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The Strongest Frost Loli (143)
🕑 Added 2024-10-18 17:00:07 +0000 UTCChapter 143 - The Reverie / Part 2
Hachinosu, training grounds.
While the Reverie was taking place in Mary Geoise, the meeting itself had little to do with those who weren't in the upper echelons of power. The crew members of Twilight continued their usual routines.
The training grounds, built within the island, were no exception.
Though spacious, it was always crowded with those honing their skills.
The Valkyries, a unit composed solely of women, were the elite warriors chosen from the Kuja Pirates and those deemed worthy within Twilight.
The Einherjar, a unit composed solely of men, were the elite warriors chosen from Twilight's affiliated crews and territories.
Over a hundred strong – all of them were Haki users, and some were even Devil Fruit users. They were the cream of the crop.
These individuals, whose only requirement was strength, trained diligently every day.
Komurasaki and Chiyo were also among them.
“I wonder what Mary Geoise is like?"
“Junshi-san, have you been there?”
They asked Junshi, who was instructing them in hand-to-hand combat, without pausing their training.
It was rare to be disarmed in battle, but it could happen. They couldn't afford to lose just because they didn’t have a weapon. So, everyone learned basic hand-to-hand combat as part of their training.
“It’s not a very pleasant place. There’s nothing interesting there, and Celestial Dragons wander around Pangaea Castle. They’re a real pain to deal with.”
“But it’s called the ‘Holy Land’. There has to be something special there, right?”
“I doubt it. I’m not interested.”
It wasn't a tourist destination. It was simply the center of political power. There was nothing entertaining there.
Chiyo slumped her shoulders in disappointment. Junshi scolded her, “Focus!” but she persisted, asking him if there was anything worth seeing.
“Something worth seeing… Well, there’s the Empty Throne.”
“What’s that?”
“It’s a symbol of the World Government’s commitment to peace. The founding members of the World Government placed their weapons around the throne, vowing to protect it and never sit upon it. Every time a new king ascends to the throne, or a new nation joins the World Government, they add their own weapon.”
It was said to be located at the center of the world, and the fact that it remained empty was a testament to world peace.
Conversely, if someone were to sit on the throne, they would become the ruler of the world.
“So… if we conquer Mary Geoise, we can sit on the throne?! That’s motivating!”
Chiyo laughed.
Of course, they couldn't attack the World Government's most important base of operations. They were technically allies, being a Warlord crew.
Besides, if they did conquer Mary Geoise, it would be Kanata who would sit on the throne, not Chiyo. There was practically no chance for Chiyo.
Junshi, seeing that she was motivated, decided not to dampen her spirits. He simply encouraged her.
“CP0, the ones who protect the Celestial Dragons, are a formidable force. You’ll need to become much stronger if you want to take the throne from them."
“I’d rather defeat Kaido than some Celestial Dragon.”
“It’s the same thing. They’re both strong.”
Kaido might be stronger individually, but the Marines and the World Government were also a force to be reckoned with.
If Dragon decided to rebel, and the Revolutionary Army attacked the government, Twilight would inevitably clash with the Marines.
And they would eventually have to face the Big Mom-Beasts Pirates alliance as well. It was simply a matter of time.
Both Komurasaki and Chiyo were already considered some of Twilight’s strongest fighters, rivaling Feiyun and Kaie. If they continued to train diligently, they might even reach Kaido’s level.
Strength wasn't everything, but without it, they would lose everything.
To achieve their goals, they needed to be strong.
***
The kings of 50 nations, representing the World Government's member states, sat around a massive circular table.
The Reverie was a seven-day conference where they discussed various matters, with each king taking turns serving as the chairperson.
Kanata was a pirate. She wasn’t even a queen. But she had been granted special permission to attend due to her immense influence.
Everyone knew how difficult it was to transport goods safely across the seas, separated by the Red Line and the Calm Belt.
And it was the Great Pirate Era. Stories of merchant ships being attacked by pirates were common.
Therefore, it was only natural that Twilight, a powerful force that ensured the safe passage of people and goods, would have significant influence.
“As you all know, I’ve prepared some materials for you to review. The first topic is the participation of Fish-Man Island in the Reverie.”
The current chairperson, a king, spoke solemnly.
Fish-Man Island had been excluded from the Reverie after Fisher Tiger’s attack on Mary Geoise.
