Chapter 294: Contract and Concession
As a Devil Fruit user, relying solely on a fragile layer of bubble coating to descend into the crushing depths of the deep sea to negotiate with Nereus—this was Loki's definition of absolute sincerity.
This was the terrifying, inescapable cost of consuming a Devil Fruit. Even Nereus himself only utilized his innate biological abilities to isolate himself from the seawater, rather than outright ignoring the ocean's curse. No matter how monstrously powerful an ability user was, the moment that bubble popped, they would be utterly helpless before the King of the Deep.
Even his father, Harald—a man who had spent his entire life compromising with the World Government—had ultimately chosen death over allowing Mary Geoise to enslave Elbaf. Loki firmly believed that Nereus wouldn't simply settle for the current status quo, which was exactly why he dared to lay his ambitions bare based on a mere hypothesis.
Loki raised his massive fist, holding it out before Nereus. A moment later, two fists of vastly different sizes firmly bumped together.
In the silent, tranquil depths of the abyss, a secret, world-shaking alliance had been forged.
Although the truth of Harald's death remained buried, and Yaruru—a living fossil of Elbaf possessing unparalleled prestige—was still alive and well (meaning clarifying the truth to the Giant race would be relatively easy), Loki chose not to act immediately. He didn't want to prematurely ruin Harald's life's work. He intended to maintain his villainous facade and the current status quo until he completely mastered his newly acquired Devil Fruit.
Ever since Imu decided to personally intervene and micromanage the situation, Elbaf had been irrevocably pushed to stand entirely against the World Government.
Loki's colossal warship didn't linger in the depths. It soon departed, charting a course for the first half of the Grand Line to carry out his own grand agenda.
Meanwhile, after a long and uneventful voyage, Arlong and his detachment had finally arrived in the East Blue, currently docking their ship at a bustling port to rest and resupply.
"Jack, remember to restrain yourself," Arlong warned, crossing his arms. "We're not here to pick fights. I know those Marines are annoying, but we can't just sink them on sight, understand?"
"Got it," Jack grunted, nodding heavily.
Unlike the chaotic, unpredictable Grand Line, the Four Blues possessed established, fixed maritime routes and supply hubs. Unless they were lawless pirates, normal ships rarely risked deviating from these safe lanes. Therefore, bumping into Marine vessels at a major supply port was a completely normal occurrence.
Ever since experiencing Jack's terrifying "straightforwardness" firsthand, Arlong had thoroughly reviewed the kid's service record. To his horror, he discovered a recent incident where Jack had essentially beaten an entire Marine squad to a bloody pulp on the Sabaody Archipelago purely over a minor misunderstanding.
Such conflicts weren't strictly forbidden; as long as things didn't blow up into a massive international incident, neither the Marines nor Nereus would actively intervene. Minor, localized brawls were within an acceptable threshold. However, sinking a Marine warship completely unprovoked would instantly shatter the current geopolitical balance.
"Nyu... Arlong-aniki, is it really appropriate for us to be wasting time here?" Hatchan asked, his six arms moving in a blur as he expertly cooked a massive batch of takoyaki on a hot iron grill. "There aren't many suitable deserted islands in the East Blue. Shouldn't we be out scouting for one?"
For Fish-Men, mundane tasks like cooking were second nature. Hatchan's ultimate dream was to retire from the military and open his very own takoyaki stand, and his culinary skills were genuinely impressive. The mouth-watering aroma wafting from the ship even attracted the covetous stares of a few bold human sailors on the docks.
"We're not wasting time, Hatchan," Arlong sighed. "Tell me, what is our primary objective in the East Blue?"
"To establish a suitable settlement, strengthen the Ryugu Kingdom's ties with nations in the East Blue, and expand our global influence," Hatchan replied, using one hand to scratch his chin while the other five continued seamlessly flipping the octopus balls.
"Exactly. Now, let me ask you this: why is a deserted island deserted?"
"Uh..." Hatchan stammered, his brow furrowing.
"A severe lack of fresh water resources, barren soil incapable of sustaining agriculture, a high frequency of natural disasters, and an overall inhospitable environment," Jack chimed in mechanically.
