"Fleet Admiral..."
Kuzan stood at the edge of the deck, his mind still somewhat dazed.
The position of Fleet Admiral was incomparable to that of an Admiral. The entire Marine force would follow the Fleet Admiral's command, granting him an unprecedented level of autonomy.
He knew Gurd wanted to win him over—just like other factions had tried—but he never expected Gurd to offer him such a high-ranking position and authority.
After all, they had once been enemies.
If it were him, he would never grant such status to a former formidable adversary. What if the other party was a Marine spy?
Even if he wasn't a spy, the Marines and Pirates stood on completely opposing sides, their values diametrically opposed.
Why did Gurd trust him so much?
Gurd approached Kuzan and gestured toward the island ahead. "That's the Nation of Labor up ahead. Want to take a look?"
"Sure."
Kuzan gave a slight nod.
The Nation of Labor—the most famous territory under the Beasts' banner. What had once been dozens of scattered, impoverished islands had, in just a few short years, developed into the largest industrial hub in the New World, its scale dwarfing Water 7 by several dozen times.
Now, the Nation of Labor produced goods spanning every industry, renowned for their affordability and quality, nearly monopolizing the New World market.
Even in high-end markets, the Nation of Labor's products held strong competitive power, especially rare items like Meito swords.
Gurd and Aokiji strolled leisurely through the city.
"It's Lord Gurd!"
Upon seeing Gurd, the laborers rushed forward in excitement, greeting him with deep respect and reluctance to leave.
Word spread quickly, and more and more laborers abandoned their work just to catch a glimpse of Gurd, soon clogging the streets.
Time had proven everything. Years of stable living and rapid development had made the laborers acutely aware of who had brought prosperity to their nation.
It was none other than Lord Gurd before them!
Of course, there was also the great "hero" Captain Gabul—but even Captain Gabul revered Lord Gurd, publicly expressing his admiration for him on multiple occasions.
The laborers eagerly asked:
"Lord Gurd, are you here for the Sword Forging Competition?"
"Sword Forging Competition?"
Gurd paused for a moment before recalling.
He had previously ordered the creation of events to enrich the laborers' lives and ignite their creative passion.
Sword forging—something men naturally loved.
Gurd's expression brightened with interest.
"Brother Kuzan, want to check it out?"
"Yare yare, sure."
Kuzan was equally intrigued.
Central Plaza.
"Clang! Clang! Clang!"
On a steel-framed stage, burly laborer-blacksmiths hammered away at sword blanks, their bodies drenched in sweat, muscles glistening under the heat.
Below the stage, a massive crowd had gathered.
The laborers roared with excitement, cheering for their favored contestants.
The scene was like a concert.
Gurd eyed the packed crowd—almost entirely men. If they squeezed in, they'd probably come out smelling like machine oil.
"Too crowded. How about the rooftops?"
"Works for me."
The two climbed onto a rooftop with a clear view.
"Hey, this spot's taken!"
"Wait—Lord Gurd?"
"It really is Lord Gurd!"
The rooftop was also packed with laborers, but upon recognizing Gurd, they quickly made space, even thoughtfully offering two small stools and some beer.
"Thanks."
Surrounded by the enthusiastic men, Gurd and Aokiji awkwardly took their seats.
Gurd looked toward the competition arena.
Most of the participants were laborers, but there were also some outsiders. Among them was one dressed in Wano Country attire, with a flag bearing the name "Uzuki" planted beside him.
To improve their forging skills, many skilled craftsmen from Wano Country had come to the Nation of Labor, teaching the laborers advanced sword-making techniques.
With the aid of industrial machinery, the laborers couldn't yet produce Supreme Grade Swords, but at least Fine Grade Swords could now be mass-produced.
Gurd picked up his beer and clinked glasses with Kuzan.
"Bro Kuzan, what do you think?"
"Honestly, I'm surprised. If I didn't know this place was in the New World, I might have thought I'd arrived at Water 7."
Kuzan answered truthfully.
Not long ago, he had visited Water 7 and experienced the passion of the shipwrights at work—identical to the laborers before him now.
But Water 7 was the world's top shipyard, with an 800-year legacy, having weathered countless ups and downs. Combined with the excellent management of Mayor Iceberg, it had fostered such a remarkable work atmosphere.
Places like Water 7 were rare in the world.
Yet the Nation of Labor had only been established two or three years ago and was still a country ruled by Pirates.
From what he knew, the Nation of Labor should have been a brutal factory of flesh and blood, with countless laborers suffering under Pirate oppression.
Now he was beginning to understand why Gurd was so confident. If all the islands occupied by the Beasts were like this...
Kuzan couldn't suppress his doubts.
"How did you pull this off?"
"Simple. Kill off the elites hoarding vast social wealth, then redistribute some of the benefits to the people—so they can live without hunger or cold and dare to dream of a future!"
Gurd's gaze was icy.
The world was never lacking in resources. The root of chaos lay in the unequal distribution of wealth—the downfall of dynasties always stemmed from this.
The World Government was no exception.
Neither would the Hoenn Government be.
But ruling systems would gradually improve with each dynasty's rise and fall, until they reached the optimal solution—just like Hoenn now!
He wouldn't be like Straw Hat, shouting about creating a world where people could eat their fill, only to end up changing nothing but the ruler.
"..."
Kuzan fell into deep thought.
He only agreed with part of Gurd's words. The elite class had both good and bad—they shouldn't all be killed to solve the problem.
But the idea of redistributing benefits to the people struck him as the real key. Yet, he couldn't quite grasp how to achieve it.
Damn, this was making his brain hurt!
"Bro Kuzan, don't overthink it. Once we reach Hoenn Fortress, you'll naturally understand how we differ from the World Government."
Gurd chuckled.
"I'm pondering a big question!"
"What question?"
Kuzan grew wary. Seeing Gurd's grin, he sensed nothing but mischief—and it was probably about him.
Gurd asked with a smile, "Do you want to fight Akainu?"
"..."
Yes.
Kuzan answered in his heart.
He'd been itching to beat the crap out of Sakazuki for ages!
"I was thinking," Gurd downed his beer in one gulp, his eyes blazing with excitement.
"Right now, Akainu is the Fleet Admiral. And you—you'll become the Fleet Admiral of our Hoenn Navy. Imagine the two of you clashing as Fleet Admirals in the future!"
"What a glorious sight that would be!"
"I bet you'd win—and even break one of Akainu's legs!"
"..."
Kuzan was stunned.
I haven't even agreed to join yet!
But...
The thought was oddly thrilling.
Hah, why did he feel like his blood was boiling?
"Why do you think I'll win?"
"Kuzan, it's only natural!"
Gurd laughed heartily.
"Your strengths are nearly equal. Victory hinges solely on whose conviction is stronger. In that regard, the Hoenn Government's [Justice] is undoubtedly superior to the corrupt World Government!"
"Therefore, you will definitely win!"
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