Chapter 1 Awakening
"Wake up." A woman's voice whispered in his ear.
A trickle of cool water flowed down his lips, hydrating his parched throat.
He slowly opened his eyes.
Suddenly, he saw a towering woman kneeling beside his bed, holding a pot in her hand and pouring water into his dry mouth.
He froze for a moment, but then realized that in the world of One Piece, there were many giant humans like her. However, unlike the giants he had seen before, he actually knew this woman in front of him.
Although he couldn't remember her name, he recognized her features and the feminine arm that was extended to him. In his excitement, he flailed and spilled some of the water from her container.
"Empress! Please let me meet Hancock!"
…
"My lord, the man we found on the island has woken up." An Amazonian female warrior bowed her head and reported to the person behind the curtain.
"Why are you bothering me with this?" A sultry voice sounded from behind the curtain, exhibiting a hint of arrogance and impatience. One could sense that saying one more word would be beneath her dignity.
"But he strongly desires to see you..." The Amazonian female warrior hesitated as she spoke.
"What?" A delicate voice tinged with confusion emanated from behind the curtain.
"He seems to know his position well and is familiar with our Island, but he is not very powerful. If the Empress could meet him..." The Amazonian female warrior was an excellent persuader and understood the Empress's thoughts very well. She tried to convince her from the sidelines.
The man's origins were indeed shrouded in mystery. He had drifted from the calm belt to Amazon Lily, and upon seeing him, the Empress had ordered them to help heal him. However, they would exile him after he recovered.
Now, he had uttered the name of this place without hesitation. If he could meet the Empress, he might have a way to enter the Amazon Lily Kingdom directly. This was a huge security risk for their Island.
It would be beneficial if the Empress could engage in a conversation with him and extract his secrets.
In their hearts, no man could resist the Empress's charm, so as long as they met, all his secrets would become the property of the Amazon Lily Kingdom.
"Very well..." The woman behind the curtain softly uttered two words, her curiosity piqued by the man she had rescued through kindness.
…
Surrounded by Amazonian female warriors, the man was clothed only in a waistcloth, his upper body bare, and his long black hair hanging behind him. He surveyed his surroundings silently, like a leopard about to pounce.
The Amazonian female warriors instinctively became alert under his gaze.
But then his gaze softened, as did his muscles.
"Why do I feel a chill down my spine when he is clearly not very strong?" A female Amazonian warrior whispered.
"That's his aura," said Ran, a regular crew member, with a smile. "This guy is no ordinary person."
Barefoot and shirtless, this extraordinary person slowly approached the Empress's bedroom. He surveyed his surroundings carefully but said nothing.
"Oh~?" The woman behind the curtain snorted softly. "You want to see me, man."
"Yes," the man with long black hair replied in a low voice, sitting cross-legged on the ground.
"You...are you a warlord now, Boa Hancock?" he asked.
"You're very daring. Since when do you get to question the Empress?" A bare, slender jade foot extended from behind the curtain, followed by a white, jade-like foot that dazzled the eye. Finally, a stunning beauty emerged from
She had a proud look on her face, with beautiful black hair like silk flowing down her back, and two snake-shaped earrings hanging from her ears. Her handsome face was as cold as ice, with a murderous intent.
Clearly, as the Empress, she couldn't accept being questioned by a random man like this.
"We don't need to be so fake, do we? You and I both know each other's backgrounds. We're both wanderers in this world. You saved me, and I'm grateful. Now, I want to help you." The man tied his hair into a ponytail and turned his body around. On his not-so-thick back, a large footprint of a heavenly dragon appeared in front of the Empress.
The Amazon warrior standing by the curtain showed a surprised expression. She didn't expect this man to be a slave of the celestial dragons!
She took a peek at the Empress, but the Empress was facing the man directly, and her expression couldn't be seen by anyone.
She remained silent for a while, then suddenly spoke coldly, "All of you, leave."
