Germa's Submission

The Germa Kingdom is a unique kingdom in the world without fixed territory. It usually consists of dozens of ships operating separately, which together form the kingdom.

The national soldiers formed the Germa 66, an army that struck fear into the world, and the Vinsmoke Family was at the pinnacle of national and military rule.

This is a nation of science for generations, with advanced technology as its strong backing.

King Vinsmoke Judge of the Germa Kingdom was also an outstanding scientist. In his youth, he worked with Vegapunk, who possessed wisdom that surpassed the world by five hundred years. Together, they researched the Life Blueprint, mastered the "Lineage Factor," and developed and studied it.

That's why they were valued by the Night Pirates.

The Germa Kingdom also has a large number of scientists, after all, it is a technologically advanced nation.

Today, the entire army of the Germa Kingdom has gathered together, standing on both sides, with the ruler of the Germa Kingdom, the Vinsmoke Family, in the center.

Led by King Judge, five children behind him gazed at the distant sea, seemingly waiting for something.

"Sister, what happened?"

Sanji asked Reiju in a low voice, since this older sister was the only one in the family he could feel close to.

"I don't know, but I heard some important person is coming. Father received a visiting card yesterday," Reiju said softly, gesturing for Sanji to be quiet. "Don't speak, they should be here soon."

Judge naturally heard the whispers behind him, but he didn't care.

He was excited. If he could seize the opportunity, the Germa Kingdom would rise to the top, which had always been his goal. However, if he wasn't careful, he might fall into the abyss.

The Night Pirates undoubtedly a top-tier power in the New World, boasting numerous powerful individuals.

I didn't expect them to want to contact him. Since they've sent a visiting letter, it means the Night Pirates' attitude isn't tough, and there's room for negotiation. It's highly likely to be beneficial to them.

It's unclear what the Night Pirates saw in them, considering Night Pirates technological prowess is equally formidable, perhaps even greater.

Like a living mechanical hand, it's simply a miracle, not to mention the mechanical creatures that have recently appeared all over the Night Pirates' territory.

These technologies all contain the "Life Blueprint," which is the shadow of Lineage Factor.

Judge also tried to crack the code, but failed.

Judge is now prepared to pay the price. How can there be a reward without a price? The sheer size of the Night Pirates is something the Germa Kingdom simply cannot contend with.

Even if forced, they would have no choice but to submit and hand over what the Night Pirates wanted, after all, the Night Pirates were simply too powerful.

That terrifying power was something he couldn't resist at all, nor could his proud technology cope with it.

In addition, with fewer wars across the seas, the Germa Kingdom's situation has declined somewhat in recent years.

In particular, the integration of the powers of various kingdoms, the strengthening of their armies, and their overall strength.

All of these factors contributed to the increased number of casualties suffered by the Germa Kingdom in the war.

The Germa Kingdom had a small population to begin with, and although everyone was a soldier and all were adult males, it could not withstand huge losses.

Technological research requires money, as does the training of warriors, and the Germa Kingdom's income primarily comes from war.

The current situation has slowed down, or even stagnated, the development of the Germa Kingdom, causing it to regress.

The era of the strong has arrived. The Six Powers are spread across the seas, and in every vast kingdom, there are always a few people with extraordinary perseverance who master them. Their increased strength has torn open the defenses of Germa's invincible technology, making them an obstacle for the Germa Kingdom.

If this continues, there will be more and more powerful beings on the high seas, and Germa 2 will be unable to develop and will be eliminated by the times.

Judge is a smart man and has already seen this situation. The Germa Kingdom needs to strengthen its power, both in terms of technology and per capita national strength.

The current situation has made Judge less confident in technology, after all, the monsters in the New World all reached that terrifying level through their own power.

He was already seeking change, and the Six Powers had long been popularized in the army. He had a loyal army, so the efficiency of improving his strength would naturally be higher.

The five children behind them also received even more rigorous training, learning the Six Powers and developing their own potential.

Sanji's situation is much better than before. Judge has adjusted the training intensity according to the adaptation, and although he can't compare with the other four, he is already able to keep up.

According to the analysis of scientists such as Judge, Sanji has the potential to become a strongman.

