When Aaron reverted from his snowstorm form back to human, he had already returned to the gates of his base, the headquarters of his territory.
The moment he appeared, his subordinates rushed out in excitement to welcome him back with cheers and laughter.
Nearby townsfolk, upon seeing this, hurried off to spread the word. News that "Aaron has returned to B District" quickly traveled through the area.
Before long, large crowds of civilians began gathering around the base, faces beaming with joy. They greeted him respectfully as they bowed and said in unison:
"Lord Aaron!"
After over two months of Aaron's strict rule, B District had completely transformed into the safest area in the slums. Its economy had also become the most prosperous; even though the number of visiting merchant ships at the harbor had dropped significantly, the district remained bustling with activity.
This prosperity stemmed from the solid order Aaron had established. With him and his powerful subordinates maintaining peace, the area was extremely safe. Many people who once lived in fear elsewhere had moved here for security, causing the local population to grow rapidly. This, in turn, stimulated the construction, real estate, and service industries.
Additionally, Williams and his Shining Gold Chamber of Commerce modernized and optimized B District's industries. The overall quality of goods and services improved greatly, making the district a favorite destination for consumers across the city.
The Chamber of Commerce also established several factories that employed large numbers of workers, such as textile plants and even a massive coal briquette factory. As a result, local employment soared, driving further economic growth. In Aaron's name, several orphanages were even built.
Moreover, Aaron kept his "protection fees" unusually low, making the district an attractive, safe, and affordable place for merchants to open their shops.
In short, B District, under Aaron's leadership, had become a well-organized and thriving place where its residents could finally envision a stable and prosperous future.
Everyone who lived there knew that this transformation was entirely thanks to Aaron.
He ruled the territory with absolute might, keeping every thug and criminal in check. Yet he never abused his power over the residents, governing with a surprising sense of fairness.
As a result, Aaron's reputation among the people was exceptionally high. He was deeply respected, even loved.
Word of him becoming a Logia-type Devil Fruit user had already spread throughout B District, and the people were genuinely thrilled.
They believed Aaron was a just and disciplined ruler who protected their lives and property and who treated civilians kindly. The stronger he became, the safer they felt, and that made them all the more grateful.
In such a chaotic world, to be under the protection of a strong and principled man was an incredible stroke of luck.
Naturally, Aaron was pleased to see how popular he had become.
After all, he hadn't done all that much, just laid down a few rules, eliminated those who defied them, lowered the protection fees, and delegated most of the day-to-day management to others.
Arina, a beautiful young gunslinger with a surprising knack for administrative work, handled most routine affairs. Once Aaron discovered her talent, he delegated most bureaucratic tasks to her in exchange for personally training her in firearms every day.
Even as a "hands-off boss," Aaron fully understood his importance in maintaining order.
It was his presence alone that kept the district stable. Without him, the place would surely collapse back into chaos.
"Looks like I've built myself quite the reputation. That'll make 'cleaning up my record' a whole lot easier later."
Using his Observation Haki, Aaron sensed the genuine gratitude and respect radiating from the surrounding crowd and nodded in satisfaction.
He smiled warmly, said a few kind words to the people, then used his Snow-Snow Fruit powers to sculpt a beautiful snow statue before heading into his base.
Be a gangster for life?
Of course not.
Joining the underworld had merely been Aaron's first step. Once he had firmly established himself in the city, he planned to obtain official recognition as a legitimate ruler.
After all, no matter how weak the government of Drum Kingdom was, it was still sanctioned by the World Government and protected by both the Government and the Navy. The citizens also held a natural sense of loyalty toward their nation. Gangsters would never have true legitimacy.
If Aaron wanted real influence, if he wanted to use the kingdom's power to achieve his ambitions then legalizing his rule was essential.
That was why, during his six months in Vilia Harbor, Aaron had never harmed an innocent civilian. Beyond clashes with rival gangs, he'd even gone out of his way to protect ordinary people, building a positive public image.
After securing his territory, he focused on fighting crime, maintaining order, and driving economic growth, frequently interacting with civilians in friendly ways. His reputation in Vilia Harbor was now that of a righteous hero rather than a mafia boss.
Furthermore, to stay on good terms with the city's true ruler, Gilbert, Aaron had instructed Williams to send rare treasures purchased from foreign lands as tribute, always paying his taxes on time and even occasionally overpaying.
This made Gilbert view him very favorably.
A strong reputation, goodwill from the ruling elite, and formidable personal power, these were the pillars of Aaron's eventual "legitimization."
He also knew that another opportunity was right around the corner.
Gilbert, a man with grand ambitions to rule the entire Drum Kingdom, couldn't possibly ignore the news of Aaron obtaining the Snow-Snow Fruit. Such a man would never ignore a power that could give him an advantage in the upcoming war.
A Logia-type user like Aaron, whose snow powers were especially potent in a winter island nation like Drum, would be a massive asset.
If he were to ally with Gilbert, the latter's odds of victory would rise dramatically.
In fact, just Aaron's presence alone could deal a severe blow to enemy morale.
Back in his headquarters, Aaron entered his office. Inside, Arina sat at her desk, face weary as she signed stacks of documents. When she saw Aaron, her expression brightened slightly but also carried a hint of pleading, as if begging him to help with the mountain of paperwork.
With the rapid influx of new residents, interpersonal disputes had skyrocketed. Since there was no official government in the slums, all such issues had to be handled by Aaron's men, meaning endless reports and petitions to process.
But Aaron, of course, had no time for such trivial matters. He simply smiled at Arina and lay down on the sofa to rest. He'd been busy all day and nearly killed by Reggie not long ago. Even with his stamina, his mind was still drained.
He didn't get to rest long before Shuma and Williams entered the room, both grinning widely. Williams carried an elegant, gold-edged invitation in his hand.
"Don't tell me," Aaron said with a knowing smile. "Let me guess, this is an invitation from Gilbert, isn't it?"
But to his surprise, both Shuma and Williams shook their heads at once, grinning mysteriously.
That piqued Aaron's curiosity even more.
A moment later, Williams wordlessly handed him the gilded invitation.
Aaron took it, glanced at the sender, and burst out laughing.
Seeing this, Shuma and Williams joined in, all three wearing expressions of excitement and delight.
Arina, confused by their reaction, walked over to see for herself.
Aaron, never treating his loyal subordinate as an outsider, handed her the invitation openly.
Arina looked down, and her eyes widened in shock.
The sender of the invitation was none other than the current King of Drum Kingdom himself, His Majesty Gresham.
---
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