can't wound her.
And perhaps... they might end up facing opponents other than just my daughters. From here on, there'll be plenty of people training under us.
Including myself and my two close aides.
Then there are the former BW members still with us... and a certain someone with lightning, plus that person's subordinates.
"Swordsmanship is a given, but Haki and various other things... there's no shortage of things to teach, and what we'll do here is just the fundamentals. Once you start gaining real strength, I might put together additional special training menus. I'll train you properly alongside my daughters, so keep up."
"...Yeah, I'm counting on you...!"
Now then... in place of Hawk-Eye, I'd better raise him right...
☆☆☆
So that's how things stand for Zoro, Saga, and the others undertaking training... Next, let me talk about the people outside the Golden Lion Pirates.
First up: Tesoro, Stella, and the rest at Gran Tesoro in the New World.
Nothing's really changed for them. They continue to reign as rulers of the world's greatest entertainment city, feeding off the wealthy who dream of striking it rich or experiencing the ultimate in entertainment.
In the wake of the Summit War, the world's growing turbulent again, and apparently some pirates have been reckless enough to try attacking the place... but most of them are instantly annihilated by the terrifyingly strong security forces led by Shuraiya-kun and the others.
From there, it's the complete package: handed over to the World Government and converted into Bounty money. ...If they'd just behaved and enjoyed themselves as guests, nothing would have happened to them. Idiots.
Also, Brook, Carina, and Uta-chan, all of whom are there, seem to be doing well.
Apparently their singing voices have been polished to an even greater shine lately, and their popularity keeps growing... I'd love to find time to go listen again.
Plus, I just enjoy chatting with them since we get along well... and apparently Uta-chan is one of my fans. That makes me happy.
Then there's Morgans and Eddie-chan.
Now that I've become a Shichibukai, there's no longer any need to sneak around for meetings or payment transfers, so we can meet and talk openly like before... though "before" was about fifteen years ago at this point. And we no longer need to hide our connection.
Being able to publish my books openly has Eddie-chan even more fired up as my editor, and when he gets like that, it makes me more motivated too.
As one of the conditions for joining the Shichibukai, the Government agreed that unless my writing contains explicit Government criticism or content inciting anti-government activities, they will not interfere with my creative work in any way.
So, with nothing to hold me back, I continue to write whatever I please.
Also, it's not just Eddie-chan and Morgans. Other publishers and newspapers no longer need to self-censor and avoid commissioning me on the grounds that "she's a pirate," so work has flooded in all at once.
I'm accepting those within a reasonable scope and writing manuscripts for all sorts of places.
Among them are not just my own novels, but various other kinds of work too.
Theatrical scripts, working as the original author for Picture Stories, and so on.
For instance, the one I'm putting out next as the original author is... the story of one boy, and then one young man, who lives alongside his own Soul, named Drill.
"Live with your head held high! With your Drill... pierce the heavens!"
The protagonist, raised in an underground settlement on a certain island, knowing nothing else, is dragged to the Surface by his Big Bro figure. Together with a robot discovered during digging to expand the village, or rather during excavation.
And there, he meets the heroine and other companions.
But on the Surface, there existed pirates who ruled over it and had turned it into a dangerous world. They too used robots to reign over the Surface, and the protagonist and his friends would be thrown into fierce battle.
"So long... pal."
"What exactly... is Justice?"
While experiencing painful battles and sorrowful farewells, the protagonist grows as a person.
Ultimately, he wins the battle against the pirates' King who ruled the island, and peace is restored... but beyond the island lay an even larger world.
A Legion far more powerful than the one led by the King he'd defeated. Judging the protagonist and his friends as dangerous for having toppled their King, they descend upon the island to crush it entirely.
Against overwhelming disparity in power, a seemingly hopeless battle begins, but not a single one of them gives up.
"Just who the hell... do you think we are!?"
At the end of this fight, will he be able to seize a future of peace and hope...!?
"The Drill is my... Soul!"
I wonder how the Picture Story will turn out? Will it be popular? Ahh, I can't wait!
☆☆☆
There are other things I've learned too, based on whatever information has come in.
I recently went to visit Hancock... or rather, went to Amazon Lily and showed my face.
According to what I heard there, Luffy has already plunged into training with Rayleigh on Rusukaina Island, and women are forbidden from setting foot on the island.
Hancock apparently murmurs "I want to see Luffy..." about five to ten times a day, but since it's for Luffy's sake above all else, she's enduring it.
Also, once his training progresses to a certain point... from there, it might possibly continue with the help of Hancock and the other Kuja members, so she's bearing it as something to endure until then.
...Hm? Was there a development like that in the Original Work? I feel like it was just Luffy and Rayleigh from start to finish... Oh, but wait, Rayleigh left after a year and a half, and the last six months were Luffy training on his own, right?
If it was during those six months, maybe he did interact with Hancock and Margaret?
If so... in this world, Luffy might be able to become even stronger.
Hancock has been training with me, so she's probably considerably stronger than in the Original Work... and since she's apparently been using that Experience to instruct the Kuja girls, I think the overall combat ability of the Kuja Pirates has risen too.
On top of that, Hancock herself should have the skills and know-how for instruction.