But they couldn't exclude a nation just because one of its citizens committed a crime. The Reverie wouldn't function if they did that.
It was the individual who committed the crime, not the nation. The nation shouldn’t be punished – But even then, it wasn't just an ordinary crime. It was an attack on Mary Geoise, the home of the Celestial Dragons.
It would be difficult for Fish-Man Island to participate in the Reverie again until things calmed down.
But…
“Let’s hear your opinions. Are there any objections?”
The kings remained silent at the chairperson’s strange question.
Some seemed reluctant, but no one objected to Fish-Man Island’s participation.
“No objections. The participation of Fish-Man Island in the Reverie is unanimously approved.”
The topic was quickly concluded. Mare, sitting next to Kanata, was bewildered.
She wondered if things always moved this fast, and looked at Kanata, who whispered, “This is an exception.”
She would explain it later. Kanata gestured for Mare to be quiet.
“Let’s move on to the next topic. About the revolutionary, Dragon, who has been active recently.”
The chairperson held up a wanted poster. It was included in the materials given to all the kings.
Dragon, “Dragon’s Claw”, with a bounty of 255 million berries.
“His ideology is dangerous. He could become a significant threat to the World Government in a few years.”
“About that…”
Another king raised his hand.
He looked around at the other kings, and finally, at Kanata.
“Dragon already has a bounty. This wanted poster was issued 22 years ago… He was a member of the Witch’s crew back then – the Twilight Pirates. Don’t you have anything to say about that?”
“He was on my ship, yes. But he left over 20 years ago. I’m not responsible for his actions.”
“You’re a Warlord, allied with the World Government. Isn’t this man who’s defying the World Government your enemy?”
“He might be an enemy to the World Government, but he’s not worth my time. If you’re not satisfied with my performance as a Warlord, then perhaps I should stop focusing on Big Mom and Kaido?”
Kanata implied that if they wanted her to hunt down the Revolutionary Army, they should handle Big Mom and Kaido. They mumbled vague replies, unable to give her a straight answer.
There were very few forces in the world that could handle those two Emperors of the Sea.
They hadn't been actively targeted by those two, who saw the Marines as more of a nuisance than a threat, but if they became a real obstacle, they wouldn't hesitate to crush them.
Even one of them was a handful. With both of them allied, the Marines had no choice but to rely on Kanata.
Their forces were already stretched thin trying to maintain order. They didn't have time to deal with the Revolutionary Army.
“This is boring! This has nothing to do with my country! I won’t let my nation be influenced by some revolutionary! If you want to capture him, then do it yourselves!”
“Wapol! That’s enough! Have you forgotten where you are?!”
Cobra, the king of Alabasta, shouted at Wapol, the king of Drum Kingdom, who had spoken up.
Wapol, picking his nose and leaning back in his chair, was so startled that he fell backwards.
“King Cobra, please calm down.”
“…Yes, I apologize.”
The king sitting next to him calmed Cobra down, and he sat back in his chair.
Wapol, having returned to his seat, watched as the chairperson spoke.
“For now, all we can do is issue a warning to all nations. Please be careful.”
They had limited options. The discussion about Dragon and the Revolutionary Army was concluded.
***
The first day of the conference had been intense, and the meeting ended a bit later than scheduled.
As Kanata was leaving the conference room, Mare rushed towards her, followed by Diana.
Mare, as the next queen, and Diana, as her advisor, were both attending the conference.
“Kanata-dono, about the previous topic…”
“You mean the Fish-Man Island issue? It was resolved rather quickly."
“Indeed. The other topics took much longer to discuss. Was that unusual?”
“Yes, it was.”
It was rare for everyone to agree on something. Each nation had its own culture, its own traditions.
Disagreements were inevitable. That’s why they needed to discuss things and reach a compromise.
But if they conducted thorough lobbying beforehand, things could move smoothly. That’s why the kings and their families were so busy during the Reverie.
“Did you… lobby them beforehand?”
“Yes, I bribed them."
“There’s a better way to say that!”
She wasn’t wrong, but there were more diplomatic ways to phrase it.
There were political reasons as well, but if there was a simple solution, then that was the best option. Money was easy to obtain. It was a better use of her time than dealing with endless discussions.
Some nations, knowing that the Celestial Dragons were involved, had remained silent.
“Mare, please don’t run off like that.”