Extremely rapid progress, display of combat talent, scientific training methods, and gradual increase in strength.

Although Sanji is not as strong as the other children, Judge differently and is much nicer to him.

The only thing that remains unchanged is that Sanji is forbidden from going to the kitchen; how can a member of the royal family enter such a place?

Now, the Germa Kingdom needs a powerful backer to become stronger, and the Night Pirates taking the initiative to come to them is their opportunity.

"Clang!"

Judge tapped the ground with his technological spear, turned around, glanced at his children, and said, "It's the Night Pirates. I don't know who it is, but it's definitely one of their officers, so don't embarrass me."

Upon hearing this, Sanji and Reiju couldn't help but tense up, and even Ichiji and Niji were surprised.

They were simply deprived of emotions that Judge considered unnecessary, such as fear, but that doesn't mean they had no emotions.

How could the Night Pirates not know? They were following every major battle in the New World.

A blood-red shadow flashed across the distant sky, moving so fast that Judge and the others didn't even notice.

"As expected of Germa, it truly is a kingdom of the sea." Lafitte flew in the air, looking down at what could be described as the smallest kingdom, made up of countless ships pieced together.

Although small in number, each member is an elite soldier, and their military strength ranks among the best in the world.

The invitation was sent in advance by Lafitte. Since they were coming, and might even become future companions, it was natural to be more courteous.

With such a large entourage, it seemed they were waiting for him. Seeing this, Lafitte slowed down to allow them to spot him.

"Here he comes! It's Lafitte, the devilish patrolman with a bounty of 470 million Beli!" Judge's eldest son, Ichiji, exclaimed upon seeing the newcomer.

Holding his cane Lafitte slowly walked through the Germa Kingdom's army and came before Judge and his companions. "It is with great intrusion of me to visit, and I have brought no gifts. Please do not take offense."

Lafitte chuckled and gave a Gentleman bow, which did not arouse any dislike in people. However, Judge and the others did not dare to underestimate this Night Pirates executive who truly lived up to the name of "Devil".

"No, no, it's our honor to have you here." Judge shook his head, turned to the side, and gestured towards the castle behind him. "Please come in. We have prepared a feast for you. We can discuss anything at the table."

Lafitte's attitude was very good, which relieved Judge. Facing such a strong person, Judge still felt a lot of pressure.

This is a very good start.

"Then I shall respectfully accept your offer." Lafitte's face was slightly pale. He always kept a firm grip on etiquette, but this was his own kind of etiquette, which was naturally different from the etiquette of nobles.

With a hint of interest, Judge glanced at his five children behind him. Reiju and Sanji's gazes darted away, while Ichiji, Niji, and Yonji showed no fear or hesitation in their eyes.

"This must be one of the Vinsmoke Family's cyborgs, "Lafitte thought.

The hall was spacious, and the food was plentiful, but Judge had no appetite.

"Enough with the pleasantries, let's get straight to the point," Lafitte said, looking at Judge in front of him.

It began. Judge sat up straight, his eyes fixed on Lafitte. It was the first time his children had ever seen their father so nervous.

"We will not annex you," Lafitte chuckled, reassuring Judge.

"All I need is the complete Life Blueprint, and the technology related to the combat suit," Lafitte stated his requirements, which were also what the Night Pirates needed. He was only here to deliver a message.

The Life Blueprint in the hands of the Night Pirates are incomplete. They were inherited by Otto from his father, and only a portion of them exist. Otto's ability to research life machinery is a testament to his astonishing wisdom.

In contrast, Judge, as a core member who discovered the Lineage Factor and researched the Life Blueprint along with Vegapunk, naturally possessed the complete Life Blueprint.

The essence of the Life Blueprint is just like its name suggests: designing life, even creating life, which is therefore a taboo of God.

Therefore, the Night Pirates need complete Life Blueprint so that the technology of life machines can be further improved and even used for other research. This will also greatly help the research on the "Super Gene Potion," because the essence of this serum is the enhancement of the essence of life, that is, human evolution.

Combat suits play a role in combat, and as a technology, their production can be expanded, and specialized combat suits can even be developed to further enhance combat capabilities.

