After hearing how those two great figures had become pirates, Ain and Binz were stunned.
They had never imagined that such major figures could have suffered such tragic childhoods.
Their pasts were even more miserable than theirs.
At that moment, they seemed to begin understanding the answer to the question Yemu had just asked.
Did pirates exist because of ONE PIECE, or did ONE PIECE exist because pirates came first?
They believed what Yemu said was true, because someone of Yemu's stature had no reason to lie to them.
Beside them, Zephyr was also somewhat dazed after hearing those stories.
Even he had never heard of these things before.
Yemu remained seated on the sofa and continued slowly.
"There are many more stories like this. If you want to listen, I could keep going. And it's not just pirates. Plenty of people in your Marines have gone through the same kind of thing. I'm not saying all this to excuse the things they did after becoming pirates. I'm simply saying that everything in this world has a cause and an effect. If you only focus on dealing with the effect while ignoring the cause, then no matter how much effort you put in, it won't matter. It's the same with the relationship between the Marines and pirates."
Yemu's words completely shook the two young people.
This was a question they had never considered before. Up until now, all they had thought about was staying by Zephyr-sensei's side and eliminating pirates.
"Is there really no way to fix it?"
As Zephyr's favorite disciple at present, Ain was much bolder.
She was not only asking this question for herself, but also for her teacher, Zephyr.
"Of course there is."
Yemu's answer was simple and firm.
"In fact, I already made it clear in my answer just now. War and poverty are the greatest causes behind many of this world's tragedies. So as long as those two problems can be eliminated, the vast majority of evil can be prevented from being born. And the country I've built, the Rainbow Kingdom, has been doing exactly that for the past twenty years."
Ain and Binz were both startled.
They had heard of the North Blue's Sea of Gold as well. Over the past twenty years, they had also seen the changes in the North Blue with their own eyes. The clearest proof was that the North Blue had gone from producing the most pirates among the Four Great Oceans to producing the fewest.
At that moment, a small part of them seemed to have already been convinced.
But just then, Zephyr spoke coldly.
"I admit that over these past twenty years, you have indeed done well. You accomplished what you once said you would. But how can you guarantee that the Rainbow Kingdom you founded won't become another World Government hundreds of years from now? People's hearts change. When the World Government was first established, it was also full of life, just like your Rainbow Kingdom, and it brought stability and order to the world. But after eight hundred years, it has become what it is now."
"Unfortunately..."
To Ain and Binz's surprise, Yemu's voice carried a hint of dejection as he spoke.
"I can't guarantee that either."
In an instant, Zephyr's eyes widened.
"Just as you said, the human heart is the hardest thing to control. No matter who it is, if they sit in a position of power for too long, greed and corruption will slowly take root. And it isn't limited to humans. Other races are the same. As long as there is desire in the heart, greed will be born. That is the nature of life."
Hearing Yemu's dispirited words, Zephyr's tone suddenly became less cold than before.
"In that case, what's the point of telling me all this? It's just another cycle. Whether it's your Rainbow Kingdom or the World Government..."
Yemu shook his head.
"No. I may not be able to guarantee it, but we can still do everything we can to delay that moment as much as possible. Even if nothing changes in the end, the later that moment arrives, the more meaning everything we've done will have. And by then, our descendants will have more time to come up with better answers. Maybe the things we couldn't accomplish will be accomplished by those who come after us. That is what I, and you as well, Admiral Zephyr, must work toward together."
In that instant, Yemu's answer was like a single ray of light suddenly appearing in a dark future, illuminating the hearts of all three people present.
That's right. As long as they made the effort, it had meaning. And even if they could not do it, that did not mean the generations after them could not.
The cold aura around Zephyr disappeared completely. After thinking in silence for a while, he quietly asked, "Then what method have you come up with now?"
Yemu did not answer directly. Instead, he gave an example.
"Stagnant water is always the easiest place for bacteria to grow. But as long as water keeps flowing, like rivers and the sea, it gains the ability to clean itself. That is why the sea and rivers can always remain so clean and clear. The world is the same. So we have to make the entire world flow. We have to establish a good system, one that gives everyone in the world the chance to climb upward, where hard work brings rewards and wrongdoing brings punishment. It cannot be like the World Government, where the Celestial Dragons occupy everything forever. That is just like stagnant water. It would be impossible for it not to rot."
In an instant, Ain and Binz's eyes lit up, while Zephyr fell into thought.
But Yemu was not finished. He continued.
"Of course, there is no perfect system in this world. Perhaps there will be one in the future, but I don't have that answer now. So, just like the sea and rivers have a limit to how much they can clean themselves, once the filth exceeds that limit, another force is needed to clean it out by hand. That is why I came here to invite you to join us, Admiral Zephyr."
"When everyone is swept up in praise and frenzy, someone needs to stay calm and offer different opinions and ideas. That can serve as a form of inspection as well. Outside the system, it is another shackle to prevent corruption and decay."
"And now, in my country, although everything has seemed to flourish over the past twenty years, signs of this have already begun to appear. That is also why I hope you will join the Rainbow Kingdom, Admiral Zephyr. I hope you can become that shackle."
"Of course, there is another reason as well. Your identity as a Marine, Admiral Zephyr, will allow you to influence the Marines as much as possible in the coming war and make that war a little easier."
"That is all I have to say. Now, Admiral Zephyr, can you tell me your answer?"
Yemu held nothing back and laid out all the thoughts in his heart.
Now, all that remained was to wait for Zephyr's reply.
After a moment of silent thought, Zephyr's lips suddenly curved upward, and he burst into laughter.
"Hahaha. That sounds like a job that'll make a lot of people hate me."
"It does. So, Admiral Zephyr, are you willing to give it a try?"
"Why wouldn't I be? But let me make one thing clear. Don't regret this later. I'm known for being strict and harsh."
"That's fine. Then welcome, Admiral Zephyr. From today onward, we're comrades!"
In that instant, the two men clasped hands.
The final missing piece of the Rainbow Kingdom fell into place.
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