"Eh? What the hell do ya mean you're making me an advisor?"
"It's exactly what I said," I replied bluntly, glancing over at Borin, who was staring at me blankly as we stood in my 'office', which was really just a room in my palace that was undamaged, "You and Nero are both advisors now. Congrats."
"...Are ya sure that's a good idea?" Borin pressed, looking at me doubtfully, "Ya know I'm just a fisherman, right? Do ya really want me as an advisor?"
"It's not just that I want you," I shot back, "I need you."
"The hell do ya mean by that?" Borin asked, looking confusedly at me.
"It's about to get really busy around here," I told him seriously, which made him give me an incredulous look.
"Busy?" He echoed, "Busier than the past few days? Lad, we've spent more than a week rebuilding an entire kingdom from the ground up! I've seen more of the sun in the last 10 days than I have in the past ten years, and I usually sit in the sun all day and fish, so that's sayin' something! How much busier can it get?"
He had a point, as the two weeks following Doflamingo's 'visit' had been a non-stop whirlwind of activity. The North Side of Imbale, a place that had once been a symbol of wealth, had been turned into a smoldering ruin. The beautiful mansions that had once lined the streets were now little more than piles of rubble and ash, the pristine cobblestone roads were cracked and upheaved, as they were littered with the wreckage of buildings and shattered statues, and the entire area looked like it had been hit by a natural disaster.
There was a looming deeper problem, as Doflamingo's power was terrifying not just in its destructive capacity but in his ability to manipulate people. Citizens against their will had been forced to attack their friends and neighbors, and those memories wouldn't be forgotten, even after Doflamingo was gone. Luckily, the casualties had been surprisingly low, as for all the destruction, only a few hundred people had died, most of which came at the hands of the guards. Even with so many people in Imbale being controlled, it was rather hard to kill each other without weapons, and for the most part there were just varying levels of injuries amongst most of the citizens.
So, for the past 10 days, the rebuilding had begun in earnest. The fishermen from the South Side, their bodies hardened by years of hauling in heavy nets and fighting massive fish, had become the backbone of the reconstruction effort, and I was extra glad that I had shared my fish so many weeks ago. Despite most of them having nagging injuries themselves, they had come together under my lead to fix up enough homes that everyone in Imbale at least had somewhere to stay for now, even if most of the citizens were cramming together in over-packed homes. Even my palace, which still wasn't fully fixed from my fight with John and had been even more damaged in the chaos, had become packed with citizens as there were no empty rooms in the massive structure anymore.
Another big help had been, to my surprise, Buffalo. The obviously-not-mentally-sane flying man had stuck around for two days as he actually fixed up one of the destroyed homes, saying that it was an 'apology' for what his captain had done, and then promptly left back to Dressrosa. It was a bit strange, but I could at least appreciate his help, and he'd earned some points in my book.
"Much busier," I said, my tone serious as I stared at the old fisherman, "And that's why I need your help, Borin."
"...You're serious," Borin's gruff demeanor faltered, replaced by a flicker of genuine concern at my tone as he crossed his arms over his chest, the worn fabric of his shirt straining against his biceps, "Lad, what are ya talking about?"
"I have to leave Imbale, and soon," I told him bluntly, "I'm on a timer."
"You're leavin'? A timer?" Borin's brow furrowed, the lines on his forehead deepening, "What the hell are ya talkin' about?"
"Doflamingo didn't just leave us peacefully. I told you all that I negotiated a deal with him, didn't I?" I explained, as that was all I had explained to Anjani, Borin, and Nero about how I'd managed to save Imbale from total destruction, "He gave me a year - one year to get to the New World, to his kingdom of Dressrosa, and to 'prove myself.' To prove that him letting Imbale survive is worth it for him."
"T-The New World?!" The blood drained from Borin's face as he stared at me with wide eyes, "I know you're strong, Arvel, really damn strong, but... the New World? Really?"
"I'm deadly serious," I confirmed, meeting his gaze, "And that means I don't have the luxury of sticking around here forever. I have to leave, and when I do, I need to know that Imbale can stand on its own two feet. I need it rebuilt, I need it defended, and I need it to be a kingdom worth protecting. We'll need more aid for that to happen, and while I work on that, I need you to handle things here."
This was the conclusion I had come to over the past week and a half - I had to leave Imbale. The Doflamingo quest had a lot of conditions, and most of them couldn't be met if I stayed here.
How could I get a bounty that impressed Doflamingo if I sat here as a King? I probably couldn't.
A position? If the King of Imbale wasn't impressive enough, then I had to leave to find another one.
Achieving feats was in the same boat, which left only 4 that I considered possible on Imbale - Infamy, Renown, Allies, and Knowledge.
The first two canceled each other out, so only one was really possible, and I wasn't sure how I'd get any more knowledgeable than I already was on this small island. It was possible that I could just use my prior knowledge of this world for that one, but even if I could, I'd only have 2 out of 4 complete - and that was assuming I managed to make Germa my allies, and that was impressive to Doflamingo.
In the end, I had to leave Imbale, and that wasn't a hard decision to make - because it wasn't like I wanted to be a King in the first place! Was it nice to live in a massive palace? Certainly, but it wasn't meant for me.