While Jack possessed absolutely zero flexibility or common sense, his ability to blindly memorize textbooks was surprisingly formidable.
"Ahem... you don't need to be that specific!" Arlong coughed awkwardly, feeling a bizarre, psychological blow to his ego.
Arlong's own academic scores at the military academy had been... less than stellar. He could easily accept Jack possessing overwhelming, monstrous physical strength. But realizing this hulking brute might actually be book-smart? That was a bit too much to bear.
"Simply put," Arlong continued, loudly clearing his throat, "it's because those places aren't fit for people to live in! If we claim a desolate, barren rock where absolutely no one lives, how the hell are we supposed to 'strengthen ties' and build connections?!"
"But any place fit for human habitation is already claimed by another kingdom, right?" Hatchan pointed out. "Are we just going to violently conquer a territory?"
"Idiot! What would that do to our Kingdom's reputation?! Even if it's a non-affiliated nation, we can't just blatantly conquer them!"
In this sea, affiliated nations violently plundering and annexing non-affiliated nations was actually perfectly legal. Many warmongering kingdoms built their wealth entirely through this brutal method, and the World Government wouldn't even bother putting on a superficial show of asking them to stop.
This brutal reality was exactly why so many desperate nations begged to join the World Government; lacking the power to change the rules, assimilation was their only hope for survival.
"Right, so what's your plan, Arlong-aniki? Do you really think someone is just going to voluntarily hand over a piece of their land to us?"
"Hmph. This is one of the most prosperous port towns in the region. What exactly do you think I've been doing while we've been docked here?" Arlong smirked proudly.
"Going to the amusement park next door to play?" Jack answered bluntly.
"Cough! Cough! Cough!"
Arlong choked violently on his own spit, his face turning so red he nearly transformed into a "Red Shark" Fish-Man.
Regaining his composure, he glared at Jack and calmly adjusted his collar. "Did you seriously think I was just playing around? I was conducting highly important official business."
Before anyone could question him further, an obnoxiously dressed, wealthy-looking human suddenly arrived at the docks below their ship, specifically calling out Arlong's name.
"Ah! If it isn't my dearest old friend! Long time no see!" Arlong beamed, leaning over the railing with a wide, toothy grin.
To Hatchan and the others, Arlong's exaggerated enthusiasm looked incredibly fake and overly theatrical. However, the human noble seemed to absolutely revel in the flattery, enthusiastically waving back at the Fish-Man.
"When did Arlong-aniki make friends with a human?" Hatchan whispered, patting Kuroobi's shoulder in bewilderment.
"No idea," Kuroobi grunted, equally confused.
It was perfectly normal that they didn't know. After all, Arlong had only met this "old friend" exactly three days ago. But in those short three days, Arlong had flawlessly resolved their biggest logistical nightmare.
"Using this specific village as the epicenter, all the land within this designated radius—including the entire coastline—will be granted to you for your exclusive use for the next fifty years. This is the finalized contract. Please review it and let me know if there are any issues," Arlong's "old friend" smiled, handing over a thick stack of documents.
The paperwork was officially drafted as a formal "Lease Agreement and Concession." They couldn't violently conquer the land, but they could certainly rent it.
As for how Arlong had managed to so easily persuade the local government? He had his own specialized methods.
During their brief stay, Arlong had meticulously scouted the local political landscape, identifying exactly which high-ranking minister possessed significant authority and an insatiable, corrupt greed. Arlong had come fully prepared with massive operational funds. Slipping the minister a few heavy chests of gold and exotic deep-sea jewels had swiftly and flawlessly bypassed all legal hurdles.
For a corrupt minister, selling out his nation's territorial rights for massive personal profit was basically standard procedure. He was more than happy to blindly accommodate a wealthy, generous client like Arlong.
This specific talent was precisely why Nereus had approved Arlong's deployment. In the original timeline, Arlong had utilized bribery, extortion, and underworld connections to perfectly conceal his brutal occupation of the East Blue from Marine Headquarters for years.
When it came to shady, under-the-table political maneuvering and exploiting human greed, Arlong was exponentially more skilled than honorable men like Fisher Tiger or Jinbe.
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