After putting away the Den Den Mushi, the Oro Jackson began speeding toward the Marine fleet.
However, Valthior's attention was not on that.
He had been thinking about Roger meeting Dragon.
To be honest, he truly had never expected Dragon to run all the way to Baterilla Island to ask Roger for support.
And more importantly, Roger had actually given it.
According to Roger, he was now one of the sponsors behind Dragon's Freedom Fighters.
What kind of development was that?
The former Pirate King had started funding the Freedom Fighters. Then what did that make the Freedom Fighters?
In a few years…
No, no. Unless some other unexpected influence appeared, the Ohara incident would soon draw Dragon's attention, wouldn't it?
Right now, Valthior believed Ohara should not end up as tragic as it had in the original story.
But reality was reality, and propaganda was propaganda.
He guessed that no matter what the final result here was, in terms of public opinion, Ohara would definitely be declared "destroyed." The World Government would use this chance to set an example for any remaining scholars around the world who might still know how to read ancient texts.
It would warn them not to be so reckless anymore.
If they had not been discovered yet, that counted as their luck. Stop now, and past actions could be ignored. But if they were found later, death would be unavoidable.
Even their homeland would be hit with a Buster Call.
If things really developed like that, then Dragon would probably see a "tragic" Ohara later.
Maybe his Freedom Fighters would follow the same path as in the original story and begin evolving into the Revolutionary Army after the Ohara tragedy.
Then, looking back… one of the biggest financial backers behind the Revolutionary Army would turn out to be Pirate King Roger.
Well, well, well. If the World Government ever found out about this later, Roger would be finished.
During their earlier chat, Valthior had even specifically asked Roger about his health. Based on this time period, if Roger really had some congenital terminal illness in his bloodline, signs of it should have started appearing around now.
But Roger's answer was that he was eating well, sleeping well, and in excellent health. He was even considering having a second child with his wife after the first was born.
Clearly, there was nothing wrong with his body at all.
In other words, the terminal illness from the original story had probably been caused by some external factor during his journey.
That made sense.
The Roger Pirates did not even have a ship's doctor. Even without Valthior's interference, it was only after Roger was diagnosed with a terminal illness that the crew hurriedly went to find Crocus and made him their ship's doctor.
Often, after certain conflicts, everyone simply treated their wounds based on past experience.
Maybe in the original story, Roger had bought some filthy blood from the black market somewhere, poured a few pounds of it into himself, and ended up with a terminal illness. That was not impossible.
With Roger's careless personality, Valthior could completely believe such an accident was possible.
And without the interference of that terminal illness, when Valthior looked at Roger now, he felt that the man seemed to have broken free from his fate.
In the original story, with a terminal illness in his body, Pirate King had been his limit.
Now that he no longer had that problem, the ceiling of Pirate King could no longer restrain him. The man had even started investing in the Revolutionary Army. Perhaps Roger did not understand what that meant now, but he would definitely feel it in the future.
"What are you thinking about?" Spencer asked curiously, looking at the distracted Valthior.
Beside him, Shanks laughed and said, "He must be thinking about little Robin. It has already been almost two and a half years since he saw her."
Only then did Valthior pull his thoughts back. He smiled.
"Yeah. I was thinking about my precious daughter."
Forget it. There was no need to think too much. He would just see how far fate allowed the powerful combination of Roger and Dragon to go.
Thinking about it, it was actually quite interesting.
The future of this sea had already changed completely because of him.
Kaido and Charlotte Linlin had joined forces. Teach might end up seeking out Shiki, that uncle from his own bloodline. Roger had even started becoming Dragon's sponsor.
Surely, the future of this sea would be very interesting.
As their ship drew closer, the Marines naturally noticed them as well.
...
Ohara.
In front of the Tree of Knowledge.
Professor Clover looked solemnly at Vice Admiral Tsuru, the Marine Chief Staff Officer, standing before him.
"Although I expected this day would come sooner or later, I did not think it would come so quickly. Does Mary Geoise no longer need us?" Professor Clover said to Chief Staff Officer Tsuru, his tone somewhat complicated.
"You knew it was a crime punishable by death, yet you still jumped into the fire without hesitation. Professor, that is not something a wise person would do," Tsuru said softly.
"There are too many wise people on this sea. Precisely because of that, it is our turn, the fools, to step forward, is it not?" Professor Clover sighed lightly.