The longer I was here, the more out of place I felt. The more I missed the days on the island, just spending my hours alone on the beach, fishing for hours on end - something which, if you had asked me back when I was actually on the island, I would've never imagined. Even my trip to Imbale, floating in my small boat and fishing, were days that I missed. I wasn't meant for a position like this, and I needed to leave this place behind.
As I was thinking, Borin stared at me, his eyes wide with disbelief. He opened his mouth, then closed it, as if the words were stuck in his throat. Finally, he let out a long, weary sigh, running a hand through his hair.
"So that's it, then," He said, his voice flat though there was a lighter, playful tone in it, "That's why you're makin' me an advisor? Not because you think I've got some hidden talent for politics, but because you're about to shove a mountain of work onto my plate and run off to get yourself killed!"
"I'm not going to get myself killed," I shot back, smirking at his sarcastic words, "But, yeah, I need someone I can trust to handle things while I'm gone. That's you and Nero. Anjani can't do everything herself, y'know?"
"Hah. You're lucky I'm even alive, bastard," Borin shot back dryly, "I was next to Nero when that bastard started controlin' us, and let me tell you, he was doing his damn best to kill me. But, I'm way too strong for him to take down!"
"You were also trying to kill him, so that means he was too strong for you to take down, too," I countered, making the man deflate, "So, it sounds like you're equals to me."
"Bah, semantics," Borin huffed, "But, now I'm alive and an advisor in name only, huh? Just a fancy title for 'the guy who gets to clean up the mess.' You're a bastard, ya know that?"
"It's the most important job in the kingdom right now," I shot back, grinning slightly as I knew he wasn't really angry, "I wouldn't ask if I didn't think you could handle it."
"Fine, fine, you got me," He finally gave in, "I'll take over the rebuilding efforts for the homes near the docks. The lads and I will make sure everyone has a roof over their head by the end of the week. But..."
He paused, then looked at me curiously, "What did you mean by 'more aid'? You're not planning on contacting the World Government for help, are you? I don't know if those stingy bastards would send us anythin'!"
"No," I shook my head at his words, "Not the World Government. I'm going to try and form an alliance with Germa 66."
Borin's eyes went wide, and for a moment, he just stared at me, as if trying to decide if I was joking. When he saw I wasn't, he looked at me like I was crazy.
"Germa 66? Lad, have you lost your mind? You're really going to try and reason with those... those monsters?" Borin finally found the word he was looking for, giving me an incredulous look, "Those science bastards are crazy! Why would a kingdom like that even give a damn about Imbale?"
"We need them," I shot back, "We need manpower, and we need funds to rebuild without crushing the people with taxes - not to mention even more funds to pay for the World Government's agreement. But, most of all, we need protection, and I don't trust the World Government to do it."
I paused for a second, my eyes locking with Borin's as I became deathly serious.
"The minute I leave this island, it'll become a target. Pirates, slavers, and whatever else is crawling through the North Blue will see us as easy prey," I explained to him, "Our guards are a joke, and half of them were killed fighting each other while the ones who are left are either too scared to fight or too stupid to be trusted with a pointy stick. The only reason Imbale has survived this long is because Germa's in the area, so most pirates steer clear of it. But, with the things I plan on doing... my name will always be tied here, and it'll bring a lot of attention to Imbale."
In the end, I needed Germa for two reasons - the first being the chain-quest, which only had a few days left on its time limit. My options for that were to either wage war against Germa, or try to form an alliance with them. Obviously, with Imbale nearly entirely destroyed from Doflamingo's surprise visit, the former wasn't an option. I needed an alliance with them.
But, other than the quest, Imbale also needed their protection. I wasn't an unknown fisherman anymore - I was the King of Imbale, and even if I tried to hide that once I left to work on the Doflamingo quest, it would always be tied to me. I'd spent too long here, and now not only did the World Government know I was the King, but also Doflamingo. Once I started racking up feats, and possibly even bounties, this place would come under fire just because of my name. For that reason, we needed Germa on our side.
"Germa is the most powerful kingdom in the North Blue," I continued, "Their soldiers are strong, their science is advanced, and, most importantly, no one wants to fuck with them. An alliance with them would solve our financial problems, get us manpower to rebuild the island, and ensure Imbale is safe while I'm gone."
Borin was quiet for a moment, then begrudingly nodded.
"Aye, having a kingdom like Germa on our side would be great," He agreed, "But you still haven't answered my question - why would they bother with us? We have nothing to offer them."
I didn't answer immediately, instead just letting a confident grin spread across my face, "Don't worry about that."
My eyes locked with his, my confident gaze boring into his.
"I'll make them care."
-----------------------------------------------------
"Thank you for waiting on hold, we'll try to get you transferred over as soon as possible... please wait... bootsandcatsandbootsandcatsandbootsandcats-"
"You really don't have to keep doing that," I deadpanned, looking at the small Den Den Mushi in my hand, which was currently playing the sound of pretty terrible beatboxing into my office.
"I-It's holding music! Look, it's this new thing that Germa's trying out, so I have to, okay? The boss doesn't like answering transmissions, but he doesn't want people to get mad and go to war over it again, so we have to keep you entertained somehow!" A nervous, slightly exasperated voice came through from the other side as the beat boxing abruptly stopped, "Usually, there's noise machines, but we don't have one on the ship yet, so I have to make the noise instead! N-Now, as I was saying- actually, I'll try out a new one for you! I've been wanting to become a singer for a while! Tell me what you think of this... IIIIII WANNNTTT TO SWWWINGGGGGGGGG FFFFROMMM THEEEE PALMMM TREEEEE! FRROMMM THE PALMMM TREEEE!"
