A blade that is not maintained will eventually rust.
One must never neglect their training; one must constantly sharpen the edge of their soul. It is easy enough to say, but few possess the iron will to sustain such discipline day after day. Even while buried under the weight of her daily administrative duties, Kanata maintained her minimum training regimen. Though her name was known across the globe as one of the world's most formidable powers, she refused to let her standards slip.
Some who joined her training simply to keep up found themselves growing stronger by osmosis. Others, however, had their spirits crushed, realizing that if they ever hoped to become the Pirate King, they would first have to overcome the monster standing before them.
Having finished her routine for the day, Kanata showered and returned to her private quarters. She found George waiting for her, holding a letter with an unfamiliar seal.
"Hey. Done with your workout?"
"Yes. Who is the letter from? I don't recognize the envelope."
"The World Government."
Kanata's brow furrowed. She couldn't think of a single reason why the World Government would be sending her a formal missive at a time like this. Suspecting trouble, she took the letter from George, tore it open with little regard for etiquette, and scanned the contents.
It was a concise document, only a few pages long. Considering it was addressed to a pirate, it dispensed with the usual diplomatic fluff—but even so, the contents were far beyond Kanata's expectations.
"A recommendation for the 'Seven Warlords of the Sea.' They've come up with a strange new system."
"What's that? Another whim of the Celestial Dragons?" George asked.
"They want us to become the government's lapdogs. Since the Roger incident, the number of pirates has been skyrocketing. It seems the Navy has finally reached its breaking point."
The letter detailed the privileges: a formal pardon from the World Government, the removal of all bounties, and the authorization to plunder other pirates or nations not affiliated with the World Government. In exchange, the Warlords would serve as a deterrent against the infinite swarm of new outlaws.
"It's too late for the World Government to 'recognize' me. If they think they can put a collar on me now, they're dead wrong."
"I figured as much," George said, leaning against the wall. "Maybe if they'd offered this years ago, it would have meant something, but now..."
In terms of raw power, the Twilight Pirates had already swelled to a size where they could face the Navy in a head-on war. To be told now that the government would "allow" her to exist in exchange for culling other pirates felt like an insult.
However, the World Government seemed desperate to bring Kanata into the fold. The letter went as far as offering to waive the mandatory tribute required of Warlords and officially sanctioning her trade routes within member nations. They were acting as if her murder of a Celestial Dragon was a non-issue.
"Newgate and Linlin aren't the types you can have a conversation with. I suppose it was inevitable that the arrow would point to me," Kanata mused.
Still, it was a reckless gamble on the government's part. She had no interest in the seat they had prepared for her. She moved to tear the letter to shreds, but a thought suddenly struck her.
"...Hm. Since they've gone to all this trouble, perhaps I should try a little negotiation."
"Negotiation? Is there something you actually want from them?"
"Nothing essential, but there is something that would be quite convenient."
Kanata dialed the number provided in the letter. When the government official answered, sounding extremely tense, Kanata didn't bother with an introduction.
"Put the Five Elders on the line."
Regardless of who had drafted the proposal, an offer this tailored required someone of immense status to authorize. She was ninety percent certain the Five Elders were the ones behind it. After a short wait, the call was transferred.
"I didn't expect a response quite this soon, Witch."
"We haven't met, Five Elders. Unfortunately, I have no interest in a title like 'Warlord.' Under normal circumstances, your letter would already be in the trash."
But if the government was willing to concede this much to recruit her, she had a demand of her own.
"If you want me in the Warlords, you will grant me official passage through the Holy Land of Mary Geoise."
There was a sharp intake of breath from the other end of the line.
Normally, the Holy Land of Mary Geoise was strictly off-limits to anyone not authorized by the World Government. Because of the Red Line that girded the world, the Grand Line was split in two, further divided into the four blues by the Calm Belts.
For Kanata and her elites, crossing the Calm Belts was a manageable task, and passing through the Red Line was possible via Fish-Man Island. However, both routes were riddled with complications.
"Most of our business is conducted in the New World," Kanata continued. "While we trade in the North and West Blue across the Calm Belts, our trade with 'Paradise,' the South Blue, and the East Blue is almost non-existent. You understand why, don't you?"
"The existence of the Red Line," the Elder replied.
