The Tide of the Great Pirate Era!
Because the execution of Pirate King Roger was broadcast live, and major media outlets, such as World Economy News Paper, were invited to provide live coverage from Loguetown.
Therefore, the uproar caused by Roger's execution was something that neither the World Government nor the Marine Headquarters could cover up!
Meanwhile, on the warship returning to Marineford, Ortolan sat in the cabin, reading a newspaper.
This time, it really caused a huge uproar. The entire gaming world was hotly discussing the Pirate King's treasure, Roger's execution, and so on.
Many people have already published their analyses and opinions in newspapers, believing that the number of pirates will increase rapidly after this, and hoping that the World Government and the Marine Headquarters can promptly introduce relevant countermeasures and policies.
"Tsk tsk tsk, truly remarkable." Ortolan raised an eyebrow.
Garp, standing nearby, slammed the newspaper he was holding onto the table, cursing, "Damn Roger, I shouldn't have... Humph, he completely outmaneuvered me!"
After saying this, Garp glared at Ortolan: "What's with that 'you're looking like you're enjoying the show' look? This is going to cause quite a stir..."
"Of course I know. Things have come to this, so we can only face them, can't we? Complaining all the time isn't like you, Mr. Garp." Ortolan shrugged and replied.
Garp paused for a moment upon hearing this, then said with a hint of helplessness, "I'm just feeling a bit remorseful for the grave mistake I've made. Roger's words will inevitably change the entire world. Not only has my plan to use this execution to deter those restless villains on the seas been completely shattered, but it might even cause the number of pirates to surge to a terrifying level... This is already immense pressure for our Marines, and for the people on the seas, it's a true nightmare!"
Upon hearing this, a complex look flashed across Ortolan's eyes. He had long known what kind of calamity Roger's words would bring to the mortal realm. Although the rule of the mortal realm's government was dark, it ultimately maintained order.
Even the most depraved order is far better than endless chaos.
The most prominent feature of this era is the chaotic frenzy!
Amid this chaos, countless people will fall into pain and despair, and countless people will be swallowed by the surging waves of the sea. Every single incident is a tragedy of blood and tears!
Even though he knew about these things beforehand, Ortolan still didn't try to stop them in advance.
"As expected, my sense of justice is only so-so..." Ortolan thought to himself.
He needs this chaotic era, this great era of pirates, and isn't it also the great era that ambitious people and heroes have been looking forward to?
Endless chaos brings countless blood and tears, and only extreme chaos can give birth to global order!
"One general's success is built on the bones of ten thousand," which speaks not only of the battlefield but also of the contest of the times!
Only those who emerge victorious from the brutal tides of this world will have the power to reshape its order!
Although the Great Pirate Era has arrived, it has not yet truly demonstrated its influence due to its short duration. As a result, the Marines fleet that Ortolan and his crew were in returned to Marine Headquarters, Marineford, relatively peacefully.
Upon entering the Marine Headquarters, everyone could feel the heavy, somber atmosphere permeating the area.
At this moment, the Marines's massive system is already operating at full capacity to cope with this surging and impending wave.
When Ortolan and his entourage arrived at the Fleet Admiral's office to report on their duties, they found Fleet Admiral Kong and Admiral Sengoku engaged in a heated discussion.
"The conscription plan must be implemented as soon as possible. Ideally, we should absorb the elite forces before more people join the pirate group. All branch Marines must operate at full capacity to ensure the peace of their territories as much as possible. The number of pirates under our jurisdiction should also be included as one of the assessment items for headquarters. We must control the rapidly increasing number of pirates from the source as soon as possible!" Admiral Sengoku reported to Fleet Admiral Kong, holding a heavy document in his hand.
"Mary Geoise has already communicated with me, requesting that our Marines come up with an effective plan as soon as possible. It is estimated that the military budget for this year will increase by 25 percent to deal with the crisis brought about by this wave," said Fleet Admiral Kong.
"Twenty-five points are probably not enough. Recruiting soldiers is one issue, equipment is another, and according to the forecast, we will need to build a large number of Marines bases..." The Admiral Sengoku hesitated for a moment before speaking.
Fleet Admiral Kong tapped the table, looking somewhat troubled, and said, "Do you really think Mary Geoise will suddenly increase our military budget by a huge amount? They won't give us too many leeway; they'll have to feel the pain first before they realize they don't have enough money!"
After saying all this, Fleet Admiral Kong looked at Garp, Ortolan, and the others who had just entered, and then said directly, "Garp, Mary Geoise is preparing to classify the Freedom Army as an extremely dangerous organization, and will be assigning the task of eliminating the Freedom Army to our Marines. In other words, from today onwards, our Marines can no longer stand idly by regarding the Freedom Army; we must cooperate with the CP Agency."
Hearing this, Garp paused for a moment, then quickly realized what was happening. After a silent nod, he said with annoyance, "I bear undeniable responsibility for this incident..."
However, before Garp could finish speaking, Fleet Admiral Kong said, "There's no point in pursuing these matters now. The execution was arranged by Mary Geoise, and we haven't been held accountable. There's no need to say anything more. Just focus on doing your job well."
Ortolan had already walked over to the Admiral Sengoku and asked in a low voice, "Is the situation very serious?"
As for the sudden 'offensive' against the Freedom Army on Mary Geoise, Ortolan was not surprised. Dragon thought he was just taking the blame for something minor, but in reality, he had now become a huge scapegoat.
The Mary Geoise authorities now strongly suspect that Roger's actions were orchestrated in cooperation with the Freedom Army, given that he had a 'secret meeting' with Dragon when he was arrested.
Ortolan had originally thought that since the situation in Ohara had been resolved in a relatively mild way, the Freedom Army in Dragon might slow down its evolution, and the Revolutionary Army might not appear for some time.
It seems there's no need to worry about that now. Whether he wants to evolve or not, the World Government won't let him go, so he'll be forced to evolve.
Considering the original progress, this is not bad at all. Ortolan believes that as Dragon's good brother, this is all he can do to help him!
I wonder if Dragon will appreciate it now?
Will you cut yourself in two the next time we meet?
Upon hearing Ortolan's question, Admiral Sengoku sighed and said, "During the time you returned to headquarters from Loguetown, according to reports from various branches across the four seas, the number of pirates has surged by 40% compared to last year... and this number is constantly being surpassed and reaching new highs. At the current rate, I'm afraid that by this time next year, the number of pirates will have increased by at least three to five times compared to last year."
"Such a strong reaction!?" Ortolan was also somewhat surprised.
"Although most of them are reckless people who impulsively set sail to find Roger's treasure, once you enter the pirate world and your hands are stained with innocent blood, it's not so easy to turn back. Humans are terrifying creatures. In Ortolan, amidst this chaos, the vast majority of people gradually become immersed in the killing of their own kind, seeking the thrill of violence, conquest, and plunder... This is one of the reasons why pirates can never be completely eradicated..." Admiral Sengoku said with a headache.
There's a saying that 'power is the most alluring poison,' and once you're hooked, it's hard to quit.
The essence of power, as espoused by the Warring States period, is simply the word "dominate." This applies not only to humans as described in the Sengoku period, but to all intelligent beings in the world.
Once you experience the thrill of dominating others, it's very difficult to break free from this addiction.
In this process of domination, the simplest and most brutal way to achieve it is often through killing and violence!
Because, to some extent, the essence and most basic logic of how this world works is violence!