At the very least, right now Hancock is overwhelmingly stronger than Luffy, who hasn't yet learned Haki... and if she leverages that to instruct him with everything she's got... Luffy might end up significantly stronger than in the Original Work.
Speaking of possibly becoming stronger than the Original Work... the same goes for Sanji.
Sanji apparently ended up at Kamabakka Kingdom just like in the Original Work. There, he's thrown himself into battle to obtain the "99 Vital Recipes," but... among his fellow competitors is Bon-chan.
Back in Arabasta, those two fought on equal footing, and Sanji only wrested victory through a desperate struggle, so their abilities are closely matched. On top of that, Iva-san is apparently exploiting their rivalry-like relationship to light a fire under both of them, fostering their growth through competition. Apparently.
I can just picture the scene of them making a racket and going through comedy-routine-like exchanges, but... both of them are men (and an Okama) who can fight with their lives on the line for someone truly precious, someone they refuse to yield on.
If they push each other to new heights through mutual competition, then by two years from now, they should both be even stronger.
Not just Sanji's kick techniques and cooking, but Bon-chan's Okama Kenpo too.
...My only slight concern is whether Sanji might get contaminated and undergo Newkama transformation.
No, seriously. I know all too well about the bio-hazard, or rather, Okama Hazard infection capability of those beings known as Newkama.
Because of those memories from that Winter Island that I couldn't forget even if I wanted to.
As for the rest of the Straw Hat Pirates, unfortunately I have no information (Brook excluded), but I'm sure they'll be fine.
I trust that in two years they'll reassemble without incident, make a complete comeback, and shock the world.
...And for that day, I need to raise Zoro properly.
This is just speculation, but if both Sanji and Luffy are expected to be stronger than in the Original Work... then if only one of the Straw Hat top three ends up at Original Work levels, he'd look inferior by comparison.
Might as well go all out and try raising him seriously. Pulling out all the stops, you know.
As for other factions... oh, let me talk about the Marines and such.
Now that I've become a Shichibukai, the Marines are, in a distant sense, something like colleagues. And it seems there have been some rather significant personnel changes among them.
What's the same as the Original Work is that Fleet Admiral Sengoku and Vice Admiral Garp have retired.
Vice Admiral Garp retains his title and remains in the military for the purpose of training the next generation and other duties. Fleet Admiral Sengoku has stepped down from his position and taken on something called "Grand Inspector," which seems like an honorary title, and is also training successors.
Here's where it differs from the Original Work... the one who took the vacated Fleet Admiral seat was Admiral Aokiji, also known as Kuzan.
Well, Akainu was beaten to a pulp by me and Ace until he was left completely incapacitated, and apparently the lingering damage is so severe that returning to active duty is considered hopeless.
The fact that he's even alive is being called a miracle, that's the level of injury we're talking about. He's still under treatment, and far from returning to duty or being discharged, there's reportedly no prospect of even a full recovery.
From the Government's perspective, it probably would have been more convenient for Akainu to become Fleet Admiral, but they couldn't exactly prop up someone that gravely wounded.
So, whereas in the Original Work, Akainu became Fleet Admiral after a "duel" and Aokiji left the Marines... in this world, that "duel" never even happened, and Aokiji became Fleet Admiral. Kizaru remains as is.
But that means... Punk Hazard, which becomes a stage for events "two years later," would remain a normal island instead of being half-hot and half-cold, wouldn't it? Little by little, all sorts of things are diverging from the Original Work.
How the Marines will try to protect the peace of the seas going forward... nobody knows yet.
And then, about the survivors of the Whitebeard Pirates, starting with Ace.
In the Original Work, Marco and the surviving commanders apparently rallied together and waged war against the Blackbeard Pirates, but... in this world, that hasn't happened.
While they continue to operate in the New World, for now they're steadily building their strength and fighting to protect the territories that Whitebeard left behind.
And the one at the center of all that is... Ace, apparently.
Word on the wind says that the former Whitebeard Pirates members and some of the subordinate Pirate Crews rallied together, saying they could trust him, that they were willing to entrust it to him... and they reorganized the Whitebeard Pirates with Ace at the top.
Of course, bloodline and such had absolutely nothing to do with it... it was purely the bonds and trust they shared as Whitebeard's "family."
He too may be building his strength for the coming New Era... and someday, the day may come when he makes his name resound across the world once more. Together with the Whitebeard Pirates, reborn as a Second Generation under new leadership.
Well, that about covers it.
In that case, I too shall... spend the coming while living however I please, busy as things may be.
Writing goes without saying, and I'll handle my Admiral duties while learning various things from Papa and the other Advisors...
Then, well, I'll do my Shichibukai work at least to a token degree... attend the Marines' summoned meetings at appropriate intervals...
Instruction for Zoro and Saga, plus my daughters... there's a lot to do.
And above all, research trips! I need to put effort into those!
Thanks to becoming a Shichibukai, I can now access places that ordinary pirates could never get near, as long as I make arrangements in advance. There are so many places I've been wanting to go but had been holding back on!
...Given that I'll be using my authority for things like that, maybe I should put a bit more effort into my Shichibukai duties.
Well then, that's all for now. A temporary farewell.
Look forward to "two years later." Bye-bye!
To be continued...