Diana scolded Mare, who had suddenly rushed off. “Please be more composed,” she said.
As the three of them were walking, they noticed a commotion in the garden ahead.
Even the guards seemed unsure of what to do.
“What happened?”
“Well…”
One of the guards explained that Wapol had slapped Vivi, the princess of Alabasta, claiming it was “an accident."
Kanata, sighing, shook her head.
“He’s a king, isn’t he…? Is that his way of getting back at her for the previous meeting? What a petty man.”
“Is he trying to start a war? The “Doctor Hunt” and other things… I’ve heard nothing but bad things about King Wapol. It’s a disgrace to call his nation a “medical powerhouse.””
Diana seemed to have a low opinion of Wapol.
The Reverie was a gathering of kings. Any incident could trigger a war. They had to be extremely careful.
It was unacceptable for a king to instigate such a conflict.
“Mare, don’t do anything like that… Mare?”
Diana turned around, and Mare was gone.
She didn’t have to search for her.
She had already stepped into the center of the commotion Wapol had caused.
“You call yourself a king?! You dare raise your hand against a child?! Shame on you!”
“Who are you talking to?! Do you have a death wish?!”
“Who else would I be talking to?!”
Things were escalating quickly. Perhaps it wasn't entirely out of a sense of justice, but seeing a child being slapped would make anyone angry.
Diana, massaging her temples, sighed. Kanata, impressed by Mare’s quick action, chuckled.
“Hahaha, she’s quick to act. Who does she take after?”
“This isn’t funny! We need to stop them before things get out of hand!”
“You’re right.”
It would be best to end this quickly.
Kanata, moving faster than Diana, released her Conqueror’s Haki at Wapol.
Wapol convulsed, his eyes rolling back into his head as he collapsed.
“…!!”
The man standing next to Wapol, his bodyguard, broke out in a cold sweat and glared at Kanata. He was a Zoan Devil Fruit user, having transformed into his hybrid form. Kanata had focused her Haki on Wapol, so he shouldn’t have been affected, but perhaps his senses were heightened due to his Zoan abilities.
Kanata, ignoring him, approached Vivi, who was clutching her head. She knelt down and looked at her.
Igaram, the captain of the royal guard, was with her. He recognized Kanata and didn't seem particularly wary.
“Hmm, it’s just a bruise. It’s swollen, but it shouldn't leave a scar. You should ice it, just in case.”
Kanata created a shard of ice, wrapped it in a handkerchief, and handed it to Vivi. Vivi, surprised, took it and placed it on her cheek.
“Keep it iced until the swelling goes down. Don’t overdo it.”
“T-thank you…”
“Now then…”
Wapol, the source of the commotion, was unconscious, but his bodyguard was still glaring at her.
Mare was still fuming, and Diana was scolding her. Kanata wondered what to do.
She would scold Mare later. They were in public. Wapol was the priority.
“Are you with the king of Drum Kingdom?”
“Yes, I’m Dalton, the captain of the guard. You’re with Twilight…”
“Let’s forget about this. Escalating the situation won’t benefit either of us. Right, Igaram?”
“…Yes, that would be for the best.”
Wapol wasn’t injured, and Vivi’s injuries were minor. They both understood that making a big deal out of this wouldn't be productive. Dalton returned to his human form.
“You should take Wapol with you. He’ll cause more trouble if he wakes up here.”
“Yes, we’ll do that. But… what you did earlier…”
“Keep it a secret. It would be troublesome if they tried to retaliate.”
She couldn't do anything about it if they tried.
Dalton, carrying Wapol on his shoulder, apologized, “I’m sorry,” and left.
“How dare he slap such a beautiful girl! Unforgivable!!”
“Mare, you… No, it’s not my place to scold you. You’ll be punished later.”
Kanata, sighing, ignored Mare, who was still fuming, and gestured for Igaram to leave.
Igaram bowed and left, and Kanata and her companions headed for their quarters. Mare would be scolded later.
It was unacceptable to interfere in a conflict between nations without any benefit. She was still a child, but as the next queen, she would have to act accordingly.
She couldn’t get away with acting like a child forever.
The Reverie concluded without incident.
They had managed to pass all the planned resolutions. Kanata had spent the seven days lobbying the other kings, and she had expanded her network of contacts.
It was a successful conference.
The world was changing, slowly but surely.
The waves of change were approaching.
