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Lost in thought, Jin stepped onto the slave-powered "travelator" of Mary Geoise and was carried slowly forward.
The Holy Land of Mary Geoise was the center of the World Government.
It was the home of the World Nobles, the "Celestial Dragons."
The Land of the Gods.
The city was situated on the Red Line, directly above Fish-Man Island, connecting the Grand Line and the New World.
Anyone wishing to cross had to apply for passage.
Usually, this involved abandoning one's ship, crossing the Red Line, passing through Mary Geoise, and then finding a new ship on the other side.
However, this only applied to individuals and organizations with the permission of the World Government.
Pirates and the like still had to take the more dangerous route through Fish-Man Island.
In a sense, Mary Geoise was the "throat" of the world. To control it was to hold the world's lines of communication by the neck.
The city was built on the clouds, seemingly in a state of perpetual daylight, sacred and majestic.
In the center of the city stood a massive castle: Pangaea Castle.
The offices of the Five Elders, the Commander-in-Chief, Cipher Pol—all were located within its walls.
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The Levely was a three-day event.
The day before the conference, the fifty kings and rulers, escorted by the Marines, began to arrive in Mary Geoise.
To the side of Pangaea Castle was a dedicated residence for the visiting royalty, heavily guarded.
Jin had come alone. If something went wrong, he had his teleportation and his Door-Door Fruit. He could leave at any time.
Bringing an entourage would just be a liability.
Upon hearing of his arrival, Cobra, as well as the kings of Prodence, Kano, and other nations, came to pay him a visit.
The king of the Kano Kingdom, a bald man with a long, two-pronged mustache, a crown, and a red dragon tattoo, introduced himself as Chinjao. He subtly expressed his gratitude for Jin's arms sales and his interest in the steam-powered warships from Water 7.
The Levely was also a platform for diplomatic and trade negotiations. The more capable, conscientious kings would visit one another, exchange information, and even promote their own countries' products.
And then there were those like Wapol, who were just there to party.
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Day one of the conference.
The main topic of discussion was the "threat of the Revolutionary Army," proposed by King Thalassa Lucas of the Ilisia Kingdom.
Kuma, Dragon, and others were all brought up. Lucas even went on a tirade, accusing the Marines and Cipher Pol of incompetence.
King Bulldog of the Sorbet Kingdom, and other rulers who had been harassed by the revolutionaries, also expressed their desire to curb their growth.
Jin's intervention had given the Revolutionary Army new ideas. They were now organizing armed uprisings in a number of repressive kingdoms. They were a much greater threat than they had been in the original story.
And it was this change in the Revolutionary Army that had made Jin less conspicuous, giving him the time he needed to develop in peace.
After some discussion, the conference passed the "Revolutionary Army Prohibition Act," officially designating them an illegal organization. A new department, the "Special Anti-Insurgency Task Force," would be established to combat them.
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Day two.
The topic was "piracy."
An old, tired subject.
However, Jin was showered with praise from the other kings. His appointment as a Warlord was hailed as the wisest decision of the past year.
The new Seven Warlords, led by him, were seen as a force capable of rivaling the Four Emperors.
And it was for this reason that after Jin's repulsion of Whitebeard, the Five Elders and the God's Knights had decided not to conscript him just yet, but to maintain the status quo.
They would wait for a suitable replacement to appear, and then bring him into the fold.
For now, Jin had become a key part of the Five Elders' plan, a piece in the delicate balance between the "Seven Warlords, Four Emperors, and the Marines."
He was a clean, praiseworthy figure at a time when Kuma, Dragon, and the others were tarnishing the World Government's image.
Unable to capture the revolutionaries, the Five Elders and the World Government needed Jin's achievements. That's why they had been promoting him so heavily in the newspapers.
That's what a "hero" was.
And that was why Garp had been so reluctant to accept the title. He had seen the shadows behind it.
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Day three.
The topic was "Technology and the Future."
Perhaps the world had reached a certain stage of development, because the various kingdoms were now showing a keen interest in new technologies.
Jin's eyes narrowed.
What was behind the push for technology? Military power.
The fact that the kings present were so interested in technology meant that they were thinking of developing their own independent military forces.
Like the Kano Kingdom's Happo Navy.
In reality, they were the Kano Kingdom's naval force. The World Government just defined them as pirates.
