章節 104: Chapter 104: Enormous Homies
"You claim we're pirates who do nothing but evil?"
On an unnamed deserted island, Moss gazed down at Tsuru, whose face was filled with shock. He spoke with a scornful smile, "Even though we run these businesses for profit, the sheer quantity of grain we provide has driven market prices down by at least half."
"Do you know how many lives this grain and medicine have saved?"
"Do you understand how many people in the New World and the West Blue struggle to survive each year because of food shortages, all while paying massive tributes to the World Government to sustain the Celestial Dragons' indulgent lifestyles? Some are so impoverished they can't even afford the tribute, leaving citizens starving, desolate, and their nations on the brink. These people survive thanks to that very grain."
And that was only the beginning. Over the years, Hell's Trading Company had quietly provided relief to impoverished islands in the latter half of the New World. They organized periodic charity clinics with recruited doctors and protected these islands from pirates, either driving them away or eliminating them. The company also employed idle young men from these regions, offering them respectable, stable jobs. For many locals, they were seen as saviors.
Although their ultimate goal was to take control of these islands once the Totto Land Plan was fully realized, they had still saved many civilians who would otherwise have perished.
"What?!"
Tsuru's eyes widened, her face struck with shock. During her campaigns with the Navy against pirates, she'd heard citizens in poorer towns and villages mention that grain prices had fallen, particularly in the New World, where the drop was most noticeable. These lower prices were making life easier for the struggling lower classes. Hell's Trading Company's business, it seemed, had inadvertently done a lot of good.
"Consider this: if Hell's Trading Company suddenly ceased its grain trade…" Uthan, the Minotaur, leaned against a tree with his arms crossed, his tone calm. "For starters, some of those struggling nations in the New World and West Blue would immediately face a food crisis, potentially leading to severe famine, even the complete collapse of some."
"If that happened, hundreds of thousands—if not millions—of civilians would gradually starve. How many of those would then be driven to the sea, forced to turn to piracy?"
"Is that true?"
Hearing Uthan's words, Tsuru took a sharp breath, her scalp prickling. She hadn't realized that Hell's Trading Company wielded such influence, with the fate of countless civilians hanging on it.
"Mamamama, you know what my power is capable of. If I wanted to harm civilians, the entire Sabaody Archipelago would have been drenched in blood." Charlotte Linlin grinned, looking down at Tsuru, whose face was filled with turmoil and disbelief. "You may see us as ruthless for killing Marines, but in the end, it's just a difference in allegiances. When the Navy hunts us, they don't hold back either."
Linlin's voice dropped, filled with anger. "And with El as a Lunarian, we're natural enemies of you Navy 'dogs' of the World Government. For hundreds of years, the World Government has ordered the Navy and CP to hunt down Lunarians, Three-Eye Tribes, Buccaneers, and other unique races, nearly driving them to extinction. They've been fighting to survive all along."
"From El's perspective, do you really believe these soldiers who hunt his people are innocent? Or are they simply ignorant, misled by the World Government?"
"And even if they knew, do you think they'd stop following orders?"
"Don't deceive yourself."
"…"
Tsuru frowned. Although she was disillusioned with the Navy, she knew that most Marines, like herself, had joined with the ideal of upholding justice. Yet it was true that, under the World Government's control, the Navy couldn't pursue true justice independently. It had always been a tool created to uphold the Government's rule, cloaked in the guise of justice.
Though Tsuru still believed El and his crew were excessively violent for killing so many Marines, there was truth in Linlin's words. After all, if an entire family or race were being hunted down, was it unreasonable for them to resist?
Especially now that her own faith in the Navy's brand of justice had eroded, she was beginning to see the World Government's true nature. This vast power that ruled the seas wasn't so different from the tyrannical regimes of other kingdoms. The "Celestial Dragons," with their absolute privileges and arrogance, were no better than oppressive royalty. And she knew the dark side of the Navy well enough to recognize that Linlin had a point.
'Swish, Swish'
At that moment, a "cloud" in the distance grew larger, approaching with surprising speed.
"What's that?"
"Wow, it's huge—"
"It's El-sama and Gerd!"
"Amazing… is that an island cloud from the Sky Islands?"
"Compared to Zeus and Hera, this one is beyond huge!"
Linlin, Lily, Nef, and the others widened their eyes, watching in awe as the enormous island cloud hovered closer. They were both astonished and thrilled.
"Is that…"
Meanwhile, Tsuru's face was one of stunned disbelief. As the island cloud drew nearer, she could make out what looked like a massive, humanoid face on its surface.
"A homie created with the Soul-Soul Fruit?" The former Navy icon gasped, breaking into a cold sweat. "This size is… unthinkable."
Having studied the Devil Fruits and their abilities, she was familiar with homies and had seen Hera on Sabaody. She had also witnessed Zeus and Prometheus after Gerd's arrival. But their size was nothing compared to this enormous homie.
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