Chapter 239: People on the Scorched Earth, The Growing Revolutionary Army
It wasn't as if the scholars of Ohara lacked real capability. From the moment they uncovered traces of the Great War, they should have understood why the World Government was so desperate to conceal the Void Century.
Yet, that realization only seemed to fuel their obsession with uncovering the truth, blinding them to the looming threats gathering around them.
"We never imagined... that the World Government would issue a decree of total extermination..."
"If even an entire era of history can be erased, who's going to care about a single island? This place isn't marked on standard nautical charts, so you'll be safe here for the time being. In a little while, someone will come to take you off my hands."
Nereus had no intention of keeping these scholars for himself. On a sea where the literacy and education gap was practically abysmal, these people were genuine intellectuals—and more importantly, intellectuals who now actively stood against the World Government.
Compared to Fish-Man Island, there was a far more suitable place for them.
"Panda, take your men and continue the operation. Make sure our 'little darlings' are properly settled in their designated coordinates."
Nereus had other objectives in coming to the West Blue—namely, the transplantation of the Sunlight Tree Eve's seedlings. According to previous surveys conducted by the Ryugu Kingdom's exploration teams, there were two islands in the West Blue with environmental conditions ideal for Eve's growth, surrounded by waters deep enough to support her roots.
Rescuing Ohara's books and scholars was merely one part of his plan; expanding the Sunlight Tree Eve's reach was equally crucial.
The destruction of an entire island like Ohara couldn't be kept secret—and the World Government didn't even try. After thoroughly smearing the scholars as demons, they publicly broadcasted the incident to the world without the slightest hesitation.
Released alongside the news was the bounty poster for the "Devil Child"—Nico Robin.
All the Marine warships destroyed by Saul during his rampage were conveniently blamed on Nico Robin. Their ability to shift the blame was truly top-tier.
After thawing out from his icy prison, Saul fashioned a makeshift canoe from the charred remnants of the Tree of Omniscience and set sail back toward the land of the Giants.
Meanwhile, the surviving scholars began their wilderness survival on the uncharted island where Nereus had left them. Having spent years conducting field research and exploring ancient ruins across the globe, their survival skills were practically maxed out, so they didn't run into much trouble.
The soldiers of the Neptune Army continued executing their assigned tasks under Nereus's orders. During this time, Olvia approached Nereus to ask if he could help search for her daughter.
Back during the chaos of the Buster Call, the situation had been too perilous, and Nereus hadn't revealed himself to her, leaving Olvia with no choice but to entrust everything to Saul.
However, Nereus didn't pay too much mind to the request, merely instructing the Neptune Army units deployed abroad for seedling transplantation to keep an eye out for the girl's whereabouts.
The obliteration of an island was an apocalyptic calamity for those who lived there, an unforgettable nightmare etched into the souls of the survivors.
But for the rest of the world's ordinary citizens, such events were quickly buried under the endless tide of new headlines.
Yet, several months after the Ohara incident had faded from the spotlight and the World Government had shifted its attention elsewhere, a certain vessel was quietly heading toward those scorched waters.
"Is everything gone...? It seems the bombardment reduced it all to ash..."
Aside from scorched earth and massive craters, nothing remained of Ohara. Vegapunk stood by the edge of a crater lake, mourning the loss of a culture and its wisdom.
"Long time no see, Vegapunk. That head of yours is still as bizarre as ever—I'd recognize you anywhere."
Although MADS had already been absorbed by the World Government, the authorities hadn't yet placed Vegapunk under the suffocating level of surveillance they would in the future. Consequently, no one paid attention to his personal trip to the West Blue.
Otherwise, they would have discovered Dragon—the leader of the Freedom Fighters—standing right behind Vegapunk, engaging him in conversation.
"Dragon? What are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same thing. I haven't seen you in a while, but it looks like your head has gotten even bigger."
Due to the powers of the Brain-Brain Fruit, the more knowledge he absorbed, the larger his head grew. After being recruited by the World Government, Vegapunk had gained access to vast libraries of research data, so his head had naturally expanded further.
"I knew Clover," Vegapunk said quietly.
"I see. He and I were old acquaintances as well."
"He traveled across nearly the entire world in his younger days; it seems he made quite a few connections. What a tragedy... Everything Ohara built is ruined now."
"Yes, it's all ruined. And now you're working for the World Government—reduced to their obedient lapdog. It seems an invitation from the Freedom Fighters simply couldn't compete with what the Government had to offer."
Dragon's sharp, biting sarcasm rubbed Vegapunk the wrong way, prompting an immediate retort: "Don't be ridiculous! The projects I want to realize require astronomical amounts of funding!
"Look at how destitute your Freedom Fighters are—you couldn't even dream of covering my research expenses!
"The World Government is a colossal organization; the Marines are merely one fraction of it. There are still people inside who can understand my vision!"
The two fell into a long silence. After erecting a simple gravestone for Ohara out of charred tree bark, Vegapunk turned and left.
He had experiments to run and couldn't linger indefinitely. Yet in that moment, a quiet resolve formed in Vegapunk's heart to inherit Clover's will.
He too would investigate the truth of the Void Century—only he would do it in absolute secrecy.
"Just watch me, Vegapunk. I'm going to change this world... 'An army capable of fighting'—those words were right all along..."
Dragon said nothing more to the departing scientist, murmuring to himself instead. And right at that moment, another figure appeared silently behind him.
"A commendable ideology. So, have you finished building this army of yours?"
"Mr. Nereus?!"
Plenty of people had tried to kill Dragon over the years. Although he hadn't yet been branded the World's Worst Criminal by the World Government, the bounty on his head was already substantial, and the Marines certainly didn't show him any mercy when their paths crossed.
Pure combat instinct drove Dragon to throw a fierce punch backward without looking—only for the fist to be caught with effortless ease.
"Not bad," Nereus remarked calmly. "You've added some combat personnel and your organizational framework is shaping up decently. But in terms of top-tier combat power... you still have a long way to go.
"When did you get here?" Dragon asked, lowering his guard.
A significant portion of the combat personnel Dragon referred to had actually been supplied by Nereus. Certain pirate slaves who were difficult to settle on Fish-Man Island were handed over to Dragon for "waste recycling."
Once the more unstable, unmanageable elements were weeded out, there was still plenty of usable talent among them.
Another faction consisted of individuals who had grown utterly disillusioned with the Marines due to various personal tragedies. As for how they had managed to find Dragon's group? Let's just call it a "coincidence."
"Probably a bit earlier than both you and Vegapunk," Nereus replied smoothly. "I was busy handling some... botanical greening projects.
"I have a group of people with me; you should take them off my hands while you're at it. I imagine that ragtag outfit of yours is sorely lacking in intellectuals and cultural workers.
"Keep a close eye on them, though. If left to their own devices, they're far bolder than even you are."
Intellectuals... bold... and standing here on Ohara...
It didn't take much piecing together; Dragon immediately realized who Nereus was talking about.
"The scholars?"
"Glad you catch on fast," Nereus nodded. "The dawn of the Great Pirate Era is shifting the Marines' center of gravity. Whether it's Paradise or the New World, the Grand Line is going to consume the vast majority of their attention and resources.
"That will leave significant power vacuums across the Four Blues, making it much easier for you to operate there. The East Blue is a bit of a special case, but that shouldn't be an issue for you—after all, theoretically speaking, Garp isn't going to raise a hand against his own son."
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