After the Dressrosa incident, the Happo Navy had joined the Straw Hat Grand Fleet. Was that a statement from the Kano Kingdom?
And what about the other kingdoms?
As a king himself, Jin could sense, from this one topic of discussion, that the relationship between the member nations and the World Government was far from harmonious.
The member nations were testing the waters...
Like the ancient feudal lords, questioning the authority of the "Son of Heaven."
How would the World Government respond?
The day after Jin left Mary Geoise, the story was broken by Morgans.
There had been an incident on Punk Hazard.
It was a Marine research base, and it also housed a number of World Government prisoners.
An experiment by Caesar Clown had gone wrong, and a massive amount of corrosive poison gas had been released on the island.
The entire island became a dead zone.
The few prisoners who survived lost all feeling in their lower limbs due to the toxin.
The World Government was furious.
A warrant was issued for Caesar Clown—Bounty: 300 Million Berries!
They also published an article titled "Technological Demon," detailing the dangers of uncontrolled technology from every angle.
Crucially, Caesar Clown—a Devil Fruit user—managed to escape Marine custody!
"Heh..."
Jin chuckled.
So that's how it is.
The Punk Hazard incident was a "nuclear explosion" achieved through the cooperation of various parties, each taking what they needed.
The Five Elders' move was designed to terrify any kingdom thinking of dabbling in "technology."
Poison gas could wipe out an island. It could wipe out a nation.
Who could guarantee that Caesar Clown wouldn't suddenly appear in your kingdom to conduct an experiment and fail again?
Jin recalled the original timeline.
After the next Levely...
Imu would use the "Mother Flame" energy source developed by Vegapunk to power Uranus and obliterate the Lulusia Kingdom.
Was that...
Also a deterrent to the restless member nations?
Eight hundred years ago!
Twenty nations overthrew the Great Kingdom and moved into Mary Geoise.
Eight hundred years later...
Fifty nations overthrowing the evil government and moving into Mary Geoise?
It wasn't impossible.
One day.
When people realized that storming Mary Geoise was easier than kneeling before it...
The city would be filled with golden armor.
Returning to the Winter Blossom Kingdom.
Jin took the Winter Blossom Music and Culture Troupe—consisting of Uta, Brook, and Porche's dance team—on a tour.
First, a domestic tour.
Simultaneously, he inspected the progress of reforms in various regions.
Departing from Hannabal to Drum Island, then Mock Town.
Turning back through Swallow Island, Erumalu, and then entering the Calm Belt.
Inside the Calm Belt, on an island Jin named "Hangu," Kuro and his team had completed the construction of an airport.
Wadatsumi, recruited Fish-Men, Kuja mercenaries, and an air force squadron formed a triple-layered defense for the island.
Over two years, Jin had opened up this trade route between Paradise and the East Blue, driving the economy of the islands along the line.
Goods from Paradise were transported from Hangu Island by airship to the Conomi Islands, then distributed to various countries by the East Blue Trade Association.
The profits were second only to the arms trade.
This attracted the greedy eyes of pirates, but the Kingdom's three naval fleets were no decoration. Coupled with Jin's fearsome reputation...
There hadn't been any major incidents.
From the Conomi Islands to Loguetown. Smoker had been promoted and transferred to G-5 Base as a Vice Admiral.
The new commander was Hibari.
Her adjutant was Tashigi, who had returned from her studies.
The Bounty Hunters Guild, under Galdino's management, was a force second only to the Marines.
From Loguetown, through Reverse Mountain, and into the Grand Line.
He let Brook chat with Crocus and Laboon, reminiscing about the old days.
Then visits to Alabasta, the Land of Fire, Water 7, Sabaody Archipelago, and Amazon Lily.
Arriving at Fish-Man Island in mid-November.
After attending the Sea God Festival, they entered the New World, resupplied at G-5, and headed for Shanks' territory.
Along the way, "Entertainment Weekly" followed their tracks. Wherever they went, countless commoners and nobles lined the streets to welcome them.
"Damn it! Uta, Uta... it's all Uta! My spotlight has been completely stolen!"
Cavendish, who had debuted as the "Gorgeous Supernova" with a bounty of 280 million Berries...
Was currently grinding his teeth in rage.
Since Uta's tour began, the press had forgotten him. Even Brook got more coverage than he did.
He refused to accept it!
"She's just a singer! Why is she more popular than me, the Prince of Beauty?!"
~ 70 Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon!
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