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Chapter 64 - Chapter 64: The Comical Guardians

The Six-Gold Kingdom is a fairly powerful nation composed of six mineral-rich islands. A country with mines is naturally strong and extremely wealthy. Long ago, the Six-Gold Kingdom was already a member nation of the World Government.

"Iron and copper are the Six-Gold Kingdom's primary outputs. It's said they also have a gold mine ready for development."

"The only drawback is that all six islands of the Six-Gold Kingdom are mountainous. The arable land was limited to begin with, and years of mining have severely polluted the environment. Their grain production has serious problems."

To Vane, environmental pollution from mining and smelting that led to low food production was a minor issue. After all, the White Town once mined beautiful platinum-lead ore, but platinum-lead was extremely harmful to the human body. It accumulated inside people and eventually caused platinum-lead disease. In the end, the White Town became a city of death.

The World Government had known about this long ago, but because of enormous profits, they concealed all information and continued mining platinum-lead. When platinum-lead disease finally broke out, they declared it to be a highly dangerous infectious disease.

Only by controlling the source of contamination could the whole world be protected. Then the Marines and the World Government stepped in, slaughtered every last resident of the White Town, and finally burned it to ashes.

Only a single child named Law survived the entire White Town. It was truly a human tragedy.

Baccarat held the kingdom's records and continued her introduction.

"The Nanami Kingdom is an agricultural and livestock nation. In the past, it produced grain and animal products and bordered the Six-Gold Kingdom."

As she spoke, she used her ability to project a flat map of both the Nanami Kingdom and the Six-Gold Kingdom.

Her ability was essentially a projector. She could play PPTs.

"Because the two nations were neighbors and their resources complemented each other, they had always been like friendly nations."

One produced primary industry goods, the other produced secondary industry goods.

They were indeed complementary—exchanging agricultural products for industrial goods. However, though complementary, the relationship was fragile. The economic value brought by industry was far beyond what agriculture could match.

Baccarat's tone shifted, and a ball of flames appeared between the two projected nations.

"Everything changed two years ago. The second prince of the Six-Gold Kingdom launched a coup, overthrew the king, and took the throne."

"This new king was extremely skilled at hiding his true intentions. At first, he released a great deal of goodwill toward the Nanami Kingdom, encouraging them to plant large quantities of coarse millet."

Coarse millet was a grain with a very poor texture but relatively high yield. The Six-Gold Kingdom had many miners, so there was indeed demand for it.

"As a result, in the second year, the Six-Gold Kingdom did not purchase a single grain from the Nanami Kingdom. Instead, they bought grain from other kingdoms at a higher price."

"The Nanami Kingdom's coarse millet couldn't fetch a price anywhere else. That year, the Nanami Kingdom suffered a massive fiscal deficit. They failed to pay the Heavenly Tribute on time and received a severe warning from the World Government."

A relatively poor agricultural nation was played in the palm of its neighboring industrial power.

"In the second year, the Nanami Kingdom suffered numerous pirate invasions, with heavy losses in property and population. They once again failed to pay the Heavenly Tribute."

Pirate invasions were only part of the reason. The greater reason was that their largest customer—the Six-Gold Kingdom—still did not purchase any of the Nanami Kingdom's products.

Long-term dependence and the failure to adjust in time were the key reasons they fell into crisis. The frequent pirate invasions merely accelerated the process.

After failing to pay the Heavenly Tribute for two consecutive years, the Nanami Kingdom was expelled from its status as a World Government member nation. Membership was not one hundred percent stable—such incidents occasionally occurred.

But this time, the collapse of the Nanami Kingdom had been pushed forward by another member nation.

"After losing its member status, the Six-Gold Kingdom began invading the Nanami Kingdom. From the outcome, it's clear that the new king of the Six-Gold Kingdom intended from the start to invade and annex the Nanami Kingdom's territory into his own."

Expanding territory—absorbing fertile land into one's own country—and conveniently solving the food problem in the process.

There were also many sordid details unknown to outsiders.

According to underground information brokers on Bliss Island, the slave trade was spreading throughout the chaotic Nanami Kingdom, and the shadow of the World Government was always present.

This was also an important reason why Vane set his sights on the Nanami Kingdom.

Nanami Kingdom, somewhere.

"Come on, you bastards! If you want to attack Her Royal Highness, step over our corpses first!"

A group of rather comical-looking people were blocking the pursuers from the Six-Gold Kingdom.

Why call them comical? Because these grown men were all wearing makeup and dressed in animal costumes.

Cats, dogs, cows… basically painted to look as cute as possible.

"What kind of ridiculous guard squad is this?"

"I'm dying of laughter. These guards of the Nanami Kingdom are just idiots playing house with children."

The pursuing forces of the Six-Gold Kingdom burst into mocking laughter.

After the ridicule came frenzied slaughter. The animal-costumed guards fought bravely, but in the end they were swallowed by the pursuing force several times their number.

Behind the line of resistance was a small dock.

It had only recently been occupied by the Six-Gold Kingdom, and not many troops had been stationed there yet.

Several small boats were docked, guarded by a small squad of Six-Gold Kingdom soldiers.

Suddenly, a "barbaric bear" charged into the dock.

"Get out of my way!"

The barbaric bear stood three meters tall, wielding a bamboo-tipped spear. With a single sweeping strike, he knocked three or four soldiers who couldn't react in time straight into the sea.

"A Devil Fruit user?"

"No, he's not a Devil Fruit user. He's just wearing a ridiculous bear costume."

"It's the Nanami Kingdom's Animal Guard Squad! They're the princess's personal guards!"

"In his arms—he's holding the Nanami Kingdom's princess in his arms!"

The Nanami Kingdom's princess? Capturing or killing her would be a tremendous achievement.

"He's getting on a ship! Don't let him board!"

The Six-Gold Kingdom soldiers quickly organized and launched an assault on the bear-suited guardian. In close combat they were no match. With one hand gripping the bamboo spear, the guardian sent soldiers flying one after another.

Even so, his other arm still protected the little girl in his embrace, her small pink head visible.

Bang! Bang…

The muskets fired. Two bullets struck the guardian in the back, and a sword slashed into his waist.

Just when others thought he would be taken down, the bear-suited guardian erupted with tremendous strength once more, sweeping aside the soldiers blocking him.

With his spear, he smashed holes into the bottoms of several wooden boats. Then he cut the mooring rope of the last intact boat, leapt aboard with the little girl in his arms, and rapidly sailed out toward the open sea.

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