The Amazon warriors around her were surprised. Although they didn't think this weak human could threaten the Empress, they hesitated just in case.
One clever Amazon warrior asked, "Should we call Lady Sandersonia and Lady Marigold?"
"No, you don't need to. Get out!" In the Amazon kingdom, she was the real Emperor, and her scolding made all the Amazon warriors bow their heads and slowly leave.
"You should know that using this kind of thing to anger me can lead to deaths." She had a grim look on her face, emitting a terrible pressure. But she still gave this man a chance to speak.
"I guess you don't know about the Seven Warlords yet." The man put down his hair, covering the celestial dragon footprint that made everyone in this world tremble.
"What are the Seven Warlords?" The Empress frowned, not liking this man's tone. Obviously, this man knew something she didn't, but he spoke with a certain mystery and looked down on her from a certain height.
"Sorry, sorry..." For some reason, the black-haired man seemed to relax completely. He wore a gentle smile on his face and seemed like a different person, with none of the previous aggression or hostility.
"If you don't mind, let me start from the beginning. This is a slightly long story," he said amiably, no longer showing any sharpness or anger.
"I am a petit-bourgeois. Do you know what that is?" he asked.
"It's someone who lives a life of abundance, eating and drinking without worry, doing some easy work every day, and then reading the news and complaining about the government or things they're dissatisfied with, ranting and whining without any real problems. They neither exploit others nor are exploited by others, only enjoying their rich material possessions and time, squandering things that others dream of having," he explained.
His words left the Empress a little puzzled, but when she thought of the wealthy life of the people in the Sabaody Archipelago, she began to understand. There was indeed a group of people in this world who lived like this, and perhaps even the officials of the World Government and their families in Mary Geoise also lived such a life.
"Then, I caught the attention of the Celestial Dragons," the man sitting on the ground said as he casually pulled out a mat from the bed and placed it under his buttocks to get off the cold floor. His casual actions made the Empress frown slightly.
But as she leaned back, a large pink-striped snake suddenly slithered out from behind the curtains, forming itself into a sofa for the Empress to sit on comfortably.
The man's eyes widened in surprise. He had recognized the snake from the manga, but he never expected it to be so large and fast, almost twice the length of his body. The combat power of this world was even stronger than he had imagined.
"As fellow slaves, you should know that some slaves can earn their master's favor, like me and maybe you," he said with a chuckle.
The Empress's expression became icy. For her, being a slave was like a thorn in her side, something that must never be exposed. But this man seemed to have thrown caution to the wind and spoke freely without any reservation.
Perhaps because they were both slaves, or perhaps because there were only two people here, the Empress didn't say anything. She just listened quietly to the man's words, and in her heart, there might still be some resonance, a resonance between two fellow sufferers in hell.
Although she never confided in anyone, her feelings were real and came out through the mouth of this man.
"So, we have slightly better treatment than other slaves."
"We have a bit more freedom."
"This 'slight' difference has given me many opportunities."
"I dare not eat a Devil Fruit because it is too easy to be restrained. Not only will I be paralyzed by seastone, but I will also have no way to escape when it's critical."
"I obediently play the role of a favorite courtier. Sometimes, I even think that maybe it's not bad to continue like this. Compared to ordinary people in the Four Blues, I don't have to worry about the threat of pirates or the corruption of the navy. I don't even need to train my strength, which is already weak. Indeed, it's better than most people in this world. It seems not bad to continue like this."
The Empress sneered disdainfully. Although she was the most beautiful among the slaves, she had two sisters who were not as attractive, so she knew all too well what happened to slaves who were not favored by their masters. If it weren't for her protection and pleading, her two sisters would have been abandoned and separated by the Celestial Dragons long ago.
However, this kind of favoritism was too elusive, and the Celestial Dragons were like children, with even shorter attention spans than ordinary children. The Empress was initially valued by the Celestial Dragons because of her cuteness, but they soon got tired of her. To entertain themselves, they brought three Devil Fruits and made them eat them.