I looked dryly at the Den Den Mushi as what sounded like a bastardized version of 'Chandelier' came through. I doubted that they had that song in this world, so I guess this confirmed that there were only so many different ways to make music, and songs would naturally overlap at some point.
"Please stop," I said bluntly again, making the Germa grunt on the other side stop his singing, "Look, I don't want to crush your dream or anything, but... maybe don't quit Germa anytime soon."
"Tch! Whatever, what do you know about music anyway?" The grunt shot back, making the Den Den Mushi in front of me give me a glare as it portrayed his emotions, but he finally stopped singing, which made me sigh in relief.
I'd been in this position for a few hours now, as despite acting rather confident in front of Borin, I was still going for the safe option first - that being trying to get a conversation with a higher-up at Germa, preferably Judge himself, and trying to negotiate an alliance. If that fell through, then I could go to the much riskier, more brash, but also more badass, plan B.
Unfortunately, getting a conversation with Judge was easier said than done. My options were either to send a letter to Germa requesting a meeting or conversation, which could take days or weeks to get a response from, or to take the quicker, but much more boring, route.
Germa wasn't just technologically advanced for show - they truly were a step ahead of the rest of the world, and that included the fact that they had their 'Germa help line.' It was essentially just a signal that allowed anyone to connect to a Den Den Mushi in a Germa patrol ship from nearby, allowing them to request aid or report anything that Germa might be interested in. If you managed to report something that Germa was genuinely interested in, then you could sometimes even get payment from them, which made the line pretty popular in this part of the sea - at least, that's what Borin had told me. It was truly a smart idea, and I assumed it was part of the reason that Germa had such a hold on the North Blue, as with this, they pretty much had eyes everywhere. By paying out small, non-noticeable amounts of money to reporters, they essentially had citizens from countless islands in the North Blue feeding them information at all times.
As for me, I wasn't using it to report anything, but instead to hopefully brute-force my way to talking with Judge. Borin had told me he didn't think it would work, as he doubted the low-ranked Germa grunt who answered my call would get me in contact with Judge just because I said I was a King - something I couldn't prove over the Den Den Mushi - but currently, it was going pretty well. Granted, I'd been on hold for more than two hours now, and I was ashamed to admit it took me nearly half that time to realize that the poor beatboxing was, in fact, not a piece of technology, but just the grunt giving me an impromptu performance to act as holding music. Regardless of his poor musical abilities, as long as I got a conversation with Judge, I wouldn't complain about having to sit around and listen to some beatboxing.
"So, uh... you watch Mushi Ball?" I blinked, looking back down at the snail as I was pulled from my thoughts by the grunt trying to make small talk.
"Mushi Ball?" I raised an eyebrow at him, "The hell is that?"
"Oh, it's a new craze here in the North Blue! I can't believe you haven't heard of it! Are you really a King?" The last part came out a bit suspiciously, and I gave a dry look, which I assumed was conveyed by the snail on the other end of the transmission.
"I was a fisherman until a few weeks ago when I ripped the old King's head off. So, I guess I'm not caught up with rich-people shit yet," I told him, and I saw the snail tense, its eyes widening slightly at my blunt words.
"A-Ah, right, of course! Well, it's a sport for Den Den Mushi snails! There's a bunch of them on a little field, then they put goals on both ends, and they have to push a ball into one of the goals!" I blinked, surprised as the thing he was describing sounded suspiciously like Football/Soccer.
"Eh? That sounds... actually pretty entertaining," I admitted, nodding at the idea, "Is there a snail Ronaldo and Messi?"
"Huh? What does that mean?" The grunt asked back dumbly, and I was reminded that, even if the sport sounded like one from my world, this grunt had no idea about either Ronaldo or Messi.
"Like, is there one snail who's really good at it?" I clarified, "The GOAT of Mushi Ball?"
"Huh? Why would a goat be playing?"
"Not a literal goat, like - the GOAT! The Greatest of All Time?" I clarified again, sighing as I realized the downsides of being in a pirate-infested world was that no one would ever fully understand my lingo.
"Greatest of All Time? Oh, that's a good acronym! The GOAT! I'll start using that! You're a smart man, King of Imbale!" I felt a bit proud, even if I hadn't really been the one to come up with that acronym, as the grunt seemed to love it, "Oh, but yeah, there is. There's this snail some higher-up in the World Government owns, who is called LeSnail James, whose crazy good! He wins all the Mushi Ball tournaments!"
I blinked, staring blankly as... he just said LeSnail James?! How the hell was there a snail version of LeBron in this world, who wasn't even playing the right sport?!
I slowly glanced over at my own Den Den Mushi, raising an eyebrow at it.
"You think you'd be any good at Mushi Ball?" I asked it bluntly, to which the snail rapidly shook its head back and forth, and I nodded, "Perfect, underdog stories are always better. I'll start looking into Mushi Ball tournaments for you. From now on, your Snailbanyama, alright?"
