To what extent do the Celestial Dragons display arrogance toward those of the lower world?
Even Ginny, a captain of the Revolutionary Army, after being captured, was neither executed nor imprisoned in Impel Down. Instead, she was taken to Mary Geoise and reduced to a slave of the Celestial Dragons.
She was even forced to bear a child for one of them.
From this alone, it is clear that the World Government shows absolutely no tolerance toward those who dare challenge its authority.
However, once the challenger is defeated, the Government rarely concerns itself with their ultimate fate.
In the eyes of the Gorosei, once an opponent has been crushed, the matter is concluded.
Olvia's case is similar.
Researching the Poneglyphs is indeed a grave taboo for the World Government.
But their true focus lies on the collective scholars of Ohara, not on a single wandering archaeologist.
Unless one is a central figure like Dr. Clover, few would attract sustained attention.
Even if the matter were exposed in the future, it would hardly affect Black.
The Gorosei would merely assume that he fancied the woman and wished to keep another slave.
The reason Aramaki was instructed to act discreetly was simply to avoid unnecessary complications.
That said, the person Robin had been closest to was actually Dr. Clover.
As for her mother, Olvia, Robin's attachment stemmed more from childhood longing than genuine closeness.
But there was no helping it.
Dr. Clover and Olvia were not criminals of equal standing in the Government's records.
Besides, he was an old man why would Black trouble himself over that?
A blatant double standard.
Black only needed to retrieve Olvia and offer Robin an explanation.
The rest, Robin would rationalize on her own.
For instance, that it had been the World Government's order, and he had done what he could.
When Aramaki departed this time, he was well prepared.
Among other things, he carried a white Den Den Mushi to prevent interception, reserved exclusively for communication with Black.
This voyage would not be brief.
"I hope your loyalty remains unchanged…"
Black's gaze deepened.
Over the past half month, Aramaki had indulged in the luxuries of Mary Geoise without making any suspicious contact with Government officials.
At least for now, his loyalty appeared stable.
As time passed, the chaos across the seas gradually subsided.
Many minor pirate crews finally realized that even if the Fleet Admiral had once fallen unconscious in battle, the Marines were still an insurmountable force.
For three consecutive months, the newspapers reported the arrest of notorious pirates almost daily.
Particularly active were Sakazuki and Kuzan the two future Admirals.
As for Borsalino?
When had he ever been enthusiastic about work?
Sakazuki and Kuzan traversed the seas relentlessly, either eliminating pirates outright or consigning them to Impel Down.
Within three months, the two had captured hundreds of pirates, large and small.
The combined bounties of those apprehended approached a staggering ten billion Berries.
For a time, the pirate world trembled.
Most crews chose to lie low.
Only the true great pirates of the New World remained indifferent.
In their eyes, Sakazuki and Kuzan were merely promising rising stars.
The great pirates possessed established territories, and their priorities lay in competing against other giants nearby.
So long as the Marines did not launch a full-scale campaign into the New World, those who would one day be called Emperors had no intention of provoking them.
South Blue.
Baterilla Island.
This quiet island where Black had once set foot welcomed an unexpected visitor.
Nearly three meters tall, broad-shouldered, draped in a Marine cloak emblazoned with justice.
Monkey D. Garp.
He moved with clear purpose, stopping before a modest courtyard overtaken by weeds.
The place seemed long abandoned.
Garp pushed the door open and entered.
With the help of a neighbor, Portgas D. Rouge had delivered her child.
But the prolonged pregnancy and grueling labor had drained her life force to its limit.
The neighbor froze upon seeing Garp's Marine cloak.
In recent months, Marines and Cipher Pol agents had scoured South Blue, arresting women suspected of bearing the Pirate King's child.
Rouge had survived only with her assistance.
Now that a Vice Admiral stood before them, she feared her fate for concealing the truth.
As panic clouded her thoughts, Rouge's frail voice sounded.
"Sharon… please… step outside. I have words… for Vice Admiral Garp…"
Sharon glanced at Garp's heavy expression, then at Rouge whose life flickered like a dying flame.
"Rouge… take care."
She hurried out.
Rouge struggled upright despite her fading breath.
"Vice Admiral Garp… you came."
"This child… his name is Ace."
Within Garp's eyes churned anger toward Roger, sorrow for Rouge's sacrifice, and the firm resolve of a man honoring a promise.
He crouched down.
His large, calloused hand hovered over the swaddled infant before gently resting there.
His voice was hoarse, fists clenched tight.
"That damned Roger! Throwing this burden onto me!"
Rouge smiled faintly.
"You and Roger… understood each other better than anyone. At the end, he said… 'Please let this child see the sea.'"
"See what sea?! His father was the Pirate King! The whole world will hunt him! Why should this old man raise him?!"
Garp rose angrily, then sank back down, teeth grinding.
"This old man will make him a fine Marine! He'll capture scoundrels like Roger!"
Rouge suddenly grasped his sleeve, her eyes shining with a final spark.
"Because… you and he… are both bearers of the Will of D…"
Garp lifted Ace carefully into his arms.
His movements were awkward, yet gentle.
Silence lingered before he burst into laughter.
"Ha! I don't believe in any cursed will."
"But… this brat really does resemble Roger…"
"Thank you… Vice Admiral Garp…"
With those final words, Rouge closed her eyes in peace.
If Black had heard this exchange, he would have scoffed.
Though Garp dismissed it aloud, he had already accepted the idea of the Will of D in his heart.
The so-called Will of D.
The inherited missions.
The remnants of Lunarians.
The faith of the Buccaneers.
In Black's view, these were nothing but embellishments devices layered upon bloodline destiny.
In this world, if one's ancestors had not produced monsters of power, one's fate would resemble that of countless nameless pirates crushed beneath Kaido's club.
This was a world where overwhelming strength belonged to the individual.
No matter how desperately ordinary people struggled, they could not rival a genius born with supreme talent.
If one was not born with Conqueror's Haki, then one simply did not possess it.
As Haoshoku grew increasingly decisive among top tiers, those without it were fated never to stand at the summit.
Fortunately, Black possessed the System.
Ability cards allowed him to forcibly raise a person's ceiling.
Just as he had done with Koala.
Her physical attributes already rivaled those of a seasoned pirate captain.
As he continued strengthening her, Admiral-level combat power would not be an impossible dream.
When Nika and Imu's destined conflict reached its end
Black would trample every so-called bloodline destiny into the dust.