Chapter 416: Reiner: I'm Giving Up Piracy for Business
The next day at noon, the scorching sun hung high in the sky. On the beach, a few sanitation robot dogs were cleaning up the mess left from last night's banquet.
The soft, fine sand was a bit hot to the feet. Looking far out to sea, everything was blurry and distorted, as if even the air was being scorched to the point of evaporation.
In the forest on the beach, the heavy tree shadows, which blocked the sunlight, were intertwined on the ground. Birds chirped on the branches. Under the shade of a tree, a few figures sat around, all of them looking a little troubled.
"But we don't know how long Shanks will be staying in Elbaf. What if they're already gone by the time we get there?"
Luffy scratched his head, looking at Bonney with a troubled expression.
Zoro, with one eye closed, chimed in with a flat expression:
"More importantly, we don't even know Kuma's location. Even if we have time, we have no target or direction to search."
"Then what do we do now?"
Bonney put one hand on her hip, bent over, and looked at Luffy with an angry expression, her other hand pointing at Pudding.
"Didn't you guys say before that by using her ability, we can extract the memories again?"
"That's what we said, but..."
Nami opened her mouth, but was at a loss for words. In the end, she could only lower her head and sigh helplessly.
"Sigh..."
They had already decided on their next destination. They were planning to set off directly today, taking advantage of the good weather, and they could even travel with the Giant Warrior Pirates.
The thought of the people waiting for them on Elbaf made the group a little excited.
But because of Kuma's memories in Luffy's mind, they were now in a situation where they couldn't leave, but also couldn't stay.
Although Pudding could extract the memories and turn them into a physical film, after giving it to Bonney and Vegapunk, they could only save this memory film. They couldn't implant it into Kuma.
It was useless to give it to them. The final step of inserting the memory into Kuma's brain still required Pudding to personally use her ability.
If it didn't take much time, Luffy could still agree to help find Kuma first. But according to Vegapunk, the Revolutionary Army had already taken Kuma away during the Reverie.
And the Revolutionary Army's headquarters had become a floating island that was drifting all over the world because of Sabo's ability. Who the hell knew where to find it?
Vegapunk had also failed to contact Dragon with the Den Den Mushi last night. He had tried various communication methods, but the Revolutionary Army seemed to have suddenly disappeared from this world, and they couldn't be contacted at all.
If they were delayed for too long, Red-Hair's crew would probably not wait for them and would leave. The current situation couldn't help but give them a headache.
"If it really doesn't work, why don't you travel with us for a while, Bonney? After all, to restore Kuma, Pudding needs to be there in person in the end."
Robin turned her head and looked at Bonney, suggesting.
Hearing these words, Sanji's two eyes lit up, and he immediately floated up:
"That's a great idea, Robin-chan! If Miss Bonney is to join the ship, I'll raise both my hands and feet in agreement!"
This time, Bonney also couldn't help but hesitate.
However, Vegapunk shook his head and said:
"Kuma's loss of consciousness is not as simple as just amnesia. It also involves the problem of his previous brain modification."
"Even if we implant the memory now, he won't be able to recover directly. He will still need a lot of treatment afterward."
"But I have no intention of traveling with you."
Vegapunk shrugged and said bluntly, spreading his hands:
"I have more important things to do now, so I'm very sorry."
"What did you say, you bastard!"
Bonney's eyes turned angry. She grabbed the other by the collar.
"What do you mean, you have more important things! Aren't you the one who turned my father into this state?! And now you want to just walk away!"
"Wait a minute, Bonney! Calm down, calm down! Don't use violence!"
Vegapunk, who had been beaten up several times, had a pale face and waved his hands in a panic.
"Can't you use Pudding's serum to create green blood? And replicate the ability of the Memo-Memo Fruit like with the Seraphim?"
At the side, Reiner, who had been quiet for a long time, suddenly spoke. Bonney's and Vegapunk's gazes were drawn over.
Reiner did remember that Kuma, with his memories absorbed, could sense it. In the original story, Kuma had also flown to Egghead because of this.
But now, the Revolutionary Army's headquarters was still drifting somewhere. The time it would take for Kuma to fly over was also uncertain. If it was slow, it would probably take another two days and two nights.
Their current goal was clear. It wasn't good for them to be delayed here. And if Bonney really went with them, they might miss Kuma because of it. It was clearly a better choice to stay with Vegapunk.