The snail looked at me with wide eyes, shaking its head rapidly again, but I just waved my hand at it.
"Come on, you'll be great! Is it the name you don't like? We can try... Snailtor Wembanyama? Is that better?" As the snail continued to shake its head at me, I hummed, leaning back in my chair, "Alright, we can workshop the name."
"Huh? What are you muttering about-" The grunt started to ask, and then he paused, the snail in front of me tensing, "A-Ah, he's ready? The boss will hear from you now, King of Imbale! Move the signal up one notch, and he'll be there!"
"Great," I grinned, glad to finally be done waiting as I reached forward, grabbing the small notch attached to the side of Snailbanyama, "Thanks for the singing, I guess."
With that, I tipped the notch upwards, and the snail let out a 'CLICK' from its mouth. Then, a moment later, a new voice came through.
"Who is this?" The serious, deep voice, which I instantly recognized as Judge's, came through the Den Den Mushi, and I grinned.
"I'm Arvel, the King of Imbale. I wanted to talk about an alliance, Leader of Germa," I started professionally, and Judge didn't answer for a moment. Then...
"Why the hell did they even let you through? You think I care about some shitty kingdom like-CLICK!" He didn't even get to finish his statement as he hung up the transmission, and I stared at the Den Den Mushi, the grin on my face vanishing instantly.
"I think he hung up on ya," I resisted the urge to glare at Borin as he sat in one of the chairs in my office, staying quiet until now, but unable to resist smirking at me.
"Two hours... I sat on hold for two hours... and he hangs up right away?" I muttered, rising to my feet as my hand clenched into a fist, "Oh, I'm definitely gonna make this bastard care about Imbale now!"
"W-Wait, don't do anything crazy now," Borin tried as I stomped out of the office, speed-walking down the hallway.
"Oh, I'm not doing anything crazy," I called back, "I'm just switching to plan B! The plan where I go find a patrol ship and punch it until I get a meeting with Judge!"
My legs pumped as I shot down the hallway, the polished marble floors blurring beneath my feet as I quickly arrived at the grand entrance of the palace. The cool air hit my face as I charged down the long, winding staircase that led to the main courtyard, the gravel crunching under my feet with every step.
"Anjani! You here?" I called out, my voice echoing across the large area. The courtyard, still bustling with activity despite it being nearly dusk, fell silent for a moment as all eyes turned to me. Servants carrying supplies froze in their tracks, and a few guards who were patrolling the perimeter jumped at the sudden shout.
"Over here, Arvel!" A familiar voice called out from near the western wall of the courtyard, and I looked over to see Anjani quickly jogging over to me, "What is it? Is there a problem?"
"A big-fuckin' problem," I said bluntly, but instead of explaining more, I just pressed forward, "Were there any reports of Germa ships nearby?"
Germa patrol ships being near Imbale wasn't odd, as they seemed to have patrol ships damn-near everywhere. When I had been fishing at the docks before my overtaking of Imbale, I had seen numerous ships sailing past from time to time, usually far enough away that they were just shadows.
"Um... yes! There was one around an hour ago," Anjani nodded, and I grinned, silently patting myself on the back for giving out so much fish all those weeks ago. It just kept paying dividends, as many of the still-fishermen there had become 'scouts' of sorts, reporting on any ships in the area while they fished, and it was coming in handy now.
"Alright, I'll be back in a few minutes," I said bluntly, ignoring the curious look that she gave me as I just tensed my legs.
I burst forward, rushing out the gate and blurring through the streets as I ignored any stares of awe or surprise as the citizens saw their King running past them like a madman. I didn't bother with the main roads, instead cutting through alleyways and over half-destroyed fences, my feet pounding against the cobblestones and dirt paths. A few startled chickens squawked and fluttered out of my way, and a woman hanging laundry almost dropped her sheets as I zipped past her window. The world around me became a blur of motion, the sounds of the bustling island fading into a distant hum.
I reached the docks in no time, the salty tang of the sea hitting my face as I skidded to a halt. My small, unassuming fishing boat, the same one that had carried me to this island, bobbed gently in the water, never moving from where I had stationed it weeks ago. I didn't hesitate, leaping into it with a thud that rocked the small vessel. I sat down, my gaze locked on the horizon. Far in the distance, barely more than a shadow against the shimmering water, I could see a boat. My target.
"Arvel! Where the hell are you going?" Nero's booming voice shouted from the docks as he saw me climbing into my boat.
"Getting us an alliance!" I shot back, confusing him as I jammed the paddle into its notch.
I started spinning, the motion a familiar, almost comforting rhythm that I hadn't felt in weeks. A moment later, the boat burst forward, sending a splash of seawater onto the docks behind me in the process. The journey that would take any other boat hours was now a matter of minutes as I cut through the water, and I quickly caught up to the Germa ship. This one was much larger than the previous patrol ship I had fought, as it had a massive sail, a wide deck big enough for an entire crew, and rows of cannons lining its sides.
"Halt! State your business!" A voice called out as I neared, and I looked up to see a man in a typical Germa 66 uniform standing on the deck, a rifle in his hands.
I slowed my approach, shouting back, "I'm Arvel, the King of Imbale!"
