Sailing: I Open Treasure Chests in the Pirate World

"I visited the South China Sea a couple of days ago—"

"South China Sea? Wait a minute!"

Aokiji couldn't help but interrupt Ian.

Why did you go to the South China Sea?

"As we flew, we emerged from the doldrums..."

Ian shrugged, and the Den Den Mushi made a "pouting" expression.

"What can I do? I'm desperate too."

Aokiji felt a sudden throbbing in his brain's blood vessels.

This feeling is like stuffing your stomach with ice cubes at midday in the sweltering heat of summer.

A bone-chilling cold shot straight from my stomach to the top of my head, so cold it made my nerves ache.

He had forgotten that the intelligence report from Impel Down had clearly mentioned "Ian Adrian transforming into a dragon and soaring into the sky."

This thing can fly!

Being able to fly is truly amazing!

"Ah la la..."

Aokiji sighed.

"You can continue, I won't interrupt you..."

Followed by.

Ian gave a general account of what had happened in the Kingdom of Sorbe.

"...Simply put, that's how those three warships came about."

At this point, Ian added another sentence.

"If I hadn't arrived in time, these three warships, along with the hundreds of sailors on board, would probably have become stepping stones for the 'tyrant' to make a name for himself."

"By then, the losses at headquarters will be enormous!"

A large warship can cost billions of dollars to build.

Even the large and powerful Navy Headquarters cannot easily withstand this level of property loss.

and so--

Ian is truly a good marine who wholeheartedly protects naval property from external forces!

"The Kingdom of Sorbe..."

Aokiji frowned, recalling a moment.

"I think I've heard of this country before. I've heard that there was a revolution recently, and even the king has been replaced."

"The 'tyrant' you mentioned, isn't that the new king of the Kingdom of Sorbe?"

Ian gave an affirmative answer.

"That's the situation based on what I know."

"Ah la la..."

Upon hearing this, Aokiji couldn't help but rub his head again.

"Ian, do you know?"

"Unless there are very rare circumstances, our navy generally does not interfere in the internal affairs of other countries."

The Navy's duty is to maintain the ruling order of the world government.

Combating pirates roaming the seas is the navy's primary method of maintaining order.

As for the internal problems of the member states of the World Government...

The navy will basically not participate.

Just look at Alabasta and you'll know.

Under the covert manipulation of the Sand Crocodile, a massive civil war involving millions of people broke out in Alabasta.

Three hundred thousand royal troops clash with seven hundred thousand rebel troops.

Even so, the navy surrounding Alabasta did not participate in the country's civil war.

This is still Alabasta under the rule of the Nefertari clan!

Eight hundred years ago, the Nefertari family was one of the twenty royal families that participated in the creation of the World Government!

Even with a massive civil war erupting in Alabasta, the Navy's attitude remains the same.

If other member states of the world government, or even non-member states, were to encounter internal strife...

The navy's attitude was therefore predictable.

"I have no intention of interfering in the internal affairs of other countries."

Ian said seriously.

"However, I can't just ignore something like this, can I?"

"Am I supposed to just stand by and watch three warships and over two thousand sailors die at the hands of a tyrant?"

"I'm not telling you to ignore your colleagues..."

Aokiji scratched his head.

"Forget it, is that tyrant really that powerful? Able to handle three warships?"

"Although I also come from the South China Sea, that's still the open sea..."

“Bartholomew the Great Bear, that is the 'Tyrant's' real name.”

Ian reminded him.

"If you are unfamiliar with this name."

"You must be familiar with the Revolutionary Army's army commander, a user of the Paw-Paw Fruit, right?"

Kumamoto was a key member of the Revolutionary Army.

When Ginny became the commander of the East Navy of the Revolutionary Army, Kuma also became the commander of the army.

"So you're... one of Dragon's subordinates."

Aokiji's tone became much lower.

"Okay, I get it.

"Making contact with the revolutionary army is a very dangerous thing..."

"Forget it, let's not talk about it anymore. I trust your stance."

"Ian, I want those three naval warships."

Ian nodded in satisfaction after hearing Aokiji's words.

Although there are other forces at sea that can take down naval warships.

However, Ian has not yet come into contact with these forces.

The best-case scenario would be if the navy could "recover" the warship.

"General Aokiji".

Ian reminded him.

"Not only the warship, but also the marines on board were captured by me."

"Of course! Of course!"

Aokiji quickly replied.

"These marines too!"

"it is good!"

Ian clapped his hands and laughed.

"Then let's talk about the price!"

"……money?"

Aokiji was stunned and asked incredulously.

You mean...money?

"Yup!"

Ian countered with a question.

"You're not trying to get something for nothing, are you, Admiral Aokiji?"

"Each of these large warships, which are 60 meters long, costs billions of dollars to build."

"As for the marines, I haven't done the statistics yet, but each of them can earn at least two million Berries a year."

"Three ships—no, two warships, and more than two thousand marines. You don't intend to take them for free, do you?"

"Are you a Marine or a pirate?"

It's hard.

Aokiji's fist hardened.

This was the first time his subordinates had questioned his stance.

Ian Adrian, you're completely upside down!

"Ian! You're a member of the Navy! A member of the Sharp Edge Force!"

"I'm heartbroken," Aokiji said.

"How could you... how could you talk to headquarters about something like this, about money?"

"If we don't talk about money, are we supposed to talk about justice or ideals?"

Ian remained silent.

"General, I need to eat too!"

"Since we're colleagues, I can give you a super low discount."

Two large warships and more than 2,000 marines.

If calculated according to "market price"—the market price of warships and "human slaves."

The two combined are worth at least 10 billion peles.

But Ian didn't have that kind of appetite.

He can offer headquarters an incredibly low price—

A billion Berries, that should be no problem, right?

Qing Pheasant was silent.

The ideal of justice was torn to pieces by the pull of reality.

"I need to report this matter to Marshal Zhan Guo."

"no problem!"

Ian readily agreed.

"By the way, Admiral Aokiji, I'm only selling two warships; I need to keep one."

Aokiji asked in confusion, "Why?"

"I'll keep it for myself!"

Ian answered matter-of-factly.

"In addition, the Navy can use this incident as an excuse to set a bounty for me."

Claims like "stealing warships and defecting overseas," or "the biggest stain on the navy"...