Because of this, the World Government had enough Berries not only to maintain its normal operations, but also to allow the Celestial Dragons to continue standing high above everyone else, freely enjoying the most luxurious lives in the world.
Not only that, those Berries also allowed the World Government to maintain the strongest military force in the world.
That powerful army was not only the guarantee that protected the World Government's rule, but also the sharpest weapon used to suppress pirates and criminals.
Through this method, the World Government was able to stabilize its authority and ensure that no force could overthrow it.
It could be described as another world's version of raising bandits to justify one's own importance.
Except this time, it was not a general on the frontier doing it.
It was the government itself.
It was also somewhat like America in Lancelot's previous life, using war to divert internal conflicts.
In a word, this was simply one of the World Government's methods of rule.
…
When Lancelot stood before the mountain of gold on Sky Island, even though he had already mentally prepared himself, he was still so shocked that he could not speak for a moment.
Mountains of gold and silver.
At this moment, that phrase had become reality.
Truly.
Across both his lives combined, he had never seen this much gold before.
Then his gaze fell on Enel's ship.
In One Piece, ships were vital to any force, whether the Marines or pirates.
For a pirate crew, apart from the strength of the captain and crew members, the most important thing was having a pirate ship that could ride the winds and break through the waves.
Many ships of all sizes and designs had appeared in One Piece, and among them, there were roughly forty famous pirate ships.
Plenty of those ships were well-equipped and imposing, but not many possessed truly unique characteristics.
Among them, only four could be considered the most legendary.
The first was one of the three Ancient Weapons: Pluton.
In One Piece, the name Pluton had two meanings.
One referred to the Pirate King's right-hand man, "Dark King" Rayleigh. The other referred to a ship that served as one of the Ancient Weapons.
Here, of course, it meant the latter.
Pluton was first mentioned during the Alabasta arc, which was also the first time the Ancient Weapons entered people's view.
As one of the three Ancient Weapons, Pluton was known as the worst warship in the history of shipbuilding.
It was a super battleship built in Water Seven, capable of destroying an entire island with a single shot, and it currently slept somewhere in the world.
Its blueprints had once been kept by Franky's master, Tom. Later, they were passed to Iceburg, then transferred to Franky, before finally being burned by Franky himself.
The World Government both coveted and feared it. They had once tried every possible method to find Pluton in order to end the Great Pirate Era.
There was nothing strange about such a battleship becoming a legend.
Think about it.
One shot, one island.
What kind of power was that?
In the original story, Imu used Uranus, another Ancient Weapon whose name stood alongside Pluton's.
By looking at the power of Uranus, one could roughly imagine just how terrifying Pluton must be.
The second legendary ship was the Pirate King's vessel: the Oro Jackson.
As the only king of the Great Pirate Era, Gol D. Roger stood above even "Emperors." His noble status was something pirates all over the world longed for and admired.
A fine steed belonged to a hero, and the pirate ship of such a legendary figure naturally could not be ordinary either.
Roger's ship, the Oro Jackson, was built by Tom, the master of Franky, the world's greatest shipwright.
The material used was the Treasure Tree Adam. Incidentally, Luffy's Thousand Sunny was also built using that same material.
The Oro Jackson was the only ship to have completed the journey around the entire Grand Line.
It was truly a ship of dreams and legend.
Then there was the ship with its own soul: the Going Merry.
The Going Merry was Luffy's first true pirate ship.
It had been gifted to him by Usopp's friend Kaya, and it was an important companion of the Straw Hat Pirates, accompanying Luffy and the others through a long stretch of their journey.
During the Water Seven arc, the ship's keel was so badly damaged that it could no longer be repaired.
The Straw Hats were forced to give up on the Merry, a decision that Usopp strongly opposed, even leading him to fall out with Luffy and the others for a time.
Later, when Luffy and his crew were trapped on Enies Lobby, the Merry's Klabautermann sailed the broken ship to them in time and saved everyone.
But because the ship had reached the end of its life, after the Klabautermann said goodbye to the Straw Hats, Luffy and the others chose to send off their old friend with a Viking funeral.
Facing the Merry burning in those flames, not only did the Straw Hats weep, but countless One Piece fans in front of their screens were left sobbing as well.
It could be called one of the most moving scenes in all of One Piece.
Such a ship, one with its own spirit and a special companion of the Straw Hat Pirates, would forever be a legend in the hearts of every fan.
However, in Lancelot's eyes, the fourth legendary ship was the one standing before him now.
The Ark Maxim.
Under normal circumstances, ships sailed across vast seas, riding the wind and waves over blue waters.
In the fantastical world of One Piece, there were not only ships capable of soaring through the sky, such as Golden Lion Shiki's vessel, but also ships capable of traveling underwater, like Law's submarine.
However, a ship capable of sending humans beyond Earth was absolutely unique.
Based on that point alone, the Ark Maxim was undoubtedly the most legendary ship in the world of One Piece.
Other ships, whether warships serving in the Marines or ordinary ships crossing the ocean, were still limited to normal categories.
They could only sail on the sea or move beneath it.
The Ark Maxim was completely different.
It could rise into the air.
It could even cross outer space and reach the moon.
That meant it was not merely an ordinary ship. In the truest sense, it was a spaceship.
With it, one could begin interstellar navigation and set out on a journey through the stars, filled with unknowns and adventure.
Therefore, compared to the Ark Maxim, every other ship seemed insignificant.
Even Pluton, with its immense destructive power, paled before it.
After all, although Pluton was powerful, it was still only a ship that sailed upon Earth.
It could not break free from the planet's restraints like the Ark Maxim and explore the vast universe beyond.
And this was the ship Lancelot truly dreamed of.
He carried the dream of an emperor, but his ambition was not limited to the world of One Piece.
The stars and the sea—that endless depth of the universe—was his true final destination.
At this moment, he had set himself a magnificent goal.
To become the King of the Universe.
However, such a goal could not be achieved in a single step. It had to be climbed toward, one step at a time.
First, he had to become the undisputed strongest in the world of One Piece.
Next, his goal was to ascend the Empty Throne and seize the authority of the World Government.
He would conquer the various pirate crews and every major force.
He would make them submit willingly and follow him in building an empire that belonged to him.
Once he unified the world, he would possess endless power and wealth.
But that would not be his final destination.
Immortality.
That was a topic he could not avoid.
And in the world of One Piece, it was a pursuit that was entirely possible.
Moreover, there was more than one way to achieve it.