It's actually just a type of clothing. The Night Pirates could also research it, but it would take some time. It's better to just get it from Judge directly; this technology is more of a bonus.

As for Lafitte's demands, they were within Judge's acceptable range; in fact, they weren't even high, one could say they were rather low.

He believed the Night Pirates also possessed the Life Blueprint, though perhaps incomplete. The Night Pirates' scientist, Otto, resembled a former colleague of his, and Judge guessed Otto's identity.

Although the Life Blueprint was the most important technology in his hands, it was also the least important.

The combat suit is a technology that the Germa Kingdom has been researching for a long time and is considered quite valuable.

In contrast, the Germa Kingdom possesses a wealth of scientific and technological advancements, yet the Night Pirates only chose these two, which can be considered quite merciful.

In particular, he did not choose the human modification and cloning technologies developed by Germa based on Lineage Factor. These were the foundation of the Germa Kingdom and the most important technologies in his mind.

"In exchange, the Germa Kingdom will receive the protection of the Night Pirates, becoming one of our affiliated forces, with free access to the Night Sea Domain. If you wish, we can even give you an island as your territory."

Although becoming an affiliate of the Night Pirates and handing over their technology doesn't seem to benefit the Germa Kingdom, it's a different story.

But the biggest advantage is that it establishes a connection with the Night Pirates.

The Night Pirates have a very prominent reputation in the New World, making things very convenient for them, and sometimes they can even rely on the power of the Night Pirates.

Judge was already somewhat tempted; it was perfectly acceptable to him, especially an island.

It's important to know that the Germa Kingdom once had territory, but it was later driven out of its own land and became a maritime kingdom without territory. In addition, the World Government is wary of and suppresses it, not wanting the Germa Kingdom to rise again, and this continues to this day.

However, once they agree, the Germa Kingdom has no room to back out, since their territory is all in the Night Sea Domain.

What followed shocked Judge.

"The Night Pirates can provide the Germa Kingdom with one billion Beli in development funds annually and grant you autonomy."

"In return, the Germa Kingdom will assist the Night Pirates with some research, and while maintaining secrecy, we cannot refuse."

"At the same time, your five children need to join the Night Pirates," Lafitte said, gesturing to the five children beside him.

"Don't rush to refuse. This is also good for you. They usually stay on Pagila Island, honing their skills in battles at the Combat Pyramid. After all, they can become stronger much faster in the Night Pirates."

"After all, by joining us, you'll be marked as Night Pirates. You'll also be able to return to the island we've prepared for you regularly. It will only take seven years; after that, they'll be free."

Seven years was the time it took for the Germa Kingdom to integrate into the Night Pirates. Judge's five children joined the Night Pirates and stayed on Pagila Island, which was equivalent to them being hostages who surrendered.

However, what he said was true. Joining the Night Pirates would indeed be beneficial for them, allowing them to grow faster. And before they had truly grown up, Judge didn't want his children to fight in the outside world.

As long as he doesn't cause any trouble or betray the Night Pirates, then there's nothing to worry about.

Judge saw things clearly, but he was also hesitant, wanting to agree. After all, the annual sum of one billion Beli was very attractive to him, not to mention the protection of the Night Pirates, which would allow the entire kingdom to develop rapidly.

The Germa Kingdom can become a true kingdom, not just an army disguised as a kingdom, or a war mercenary force.

Judge didn't actually have the right to refuse, and everyone knows the final outcome. Besides, the Night Pirates offered them very tempting treatment.

Seeing his expression, Lafitte smiled. Teach was determined to subjugate the Germa Kingdom. If the Germa Kingdom were truly subjugated, wouldn't all its technology belong to the Night Pirates?

How could something that's already in your mouth possibly escape?

He was preparing to use his final trump card. "Mr. Judge, if you agree, this is yours."

Lafitte took out a bottle containing a black, viscous substance from his person. He gently opened the cap, releasing a strong medicinal fragrance. Soon after, Lafitte closed the cap again.

"What's this?" Judge asked, looking at the bottle in Lafitte's hand. Something extraordinary must be something that could be taken out at a time like this.

"Heh! The legendary Elixir of Immortality." Upon hearing this, the Vinsmoke family members present all had their pupils shrink, their faces showing undisguised shock.

