The Ancestors Built the Empire, the Descendants Ruined It

Twenty thousand men dead.

That is not a number one can simply glance over and ignore.

One must understand that on this sea, an island is often a nation. A superpower like Alabasta, with a standing army of six hundred thousand, is rare in the entire world. Most small countries have a total population of just over a hundred thousand, or even less than that.

If news of twenty thousand casualties were to spread, it would be no small headline—especially since among them were several great pirates with bounties over a hundred million.

The Magic Ball Sorcerer had his head blown off by Aleus.

The Skull Hunter's neck was snapped by Fran.

The Black Beast, Tadra, was turned into a bloody pulp.

The Strangling Ghost, Farug, was taken prisoner.

The Ghost Sword, Venkura, was lucky enough to be let go by Aleus to deliver a message to Umit.

There was also one particularly notable figure: His Majesty the King of the Amento Kingdom, Nebri IV. This puppet, favored by Umit, had not shared Venkura's good fortune. Under Umit's command, he had at least retained some dignity due to his usefulness, but now that he had fallen into Aleus's hands, his fate was uncertain.

Still, The Ekmondo Kingdom and the Amento Kingdom had never shared any friendship.

"Nebri IV? That unlucky bastard is still alive?"

The Den Den Mushi perfectly mimicked His Majesty the King's surprise.

"Yeah!"

Aleus sat on the sofa, holding the Den Den Mushi as he reported the battle situation to his father, who was far away in the Royal Palace.

"Father, should we take this chance to swallow the Amento Kingdom?"

"The Amento Kingdom? No need."

Bikahi Island, Royal Palace.

The Sixth King of the Ekmondo Kingdom, Sokachio Bovell, sat in a soft chair in his study, leisurely puffing out smoke rings. "The Amento Kingdom doesn't have anything valuable. Those few iron mines are somewhat useful, but since last year, the New World's steel production has been in surplus. Raw iron can't fetch a good price now.

Do you think the Nebri Family started recruiting pirates willing to submit for no reason? They were already planning to solve their internal famine and rebellion through foreign war. They just didn't expect to fall into Umit's trap."

"In short, you can go check out the Amento Kingdom, but it's best not to occupy those godforsaken islands. Taking them brings little benefit and a mountain of trouble. Not worth it, not worth it."

"I see."

Aleus acknowledged.

He didn't doubt his father's judgment. As a king, Sokachio Bovell's insight and ability were trustworthy. Though he had many immature moments in his youth, under the guidance of Aleus's grandfather, Bovell had grown into a qualified monarch.

While Aleus could easily overpower his father in combat, he still had much to learn about the qualities of a king.

Besides, What fun was being king compared to being a prince?

Especially as the crown prince destined to inherit the throne—no worries about father-son conflict, no fear of his younger brothers seizing power. In such a situation, dealing with state affairs in the palace was far less appealing than enjoying the freedom of being a prince.

At least, until he grew tired of that freedom, Aleus had no intention of taking over his father's position.

"By the way, I had someone deliver a message to Umit. I said I'd come for his head sooner or later."

"...Aleus, you..." In the study, Bovell stopped puffing smoke. He dropped the barely-smoked premium cigar into the ashtray, paced back and forth in the room several times, and only managed to calm his throbbing head after a few laps.

To be fair, even if Umit was scheming against the Ekmondo Kingdom in the shadows, As long as he didn't make an open move, Bovell had no intention of clashing with Umit directly. Umit was the King of Maritime Transport, a giant of the Dark World. When it came to actual power, the Ekmondo Kingdom's two-hundred-year accumulation might not necessarily match Umit's.

Still, No help for it—who was he to have a son who loved stirring up trouble?

Bovell sat back down in the soft chair, holding the Den Den Mushi, and asked, "Aleus, are you really confident you can deal with Umit?"

He knew his eldest son had long surpassed him in martial prowess.

Precisely because Aleus was stronger than him, he couldn't judge whether his son could truly handle Umit, this giant of the Dark World.

"You need to understand, those great pirates with bounties over a hundred million are just Umit's dogs. Not to mention how strong Umit himself is, he definitely has men under him far more formidable than that Ghost Sword or Black Beast... So, Aleus, I'm asking you—are you really sure you can handle Umit?"

"I'm not sure how strong Umit is, but... as long as he doesn't have power on the level of the Four Emperors or the Three Admirals, I can probably beat him to death."

Aleus said this.

This confidence naturally had a foundation. Though the Hogyoku had yet to recover to its full state, after years of relentless effort, it had regained some vitality. In particular, the influx of over twenty thousand fresh souls this time allowed the Hogyoku's power to recover a little more.

That small amount of power was enough to further enhance Aleus's strength.

His Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit had finally awakened.

"In that case, do as you wish!" Bovell didn't hesitate long before giving Aleus his full support. "After all, this kingdom will eventually be yours. Do whatever you like! Even if you end up squandering the family legacy... there's no helping it. Ancestors build empires, descendants ruin them—it's a common tale."

Aleus rolled his eyes from the sofa.

He was the great treasure of a man known as the ceiling of presence. Given enough time and enough souls, he would eventually stand at the top of this world.

"Leave it to me!"

Aleus didn't bother explaining further.

There was no need for it either—compared to words, producing a flawless result was the most powerful proof.

The Sokachio Family's two hundred years of struggle would not decline in his hands; on the contrary, he would lead the Sokachio Family to higher peaks and let them glimpse the scenery from greater heights.

"Speaking of which, what should we do with this Nebri IV?"

Aleus recalled the original topic.

"Huh? Obviously... make the Amento Kingdom pay a ransom to get him back. Of course, it'd be best if someone's willing to fork over the cash. If no one wants to buy that unlucky bastard back... then send him where he belongs, no point wasting food."

Burwell said it with utter indifference.

Compared to Aleus's impending clash with the King of Maritime Transport, a mere Nebri IV held no real significance whatsoever.