One Piece: Marine to Warlord to Conqueror

Russ felt like his luck had run out today.

This was the Southern Region of the Michael Kingdom, deep in the East Blue.

While the Michael Kingdom wasn’t big, only having tens of thousands of people, it was still technically part of the World Government.

But ever since the Goa Kingdom in the East Blue pulled that stunt a few years back, that whole ”Purging the Unnecessary” business, and somehow got the Celestial Dragons seal of approval, even being called the most beautiful country in the East Blue... well, it seemed like every other kingdom around here went crazy trying to copy them, all desperate for that same approval.

The Michael Kingdom was no different. After that incident, the nobles and officials were all clamored to emulate Goa Kingdom, to kick out the poor, the ’useless,’ even if they were innocent citizens, just to make the kingdom look prettier and maybe catch the Celestial Dragons eye.

But Russ, the king at the time, had refused.

Yeah, hard to believe looking at his sallow face and ragged clothes now, but he had once sat on the throne of this country.

Because he’d refused the nobles demands back then, and his own younger brother had agreed to them, he was eventually driven out by his brother. He’d led the citizens the kingdom had abandoned, the elderly, the poor, down here to the barren, desolate Southern Region.

In the chaos, his family had been lost, all of them gone except for his young granddaughter who was left to him.

It had shattered his heart, yes, but as a king, he didn’t regret his choice. Maybe it would have made the Michael Kingdom ’clean’ and ’beautiful,’ but how could he, as king, abandon his own people when they’d done nothing wrong? That wasn’t what being a king meant.

The only thing that still gnawed at him was that, in the end, he still couldn’t protect them all.

Even after being forced out to this forgotten place, he hadn’t given up. He kept leading the abandoned citizens, trying to carve out a life here.

He’d thought maybe, just maybe, even having lost everything, they could somehow scrape by here.

As long as they were together, that was enough.

But he never expected that today...

”Pirates!”

Someone, one of the scavengers, screamed, and everyone whipped their heads toward the shore. Sure enough, there it was, a huge pirate ship with a black panther figurehead.

The Southern Region was right by the sea, a harsh, infertile land where nothing would grow.

It was poor and miserable, barely enough to fill their bellies most days, but under Russ’s guidance, they hadn’t let go of the hope of surviving. They lived here, struggling every step of the way.

They’d thought maybe after losing everything and becoming scavengers, they could finally live in peace. Life was impossibly hard, and they were often hungry, but at least... at least they were still alive, and Russ hadn’t abandoned them.

But who could have foreseen...

Even after falling this low, after becoming scavengers, the sea still wouldn’t leave them alone.

Just as despair was closing in.

”Don’t give up! Everyone, please, don’t give up!” Russ yelled, his voice raw, looking out at the terrified faces. ”The Michael Kingdom must have heard about the pirates approaching! Those nobles are even more scared of getting robbed than we are!”

His voice trembled slightly, trying to inject hope. ”The Marines... the Marines will come soon! Just hold on a little longer! I heard the Marine Base Commander in our waters was just replaced! They say he’s a powerful, righteous Marine! He’d never let pirates get away with attacking his territory! Now, children, hide! Everyone, hide quickly! We just need to hang on!”

Tears blurred his vision as he looked at them.

”We’ve held on for so long... are we going to give up now? Please, everyone... just a little longer! The Marines are coming!”

Rallied by Russ’s words, a flicker of hope ignited in the eyes of the despairing crowd.

”That’s right! Russ gave up everything for us! How can we let him down?!”

”We’re tired, we’re starving, but we’ve endured so much! We can’t abandon Russ and die now!”

”Listen to Russ! Just hold on! Besides,” one of them added with a weak, bitter laugh, ”what do we even have left for them to steal?”

But just as their spirits began to lift.

The massive pirate ship had already docked, and the pirates were pouring off the deck.

”Yo, lookee here! A whole crowd! Not bad, not bad! Quite a few people! And everyone looks like they haven’t eaten their fill, perfect!” A cheerful voice cut through the air, ripping the fragile hope right out of them. ”Grab ’em all!”

Everyone froze, turning to stare at the pirates standing right in front of them.

Their eyes fixed on the burly, bald-headed man at the front, clearly the captain. And what he’d just said...

’Take them away?’

These weren’t just plunderers, they were slavers?! The realization sent a fresh wave of terror surging through the crowd.

”Pi-Pirates...”

”That’s right, we’re pirates! I’m Mock, captain of the Mock Pirates, the East Blue Overlord.”

Mock nodded proudly, then a strange, almost naive smile spread across his face as he looked at the people staring back in fear. ”Don’t be scared! Even though we’re pirates, we won’t hurt you! We’re just here to...”

He scratched his bald head, seeming unsure how to phrase it, then just waved a hand dismissively. ”Ah, forget it! You’ll figure it out! Now quit lollygagging! Get these folks rounded up! C’mon! We’ve got a bigger ship this time! We can take ’em all!”

