NOVEL WEB Chapter 60: Aramaki in Prison
During the days when the Goa Kingdom was digesting its massive gains and Kael was living lavishly, Kael established a temporary numbered expeditionary army within the Royal Guard. Operating under the name of the Goa Kingdom, but effectively acting as the Marines, this force swept through the East Blue, eradicating pirates and spreading the fame of the Goa Kingdom.
Pirate groups that the 16th Marine Branch couldn't handle were cleared out by the Goa Kingdom. The four meritorious barons—Eric, Van Augur, Zoro, and Saga—were all dispatched by Kael to enhance their strength and reputation.
Meanwhile, the three barons—Bartolomeo, Desire, and Gambia—led Iron Bear (Bear King) and Jango back to Loguetown to continue their journey of unifying the underworld. Eldoraggo, the Sound Wave Baron, got along even better with Bartolomeo. He did not join Eric and the others in sweeping out pirates, but instead went with Bartolomeo and his group to subdue gangster forces.
In his eyes, unifying the East Blue's underworld was more challenging than annihilating those weakling pirate groups. After all, the more famous pirate groups in the East Blue, such as the Arlong Pirates, the Krieg Pirates, and the Black Cat Pirates, had already been dealt with.
Eldoraggo himself and Bear King of the Trump Pirates had both been brought under the Goa Kingdom's command. The remaining pirate groups truly had few bounty targets worth noting.
As soon as the Goa Kingdom's expeditionary army was deployed, it immediately won unanimous praise from the various Allied Nations of the East Blue. After all, these Marine Branches in the East Blue were indeed a bit useless. Due to the Marines' jurisdiction system and the lack of cooperation among the various branches, many pirate groups moved between different kingdoms and Marine jurisdictions, resulting in a low capture rate.
Most importantly, if the highest-ranking officers of these Marine Branches became corrupt parasites and local tyrants, just eating without working, even the kings of the Allied Nations were helpless. Now, this expeditionary force of the East Blue Overlord, the Goa Kingdom, disregarded national borders and Marine jurisdictions, sailing freely across the East Blue, relentlessly pursuing pirate groups, and their efficiency soared.
With excellent warships and Nami, the navigator, also accompanying them, the pirates of the East Blue were suddenly sent scattering like wild boars and wolves, clutching their heads and scurrying away. Some hid, while others were forced to prematurely rush into the dangerous pirate graveyard, the Grand Line.
The peaceful environment of the East Blue became even more peaceful, and commercial exchanges grew increasingly busy. Buggy the Clown's pirate group, which had been roaming the Glass Kingdom, was also so frightened by the Goa Kingdom's expeditionary army that they didn't know where to hide.
After all, with the downfall of East Blue "great pirates" like Arlong and Krieg, Buggy the Clown had unexpectedly become the "strongest pirate" with the highest bounty in the East Blue. This attracted waves of defeated pirates to join him. Buggy's luck was such that even when he just lay flat, some inexplicable titles would fall upon him.
Kael, who had been enjoying himself for nearly a month, while doting on his three women, completed the initial control of the Germa Kingdom and forged friendly alliances with the various Allied Nations of the East Blue, completely stabilizing the situation in the East Blue.
Kael personally engaged in friendly communication via Transponder Snail, reducing the fear and vigilance of the kings of the Allied Nations towards the Goa Kingdom. There were even a dozen Allied Nations that wanted to send their princesses to Kael, whether to become empresses or concubines, it didn't matter. All they wanted was peace of mind.
Kael felt a strong sense of familiarity when he recalled the scene of those Transponder Snail calls. 'Respected Emperor, do you still need concubines? As long as you give the word, I will immediately send the princess over.'
In response, Kael could only reply like Old Xu, 'Then send her over.' He then added, 'She must be beautiful.'
It was merely a political marriage; Kael was also trying to put these kings at ease. Truly, he really didn't have a hobby for collecting beautiful princesses. Even if he were to marry a princess, wasn't there Princess Vivi of the great nation Alabasta and the mermaid princess Shirahoshi of the Ryugu Kingdom? As for these Allied Nations princesses, hehe... let's not talk about them...
And so, a dozen Allied Nations, in a great hurry, sent their kingdom princesses and lavish dowries to the Goa Imperial Capital. They didn't even ask for a grand concubine-acceptance ceremony like those for the Germa Princess and the Dressrosa Princess. As long as Kael accepted these princesses and completed the alliance, it would be enough. Then these kings could sleep peacefully and enjoy life, and even boast about Kael, the East Blue Overlord, as their "son-in-law."
In addition to stabilizing the Allied Nations of the East Blue, Kael also reached a series of collaborations with the Donquixote Family. This primarily involved the procurement of valuable items such as Devil Fruits, famous swords and guns, and rare metals.
Such strategic materials were even scarce in Doflamingo's hands, and he often had to wait for supplies or participate in auctions.
"The situation in the Goa Kingdom and the East Blue is stable. It's time to launch the Four Seas Plan and the Grand Line Plan."
In the Imperial Palace, Kael looked at maps of shipping routes around the world and various intelligence he had purchased from Morgans.
"Taya Kingdom, since you don't recognize talent, then Aramaki, I will take him in."
Kael saw the intelligence about Aramaki's imprisonment in the Taya Kingdom in the South Blue, and a wicked smile appeared on his face. An officer with Admiral-level strength, imprisoned for offending a duke's daughter.
Aramaki, an officer from the Royal Guard, had a certain obedience towards power and nobility ingrained in his thinking. This might be a kind of ideological imprint deeply etched since childhood. This reminded Kael of characters like Leopard Head Lin Chong; unless pushed to the limit, they would never rebel.
Aramaki was a man who constantly strived to climb to a higher position. He inherently desired to become a superior person, to gain higher power and status, and even to trample more "inferior beings" underfoot. If Aramaki had not come from the Royal Guard, influenced by loyalist education and the power system, but rather from a non-Allied Nation or a chaotic place, he would definitely have become an evil great pirate, devouring countless enemies in his path.
Kaido and Bullet, who also came from the military, broke through their fear and obedience towards royalty, nobility, and the World Government, awakened their Conqueror's Haki, and became super great pirates. However, Aramaki and Issho ultimately could not break through that "ideological imprint" in their hearts, possessing a lawful soldier's characteristic.
Aramaki recognized and obeyed the noble and power systems currently in this world. He only wanted to climb to the peak step by step within this system that had been operating for hundreds of years. He did not want to become a pirate reviled by everyone.
Kael was not in a position to despise this kind of obedience to the existing order and lack of resistance. Everyone has their own choices. It was precisely Aramaki's philosophy that gave Kael the opportunity to recruit him.
Otherwise, if Aramaki, currently imprisoned, were to violently break out of the Taya Kingdom and become a great pirate, Kael would not have had the chance to recruit him. From the perspective of the Straw Hat Luffy and his crew, becoming a pirate is cool, free, and unrestrained.
But in this world, the vast majority of people detest pirates and do not want to become these lawless, murderous scoundrels. One should know that Crocodile, a Shichibukai, was able to become a "hero" of the kingdom by eliminating pirates for Alabasta. This shows how unwelcome disorderly pirates are, practically despised by gods and ghosts alike.