The code name “Soryu (Azure Dragon)” was prepared for Dragon, and it was also a concern for Sengoku. To entrust it to him meant that Sengoku had truly let go of the past and started to see Rowen as the backbone of the Marines.
At the same time, the meaning of “Azure” was multifaceted. It represented not only a color, symbolizing the hazy sky before a rain but also boundless and vast, perfectly in line with the atmosphere of thunder and lightning represented by the Goro Goro no Mi (Thunder Thunder Fruit).
Rowen didn’t find it strange that his thunder was described as “Azure” on the eve of the Tempest. However, Dragon was also associated with “Azure”…
“Is it really as rumored?” Rowen pondered in silence.
If Sengoku could give the answer of “Azure,” then Dragon might indeed be the rumored Hurricane-Hurricane Fruit Ability user.
Rowen had understood this long ago. Many unsolved mysteries in the original work were not things he could unravel just by seeking them out. Secrets that couldn’t be shared with others would always remain secrets.
Chaton’s surface information was all fabricated. If he hadn’t truly fought with him, the true identity of the Deceleration Fruit Ability user might have remained hidden for much longer. But Rowen couldn’t pry into such secrets. That would be foolish to an extreme degree.
Dragon was the same. His information was kept sealed by the entire Marine, including Zephyr. It wasn’t a matter of distrust towards Rowen; it was a declaration from the Marine, a decisive break from Dragon’s undying loyalty.
In comparison, Ace and Luffy were fortunate. No matter what they did, Garp would openly show his concern for his grandsons.
The deepest rift was indifference, which was even more chilling than outright anger.
…
Several days later, G-10 Branch.
Becoming an Admiral candidate brought about no changes, and it was business as usual. Despite carrying the title of Admiral candidate, Rowen continued to perform the same tasks. Not too busy, not too idle, everything proceeded in an orderly manner.
In the G-10 Branch, Rowen was indispensable in his role as Dictate. After grand oath ceremonies, Sengoku kicked Rowen back to Jaya Island. There, he continued to supervise the trade between Skypiea and Angel Island.
Regarding Angel Island, with the influence of the Chestnut Heads, the estrangement between Blue Sea Dwellers and White Sea Dwellers was gradually dissipating. As people’s understanding of Angel Island increased, it became rather dull.
They were just a unique race of humans with little wings. In terms of average appearance, they were not even as attractive as the inhabitants of Kuja Island and Fish-Man Island.
In the past, Cricket could occasionally catch slave traders who had risked their lives to come to Angel Island from Seven Stars Island through the perilous White Sea route. Now, they couldn’t even catch a glimpse of slave traders. The allure of Skypieans to the wealthy was diminishing, and the rewards were no longer proportional to the efforts.
However, Angel Island gave birth to another profession.
Shell merchants!
Compared to the no longer mysterious Angel, Blue Sea Dwellers undoubtedly favored Angel Island’s Dials more. Convenient Dials like Heat Dials, Wind Dials, and Sound Dials allowed Blue Sea Dwellers to discover that besides Den Den Mushis, there were such wondrous things in the world.
The flame stored in a single Heat Dial was enough to cook for a whole crew for ten days, unaffected by the environment. When necessary, it could even be used as a weapon by releasing the flames all at once, creating a terrifying torrent of fire.
Therefore, Angel Island’s Dials became a new form of flaunting for Blue Sea Dwellers.
Noble and wealthy individuals took pride in possessing rare Dials, making them as valuable as gemstones, castles, and gold, highly sought after by the people.
Now, the question arose: Dials were goods signed in contracts by Gan Fall and traded with the Marines, protected by the World Government.
At the same time, only the Marines, especially with the presence of the renowned new Vice Admiral candidate Soryu (Azure Dragon) at the G-10 Branch, could transport a large number of Dials down from Angel Island, and the issue of safety was almost non-existent.
Obtaining rare Dials was easier said than done! Great figures could negotiate with the Marines to purchase them. Sengoku regarded Dials as a strategic resource, similar to firearms and artillery, not something indispensable. He was more than willing to exchange them for money.
As for those who couldn’t negotiate with the Marines, aside from theft, there was only one path available…
“Vice Admiral Soryu (Azure Dragon), we need to dispatch more soldiers to maintain order in Angel Island!” Cricket, with a chestnut on his head, found Rowen and spoke wearing a wry smile.