"W-What?" The man tilted his head, and I imagined under his goggles that he was probably blinking with surprise, "King of Imbale?! You're the one who was just on the Den Den Mushi with me! You should be talking to the boss, what the hell are you doing out here?"
I decided not to answer with words. Instead, I just pulled up alongside the Germa vessel, the small frame of my boat being so close it almost bumped against its hull. I stood up, tensing my legs as I glanced up. Then I launched upwards, covering the gap between the two boats with a single, powerful jump that made the man on the deck take a small step back in surprise as I landed on the deck with a thud.
"It's good to meet you after just hearing you sing for so long," I gave him a nod, not answering his question yet.
"Uh, yes, it's good to meet you too!" The man's body tensed, but he quickly nodded, looking a bit confused and nervous as he introduced himself, "I'm Lieutenant Dorn, of Patrol Ship 179."
"Honestly, poor singing aside, you seemed like a nice guy, so..." I sighed, shaking my head as I looked at him, "Sorry. Just know that I do feel a bit bad for this."
Lieutenant Dorn blinked, looking at me in confusion, "Feel bad for what-"
He didn't even get to finish his sentence as my form vanished from where I stood. I appeared in front of him in a blur, my fist snapping forward in a powerful, but controlled so I didn't kill him, punch that slammed into his stomach. The impact was like a hammer as the air whooshed out of his lungs with a loud gasp, and he hunched forward, clutching at his gut as he collapsed.
"Think of it as payback for the terrible singing," I shrugged down at him.
"Uncalled for…" He managed to gasp out, and then he slumped completely.
A moment later, the nearly two-dozen other soldiers on the deck reacted. All of them moved immediately as they snapped their rifles up, the barrels pointed directly at me. I didn't flinch as I just gave them an apologetic look as well.
"Sorry, boys. Nothing personal, but your boss pissed me off," I tensed my legs, "Blame him for not even having the decency to hear me out!"
Before they could even process my words, I was already moving. I burst forward, my legs pumping as I charged the soldier closest to me. He pulled the trigger, but my head was already ducking, the bullet whizzing harmlessly over my head as my hand shot out, grabbing the barrel of his gun. My other hand followed, driving into his stomach in a quick jab that sent him crumpling to the ground. I didn't hesitate, using the captured rifle like a club as I swung it in a wide arc, the heavy stock crashing into the side of another soldier's head with a thud as he went down without even a gasp.
I lunged forward, dropping the rifle and tucking into a roll as the next two soldiers on my left opened fire. Their bullets burst in a line across the deck where I'd been standing a heartbeat before, and I came up from the roll right at their feet, sweeping their legs out from under them with a low kick. They went down in a tangled heap of limbs, and I snatched their rifles from their grasps before they even hit the deck.
Now armed with two rifles, I straightened up, a smirk on my face as I faced the remaining dozen or so soldiers. They were all starting to fire now, but they couldn't all go at once without risking hitting their downed comrades or even each other, which made this a bit easier for me. I moved through the storm of lead, my body a blur of motion as I twisted and weaved, holding up the rifles in my hands to deflect a couple of bullets in the process. I threw one of the rifles, sending it spinning through the air like a discus as it slammed into the chest of another soldier, sending him stumbling backward as he tripped over the railing, falling into the ocean below. Another swing of the second rifle took out another soldier, and then I was upon the rest.
I dropped the rifle, my fists now doing the talking as I ducked under a wild swing from a soldier who had decided to charge me with a sword, my fist driving into his solar plexus with enough force to lift him from his feet for a second before he collapsed on the deck in a heap. Another came at me from the side, and I simply sidestepped, my leg sweeping out in a powerful kick that connected with his knee, making a loud crack that echoed across the deck as he went down with a scream. I turned, my arm lashing out to catch the wrist of a soldier who was trying to stab me from behind, and then I yanked him forward, using his momentum to send him head-first into the mast of the ship with a loud thud as I was already lunging at the next grunt.
Within less than a minute, the deck of the Germa ship was a mess of groaning, unconscious bodies. I stood in the middle of the chaos, entirely unharmed, as I stood in front of the final grunt, who was shaking slightly as I towered over him, holding the gun I had just ripped from his grasp. With a quick swipe of my hand, he was down for the count, and I was alone - or, almost alone. I looked down at the Lieutenant, who was still on the floor, clutching his stomach as he groaned.
"Get up," I said, my voice flat as I stared at him, "And don't freak out. I just need you for something else."
Dorn's face was pale, and he was still clutching his stomach, but he managed to push himself to his feet, his movements stiff and pained. He looked at me, fear in his eyes as he glanced around at the bodies of his fellow soldiers, then back at me.
"W-What do you want?" He stammered nervously, but I just held up my hands placatingly.
"Just cooperate, and you won't get hurt. I need you to lead me to the Den Den Mushi on this ship," I said, my tone leaving no room for argument, "Then, you and I are going to have a little chat with your boss."
"I-I can't do that!" Dorn's eyes widened in alarm as he shook his head, taking a hesitant step back, "That's pretty much treason! I'd be betraying Germa! I'll be killed!"
"It's not a betrayal," I countered, "It's just a negotiation, and, honestly... I'm not asking."
I took a step towards him, and he flinched, stumbling back again as he nearly tripped over a body behind him. He looked at the bodies on the deck, then back at me, but I didn't give him a chance to argue.
