Chapter 431: Chapter 430 - Talking with Fujitora.
[Chapter Size: 2400 Words.]
Third Person POV
New Word.
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"Monkey D. Luffy..." Fujitora murmured, feeling the powerful presence of Luffy before him as he unlocked his cell with a snap.
"Let's go outside; we have some things to discuss... Fujitora," Luffy said, and the man, unable to resist, stood up from his meditative position, beginning to leave the cell to follow Luffy, though his hands remained bound in Seastone.
And so, they stepped outside the prison in silence. As the sun hit his face, the admiral looked out over Dressrosa, appearing almost the same as when he was first detained. Outside the kingdom, he could sense islands as large as Dressrosa surrounding it, either on the sea or floating in the air.
"So, this is what the power of the levitating Fuwa Fuwa no Mi can do...?" he asked, somewhat impressed by the sight. Even though he couldn't see, he perceived shapes in the air and felt the presence of each island around him through his haki.
"Yes... it's the power of one of my crew members..." Luffy replied with a smile.
"..." Fujitora said nothing, though he was visibly intrigued. Obviously, the gravity fruit user was interested in the levitation power, having heard of Shiki in the past, though he had never had to face him.
"Let's go," Luffy commented, leaving the prison as they passed a few guards posted by King Riku to watch over the place. They greeted Luffy and allowed him to pass without resistance.
Fujitora merely followed in silence as they walked past the prison walls and into the city. Luffy offered no further comments, and they proceeded forward.
As they walked, they saw the townspeople busy with their activities, rebuilding their homes, clearing stones and debris from both the streets and private properties—a consequence of the battle that took place when the first Straw Hats arrived in the kingdom. They continued their reconstruction while Luffy and Fujitora heard the sounds of nails and hammers.
"Dad! I brought your lunch! Let's eat with Mom, and then I'll help you finish our house!" A boy ran up to a man hammering nails.
"Darling, I brought these little buns for you."
"Thank you, my love."
At another house, a man was sawing a wooden beam while his wife approached. They seemed newly married, perhaps due to the absence, as either the man or the woman had once been transformed into toys. Now, they could reclaim their lives with those who had forgotten them, finally able to be close to the people they loved again.
This scene had become commonplace as they continued to walk through the city. Children, parents, spouses—all appeared happy with their families, even with their homes in ruins, as they continued to rebuild, finding joy in being with the ones they loved.
Some noticed Luffy strolling calmly through the streets, surprised to see the Yonko so casually accompanied by a Marine admiral. In silence, some greeted him with nods, while others waved.
"Captain of the Straw Hat Pirates! Thank you for what your crew did for Dressrosa!"
"Lord Luffy, we are eternally grateful for the freedom you brought us!"
"Dressrosa was a prison until you appeared!"
"Thank you for ending Doflamingo and his family!!"
People continued to exclaim as they passed through those streets. Of course, not everyone shared this sentiment. Some looked at Luffy with fear, but they were in the minority. He knew the world was as it was, that one could never please everyone, and accepted that he would always be seen as both a villain and a hero.
Many would still fear him, but it didn't change the fact that most were grateful. Luffy calmly nodded in acknowledgment to those who greeted him.
Some glanced at Fujitora with anger and disgust. "How could the Marines let us suffer for years? How did you allow Dressrosa to reach this state? You were supposed to uphold justice!" They hurled these words at the blind man.
They sought an outlet for their frustrations, knowing it was only due to the government's interest in the Shichibukai system that Doflamingo's power had solidified, leaving this suffering people to endure in silence.
Doflamingo was killed over a year ago. But it doesn't change the fact that everything started because of him and the government, which left Dressrosa in his hands after his coup.
"Where were you when my wife turned into a toy?" a man exclaimed, pointing at Fujitora.
"My son became a cursed toy for years! I couldn't even remember him until the arrival of the Straw Hat Pirates!" The man cried while his teenage son tried to calm him, and the father, full of indignation, pointed a finger at the admiral.
Luffy felt empathy for Fujitora, now the target of that collective outburst. "Don't blame yourself," Luffy said. "Many of them think I'll be the same as Doflamingo. They fear me, too. That's just how people are. Always looking for someone to blame for their misfortune."
"It's alright. Perhaps I deserve it," Fujitora murmured.
"You had nothing to do with what happened here. You're someone who only recently joined the Marines. I don't think you should be responsible for something that happened years ago in this country..." Luffy replied, reasonably. To him, there was no reason to blame Fujitora for it as these people were doing.
"But the moment I wear this mantle and carry this symbol," Fujitora answered with a certain determination, "I represent the Marines. So, naturally, I will bear their complaints."
"You really are different from those other Marine idiots," Luffy said, smiling with respect.
"You're also different from what I expected," Fujitora admitted. "Most people here see you as a hero. Someone who brought them freedom. Even though they are now under the flag of a pirate, you're bringing stability to this country for the moment."
"I can't deny that," Luffy acknowledged. "But that was the work of my crew. I give credit to them, starting with Lami, who defeated Doflamingo in the war of the best."
"Even so, they are still under your command," Fujitora said thoughtfully. Though he saw Luffy as an enemy of justice, he recognized the difference in ideals.
"Your sense of justice is different from that of those who command you..." Luffy commented, ignoring the people around them as he continued walking with Fujitora.
"What do you mean by that?" Fujitora asked, raising his eyebrows, his eyes still closed.
"I foresee that soon the Marines will split into two factions," he said. "One side will strictly follow the World Government's orders, while the other will try to become independent."
"What makes you think that, Monkey D. Luffy?" Fujitora asked, intrigued.