Until recently, Fish-Man Island had been a viable, if difficult, transit point. But now that the island was Whitebeard's territory, it was no longer a route they could use freely. What she needed was a direct link between Paradise and the New World.
"In this era of surging piracy, you are also aiming for economic stabilization, aren't you?"
Normally, travelers crossing through Mary Geoise had to abandon their ships. However, if Kanata established bases on both sides, she could simply move the cargo. She had plenty of ships to spare. She could move goods, and eventually, people. It was a costly method of travel due to the bureaucratic hurdles and ship logistics, but her method would make it significantly cheaper, potentially increasing global commerce.
The problem, of course, was the idea of a pirate setting foot in Mary Geoise.
"You want us to authorize a pirate to pass through the Holy Land? For the sake of 'economic benefits'?"
"An increase in tax revenue is synonymous with an increase in the Heavenly Tribute you receive. I doubt the Celestial Dragons would complain about more money to throw away."
"The purpose of the Warlords is the suppression of piracy," the Elder countered. "The economy will recover naturally as a result."
"If you believe that, you're hopelessly naive. It's a sea where you run into pirates no matter which route you take. A merchant ship with basic armaments stands no chance of connecting islands today."
Islands were becoming isolated, and the fear of piracy was causing the global economy to collapse. If this continued, the very authority of the World Government would be at risk. The Warlord system was a desperate attempt to fix that, and Kanata knew it.
"...We will take it under consideration."
"Mull it over as much as you like. I'm not asking for an answer this second. And one more thing—this is not a demand, but a warning. If I join the Warlords, do not think for a moment that I will spare a Celestial Dragon out of respect for my position. If the same thing happens again, I will react exactly as I did before. You had best keep your 'gods' on a tight leash."
"...We will do our best."
Kanata gave them a number to reach her and ended the call. George, who had been listening in, blew out a plume of smoke, looking exasperated.
"There's no way they'll buy that. Not in a million years."
"Probably not. And if they don't, that's fine too."
She had no intention of actually becoming a Warlord. She was simply throwing a ridiculous demand at them. If she made the terms impossible to meet from the start, they would stop pestering her. It was a simple way to avoid a tedious negotiation.
+++
While the Golden Lion Pirates were in a state of collapse, several of their top executives remained missing. Dr. Indigo and the "Red Cannon" Lucian had vanished without a trace, and Kanata hadn't bothered to hunt them down. She had already captured Aps and Lellampago, and she judged that without Shiki, the remnants were no longer a threat.
Aps and Lellampago had been imprisoned on Fullalead. While they could move their limbs within their cells, they were bound by Sea-Prism Stone chains, leaving them too drained to attempt an escape. After weeks of confinement, Aps felt his body beginning to grow sluggish from boredom.
Then, one afternoon, the routine was broken.
"...Is that an attack?"
The prison was located near the coast, and the sounds of sporadic pirate raids occasionally reached the cells. Usually, the guards neutralized them at the docks, but today's group seemed particularly persistent. The sounds of fighting were drawing closer.
"Is this... the prison?"
"Perfect! Anyone the 'Witch' locked up has to be an enemy of hers. Let them out!"
A group of rookie pirates burst into the hallway, searching frantically for keys. They eventually found the right ones and threw open the cells for Aps and Lellampago. It seemed they had even found a Sea-Prism Stone key; as the shackles fell away, the two executives felt a long-forgotten surge of strength return to their bodies.
"It's been a while since I've seen the sun. How are you feeling, Lell?"
"Ugh... not bad."
the pirates who had freed them were battered and bloodied, but they seemed determined to continue their raid.
"You guys were prisoners of the Witch, right? That woman... she's been wiping out our brothers one by one! Help us take her down!!"
"I appreciate the gesture," Aps said calmly, "but I have no intention of joining your little crusade."
"What?! You ungrateful—we're the ones who—"
"Quiet," Aps interrupted. Chains erupted from his palms, piercing the two pirates instantly. He tossed their bodies aside and stepped out of the cell with Lellampago. "I'm not about to entrust my life to small-fry who don't understand the gap in power between themselves and that woman."
The harbor was still in chaos from the raid. Aps decided that now was their only chance to flee. Using his Haki, he sensed that the guards in the immediate area were few. He gave Lellampago a nod, and they quickly seized a small pirate ship anchored at the docks, pushing out into the open sea.