"I'm not going to hurt you as long as you do what I say," I told him, "Now, take me to the Den Den Mushi. Or, if you won't, I can just toss you overboard and wake up someone else to do it."
He hesitated for a moment longer, his gaze darting around the deck as if looking for an escape, but there was nowhere to go in the middle of the ocean. Finally, he let out a defeated sigh, his shoulders slumping.
"Fine," He muttered begrudgingly, "I'll take you. But... I'm not happy about this."
"I didn't think you would be," I chuckled back, gesturing forward with my hand, "Now, lead the way."
He nodded, then turned around and started walking towards a small door on the main deck. He led me down a narrow hallway, the walls lined with doors to various crew quarters in the large ship, before he stopped in front of a door near the end of the hallway, then turned to me, his hand on the doorknob.
"This is it," He said, his voice still a bit shaky, "The communications room, and the captain's quarters."
He pushed the door open, and I stepped inside. The room was small and cramped, with a single small bed against one wall and a desk against the other. On the desk sat a Den Den Mushi, along with a messy collection of papers. I was a bit unimpressed as I glanced around. Germa was as advanced as it was, with a ship this big, and yet this was the best they could offer for a captain's quarters?
"Alright, put me through to you, boss," I commanded, jutting my chin at the Den Den Mushi, which was currently asleep and happily unaware of the hostile takeover happening.
Dorn's face went pale again as he swallowed hard, but then he nodded. He walked over to the desk, then gently tapped the snail's shell, making the snail's eyes flutter open as it let out a soft yawn, its antenna twitching.
Dorn then began fiddling with a series of knobs and switches on the side of the Den Den Mushi's stand, and a moment later, he looked back at me nervously.
"It's... it's done," He muttered, holding out the small yellow speaker connected to the snail, "He's on."
"Good," I said as I took it from him, "Now, stay close. I might need you in a minute."
A few seconds later, I held the speaker up to my lips, but Judge beat me to it.
"Who is this?" A deep, annoyed voice boomed through the speaker, making the snail's eyes narrow, "You better have a good damn reason to be contacting me personally, Patrol 179."
"Do I sound familiar, Judge?" I asked casually as I smirked, "It's Arvel, the King of Imbale."
For a second, Judge was silent. On the other end of the line, I heard him take in a sharp breath as the Den Den Mushi on the desk slowly blinked.
"Patrol Ship 179..." He said slowly, a dangerous edge in his voice, "This should be the signal to a patrol ship, not to the King of some backwater island."
"Oh, it is," I said casually, leaning back against the wall as I crossed my arms, "Or, it was, at least. It seems that all the men on board are mysteriously knocked out, so I'll be taking over this ship for a bit."
Judge still didn't answer, but I could feel the tension through the Den Den Mushi, its body tensing up.
"Do you have a death wish?" Judge finally asked, his voice dangerously low as the snail's eyes narrowed even further.
"Not at all," I replied smoothly, "I'm the one who tried to speak with you professionally earlier, but you couldn't even be bothered to stay on the transmission for more than a few seconds. If anyone has a death wish, it's you."
"A shitty little nation like Imbale doesn't deserve more than a few seconds of my time," Judge shot back.
"Is that so?" I asked with a smirk, "Doflamingo came all the way from the New World to talk to me, and yet you want to just ignore me? You're pretty ballsy, y'know?"
This was my best chance to get him to hear me out, as I needed to show me that I wasn't a normal king, and I wouldn't be treated as such either. Judge went silent again for a moment, and the Den Den Mushi seemed to tense even more.
"My patrols reported as much," He grunted back, "But, from what they reported, all Doflamingo went there to do was kill the old king who was flirting with one of his crewmates."
Well, it seemed Germa had eyes everywhere - even in Imbale.
"I'm the only king there now," I countered, my smirk widening, "And Doflamingo definitely came to kill me, but I'm still alive, aren't I? You don't think that's by sheer luck, do you?"
There was silence as Judge didn't speak for a long, tense moment. Then, he let out a long, annoyed sigh.
"Fine," He said, "I'll hear you out. What the hell do you want?"
"Good," I said, getting straight to the point, "I want an alliance between Imbale and Germa. We need funds for rebuilding, manpower to help with that rebuilding, and protection from pirates."
"Hah! And why the hell would I do that?" Judge scoffed, "What the hell could a shitty little island like Imbale give me in return for all that?"
"The main benefit is that I won't kick your ass," I shot back casually, "That sounds pretty worth it to me."
The snail on the desk stared blankly for a second, before Judge's scoffing laughter came through again.
"You've gotten cocky after taking down a mere patrol ship, haven't you?" He sneered, "You don't want to make an enemy out of me, King of Imbale, and you're heading down that path."
"Maybe, but I assure you I can back up this cockiness," I shrugged, just grinned widely, "Humor me. Judge, with all your fancy technology, you can see exactly where this transmission is coming from, can't you?"
"...Of course," He shot back, clearly not understanding why I was asking, "All patrol ships are tracked. What of it?"
"Good," I smirked, looking over at Dorn as he stood nearby, "Get me a spear. You must have at least one on board, right?"
The man gave me a confused, nervous look, but then nodded as he quickly rushed out of the room. I returned my attention to the Den Den Mushi.
