Teaching Pierre

Julian patiently taught Pierre. Was he going to reveal his greatest secret—that he was a transmigrator? Of course not. With a solemn expression, Julian said, "Pierre, do you know Kozuki Momonosuke?" Pierre shook his head. "I don't, Captain." Julian continued, "It's normal that you don't. He's a little bastard who ruins people without paying the price. Both he and his father are real pieces of work." Pierre nodded. "Now I know."

Julian said to Pierre with a straight face, "Whenever my Devil Fruit ability development hit a bottleneck, I shouted to the heavens: 'Heavens, bless me! I'm willing to trade five hundred years of that little bastard Momonosuke's lifespan for a chance to break through with my Devil Fruit ability! If that isn't enough, I'm willing to trade another five hundred years of that old fool, Kozuki Oden's lifespan, for an increase in my strength!'" Julian added, "Then I broke through bottleneck after bottleneck, and my strength reached its current level. Isn't that amazing? It was like riding a rocket."

Pierre said seriously, "Captain, does that mean I can cultivate like that too?" Julian smiled. "That's right... Practice more after we get back. From now on, combine the Magnet-Magnet Fruit with your swordsmanship. Turn all that scrap metal into incomparably sharp flying swords." Pierre replied earnestly, "Understood, Captain."

Pierre added, "Captain, does wishing with five hundred years of that little bastard Momonosuke's lifespan really work?" Julian said, "It works incredibly well. This is the password to this world. I wouldn't tell anyone I wasn't close to." Pierre said gratefully, "Captain, thank you so much." After saying that, Pierre left.

Julian found it amusing. Pierre and White Wolf Allison had been orphans from the same village, and the two had been friends since childhood. He had grown up with Allison and had always envied him. When they went to play in the woods as children, they discovered the Dog-Dog Fruit, Common Zoan, White Wolf Form at the same time. Pierre had not dared to eat it, so the carefree Allison took the first bite. As a result, Allison gained the power of the Zoan Devil Fruit, White Wolf Form. Pierre also took a huge bite—one gained power, while the other got a mouthful of shit.

With an expression of righteous dignity, Julian said, "I've fulfilled another dream for my good bro. I'm seriously amazing." He added, "There's no one else like me. This is truly incredible. I really am the most loyal Captain." Julian had nothing to do that afternoon, so he went to Beatrice's room again to discuss the meaning of life. He sighed, "This is how the real pirate script should unfold. Pirate King, King of the Marines, Dog King—none of them can compare to the Sea King. I, Julian, am going to become the man of the Sea King."

At eight in the evening, several Division Captains returned to the ship with their men. Every crew member carried large and small bags, bottles and jars, and plenty of daily necessities. A few crew members even brought women aboard. Julian did not object; he was quite encouraging about it. Bringing their whole families onto his ship meant a family of three working for him. Wasn't that three workers for one salary? Smiling, Julian said, "Those crew members have found the feeling of home aboard my ship. They've made the ship their home. That proves I'm truly qualified."

Pierre began taking inventory, then reported to Julian, "Everyone is here, and some crew members' family members have joined us as well." Julian said, "As long as they came aboard willingly, that's fine. If they want to leave our pirate crew, that's fine too." Julian then turned into a success guru. "I give everyone who betrays me two million Berries. So how much will those who follow me receive in the future? At least two billion. Did you understand? Applause." Pierre began clapping wildly. "Captain, you are the most benevolent and righteous man on the Sea. I simply cannot find words worthy of praising you. I can only worship you from afar." Julian secretly thought, Give those who betray me two million Berries first, then enforce the family rules: Three Knives Six Holes. Whether they'll still be alive to spend it is another matter.

Seeing that it was almost nine, Julian used a Den Den Mushi to contact each Division Captain and issued his orders. "Sail the ships to the island's upper reaches. Those areas are the territories of the nobles." Julian had originally wanted to play dirty, but then he thought that this was practically the perfect battlefield for training troops. Why not just crush them head-on?