A list of criminals recently captured for smuggling Dials was placed in front of Rowen. What was laughable was that among the apprehended smugglers, only a small portion were pirates and Underground World merchants who dared to reach Angel Island. From the proportions, it wasn’t even one in ten…
It wasn’t one in ten among the smugglers; it was one in ten among all the pirates and merchants combined!
Furthermore, the remaining individuals were all native residents of Angel Island!
“Gan Fall seems to be losing authority, doesn’t he?”
Rowen looked somewhat dumbfounded as he reviewed the information provided by Cricket. He shook his head.
“Human nature is inherently greedy,” He mused.
As the Blue Sea’s understanding of the White Sea deepened, the White Sea also became increasingly familiar with the Blue Sea.
Discovering that even the most common valuable goods here were worth a fortune in the Blue Sea and that the cheapest small Wind Dial could fetch 30,000 Belly, or 300 Million Berries for a lot of them, some residents of Angel Island could no longer contain their inner greed.
They began secretly smuggling shells to trade with Blue Sea Dwellers, all without Gan Fall’s knowledge.
Having not experienced Enel’s brutal rule for four years, Angel Island had its share of daredevils.
Moreover, it was much simpler to descend to the Blue Sea than to ascend to the Sky Island. A single balloon octopus could do the job.
The G-10 Branch couldn’t possibly grant them permission for their smuggling activities. Regardless of Sengoku’s orders, as Rowen’s base of operations, the Marines here received three times the salary of other bases!
There was the subsidy disbursed by the Headquarters according to rank and on time, a portion of the gray income seized after pirate clean-ups that Rowen distributed, and another portion was from the explicit reward and punishment system that the wealthy Rowen generously spread out.
Looking at Marine branches worldwide, you wouldn’t find a place richer per capita than the G-10 Marine Branch.
“Why risk smuggling for a month with you when I can earn more in a month from my allowance alone? I’d have to face the great risk of advancing into City. Are you guys out of your minds?”
So, the G-10 Branch was an absolute no-go zone for smugglers. The reason was simple: they were rich!
Any contraband confiscated by the G-10 Branch was sent back to its country, and Gan Fall would deal with them accordingly.
But there were still many smugglers who weren’t caught!
As long as they descended to the Blue Sea, they could easily find a merchant to sell their goods.
Just a small quantity of shells could allow them to purchase a large estate on an island teeming with Vearth in the Blue Sea. From then on, they could live a worry-free life and had no intention of returning to Sky Island.
Gan Fall’s laborious efforts to transport Vearth to the Sky Island were proving less effective than allowing Angel Island residents to reside in the Blue Sea, and the anticipated hidden dangers of Angel Island Nobles aggressively partitioning land and starting a full-blown war were stifled in their infancy by their own greed.
It was truly a cause for celebration!
However, when Cricket requested reinforcements to maintain order, Rowen flatly refused.
“No, we don’t have the authority to do that.”
“Huh? Why?” Cricket looked at Rowen in confusion. Although the volume of smuggling was negligible compared to the volume of trade with the Marines, this was still a blatant challenge to Marine regulations!
“While I’m also angry at these guys for their greedy behavior, the fact remains…”
Rowen calmly lit his cigar and tossed the information into the trash bin.
“Marine and Angel Island have only signed a trade agreement. Aside from the aircraft port in the White Sea, Marine has no authority over law enforcement.”
“We have countless Allied Kingdom Members and non-members watching us. If we send a large force into Angel Island to maintain order, what do you think will happen?”
Cricket was momentarily stunned. “What would happen?”
Rowen blew out a smoke ring, a smirk playing on his lips.
“It would lead to a war!”
Cricket shivered, suddenly understanding what Rowen was talking about.
Marine was not allowed to interfere in the internal affairs of Allied Kingdom Members with their own military force. This was a well-known regulation established by the World Government.
Even when dealing with non-members, Marines wouldn’t excessively intervene in their internal affairs considering their image and interests. Now, no matter how wicked the smuggling of Dials might be, it was still a matter of Angel Island’s internal affairs.
As long as they didn’t violate the trade agreement signed with the Marines or affect the supply of Dials, Marines had no reason to deploy troops, regardless of whether the intentions were good or bad.
(End of this chapter)
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