Although he didn't know how long it would take to create the green blood, as long as a sample of her serum was left behind, it was only a matter of time before it was made.
"Ah, that's a good idea."
Vegapunk's eyes lit up. He instantly understood Reiner's meaning and turned to Bonney:
"If Miss Pudding doesn't mind, then later, I'll have Lilith take you to the research institute's medical room."
"Mm. I have no problem."
Pudding smiled faintly and nodded.
The others also exchanged a smile.
"Hee hee hee, yosh! Then we'll leave Bonney to you, uncle! This way, we can also set off directly."
Luffy, sitting on the ground, jumped up. The excitement in his eyes was hard to hide. He put his arm around Chopper and Usopp and began to sing cheerfully.
"Elbaf~!"
"Elbaf~!"
A cool sea breeze, like an elf, shuttled through the forest, leisurely passing through the rustling leaves, carrying a hint of the unique fragrance of grass and soil, and making one feel at peace.
Nami, with a gratified smile, turned her head to look at the slender figure at her side:
"What are your plans next, Hancock? Are you going back to Kuja Island?"
"Mm. I have already used the Den Den Mushi to contact Elder Nyon."
Hancock nodded slightly. Her long black hair fell smoothly, draping over her back along her fair neck. The light in her eyes rippled like autumn water.
"After all, I've been away for so long. Sandersonia and the others are probably anxiously searching everywhere."
The thought of her two sisters made her a little worried.
"I see. Although I'd really like to invite you to travel with us, the people of Kuja Island probably need you more right now."
"This is probably the responsibility and the helplessness of being an empress,"
Nami and Robin said with a smile, respectively.
However, hearing these words, Hancock suddenly stood up with a 'swish'. The hem of her qipao slowly fell, covering her beautiful legs, which were like works of art. She raised her head proudly and said:
"I understand. Since it is Miss Nami's and Miss Robin's invitation, then it's decided."
"—Eh?! No, wait, wait!"
Nami's eyes widened in shock. She hurriedly waved her hand with a sheepish smile.
"Is that really okay? Although that's what I was thinking, but your country's situation is not good right now. After all, your Warlord title has already..."
"It doesn't matter. The previous king, and the one before that... they all abandoned their country and went out to sea. Not to mention..."
With that, Hancock shyly lowered her head, cupped her blushing cheeks with both hands, and feigned a charming posture.
"~Even if it's abandoning my country, I will be forgiven by everyone because I am too beautiful~"
"Yes~~ I forgive you, Lady Empress~~" ×2
Sanji and Brook stood out with infatuated expressions, their two eyes turning into pink hearts.
No one paid any attention to them. Robin frowned slightly and asked Hancock:
"By the way, with the abolition of the Warlord system, what will Kuja Island do in the future?"
Kuja Island was not a member nation of the World Government. It was even a country that lived by piracy, relying on plunder to obtain overseas resources.
Because it was located in the Calm Belt, which was a unique geographical advantage, the Marines had been unable to attack it in the past. And later, although Vegapunk had designed the ships to be equipped with Seastone, which allowed them to cross the Calm Belt, Kuja Island had been protected by Hancock's status as a Warlord.
Now that the Warlord system no longer existed, the future days of the Amazon Lily would probably not be easy. Even if the Marines, who had been greatly weakened, could not dispatch troops for a short time, this day would come sooner or later.
Hancock fell silent. She was confident in protecting Kuja Island. After all, the Marines would not dispatch a lineup like this every time they sent troops.
But it was hard to say when she was not there. She couldn't stay on the island all the time. After all, most of the island's supplies were obtained through the Kuja Pirates' plunder at sea.
"Oh right."
Just then, Luffy jumped out and asked curiously:
"Can we lend our flag to Hancock and the others? That's how Ace and his crew protect Fish-Man Island, right?"
"Oh, right! With the protection of a great pirate like a Yonko, no one should dare to easily attack Kuja Island."
Usopp's eyes lit up. He couldn't help but pat Luffy on the shoulder and say with a smile:
"Not bad, Luffy. I didn't expect you to come up with such an idea."
"Hee hee hee! Of course! I'm the captain, after all!"
Luffy put his hands on his hips and grinned proudly.
"But this is not a long-term solution. Kuja Island can't rely on our protection forever."
Reiner couldn't help but remind him.
