On the deck, the salty, humid sea breeze carried a slight chill as it brushed past everyone's faces. Kaido's low, resonant voice echoed in the wind, vibrating in everyone's ears like distant thunder. "The ones creating pirates are none other than the World Government."
Kuzan stood by the ship's railing, the hem of his clothes flapping in the wind. He heard Kaido continue. "The exorbitant Celestial Tribute plunges countless affiliated nations into endless wars. To pay that tribute, those countries are forced to wage war after war. And that money, earned with blood and sweat, ultimately flows to Mary Geoise to be squandered by those Celestial Dragons for their pleasure."
"And if pirates bring fear," Kaido's voice suddenly rose a notch, "then what the World Government and the Marines bring is a deathly silence."
Kuzan's brow furrowed involuntarily. "What do you mean?"
Kaido's gaze grew sharp as a blade. He spoke slowly. "Do you know about the Celestial Dragons' hunting games?"
Kuzan shook his head, but an ominous feeling was already rising in his heart. He noticed the expressions of others on the deck had also turned grave.
"Every three years," Kaido's voice was laced with suppressed fury, "the World Government randomly selects a country. The Marines are responsible for blockading the sea routes. Then those lofty Celestial Dragons treat the commoners and slaves on the island as prey." He paused. "They keep score based on the number of lives taken, continuing until they've killed everyone on the island. The entire process is broadcast live via Den Den Mushi as entertainment for the Celestial Dragons."
"That's impossible!" Kuzan snapped his head up, his eyes full of disbelief. His voice sounded particularly jarring on the deck.
Kaido let out a cold sneer. "Heh. I didn't believe it either, at first." He thumped his own chest. "If I hadn't participated in one myself, I wouldn't believe it either." He pointed at himself. "See this fruit? The Mythical Zoan Type, Fish-Fish Fruit, Model: Azure Dragon? It was a prize I seized during one of those hunting games."
The deck fell into a deathly silence. Only the sound of waves hitting the hull marked the passage of time.
Kaido suddenly pointed towards the cabins. "If you don't believe me, I happen to have a few former Celestial Dragons on board. You can ask them yourself."
Everyone's gaze turned towards Homing and Urea. Sebastian, Enel, and the others stared at the couple in shock. Even Doflamingo and Rosinante wore complex expressions.
Homing took a deep breath and, under everyone's stare, slowly nodded. "What he says... is true." His voice trembled slightly. "It was because I couldn't condone such actions that I gave up my status as a Celestial Dragon and took my family away. I thought... we could live as ordinary people..."
Urea gripped her husband's hand tightly, offering silent support. Her eyes held both guilt for the past and unwavering support for her husband's decision.
The sea breeze still blew, but on the deck now, a tempest raged in everyone's heart. Kuzan stood rooted to the spot, feeling his worldview undergoing an unprecedented shock.
Kaido added with a cold laugh, "You think the so-called 'justice' of the Marines is what? It's nothing but a tool the Celestial Dragons use to maintain their rule." His gaze swept over everyone present. "Those you call villains, the pirates, at least don't commit such acts under the banner of justice."
Kuzan's fists clenched unconsciously, his knuckles turning white. He thought of the belief in justice he had upheld. Now it seemed so pale and laughable. The sea breeze, carrying its salty scent, seemed to mock this cruel truth.
"Kuzan," Kaido's voice suddenly turned playful. "Having heard the truth of the world, do you still want to join the Marines? With your strength, you'd probably rise quickly through the ranks. When the Celestial Dragons slaughter the natives of some small island, you might become one of those 'just' Marines blockading the sea routes."
Hearing this, a horrifying scene immediately flashed in Kuzan's mind: Celestial Dragons massacring the natives of an island, while he, Kuzan, blocked the natives' last escape route. Thinking of this, Kuzan stumbled back several steps, then fell onto his rear on the deck, his eyes blank.
"Wororororo." Kaido let out his signature laugh. "Don't worry, Kuzan. I promise you that scene will never happen."
Hearing this, a flicker of hope ignited in Kuzan's eyes. He looked up at Kaido.
Kaido simply tossed a piece of paper in front of him. Kuzan focused his gaze. It was a bounty poster.
[Beasts Pirates Officer, "Frozen Demon" Kuzan, Bounty: 130,000,000 Berries, Dead or Alive]
Seeing his own bounty poster, Kuzan immediately glared furiously at Kaido. There was no need to ask; this bounty was undoubtedly Kaido's doing. His eyes held both anger and a trace of an indescribable, complex emotion.
The atmosphere on the deck froze once more. The cries of seagulls carried from the distance, sounding unusually shrill now. Kuzan slowly got to his feet, the bounty poster in his hand crumpled from his grip. He looked towards the distant horizon, the direction of Marine Headquarters, the place he had once yearned for.
"Alright. I told you all this so you'd understand. In this world, only strength allows you to control your own fate. Now, all of you, get back to training!" Kaido barked at the pirates who had stopped training.
Hearing this, the crew members who had halted their exercises silently resumed their training. This time, however, they trained even more diligently. Because, just as Kaido said, only strength could dictate one's own destiny.
The sea breeze still blew, but on the deck now, a tempest raged in everyone's heart. Kuzan stood rooted to the spot, feeling his worldview undergoing an unprecedented shock. He remembered the bold declarations he'd made when preparing to join the Marines, the Marine Admirals he had looked up to as role models. Now it all seemed so bitterly ironic.
"Kuzan," Kaido's voice suddenly turned serious. "I know this truth is hard for you to accept right now. But this is the truth of the world. A truth carefully concealed by the World Government."
Kuzan looked up, a complex light flickering in his eyes. "Why... why tell me all this?"
Kaido grinned. "Because I can see you're a kid with a sense of justice. Rather than let you get brainwashed within the Marines, you should know the truth and choose your own path."
Kuzan was silent for a long time. Finally, he spoke slowly. "I need time... I need to think this through properly..."
"Of course," Kaido agreed readily. "But before that, you need to get used to your new identity." He pointed at the bounty poster. "After all, you're now a great pirate worth 130,000,000 Berries."
Kuzan smiled bitterly and shook his head, folding the bounty poster and tucking it into his pocket. He gazed into the distance, where the first light of dawn was breaking on the horizon where sea met sky. A new day was about to begin. And it seemed his own life was about to turn a completely new page as well.
***
Dive deeper into the story with 30+ advance chapters, available now on Patreon!patreon.com/CNBLUE
If you're enjoying the novel, please consider leaving a review. Your support is crucial and helps the story grow immensely. Thank you!