"Of course, immortality is an exaggeration and impossible, but the ability to extend lifespan does exist; living an extra twenty years is no problem at all."

Lafitte laughed and said he enjoyed seeing their shocked expressions.

This makes more sense, since immortality is simply too unrealistic.

However, it's hard to believe that extending one's lifespan by twenty years is truly remarkable. Such a treasure is practically impossible to find on the high seas, except perhaps for the legendary Pure Gold.

I never expected the Night Pirates to have something like this.

"I agree." Judge couldn't help but smile wryly. How could he dare to refuse such a sincere offer from the Night Pirates?

Moreover, knowing that the Night Pirates possessed such a thing, their only consequence for refusing was death. Even if they didn't want to agree, they had no choice but to. Lafitte alone could destroy the Germa Kingdom.

The appearance of the Elixir of Immortality was like a final ultimatum to them.

The five children remained silent; their fate was sealed: to join the Night Pirates and journey to the New World.

However, they don't dislike it; the Combat Pyramid allows them to hone their skills and become stronger.

Sanji, in particular, felt a surge of excitement, because he was finally free from his father's constraints and no longer had so many limitations; he could also start studying cooking.

You see, the Combat Pyramid is a gathering place for famous chefs from all over the world, possessing the world's most abundant and precious ingredients, as well as a large number of world-renowned delicacies. For him, it was simply paradise.

Moreover, becoming stronger is what he desires. Only by becoming stronger will his father approve of him and not stop him from doing what he likes. After the changes over the past two years, Sanji has realized this.

Pursuing dreams requires strength as a foundation, and this is especially true for members of the Vinsmoke Family.

In this way, Lafitte's mission will be completed, but he will remain in the Germa Kingdom and go to the New World and the Night Sea Domain with the Germa Kingdom.

Besides preventing accidents, this can also be considered an escort mission, since the journey from the North Blue to the New World is not far but takes a considerable amount of time. In addition, there are many powerful pirates on the Grand Line and in the New World.

Nowadays, the highest bounty for pirates on the Grand Line has reached 400 million Beli, and encountering one can cause considerable losses to the Germa Kingdom.

The same applies to the New World. After all, pirate forces are rampant now, and the Navy is still unable to suppress them, which will take a considerable amount of time. Moreover, the Navy is currently fully cooperating with the World Government to suppress the Revolutionary Army, and has also suffered significant losses in the process.

Including the two major battles fought against the "Heir of the Devil," which resulted in the loss of over 10,000 soldiers, with many more wounded.

The Navy is actively communicating with the Night Pirates to purchase large quantities of mechanical limbs, and has even repeatedly raised prices.

Although the Night Pirates have decided to provide products to the Navy, it doesn't mean they will give them to them immediately; it will take some time.

News of the mission's completion quickly reached Teach, who was still in the newly established, massive underground research base, helping the scientists disassemble the Ancient Weapon "Uranus".

To recruit the Germa Kingdom, Teach presented them with Elixir of Immortality created using a formula made from Dragon Bone.

After all, with Pure Gold and Super Gene Potion, the Elixir of Immortality seems somewhat useless, and its effects don't stack, only resulting in waste.

Since that's the case, it's better to use it to win people's hearts.

Meanwhile, the Night Pirates were also researching the Dragon Bone and discovered that they contained a substance that was the core of the Elixir of Immortality. Rather than increasing lifespan, it was more accurate to say that it slowed down aging.

It also enhances vitality, but this effect only applies to ordinary people.

Therefore, they are trying to extract this substance to research life-extending drugs, and they are also researching Giant Potion and Super Gene Potion 2.0.

Giant Potion is an extension of Super Gene Potion, combining the original size-increasing effect of Super Gene Potion with research on Giant Gene.

It has lost its ability to evolve at the life level, but it can increase its size. It is now almost complete and has entered the experimental stage. It is Teach's trump card against Charlotte Linlin.

While it can't compare to the ideal Giant Potion, it's sufficient to meet Charlotte Linlin's needs.

If they were to actually figure it out, it would undoubtedly offend the Giant race and create animosity with Elbaf.