Then, they quickly got tired of her again...
His thoughts were incredibly naive and pitiful, just a form of self-deception in hell.
As expected...
"But because of something, I lost their trust... and then..." A painful expression appeared on his face, and the veins on the back of his hand bulged, obviously not a happy memory.
The Empress did not take pleasure in his misfortune, for she also remembered her own experiences. Wasn't she happy when she was first favored? But after being rejected, she was treated like a piece of garbage and discarded.
His pain disappeared in an instant, leaving a deep impression. More importantly, it shattered his foolish illusion and made him resolute and ready to fight.
"Then, I escaped and somehow drifted to this island, where I met you." He looked up at the Empress, his eyes filled with passion. Unlike the other lowly men who lusted after her body and were petrified by her beauty, there was something different in this man's gaze.
"What are the Seven Warlords?" The Empress remained silent for a moment before suddenly asking.
"The Seven Warlords are a system that I overheard during a conversations with the Celestial Dragons and the World Government," the man with black long hair smiled at her.
"Since the death of the Pirate King, Roger, the World Government has been unable to suppress the increasing number of pirates. Therefore, they came up with the idea of recruiting powerful pirates to work for them as their enforcers and lapdogs. They let pirates fight pirates, it's their strategy," the black-haired man said, causing the Empress to scoff. "Who would work as lapdogs for the World Government? Are they out of their minds?"
"But what if they offer to waive the bounty, legalize piracy, and ensure that your territory won't be attacked by the Navy?" He supported himself on his knee and extended his fingers. Just these few points made the Empress's face change slowly.
"So what? My country is in the Calm Belt. Do they think I am afraid of the Navy's attack?" She held her chest and revealed a large piece of skin like white jade, showing her disdain for the Navy.
"But what if the World Government has developed ships that can sail in the Calm Belt?" The man extended his fourth finger, and the smile on his face grew stronger. After leaving the Celestial Dragons, the taste of freedom was truly addictive. More importantly, he could act recklessly and take advantage of many information advantages. For example, dealing with the Empress in front of him.
She frowned and fell silent, evidently realizing that the Calm Belt was the Kuja Pirates' lifeline. Once the Navy had ships that could cross the Calm Belt, the pressure on the Kuja pirates Island would increase significantly. Their Kingdom would have to choose between submission or death.
There was no third option.
"That's an extremely dangerous thing." Suddenly, an old and hoarse voice came from behind, startling the man.
He thought he and the empress were the only ones in the room, so he had been relaxed and chatting with her, as she didn't need to maintain the Amazon Empress's dignity and authority. However, if someone else were present, he would have to show respect for the empress's position in front of outsiders.
It wasn't that he respected the emperor's position, but as an upper-class ruler, one must have that respect and authority to be obeyed. If you didn't help maintain the position of the ruler, then they would "maintain" you, which was something he had learned while being around the Celestial Dragons.
He turned around and looked at the thin old lady who had appeared in the bedroom he didn't know when. He didn't show any disrespect towards her. He knew this old lady; she was the previous emperor of the Amazon Lilies, who had brought the empress's three sisters back from Fisher Tiger's hands to the Amazon Lilies, and was also an important figure who had raised the empress. Although she had now retired to the third line, she was the most indispensable person in the entire Amazon Lily Kingdom.
She leaned on her cane, slowly came to the two of them, who were sitting, and looked at the young man, asking, "But what makes me curious is how you know about these secrets?"
"As far as I know, a slave cannot have access to these things." She looked at the young man and asked, "Who are you?!"
"I'm Leo." He stretched lazily and stood up from the cushion. Suddenly, his whole demeanor changed. He stood up straight and became elegant and refined, bowing to the old lady who was less than 1.5 meters tall, "I was the steward of the Camael Saint Family, one of the twenty families of the Celestial Dragons."
