"Pirates and Marines, Four Emperors and Marine Admirals, are all necessary for the World Government to rule the world..."
— To many, these words were too extraordinary, reaching a terrifying level!
This was something even those obsessed with conspiracy theories wouldn't easily believe.
Pirates and Marines are both necessary for the World Government?
If that were true, could it be said that pirates and the World Government were in cahoots?
How could that be possible!
If anyone else had said something like this, they would have been ridiculed mercilessly by others.
The messenger thought the same.
But the crucial point was that the one who proposed this idea was none other than Ryan Rowan.
Honestly, compared to the news in newspapers or the widely publicized statements of the World Government, everyone in Alabasta—and even the entire Four Seas Alliance—actually preferred to believe Rowan's words.
The name Ryan Rowan, "Golden Dawn," carried immense weight for the Four Seas Alliance.
It was a name tied to numerous miracles!
But even so, the messenger still couldn't understand why his ancestor would utter such sensational remarks!
…
"The World Government's core objective is to rule the world," Rowan explained slowly.
The phrase "rule the world," while seemingly an exaggeration, was something the World Government had indeed achieved.
"To achieve the goal of ruling the world, the World Government must maintain stability and balance on this sea. This is essential."
"Marines—that is, the justice that represents the World Government's necessity to maintain this sea!"
As Rowan gestured with his finger, the Marine symbol made of sand slowly floated onto a platter.
This platter then ended up on one side of a scale made entirely of sand.
In the very center of the scale was a "sea" simulated with sand.
It was clear that this sand model was made by Rowan to help the messenger understand his words.
Rowan thought for a moment, then suddenly turned to ask the messenger.
"What do you think of the 'Marine'?"
What about the Marines?
What kind of question was that?
The messenger found himself falling further behind Rowan's train of thought. After much deliberation, he could only murmur, "The Marines... I guess most of them are pretty decent people, right?"
As soon as he said this, Rowan's eyes lit up.
It wasn't a simple judgment of "good" Marines or a direct condemnation of the Marine system, but rather the statement "most of them are pretty decent people."
In conclusion, this was actually a very accurate assessment.
Because the Marines themselves were not "a person," but a whole made up of countless "people" and "things."
Within such an organization, it wasn't entirely monolithic.
There were many individuals with different personalities, styles of conduct, and methods.
For this reason, it was impossible for outsiders to perfectly evaluate whether the "Marine" as a "force" or "organization" was good or bad.
Never mistake one corner of an iceberg you perceive for the entirety of a matter.
Therefore, Rowan was quite satisfied with the messenger's words.
Whether intentionally or not, at least within the Four Seas Alliance, most people's understanding of the Marines, the World Government, and pirates was actually correct.
With this thought, Rowan continued to ask the messenger.
"Now, let's assume for a moment that the Marines are all made up of the 'good people' you described."
Rowan smiled.
"If there were only justice, what would happen to this sea?"
This question confused the messenger even more.
He instinctively opened his mouth, wanting to say, "That would be wonderful."
Indeed, a sea with only "Marines" and no "pirates" should be perfect in many people's minds.
Wasn't such a peaceful and stable sea desirable?
The messenger initially thought so too.
But then he suddenly remembered that the one asking this question was his ancestor, Ryan Rowan.
Mr. Crocodile—the "Desert Crocodile"—had apparently once said that when answering Ryan Rowan's questions, one should always set aside their first thought, as it was likely to be wrong.
But...
A sea with only Marines and no pirates, were there any downsides to that?
Suddenly, the messenger's gaze fell upon the scale floating on the sand table.
The "sea" in the center of the scale was already showing signs of tipping under the weight of the "Marines" on one side.
The direct cause of this phenomenon was that there was nothing on the other side of the scale to counteract the "power" that the "Marines" were exerting on the sea!
Hmm? Wait a minute...
Power?
The messenger suddenly noticed something.
Whether it was the Marines representing justice on one side of the scale, or the pirates who should have been on the other side, representing "evil," their essence was essentially about exerting a certain degree of power on the scale.
It was only when the power exerted by "justice" and "evil" were similar that the "sea" would truly maintain "balance"!
In other words, both the righteous Marines and the evil pirates served the exact same purpose: to exert a certain degree of "power" on this sea!
Only when the power exerted by both sides on the sea was equal could "balance" truly be achieved!
And what if one side disappeared, allowing the other to develop unchecked?
Whether the power was "good" or "evil," its essence was still power!
If only one force remained, that force would lose its original attribute and become a more pure "force."
This "force" would eventually spiral out of control, bringing terrible disaster to this sea!
…
When the messenger clearly explained his thoughts to Rowan, Rowan nodded with a smile, agreeing with the messenger's reasoning.
"But, ancestor..."
At this moment, the messenger was still utterly confused.
"How does this matter relate to our current problem?"
The current problem was about the war between the Beasts Pirates and the Four Seas Alliance. What did it have to do with "justice" and "evil"?
Rowan slowly explained.
"To maintain the balance of power on the sea, the World Government devises different response strategies for each unforeseen event."
"The World Government knows that the Four Seas Alliance is capable of contending with the Beasts Pirates."
"Yet, the World Government tacitly approved the Marines' actions and allowed them to provide support to the Four Seas Alliance."
"Why?"
This question left the messenger stunned.
He paused, then suddenly thought of a terrifying possibility.
"Could it be that the enemy isn't just the Beasts Pirates?!"
Hearing this, Rowan finally grinned.
He looked very happy, yet his smile was also somewhat grim.
"Who said the Four Seas Alliance is the only 'alliance' on the sea?"
"Pirates... can also form alliances..."
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