The Ancestors Won the Land, and Their Descendants Squandered It

Twenty thousand had been killed.

That was not a number anyone could simply glance at and dismiss.

After all, in these seas, an island was often a country in its own right. Superpowers like Alabasta, with a standing army of six hundred thousand, were few and far between in the world. Most small countries had barely a hundred thousand people in total, sometimes even fewer.

News of twenty thousand deaths would be major news once it got out. After all, among the dead were several Great Pirates with bounties of over a hundred million.

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

The Skull Hunter had his neck broken by Fran.

Black Beast Tadra had been reduced to a pile of mush.

Strangling Ghost Farug had become a prisoner.

Ghost Sword Venkura had been lucky. Aleus had let him go to deliver a message to Umit.

There had actually been another person of particular importance: His Majesty, King Nebri IV of the Amento Kingdom. This puppet Umit had taken an interest in hadn't been as lucky as Venkura. Umit's men had at least treated him decently because he was still useful, but now that he had fallen into Aleus's hands, his fate remained uncertain.

However,

the Ekmondo Kingdom and the Amento Kingdom had never been friends.

"Is Nebri IV, that poor bastard, still alive?"

The Den Den Mushi perfectly imitated His Majesty's surprised voice.

"Yeah!"

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

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

"The Amento Kingdom? No need."

Bikahi Island, Royal Palace.

The Sixth King of the Ekmondo Kingdom, Sokachio Bovell, sat in a study armchair, leisurely puffing away. "The Amento Kingdom doesn't have anything valuable. Those few iron mines have some worth, but unfortunately, steel production in the New World has been in surplus since last year. Pig iron can't fetch a good price these days.

"Why do you think the Nebri Family started recruiting pirates willing to submit to them at a time like this? The Nebri Family had long been planning to use a war abroad to resolve the famine and rebellion at home. They just never expected to fall into Umit's trap."

"Anyway, you can go have a look at the Amento Kingdom, but you'd best leave those godforsaken islands alone. There's little to gain from occupying them, and they'll only bring trouble. It's not worth it."

"I see."

Aleus acknowledged him.

He didn't doubt his father's judgment. As a king, Sokachio Bovell's judgment and ability were trustworthy. Though he'd been immature in many ways when he was young, under his grandfather's tutelage, Bovell had become a capable king.

In terms of strength, Aleus could have beaten his father to a pulp a long time ago. But when it came to the qualities of a king, he still had a lot to learn.

Besides,

what was so great about being king? Being a prince was much more fun.

Especially when he was the Crown Prince, destined to become king. He didn't have to worry about a father-son power struggle, nor did he have to fear his little brothers—who hadn't even grown up yet—seizing the throne. In that situation, being a free prince was much better than sitting in the Royal Palace and handling state affairs.

At least until he got tired of this freedom, Aleus had no intention of taking over from his father.

"By the way, I sent Umit a message. I told him I'd come for his head sooner or later."

"...Aleus, you..." In the study, Bovell stopped puffing away and tossed the premium cigar he'd barely smoked into the ashtray. He paced back and forth around the room several times before managing to settle his throbbing brain.

To be fair, even though Umit had been plotting against the Ekmondo Kingdom in secret,

as long as he didn't openly make a move, Bovell hadn't intended to directly clash with him. Umit was the King of Maritime Transport, one of the giants of the Dark World. When it came to their respective power, the Ekmondo Kingdom's more than two centuries of accumulated strength might not be enough to stand against him.

But,

there was nothing for it. What could he do when he'd raised a son who loved stirring up trouble?

Bovell sat back down in the armchair and held the Den Den Mushi. "Aleus, are you sure you can handle Umit?"

He knew his eldest son had long surpassed him in combat ability.

And precisely because Aleus was even stronger than he was, he couldn't tell whether his eldest son could truly deal with Umit, a giant of the Dark World.

"You need to understand: those Great Pirates with bounties over a hundred million are just Umit's lackeys. Never mind how powerful Umit himself is—he definitely has people under him who are stronger than that Ghost Sword and Black Beast fellow... So, Aleus, I'm asking you: are you sure you can handle Umit?"

"I don't know how strong Umit is, but... as long as he isn't on the level of the Four Emperors or the Three Admirals, I should be able to beat him to death."

Aleus answered plainly.

His confidence wasn't baseless. The Hogyoku still hadn't fully recovered, but after years of tireless effort, it had regained some of its strength. And this time, it had taken in more than twenty thousand fresh souls, allowing it to recover a little more.

That small amount of power had still been enough to further enhance Aleus's strength.

His Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit had finally awakened.

"If that's the case, then do as you please!" Bovell didn't hesitate for long before giving Aleus his wholehearted support. "This kingdom will belong to you sooner or later. Do whatever you like! Even if you really do squander the family fortune... well, it can't be helped. The ancestors won the land, and their descendants squandered it. That sort of thing happens all the time."

Aleus rolled his eyes from the sofa.

He was the precious son of a man known as the pinnacle of charisma. As long as he had enough time and enough souls, he would eventually stand at the very top of the world.

"Leave it to me!"

Aleus didn't explain further.

There was no need to. Compared to words, a perfect result would be the most compelling proof.

The Sokachio Family had fought for more than two centuries. Its legacy wouldn't fade in his hands. On the contrary, he would lead the Sokachio Family to higher peaks and let it behold even grander vistas.

"Come to think of it, what should we do with Nebri IV?"

Aleus remembered the original topic.

"Huh? Of course... we make the Amento Kingdom pay to get him back. Naturally, it'd be best if someone was willing to pay. If no one wants to buy that poor bastard back... then send him where he belongs. No need to waste food on him."

Bovell spoke as if it didn't matter.

Compared to Aleus's plan to pick a fight with the King of Maritime Transport, Nebri IV was utterly unimportant.