The vessel was small enough for the two of them to manage alone.
"Hey! Those are the two Commanders! Why are they out?!"
"They're escaping! Get word to the boss, now!"
"Hurry, Lell," Aps urged. "We need to clear these waters before she arrives."
"Got it."
Several cannons from the harbor batteries opened fire, but Aps swatted the shells out of the air with his chains. A few of the original pirates had remained on the ship, so Aps beat them into submission. In the world of pirates, strength was the only law. If they didn't like it, they were free to jump overboard. Realizing the kind of monsters they were dealing with, the surviving rookies began to steer the ship away from Fullalead.
"...We should be safe for now."
Kanata had clearly kept them alive in hopes of recruiting them, but her plan had backfired. They needed to find an island to resupply. Aps knew they had to keep the core of the executive team alive for the day Shiki inevitably returned.
Still...
"That was almost too easy," Aps mused. "The surveillance was light, but that security was practically non-existent."
The prison had been remarkably close to the harbor. It was almost as if she hadn't cared if they stayed... He shook the thought away. Kanata had no reason to let them go. Their priority was reuniting with Lucian.
They couldn't afford to die in a place like this.
+++
"Are you sure about this? Letting those two go?"
"It doesn't matter," Kanata replied, sipping tea in her office. "Lellampago is one thing, but Aps is intelligent. I knew that if given the chance, he would choose escape over a futile revenge attempt."
Junshi gave a small nod of understanding.
"Besides, I've already made Vivre Cards for both of them. No matter where they run, I can find them."
Kanata pulled out two small scraps of paper, each with a name written on it. She had never intended to keep them in a cage forever. It was more useful to let them lead her to the rest of the remnants.
Her primary concern was Shiki's eventual escape. Lucian and Aps were sharp; they wouldn't do anything flashy for now. Leaving them alone was not a risk. If they reunited with Lucian and Dr. Indigo, it would actually make things easier for Kanata. The hardest part of the hunt was finding where they were hiding.
"I understand watching for Shiki's return, but he's in Impel Down," Junshi noted. "Can anyone really escape from there?"
"How many times do you think Kaido has been captured and escaped? If that idiot can do it, there's no reason Shiki can't."
Kaido's escapes were usually from prison ships, but Kanata was convinced Shiki had the strength to claw his way out of even the Great Prison. He was a pirate who had rampaged since the era of the Rocks; he was capable of anything. When the day came, she would be ready to finish him for good.
"I need to dismantle every legacy Rocks left behind... the man left me quite a mess to clean up."
She refused to acknowledge a man she'd never met as her father, but the blood connection was a fact. Everything he and Octavia had done was now causing her problems. She had to settle the score with the past. Newgate, Linlin, Kaido—eventually, she would have to deal with them all.
"I don't care who it is, as long as they're strong," Junshi said. "Who's next?"
"Assassinations aren't necessary for now. The era will prune the weak for us."
Lately, Junshi's job had been to hunt down anyone who directly interfered with Kanata's business. But things were settling down. Most of the credible threats had been eliminated, and those who remained were being slowly picked off by the general chaos of the Great Pirate Era.
Besides, a certain level of pirate activity kept prices high. It was often easier to make a profit in a volatile market than it was to expand trade routes manually. Joining the Warlords and deterring other pirates would actually be bad for business. It was a cold, calculated strategy—ruthless, perhaps, but that was the life of a pirate.
"Earning money for its own sake is pointless, but it's never a bad thing to have more of it."
"True. What are you doing with the surplus?"
"Lately, Katerina has been siphoning off more and more for 'research.' Though she is producing results, so I suppose—hm?"
Her Transponder Snail began to ring. It was her direct line, meaning a call had already been screened by her staff.
"Kanata here."
"Sorry to bother you, Boss," a secretary's voice said. "We have a call from the World Government. They're asking for you."
"Put them through."
Kanata leaned back in her chair, expecting a final rejection regarding the Warlord position.
"This is the Five Elders," the voice on the other end said. "Regarding the Warlord proposal..."
"Go on."
"Be pleased. We have decided to grant you official passage through Mary Geoise, provided you adhere to our specific conditions."
Kanata's eyes widened. For a rare moment, she was completely speechless.
***
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