Wise people knew how to protect themselves and weigh benefits against losses.
But if everyone on the sea were wise, many things would never get done.
Fools were often the true force that changed the course of the world.
Tsuru gained something from those words and did not argue with Professor Clover. She simply waited quietly.
Soon, a group of Marine soldiers and CP agents walked out of the Tree of Knowledge. Borsalino, who was leading them, clicked his tongue and said, "The evidence is solid. Beneath the Tree of Knowledge, there is a Poneglyph, along with a large number of rubbings, ancient scripts, and other related criminal evidence."
"Do you have anything else to say, Professor?" Tsuru asked.
"At this point, there is nothing to say…" Professor Clover shook his head. But soon, the corners of his mouth lifted. "Then why have you not acted yet?"
The Marines and CP had arrived together. They immediately sealed off the whole of Ohara, allowed no one to leave, quickly searched the island for scholars, surrounded the Tree of Knowledge, and obtained clear evidence that they had been researching ancient texts.
But from the very beginning, whether it was the Marines or those infamous CP agents, none of them had used violence beyond what was necessary for an investigation.
Professor Clover naturally would not think the World Government was a group that cared about proper conduct.
So he already had an answer in his heart.
The connection from when Valthior had captured him three times, the scholar team's bond with the Roger Pirates in Wano, and Olvia's relationship with Valthior had all taken effect at this moment.
A certain-death situation had found a way out.
"Looks like you are one of the people who knew," Tsuru said, raising her brow.
Beside her, Borsalino was confused.
What are these two talking around? The evidence is solid, and all the suspects are here. Just arrest them and finish the job. At this rate, it is almost time to get off work. I really do not want overtime.
"Saint Valthior and I are old acquaintances," Professor Clover said after hearing Tsuru's words. At last, he confirmed the situation, and the smile on his face became even brighter.
Borsalino keenly caught Valthior's name and looked at Professor Clover curiously.
But before he could ask anything, the CP agents not far away suddenly formed ranks and stood on both sides of the road connecting the village entrance to the Tree of Knowledge.
Immediately afterward, several fireworks burst into the air. A group of attendants from Mary Geoise rolled out a luxurious red velvet carpet from the village entrance all the way to the front of the Tree of Knowledge.
"What is going on?" Borsalino exclaimed.
No matter how he looked at it, some great figure had arrived.
Did Ohara still have such a trump card?
No wonder Professor Clover looked so confident.
Tsuru immediately stepped back behind the Marine soldiers, respectfully lowered her head, and tried to keep her gaze as low as possible.
"Borsalino, it is a Celestial Dragon," she said.
As the Chief Staff Officer of Marine Headquarters, although Tsuru wore the rank of Vice Admiral, in practice, Mary Geoise had granted her treatment equal to an Admiral.
In other words, she also had the privilege of not kneeling.
But Borsalino was only a rising star who had joined the Marines a few years ago. He wore the rank of Rear Admiral and clearly did not have that privilege.
"Lady Olvia and Princess Jaygarcia Nico Robin have arrived!"
A ceremonial officer from Mary Geoise announced their names.
As soon as he spoke, the confused Marines immediately understood what was happening. Together with the CP agents, they all knelt neatly on both sides of the red carpet.
Below officer rank, both knees on the ground.
Above officer rank but below Admiral, anyone without special privilege knelt on one knee.
Borsalino was kneeling on one knee at this moment. He did not dare raise his head to look at the dignity of a Celestial Dragon, but he still asked in shock, "Chief Staff Officer, what is going on?"
"She is Saint Valthior's daughter," Tsuru replied in a low voice.
"Huh?" Borsalino was even more shocked.
Although he was not truly a retainer of the Jaygarcia family, over the years, the Jaygarcia family's influence within the Marines had always watched over him.
Among the Marine higher-ups, many people already saw him as someone loyal to the Jaygarcia family.
Looking at it from that angle, did that not mean…the young lady of the house had arrived?
This really was the young lady's arrival.
Everyone kneel.
At this moment, on the left side of the red carpet, Sengoku followed beside Olvia, half a step behind her. His manner was respectful without seeming servile.
On the right side of the red carpet, Robin was holding her mother's hand. On her other side was Spandine, hunched over with a flattering smile, carefully following her every step as if afraid the little girl might accidentally fall.
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