He looked polite and well-mannered, and his whole being was full of spirit, completely different from his previous lazy appearance. Obviously, he was just pretending, and this disguise may be the reason why he was able to return alive from the Celestial Dragons and even gain their favor.
"Because I was too weak, the Camael Saint Family trusted me. Because the Kamal Saint Family trusted me too much, I almost took over all their business. So I know almost all the secrets of the Celestail Dragons and the World Government. If you haven't become one of the warlords yet, then what happens next will confirm my guess."
He shrugged, showing his other side, and then relaxed again, but his credibility had greatly increased.
"So, ma'am, what's your name?" He lowered his head and asked the former former former Amazon queen, who was less than 1.5 meters tall.
He recognized her, but he couldn't quite remember her name.
"Gloriosa." She gave him a stern look, admitting that he was actually quite valuable, though ignorant pirates didn't realize it. However, intelligent and perceptive pirates recognized the value of information, such as when to evade the Navy or where to find large amounts of treasure. This is why the World Economic News Agency was so popular worldwide it was a necessity for pirates.
And now, a man who served as a butler in the Celestial Dragon family, knowing countless secrets of the World Government and Celestial Dragons, had appeared before them. There was no way they could let him leave easily.
No, judging by his demeanor, it seemed that he had no intention of leaving either.
"What is your goal?" Gloriosa, the short old lady, asked him one word at a time.
This was the core of the issue.
He may not directly tell them his goals, but his answer could reveal some clues.
"The heads of the Celestial Dragons."
"The dissolution of the World Government."
"The collapse of the Navy."
"And, the establishment of a new country." He held up four fingers and looked at Gloriosa, but his gaze pierced through her and focused on the highest leader of Amazon Lily, one of the future Seven Warlords of the Sea, the Pirate Empress, Boa Hancock.
"Other than that, I have nothing else to ask for. " He closed his eyes gently, breathed out a sigh of relief, and slowly relaxed.
After ten years of keeping his desires buried deep in his heart, he finally let it all out. He couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
"Do you also want to be the Pirate King!" Gloriosa was surprised and asked. She didn't expect that the man in front of her, a slave, had such ambition.
"Pirate King?" Leo was stunned for a moment, then burst out laughing.
"Hahaha..." He held his stomach, gasping for breath, tears streaming down his face. It was as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world. He laughed for a full 20 seconds before collapsing onto the ground, completely exhausted.
He got up, wiped away his tears, and sat on the mat, looking at Gloriosa. "How did you come up with such a ridiculous idea? Wealth, freedom, status, adventure... the position of Pirate King represents many things, but not power."
He raised a finger and said, "There is only one thing that represents power, and that is the World Government."
"To be more precise, it is the people who control the World Government!"
"The Pirate King never represents power. Before becoming the Pirate King, Roger was chased around the world by the Navy hero, Garp. After becoming the Pirate King, he was publicly executed by the Navy. After his death, his wife had to carry his child for 20 months before giving birth. What power did he have? Other than leaving behind a chaotic world, he didn't leave anything to this world. What's the use of being the Pirate King?" he asked, sneering.
The Empress and Gloriosa were stunned by the madman's words. Gloriosa couldn't help but sneer and mock, "So, you want to overthrow a country?"
She wasn't talking about countries like Amazon Lily, which lived in isolation from the world. She was talking about countries that were members of the World Government, who paid heavenly tribute and had the right to speak and vote at the World Conference, which was very important.
Countries like the Dressrosa Kingdom, which would be taken over by Doflamingo, and the Alabasta Kingdom, which would have been taken over by Crocodile, were all members of the World Government. Once they took over the kingdom and received the recognition of the World Government, they would be able to wash themselves clean and have a say in the World Government.
Perhaps this was the ultimate way for pirates to wash themselves clean.
But when Leo heard Gloriosa's words, he snorted disdainfully and laughed.
(Chapter End)