Words can lie, but Haki cannot!
Seeing Rona's Haki leak out uncontrollably with a clear improvement, Silas immediately confirmed she was not joking.
"You are really planning to defect?"
Silas had reason to doubt. Though in the original timeline Kong would become the next Fleet Admiral, that did not mean Rona had no chance at all.
If Rona could truly become Fleet Admiral, she would be the first female Fleet Admiral in Marine history.
Was Rona really not going to fight for it?
Though Silas did not say it, Rona could roughly guess what he was thinking.
"Hmph, do you think being Admiral is easy? Being ordered around daily aside, the most disgusting part is having to deal with those Celestial Dragons!"
Having decided not to be Admiral anymore, Rona had no reservations and vented her grievances before Silas.
"If it were protecting ordinary citizens, I could accept being tired and suffering, but protecting Celestial Dragons? Forget it."
Thinking of the Celestial Dragons she had encountered, Rona could not help but get goosebumps. Each one looked like they had congenital defects.
Most importantly, they dared fantasize about marrying her?
Though people around had stopped it in time, Rona still remembered that Celestial Dragon's dissatisfied look toward her.
As if marrying a Celestial Dragon would be some great honor for her.
Because of this incident, Rona rarely stayed at Sabaody Archipelago, where Celestial Dragons appeared, and Fleet Admiral Elephant Yama never required her to visit the Holy Land Mariejois.
"Thinking about it now, why did I restrain myself from cutting him down?"
Rona felt her past self was too obsessed. For the sake of capturing Silas, she had ignored everything else. Since abandoning the idea of catching Silas, she wanted to live for herself!
Listening to Rona's words, Silas realized female soldiers in the Marines indeed had it hard reaching high positions. Not only did they have to fight pirates, but after fighting pirates, they had to worry about being targeted by Celestial Dragons.
This was still under the condition that most Celestial Dragons did not leave the Holy Land Mariejois.
Because Rona was Admiral, she could refuse Celestial Dragons.
But what about an ordinary female Marine?
Would the Marines conflict with Celestial Dragons over an ordinary female Marine?
Impossible to imagine.
"If you are willing to cooperate with me, Silas, I can find a way to liberate the slaves of the Holy Land Mariejois. These slaves all bear the Hoof of the Soaring Dragon. To avoid pursuit by CP0 and Marines, they have no choice but to seek your protection."
Rona's proposal was full of temptation.
In fact, before heading to Fish-Man Island, Silas had considered similar things. For the White Wolf Pirates to quickly gain power to oppose the World Government, they had to unite with the World Government's enemies.
So who were the World Government's enemies who would definitely fight them?
The answer was slaves!
Slaves purchased by Celestial Dragons with the "Hoof of the Soaring Dragon" branded on them.
Even if they escaped, they would live under the shadow of World Government pursuit for life.
And the White Wolf Pirates could protect them!
If they only wanted to control territory, the White Wolf Pirates' current strength was sufficient.
Admiral-level Silas.
Five great pirate-level fighters: Roya, Lily, Ed, Rocks, and Ripley.
Including Linlin would make six!
Even the World Government was reluctant to act against them now.
Precisely because the White Wolf Pirates were already strong enough.
But it was not enough!
Silas's ambition went beyond this. He was even willing to expose his possession of Pure Gold to gather more power.
Because he wanted to see whether that throne in the sky was truly so secure!
Liberating the Holy Land Mariejois's slaves would obviously advance this process significantly.
The only question was whether Rona was trustworthy.
Was Rona truly betraying the Marines, or was this all a trap designed for him?
"Forty-two years ago, Avisaro Island."
Rona suddenly mentioned a location, the beginning of the story.
"It was autumn when a group of pirates attacked the village on that island. The nearest Marine base was over a hundred kilometers from the village. The village guards were no match for the cruel pirates."
"At that time, a young adventurer who happened to be stranded on the island took action."
"He fought one against a hundred, giving his all. After the pirates attacked the village, he saved one girl, the only survivor in the entire village!"
As if trying to awaken Silas's memories, Rona looked at him calmly.
"I was that girl!"
Rona was only eight then, but eight years was enough for her to understand what happened that day and the risks the young man took to save her.
Unfortunately, because of her injuries, she fainted right after Silas saved her, unable to tell him her name.
Only later did she learn who had saved her.
White Wolf Silas, an adventurer with considerable strength on the Grand Line.
Silas's "White Wolf" name was not because he ate a White Wolf devil fruit.
He was the White Wolf before eating any devil fruit.
His white hair was natural!
As an adventurer, Silas's actions were similar to bounty hunters.
He often captured wanted pirates.
Moreover, Silas later established an Adventurers' Guild.
Since being saved by Silas, Rona had always followed his activities, even deciding that when she grew up, she would join his guild to become an adventurer too!
Until one day, Silas's Adventurers' Guild disappeared.
In its place appeared the White Wolf Pirates.
Silas's first bounty was 30 million Belly!
That was forty years ago!
Previously, Rona did not understand why Silas would abandon establishing an Adventurers' Guild to form a pirate crew instead.
Now she understood.
This world's roots were already rotten. Reform from the top down was impossible.
Only revolution from the bottom up!
Overthrowing the entire world!
Rona knew she lacked such conviction, so she longed for Silas to bring change, to accomplish what she could not.
There was confusion and disappointment along the way.
But now, Silas had indeed done it, making the entire world take notice of him.
Since that was the case, she did not mind helping Silas.
Rona looked at Silas intently, wanting to hear his reply.
But Silas was thinking of something else.
"Forty-two years ago, you were eight, which means you are fifty now?"
As soon as Silas spoke, Rona's smile disappeared.
"I have changed my mind."
"Just go die!"