When it comes to defining "history"—
Ryan Rowan's perspective is rather unusual, and upon closer thought, even somewhat absurd.
To Ryan Rowan, anything that has already happened can be considered history.
Even trivial things like what I ate for breakfast today or whether I stepped into the cabin with my left or right foot yesterday could all be called history.
But Nico Robin doesn't entirely agree with this view.
Because history, in her eyes, carries weight.
Take "today's breakfast," for example. Whether someone ate bread or eggs would, under normal circumstances, never influence the course of the world.
True history consists of the turning points that shape the direction of an era. Big or small, these events leave some mark on the future.
That is the weight of history.
Of course, this doesn't mean Nico Robin completely rejects Ryan Rowan's perspective—she simply doesn't fully agree with it.
After all, even in the current era, many events heavy enough to shape history have already taken place.
The dawn of the Great Pirate Era brought about by Gol D. Roger, the establishment of the Seven Warlords system, or even Golden Lion Shiki's escape from Impel Down—
All of these are pieces of history, destined to remain in this world, recorded in books and passed down through generations.
…
And in the North Blue, there exists another piece of history—recent, yet weighty enough to leave its mark.
It is the legend of the Vinsmoke Family, the Germa Kingdom, and Germa 66.
…
Germa 66 is the military force of the scientific nation known as the Germa Kingdom.
Also called the "Army of Evil" and "War Experts," they operate across the world as mercenaries.
Thanks to their astonishing technological capabilities, Germa 66 can even cross the Red Line at incredible speed using giant snails specially bred for transport, allowing them to move freely between the four seas with exceptional mobility and military power.
The Germa Kingdom is unique among nations—a maritime kingdom with no permanent territory. Its kingdom exists upon fleets of ships that normally travel separately but combine to form a single nation when needed.
Its citizens are almost entirely male and trained as soldiers. Equipped with standardized scientific weaponry, they make up the feared army known as Germa 66.
At the very top of the Germa Kingdom and Germa 66 stands the ruling Vinsmoke Family—
A royal family unlike any other.
Historically, the North Blue has been a sea of endless warfare.
Yet there was once a time when the Vinsmoke Family conquered the entire North Blue through sheer military might and fear.
That reign lasted exactly sixty-six days, one of the origins behind the name "Germa 66."
Today, the Vinsmoke Family maintains stable ties with both the World Government and the Marines. As royalty, they are even permitted to attend the Reverie and can influence the Marines enough to alter bounty notices.
Under the Vinsmokes' command, Germa 66 continues to wage wars across the globe as mercenaries.
As renowned "War Experts," they once ended a civil war in the New World's Broccoli Kingdom in only four hours—a conflict that had lasted two full years.
Because of this, those caught in war have come to call Germa 66 either the Hand of God or the Devil's Hand—
A sign of inevitable victory… or inevitable destruction.
At the same time, the Vinsmoke Family has amassed enormous wealth by deploying Germa 66 to battlefields around the world, securing vital resources for the Germa Kingdom while preparing to reclaim their former glory and dominate the North Blue once again.
…
Of course, information on this level feels distant to ordinary citizens of the North Blue.
They may recognize the name "Germa 66," but for an entirely different reason—
"Sora, Warrior of the Sea."
When leaving Alabasta, Crocodile noticed Rowan carrying a book.
He had assumed that a book in the possession of an emperor from eight hundred years ago must surely be some priceless treasure.
At least, that was what Crocodile thought.
Then he saw the cover—
And his expression instantly darkened.
After all, [Golden Dawn] was casually sitting beneath the mast, reading a comic book atop a crate.
To Crocodile, the sight was utterly unacceptable.
…
"Sora, Warrior of the Sea" is a long-running comic serialized in the World Economic Journal.
The story follows the legendary marine hero Sora, who can walk on water, as he fights alongside his companions against evil organizations that constantly seek to corner him.
And that evil organization is none other than Germa 66.
The comic portrays the Marines as heroic defenders of justice by repeatedly showing Germa 66's defeats, making it an effective piece of propaganda for children.
As a result, most ordinary people assume Germa 66 is fictional—
When in truth, it very much exists.
…
North Blue — Aden Kingdom
The Crystal Demon Virus Rebellion had only recently been suppressed.
The former royal family had fled under the protection of the World Government and had yet to return.
The current king of the Aden Kingdom was a portly middle-aged man, formerly the head of the kingdom's agricultural department.
With assistance from the Four Seas Alliance, the Aden Kingdom was recovering from the scars of the chaos at remarkable speed.
A kingdom where both humans and castaways lived together was slowly but steadily taking root in the North Blue.
The portly king had once been a high-ranking official under the former royal family, so he naturally knew the truth behind Germa 66.
Thus, when he received a certain letter, the hope he had recently regained instantly sank.
…
Inside the Aden Kingdom's palace—
The king and his ministers wore grim expressions.
In the king's hand were several tightly clenched sheets of paper, trembling faintly.
The ministers understood exactly why he was so shaken.
After all, few in the North Blue could remain calm after reading that letter.
Its message was simple:
When we arrive upon your shores, your nation will have only two choices: submit… or perish.
— Germa 66
A declaration of war.
And a threat.
The ministers weren't surprised by the king's reaction. Any ruler facing such an ultimatum from Germa 66 would feel immense pressure.
Yet the king seemed to see through their thoughts. Rubbing his temples, he shook his head.
"No. What concerns me isn't that…"
"It's this."
Carefully, he separated another letter from the Germa 66 document.
"This came from the Four Seas Alliance."
He explained:
"They said they were already aware of our situation and would be sending support."
"Isn't that wonderful?!"
Hope immediately returned to the ministers' faces. They had already witnessed the strength of the Four Seas Alliance firsthand.
But the king raised a finger.
"The real issue…"
"…is when this letter arrived."
He paused, as though even he struggled to believe what he was about to say.
"This letter from the Four Seas Alliance reached my hands a full day before Germa 66's threat arrived."
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