At the Shrine of God, the atmosphere was heavy with nostalgia and the weight of history.
Krieg sat across from Gan Fall, the two of them sharing a moment of quiet reflection as Krieg finished explaining the fate of a man they both knew—though in very different ways.
「There is a title in the Blue Sea known as the 'Pirate King'... and because he claimed it, the World Government—the ruling body of the Blue Sea—didn't take kindly to him. They did... this,」 Krieg said, repeating the sharp chopping motion against his neck.
「...I see. So, he has passed away,」 Gan Fall sighed deeply, leaning back into his stone throne.
「The name 'Pirate King' carries a heavy burden. For every person who admires it, there is another who views it as a threat.
He reached the final island, Laugh Tale, and by doing so, he learned things the World Government believes should never be known.
Even though he turned himself in, they executed him without hesitation.」
Krieg paused, watching the old knight's reaction. 「But his death changed everything. With his final words on the scaffold, he ignited the 'Great Pirate Era.' Now, the Blue Sea is crawling with pirates more than ever before.」
「To think Roger is gone... it is a great shame. He was a man of rare spirit,」 Gan Fall murmured. 「But if the Blue Sea is in such upheaval, does that mean we should expect more visitors to these clouds?」
「Honestly? It's unlikely. Most people in the Blue Sea think Skypiea is nothing more than a fairy tale. The existence of this place is a secret to all but a few.」
「Hmph. That is a pity... I had hoped that, in the future, more pleasant pirates like Roger might find their way here. I would have welcomed them gladly.」
「They'll come eventually,」 Krieg said with a faint, knowing smile. I know for a fact a certain rubber boy will be here in a few years, he thought. 「A pirate who meets your expectations will show up. You just have to wait.」
A Gift from the God
「Well, then. I shall look forward to that day,」 Gan Fall said, his expression softening. 「On another note, Krieg-dono, you mentioned you were searching for Dials, did you not?」
「Yes. Though there were several types we couldn't find in the shops.」
「Then... you there! Bring some Dials from the treasury!」 Gan Fall commanded one of the Divine Squad members standing nearby.
「Are you sure? This is quite the windfall for us, but...」 Krieg started.
「Think nothing of it. Consider it a thank-you for humoring an old man's stories.」
A moment later, a guard placed a heavy, clinking sack onto the table.
「I have prepared several of each variety,」 the guard reported.
「Excellent work. Well, Krieg-dono? Will you accept them?」
Gan Fall's smile was genuine. Krieg returned the gesture and accepted the sack. Given that their earlier shopping spree had only yielded a handful of common types, this "diplomatic gift" was exactly what the Vanguard Unit needed to finalize their equipment upgrades.
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