"Simple: the World Government," Luffy replied as the atmosphere between them grew darker. "Things are becoming unsustainable, and the government's corruption is becoming visible and will only become more exposed in the future. The Shichibukai program will likely be canceled soon, but that doesn't change the fact that the government authorized countries like Dressrosa and Alabasta to be targets of pirates licensed to do as they please, allowing them to control their monarchies. We managed to stop Crocodile in Alabasta before anything truly happened... but here in Dressrosa, Doflamingo seized power and enslaved the country for years." He spoke in a somber tone at this part before continuing.
"Don't misunderstand me, Fujitora. I know you're against the Shichibukai program. You want—and even the Marines intend—to destroy it, which is a good thing. But that doesn't change the fact that the Marines are still the government's dog. And as soon as things become unsustainable, like now, the World Government will try to destabilize its image along with the program's. However, that won't stop them from committing other atrocities," he said.
"Do you think the World Government is a problem for the world?" Fujitora raised an eyebrow, almost in an ironic tone. Luffy now sounded like a revolutionary, much like his father, which was also dangerous, though he fell into an even worse category for the people of this sea. "Pirates like you and others spread terror across the New World."
"You might be right. The Yonko, for the most part, really are a problem for the world. At least Big Mom, Whitebeard, and Kaido are. But there are still those who seek only freedom on the seas, like Shanks. Although I still don't know all his intentions, he gave me this hat." Luffy held up his hat, showing it. "When I was just a child, he placed his hopes on me, that one day I would be in the position I am now. So, I believe I haven't disappointed him. Soon, this hat will be passed on to someone else." Luffy paused before continuing.
"However, besides Shanks, there are still other good people. Whitebeard, for example, didn't cause problems for the World Government or the Marines unless provoked. At least in his final days, all he wanted was to live and sail in peace until the end of his life. But even so, the World Government and the Marines wanted to make a statement to the world about the Great Pirate Era, trying to end it by killing the strongest man in the world. I even understand the Marines' strategy, but the World Government sold Whitebeard's image as a terrible pirate, someone destroying everything." He spoke before looking up at the sunny sky.
"The same can be said of Roger. Roger wasn't as evil as they claimed. He simply shook, at first, the gears of this world."
"What do you mean by that?" Fujitora murmured, intrigued by Luffy's words.
"The gears of this world are about to be destroyed, and perhaps, just like Dressrosa, the whole world will be freed from the silent slavery imposed by the World Government for over 800 years. It's time. A New Era is coming, Fujitora. Either the world will prevail, and all those hidden demons, like Dressrosa, will be liberated, or people will continue to be silent slaves while the World Government does whatever it pleases."
"You talk as if the World Government is a monster, but it has established order in the world!" Fujitora replied firmly. Despite not agreeing with everything, he still recognized that the World Government brought benefits as well.
"Not as much as you might think," Luffy responded almost mockingly. "It commits atrocities. Just because it seems to bring stability doesn't mean it's good. It just hides the truth. Every country has to pay tribute to the government, which it distributes to its divisions," Luffy began.
"But how much of that goes to the Marines? You know that most of that money goes to their precious Celestial Dragons... In my opinion, the government sees the world as a big pasture full of cows, and of course, they want control and order. After all, they need to milk the cows, and for what? So that those who live in Mary Geoise can enjoy luxuries and enslave people, wanting the whole world to worship them as gods, but to me, they're nothing but pigs." Luffy spoke, fully aware of the weight of his words; anyone who uttered such things would not only have their own head and their family's on the line but would see their home island destroyed as well.
"..." However, Fujitora said nothing.
"Tell me, Fujitora, are you familiar with the hunt conducted by the Celestial Dragons years ago that seemed to end after the God Valley incident? Do you know what happened in Dressrosa? What happened in Alabasta? What happened in Ohara? As soon as scholars began to study the Void Century, the World Government destroyed them."
"In truth, the World Government fears the truth, and once it's revealed to the world, war will be inevitable. Roger was waiting for someone to lead the world in that war, someone who would liberate the people. Ironically, I might not even be the one he expected, but I intend to spark the beginning of this world's freedom," Luffy declared with conviction.
"After all, without freedom, people can't dream and find their happiness..."
Fujitora remained silent, taking it all in without comment. Luffy knew he didn't fully agree with his words but perhaps would understand them in time.
Luffy was about to continue the conversation, but just then, his Den Den Mushi rang. Seeing it was Hancock, he picked it up, knowing she could speak to him in person, so a call must be urgent.
"Luffy, come quickly! Uta is about to give birth!! I've already called Lami! Hurry!" Hancock exclaimed, her tone filled with urgency.
He was surprised, but then a smile broke across his face. "Alright, I'll be there in a second," Luffy responded, hanging up the Den Den Mushi. He turned to Fujitora. "Well, it looks like my sixth child is on the way. I can't miss this birth for anything. We'll leave our conversation for later, but one way or another, there'll come a time when you'll see the World Government's atrocities. Don't forget about all the slaves trapped in Mariejois or any kingdom the World Government may try to destroy in the future."
Luffy paused, looking seriously at Fujitora, and added, "I believe a new force will emerge within the Marines in time. A force that will fight for justice, and I truly hope you choose the right side, Fujitora."
Fujitora nodded silently, reflecting on Luffy's words.
"In any case, you're permitted to walk around the city. You can find someone to help you arrange accommodations, but I can't release your Seastone cuffs, even though I know you wouldn't cause harm to Dressrosa. It's just for security; after all, you're still a hostage, meant to keep this place safe from the World Government for now. No offense," Luffy said.
Fujitora remained silent, simply watching as Luffy disappeared a moment later.
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