"Now, Judge," I continued, "Tell me the exact distance and direction between this ship and the one you're on."
On the other end of the line, Judge was silent before he sighed.
"Whatever, if that's what you want, I'm willing to play along, but know that I've gone to war for pettier reasons than having my time wasted. Your ship is roughly 100 kilometers Northeast of mine. 97.759, to be exact," He annoyedly answered, "But what the hell does that have to do with anything?"
"I want you to go out onto the deck of your ship," I told him, "Just for a minute."
"You're being ridiculous. Do you think I have the patience for your games?" He shot back, the annoyance in his voice clear as the snail on the desk narrowed its eyes, "I've given you an audience. Tell me what you want, or this conversation is over."
"Do you think it's more time-consuming to walk out onto the deck for a minute, or to start a war with me?" I pressed back, my tone flat and confident as my smirk didn't drop, "Is one minute of your time worth having a hundred patrol ships destroyed? Because, trust me, I can take down at least that many before I kick the bucket. Even then, I might be selling myself a bit short. I'm rather resourceful, as Doflamingo could vouch for."
There was a long, tense silence, and I could almost feel the man's frustration through the snail. Clearly, he didn't like the seemingly random things I was asking him, but at the same time, he knew I was right. Germa had eyes everywhere, and he knew that I was a man who had defeated a Vice Admiral, and a man who'd had Doflamingo come all the way from Dressrosa to kill, and yet survived. As much as he was trying to act big to keep the negotiating power in his court - which was probably why he'd immediately hung up on me in the first place - he knew he couldn't push me too far. Finally, he just grunted.
"Fine," He grumbled, and then I heard footsteps through the speaker, and I assumed he was doing what I asked.
As he did, I picked up the Den Den Mushi, walking as well back out onto the deck, where Dorn was coming up from below deck with a rather fancy spear, which had both the handle and the tip made of metal. It seemed that Germa's technological prowess even extended to something as simple as this, and I was glad it did, as it ensured the spear would survive what I was about to do. I reached out, and Dorn quickly handed it to me.
"I'm on the deck, now what? Tell me quick, or I'll be done with you," Judge's impatient voice came from the Den Den Mushi, but I just grinned widely.
"Look up, and try not to die."
With that said, I placed the snail on the ground, ignoring Judge's confused words that followed as I looked up into the sky. As I did, I narrowed my eyes, staring up into the gray sky as the sun set in the background. I took a few steps forward, lining myself up in a way that seemed natural.
In my mind, there was nothing. All my thoughts ceased as I simply shifted into position, my arm slowly rising up as I held the spear above my head, and then slowly cocked my arm back. But, to my eyes, and to my body, something else entirely was happening. My INT sprang to life, my eyes naturally taking in a perfect trajectory. My arm adjusted, my brain silently working overtime as it sent signals to my arm, adjusting it up and down until it was perfectly aimed, aligning directly where my eyes were locked. In a split second, my internal INT chugged through hundreds of calculations, creating the perfect trajectory - no, a more than perfect trajectory. A trajectory that naturally took into account the moving of the boat under me, and the moving of the boat I couldn't see that was 97 kilometers away. It was a supernatural trajectory, which could only be explained by something as powerful as my system.
Then, I stepped forward.
As I took a single step forward, my arms and legs bulged, the muscles growing in a split second as [Muscular Boost] activated. I stepped forward, my arm swinging forward, and with a burst of power, I launched the spear into the sky. As I did, the force of my legs slammed into the deck below, and the wood shattered, causing my foot to burst through it as I was left leaning forward, my hand grabbing the mast next to me to ensure I didn't fall fully into the lower deck.
The spear soared upwards, looking like a blur as it burst through the air. There was a loud crack as it tore through the sky, wind bursting outwards as a gust slammed into me, completely knocking Dorn onto his ass behind me, and then the spear was gone in a split second. It continued upwards and forwards until it disappeared, leaving sight in only a few seconds.
Then, I turned around, simply walking back to the Den Den Mushi.
"What was that noise?! What the hell did you do?!" Judge's voice came through, sounding even more annoyed, "Hey, can you hear me?!"
"I hear you. Just look up, and shut your mouth," I smirked, the snail on his end surely mimicking my face, "If you don't pay attention, you might die. Neither of us would want that, would we?"
"What are you talking about-" Judge inhaled sharply, and I could picture him staring up, as a moment later he muttered, "What... what is that?"
There was another second of silence, and then a loud crash, which I assumed was the spear making contact and the force of it ripping through the deck of his ship. I could picture the sight perfectly in my head - the sight of Judge standing there, staring in disbelief as a spear fell from the sky like a missile, landing in a burst in front of him. I could see the deck being torn up, flakes of wood flinging up into the air as it left a large gash. It was a sight I desperately wished I could see right now, but I would have to settle for just my own imagination.
Following the crash, there was only silence for a long moment. Then, Judge spoke again.
"...Fine, I get it now. I don't know where you came from, but I'll believe you're worth Germa's resources," He grunted, a slightly impressed tone in his voice, "I'll treat you as an equal, alright? Money, manpower, and protection? We can handle that. I'll send over an envoy. Don't take offense to it, as I'm a busy man. You could be Gold Roger himself coming back front he dead, and I'd still be sending an envoy."