To protect an island with a Yonko's flag was ultimately temporary. This method might look impressive, but in fact, it did not change the fundamental crisis.
Yonko also die. He had already killed two.
Even himself... who knows what will happen in a dozen or several dozen years?
Kuja Island was located in the Calm Belt. It was limited by transportation and had a hard time trading with the outside world. The local area was also severely lacking in various minerals and processed goods. In the end, it had slowly evolved into a pirate nation that lived by plunder.
Who were their plunder targets? Pirates? Yes. But did they not plunder ordinary merchant ships? How could they not? In fact, the most common plunder target of the Kuja Pirates was merchant ships.
Kuja Island was not short of food. What they lacked were various daily necessities, metals, and processed goods. Only merchant ships would have a sufficient quantity and variety of these things. Defeating ten pirate crews or plundering ten villages was not as profitable as robbing one merchant ship.
And this was the real reason why the Marines wanted to attack Kuja Island.
Regarding this, Reiner would not say anything. He himself was a pirate. Everyone had their own way of survival.
But...
"Amazon Lily is essentially a pirate nation. If it does not get rid of this, it will always be under the threat of the Marines. One day, dozens or hundreds of years later, it may no longer exist."
Reiner's voice was flat as he spoke.
If Kuja Island wanted to change the status quo, it was clear that a flag was meaningless. What they really needed to do was to transform.
The others also understood his meaning. Although they understood the relationship, they couldn't help much. They were all silent.
In the end, they were just a group of pirates.
They could cook, they could heal, they could repair ships, they could navigate, they could read ancient texts... but no one knew how to govern and develop a country.
In this aspect, they were even worse than that piece of trash, Doflamingo.
Hancock looked down at the ground. Reiner's words were completely correct. As the empress of Amazon Lily, she knew the problems Kuja was facing better than anyone.
Unlike other countries, in the end, they only had the name of a country. In fact, they were just a group of pirates or warriors.
And Hancock herself, although she was the empress in name, was essentially just the leader of this group of pirates. She had been leading her subordinates to plunder outside for many years. It was all thanks to Elder Nyon that the country was being governed.
To say she wanted to get rid of the status of a pirate nation... but she had no idea how to do it. Transform into a merchant?
Robin smiled faintly and looked at Reiner:
"Since you've brought up this problem, do you have any ideas?"
"That's right. It was something I was planning to do in the future. Just in time to take this opportunity to talk about it."
Reiner nodded, held up an index finger, and said with a smile:
"I want to do business."
"Eh?"
"Do business?"
"Is Reiner going to be a merchant?"
These words clearly surprised everyone. They all looked over.
"Barely. But I'm not going to be the kind of merchant you usually see. I'm going to set up a large trading company."
Reiner slowly explained his idea to the group.
During his journey, he had discovered that the circulation of various goods in this world was simply too poor.
Sailing was undoubtedly the most important means of transportation in this world. But in this era, piracy was rampant. On the vast seas, the restraints of the Marines and the national armies were almost zero.
The merchant ship business was actually a very high-risk industry. But relatively, their transaction profits were also exaggeratedly large.
The special characteristic of the chaotic magnetic field of the Grand Line meant that even islands that were very close to each other would present extremely different climates. This directly led to the agricultural and pastoral crops that different islands were rich in being completely different.
In addition, the huge differences in living habits would also slowly lead to different outputs of various manufactured goods, and different demands for life-sustaining materials.
The most direct examples were Alabasta and Drum Island.
All kinds of high-quality fruits produced in a desert climate were everywhere locally. But on a winter island, they were simply a luxury.
All kinds of goods unique to Fish-Man Island and Sky Island could be sold at a high price on the sea.
The huge profits were certainly not unseen by anyone. But as mentioned before, in this era, the sea trade was an extremely high-risk industry.
Pirates and bad weather were only the most superficial dangers. In the dark, the various industry monopoly methods of the six emperors of the underworld were even more filthy and disgusting.
But...
"Once the entire route can be opened up, and the trade between various countries can be activated, an astronomical amount of transactions will be generated every day. Even scraping off a little bit of it is an unimaginable huge fortune."
The moment Reiner finished speaking, Nami's two eyes had already turned into the shape of money. She drooled, her expression dazed.
"Huge fortune~~ Hehehe~ Huge fortune~~"
(End of chapter)
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