Chapter 334: The Secret of the Beginning of the World Government!
Brook's ship, already worn and small in stature, was effortlessly absorbed into the Ship of God. With its advanced capabilities, it took only moments for Ryuunosuke's vessel to assimilate an ordinary ship like that.
Not long after, Najenda returned to report to her captain. Brook, who hadn't rested properly in ages, had retreated to his newly assigned cabin and immediately collapsed into a deep sleep—or at least, what counted as sleep for a skeleton.
"Captain," Najenda said hesitantly, "that man... or rather, that skeleton…"
She paused, unsure how to properly address him.
Ryuunosuke glanced over, curious. "What about the bonehead?"
He raised an eyebrow, surprised. Najenda was well-informed; she should know about Brook, the Straw Hat Pirates' musician. Everyone in the crew was familiar with the bounties and reputations of Luffy's crew, especially given their previous interactions.
Still, something about her expression made him curious.
"I don't know... Something about that skeleton gives me a bad feeling," she said calmly but seriously.
Ryuunosuke chuckled. "Brook? He's mostly just a perverted clown. Annoying, sure, but harmless."
Despite his ridiculous personality, Brook was no joke in combat. The power of the Revive-Revive Fruit, combined with his refined swordsmanship, made him more than capable in battle.
"I understand, Captain. We'll be arriving at Alabasta by nightfall," Najenda said, adjusting her tone. "We'll need to replenish supplies once we dock. How long will we be staying?"
"Leave at noon tomorrow," Ryuunosuke replied without hesitation.
—
That evening, the Ship of God arrived at the port of Alabasta.
A massive flag bearing the sigil of the Dragon Hunter Pirates billowed proudly above the harbor. The people in the port turned toward it with reverence, not fear.
Ryuunosuke stood at the railing, looking out at the familiar sight. A rare softness crossed his expression.
He remembered how he'd once used a clever plan to extract the location of Pluton from King Cobra. Yet instead of resisting or retaliating, Cobra had shown nothing but faith—going as far as tying Alabasta's future to the Dragon Hunter Pirates.
Alabasta had once been a loyal ally of the World Government. For Cobra to make such a choice, to abandon everything for a pirate captain… it proved his resolve.
"Najenda, handle the crew's errands," Ryuunosuke said, stepping down from the ship. "I'll be heading out on my own."
And then—he vanished, leaving only a ripple in the air behind.
—
"We've arrived at Alabasta?" Brook stretched, holding a teacup in one hand. "I'd love to take a walk. Maybe do a little dance! Yohohoho!"
He strolled up beside Najenda, who gave him a flat look. She was still trying to wrap her head around where the tea he was drinking was even going.
"We depart at noon tomorrow," she said curtly. "Don't be late."
Without another word, she turned and left to oversee the resupply.
Brook tilted his skull slightly, watching her go. "This crew is... different."
Most pirates would've just plundered what they needed. But the Dragon Hunter Pirates were choosing to purchase supplies legitimately. That alone told him a lot about their code.
He took a sip of his tea—somehow—and wandered into the city, humming to himself.
—
Meanwhile, Ryuunosuke had already arrived at the royal capital.
As he approached the palace gates, every guard who saw him immediately dropped to one knee in reverence.
Without hesitation, he was led into the palace.
The moment Cobra heard that the Dragon Hunter Pirates had arrived, he rushed out to greet them personally—his expression a mixture of respect and nervous anticipation.
"No need for that," Ryuunosuke said calmly, stopping Cobra just as the king prepared to kneel.
"I came to speak with you. Let's talk inside."
The palace guards frowned slightly. To them, it was rude for someone to speak to a king like that. But recalling Cobra's long-standing instructions—never oppose the Dragon Hunter Pirates—they held their tongues.
Inside the great hall, Cobra bowed respectfully. "May I ask what guidance you bring today, my lord?"
Ryuunosuke wasted no time.
"Cobra," he began, "the World Government was founded by twenty royal families, correct? They were said to have formed it together."
Cobra nodded slowly.
"But based on what I've seen… the World Government is not governed by those twenty families anymore. That whole narrative smells like a lie."
Cobra's expression grew solemn.
"You're right," he said. "Our family left Mary Geoise precisely for that reason."
He paused and retrieved a silk-wrapped scroll. "What I'm about to share has been passed down through the generations of the Nefertari line."
He handed the scroll to Ryuunosuke.
The parchment was old, but the writing had been carefully translated into the modern language of the sea. As Ryuunosuke read, his eyes grew sharper.
The scroll revealed a secret history.
In the beginning, the World Government had indeed been formed by twenty powerful royal families. But in truth, three families orchestrated the founding: the Guero, Biro, and Sinabel clans. They manipulated the remaining seventeen into uniting under one banner.
Once the alliance was secured, they appointed five elders—not to represent the families, but to rule absolutely.
The noble families were given impressive titles and ceremonial power, but no real control. When the Nefertari family realized this deception, they withdrew from Mary Geoise and returned to Alabasta.
In doing so, they also smuggled out crucial information about Pluton, one of the ancient weapons. The World Government was enraged, but unable to act. At the time, Alabasta was still a military force to be reckoned with—and they had Pluton's secrets as leverage.
As centuries passed, however, the World Government's fear of Alabasta faded. Eventually, they allowed Crocodile to set up a shadow regime within the kingdom, hoping he would eliminate the last remnants of Alabasta's power.
But Ryuunosuke's intervention had crushed that plan. He'd thwarted Crocodile, reclaimed Pluton's legacy, and shifted the tides of history.
The World Government's fury over Crocodile's failure had been immense. In its aftermath, they tried to erase the embarrassment by targeting another Warlord—Moriah—who was later nearly assassinated under Doflamingo's blade.
It had all been part of a web of manipulation, retribution, and fear.
—
Ryuunosuke rolled up the scroll and stood.
"King Cobra, this is a training manual for Armament Haki," he said, handing the booklet over. "From today forward, all of Alabasta is to begin learning it."
He turned to leave. "If this kingdom is part of my flag… then it must never be weak again."
The manual had been a gift from Silvers Rayleigh, the former first mate of the Pirate King. And now, it would become the cornerstone of Alabasta's rise.
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