At Mock’s command, the scavengers, who hadn’t believed his ’don’t be scared’ line for a second, were instantly overwhelmed by panic. But what could a crowd of starving, sallow-faced refugees do against the Mock Pirates?

They couldn’t even run away fast enough.

”Run! Run! Everyone, run!” Russ roared, trying desperately to get them moving, but looking at the chaos, he knew it was too late.

These disgusting slave-trading pirates would never let them go.

His only comfort was that his granddaughter had been hidden away, safe from their clutches. As a former king, even a small one, Russ knew all too well what those high-and-mighty nobles did to slaves.

Watching the horrifying scene unfold, Russ still screamed at everyone to run, pouring all his strength into it, even though there was no hope left. Maybe, just maybe, someone could still escape? He clenched his fists, about to shout again, when-

”Yo, looks like you’re their leader?” The burly pirate strode right up to him and grabbed him like a newborn chick. ”Quickly make ’em stop struggling! This is too much trouble!”

”Bah! Filthy pirate! Never!” Facing the pirate’s demand, Russ spat in his face. ”I’ll die before I bow to you!”

He knew he was as good as dead.

But he wasn’t afraid. His only regret was Lena, his young granddaughter. ’Sorry, Lena,’ he thought, feeling a pang in his chest, ’Grandpa can’t protect you anymore.’

Just as he expected.

”Hey, what’s with the spitting, gramps?” Mock wiped his face, his expression darkening. ”And how long’s it been since you washed? Listen, tell everyone to stop, or don’t blame me for getting rough! You don’t want to get hurt, do ya?”

”...”

Seeing the pirate captain’s face turn scowling after being spat on, threatening him again, a strange calm settled over Russ. He closed his eyes, ready to show this pirate that he would never yield, not even in death.

”Marines! The Marines are here!”

Someone shouted.

Russ, who had already accepted his fate, slowly opened his eyes again. And there it was, a Marine warship slowly approaching the shore. A flicker of excitement, a desperate surge of hope, ignited in him. He whispered, trembling, ”The Marines... they came!”

He’d heard about the new Marine Base Commander, a righteous Marine who hated evil, sent directly from Headquarters. Surely, he would arrest pirates on sight.

They... they still had hope! He raised his head, looked at the pirates who had stopped their work and were watching the approaching ship with serious faces, and a defiant smile touched his lips. ”Filthy pirates! The Marines are here! You’re finished-”

Before he could finish.

The pirate captain, who had looked serious just a moment ago, suddenly seemed to recognize something. The cheerful smile returned to his face. He waved at his crew. ”It’s okay, relax! They’re friends! Get back to work! Round everyone up! Hurry!”

”What?”

’Friends? What in the world...?’ Russ, who had been ecstatic just a second ago, was stunned. A terrifying, unbelievable thought wormed its way into his mind.

This Marine Commander was supposed to be strict on Justice, a righteous Marines.

But no matter how desperately he denied it in his heart...

He watched.

Right there, before his eyes.

The burly pirate captain kept him tucked under his arm and, without the slightest fear of the approaching Marine ship, walked forward with a smile, waving his free hand. ”Yo, Smoker! You made it too!”

They... they actually knew each other? Despairing tears welled up in Russ’s eyes again.

But then.

”Hmph!”

The Marine he thought was colluding snorted, a harsh, disgusted sound. Russ’s body jolted. He raised his head, looking at the Marine’s cold, unimpressed face, and hope surged back into him.

That disgusted look...

That angry expression...

No! Maybe he’d misunderstood! This group of pirates and the ’righteous’ Marine weren’t together!

That look, that expression... they couldn’t be faked.

Just as Russ was clinging to this renewed hope, about to call out for help-

”Still rounding people up?” The cigar-smoking Marine, puffing on two cigars clenched in his mouth, took them out, looked at the pirate captain, and frowned. ”Don’t you already have enough people this time?”

The pirate captain scratched his head with that same cheerful naiveté. ”Ah, well, you know? Too many pirates isn’t good! So the boss told me to grab some more folks if I had time on the way. Saw these guys, figured I’d take ’em back!”

”Be careful with ’em.” The cigar-smoking Marine glanced quickly at the thin old man held under Mock’s arm, a barely perceptible nod, then turned his impatient gaze back to the pirate captain. ”And hurry it up.”

This scene... this moment...

It instantly shattered Russ, who had just dared to hope again. He stared at the sickeningly casual interaction, at the apparent harmony before him, utterly stunned.

’Pirates... and Marines colluding?!’

His body began to tremble again, but this time with a furious, desperate rage. He glared at the Marine, who stood there ignoring the unfolding tragedy, and gathering every ounce of strength he had left, he roared, ”You... you... you damned Marines! You actually collude with pirates?! What happened to ’Justice’?! Are you worthy of word justice on the coat you carry?!”

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