"No offense taken, I'm glad we can come to an agreement. I'll be gone before your envoy gets here, but he can speak with my advisors," I told him, laying out the situation as I grinned at his words, "They'll handle everything as I'll be gone for around a year, but bring enough manpower to rebuild an entire city, and all the top-of-the-line technology you have."
"Huh? You wanted an alliance with your kingdom, and yet you're leaving? You know you're the only thing worthwhile there, don't you-" Judge shot back incredulously, but then the lips on the Den Den Mushi twitched up into a smirk as he cut himself off, and I could practically hear the ulterior motive dripping in his tone, "Never mind, that's fine. We'll speak with your advisors."
"If you're thinking of turning Imbale into a testing ground or bullying my advisors into doing what you want, think again," I shot back dryly, and Judge huffed as he was easily caught, "Don't do anything I wouldn't approve of."
"Hah! You ask for our aid as you're leaving, and now you want us to check with you for approval of everything? No matter how strong you are, there are limits to the amount of disrespect I'll ignore," Judge scoffed, but I just smirked again.
"Not at all. I'm telling you openly that I'm leaving in the first place because you'll have free rein on Imbale, but ensure you don't forget..." My voice dropped, going low and taking on a dangerous edge, "If I'm unhappy with the results, I'll kill you. I say this to you not as the Leader of Germa, but as Judge the person. Without a doubt, if you try any bullshit on Imbale, you will die."
Judge didn't answer for a moment, a long silence stretching out between us. Then, he just sighed.
"You're not easy to work with, you know that?" He grunted, and I just smirked at his words.
"If it's easy, then it's not worth doing. I look forward to our alliance, Judge."
"I wish I could say the same," Judge replied dryly, and then the Den Den Mushi clicked, marking the end of our call. And, as it ended, a flurry of screens appeared in front of me.
[Quest Complete!]
Use your new position to form a relationship with Germa 66!
Form an alliance with Germa 66!
Rewards:
+250 to all stats!
+A follow-up quest!
+GREATLY decreased [Infamy] with Germa 66!
+Increased [Reputation] with Germa 66!
[Quest Alert!]
You have an alliance with Germa, but Judge doesn't trust you fully! Impress [Vinsmoke Judge] and prove you deserve Germa's full support!
Complete at least [4/7] of the following conditions:
Obtain a [Bounty] that impresses Vinsmoke Judge!
Obtain a [Position] that impresses Vinsmoke Judge!
Obtain a [Infamy] level that impresses Vinsmoke Judge!
Obtain a [Renown] level that impresses Vinsmoke Judge!
Obtain [Allies] or [Subordinates] that impress Vinsmoke Judge!
Obtain [Feats] that impress Vinsmoke Judge!
Obtain [Knowledge] that impresses Vinsmoke Judge!
Rewards:
+5000 to all stats!
+A follow-up quest!
+GREATLY Increased [Reputation] with Germa 66!
+GREATLY Increased [Reputation] with Vinsmoke Judge!
+Vinsmoke Reiju's hand in marriage!
+The full support of Germa 66!
+Bonus rewards for each condition completed!
Time Limit:
2 Years
Failure:
Lose the support of Germa 66!
Lose out on continuing the chain-quest!
I blinked, taken aback a bit as the quest flooded my vision. This looked familiar. Like, very familiar, as it looked damn-near the same as Doflamingo's.
"Which I won't complain about," I grunted, my lips curving into a wide grin, "I can just do them both at once. Thanks, system!"
Then, I blinked as my eyes locked onto one reward, and I felt some heat creep up onto my face. It made sense with Baby 5, but...
"R-Reiju?! I haven't even met her!" I stuttered out loud, making Dorn look at me strangely as I stared incredulously at the reward, which to him looked like I was just staring at the empty space in front of me and blushing like a crazy person.
The reward came out of seemingly nowhere, but I calmed down as I thought about it more. Judge was clearly a man who valued confirming relationships, and who saw his family members as pawns. He'd been willing to marry off Sanji to Pudding to get an alliance with Big Mom, so I assumed this was a similar situation. If I did enough to make him truly impressed and willing to go all-in on me, then he'd want me to marry Reiju to get me further within his control, and to ensure I wouldn't betray him.
And, marriage aside, I couldn't complain in the slightest at the quest. The rewards were nearly as good as Doflamingo's quest - being eerily similar, as I would get half the amount of stats as well as a lot of reputation gains - and the conditions were, literally, the exact same. They were probably a bit different in reality, as I assumed I'd have to do more to impress someone like Doflamingo than Judge, which was why the stat gain was lower as a result, but they were at least in the same vein. I could work on them at the same time, and naturally complete the Germa one as I did the Doflamingo conditions. It was perfect - so perfect that I considered thanking the system again, but held back as Dorn was looking at me strangely.
My shoulders relaxed, all the tension from dealing with Judge and Germa fading away as I let out a relieved sigh.
The alliance with Germa had been confirmed, and now, it was time to finally leave Imbale.
—--------------------------------------------------------
AN: Thanks for reading! This was one of my favorite chapters to write ever (from any of my stories) so I hope you enjoyed it! The next chapter will be posted in a few days!
Or, this story is updated twice as often on Patreon.com/Koyon ! Up to chapter 18 is on there right now!