After the six warships lowered their pirate flags, they looked much like ordinary sailing vessels. Under the cover of night, Julian quietly sailed to the docks in the upper reaches. The upper reaches were to the east, the island's most prosperous district and the route leading toward the nobles' fiefs.

Julian intended to rob those nobles. These nobles usually assisted their kingdom's king in exploiting and draining the common people of their own nation. Every year, they helped their king collect exorbitant Heavenly Gold from the commoners, then handed it over to the king. The king would use the Berries to pay the Celestial Dragon Government. Only nations that paid Heavenly Gold could become World Government member nations.

Moreover, most World Government member nations collected thirteen portions of Heavenly Gold from their commoners. Ten portions were handed to the World Government, while three remained in their own kingdom for daily expenses. Elderly people who could not pay Heavenly Gold were either driven out to sea or killed outright.

Julian thought to himself, Whether it was the garbage mountain of the Goa Kingdom or the lawless southern region of the Besola Kingdom, kings sent people to burn to death commoners who could not pay Heavenly Gold. The garbage mountain of the Goa Kingdom was filled with commoners who scavenged for a living. Because Celestial Dragons were coming to visit, the king began clearing out the garbage mountain, including every commoner living on it. He directly sent people to set the mountain on fire. Dragon was the one who saved those people.

The Sorbera Kingdom had also been liberated by Dragon, who saved Kuma and Ginny. King Bekley of Sol Bea returned for a second time and wanted to burn to death the elderly people who could not pay Heavenly Gold, but Kuma defeated him in the end. Bekley then spread rumors that Kuma was a tyrant, leaving the gentlest Kuma burdened with the most brutal title. There were basically no good people among those nobles and the kings of World Government member nations. Julian said, "Let me carry out justice on heaven's behalf for once."

Julian began assigning tasks. "Herbert will remain behind to guard the ships. Everyone else, go ashore and rob every noble lord and Earl." After speaking, Julian led his people charging toward the nobles' territories on the island. Julian ran at the very front, with George, Allison, and the others following closely behind. By the time Julian's group neared the nobles' territories, a legion had already formed up there.

Julian looked at the more than five thousand enemies across from him. They were the kingdom's and nobles' troops, with some slaves among them as well. Julian did not intend to fight personally; he wanted to give the pirates under him a chance to get some practice. With a wave of his right hand, he ordered, "Crush them." First Division Captain George transformed into a seventeen-meter-tall Great White Bear and charged forward. Pekki transformed directly into a four-meter-tall Black Boar and rampaged ahead. Leo also became an Eagle Beastman over four meters tall. Leo had the appearance of a humanoid eagle, with wings in place of hands and eagle talons for legs, though his body remained humanoid.

White Wolf Allison also activated his Devil Fruit ability, transforming into a four-meter-tall White Wolf Beastman. With a katana in hand, he charged forward. Pierre stood atop a flying sword and slowly began flying through the air. Though unfamiliar with it, he had already begun to resemble Sword Flight. Seeing such a fierce pirate crew, the kingdom's allied forces shouted, "Run! They're all monsters!" Most of the soldiers immediately fled, stripping off their armor as they ran to lighten their burden and escape faster. In an instant, the army's formation collapsed.

More soldiers could be heard shouting, "Run! Monsters! Help!" Julian immediately activated his Devil Fruit ability, the Earth-Earth Fruit, transforming into a knockoff Kaido's Azure Dragon Beastman Form. Julian used earth to become a more than sixty-meter-tall earthen Dragon Form, then used his Devil Fruit ability to gather the soil from the ground into a super-sized earthen spiked club over sixty meters long. Julian slowly walked toward the battlefield, but every step he took made the ground boom and rumble. Seeing Julian's earthen dragon giant, all the soldiers fled even faster. Yet some still held their weapons as though they intended to resist.