At the Sorbet Kingdom's naval port, the warship sent by the South Blue branch to pick him up had already docked.
"Captain Gern, the South Blue branch..."
Gern ignored the soldier's greeting. Instead, he took the Justice Cloak, draped it over his shoulders, and slowly climbed the gangway.
"It's now the year 1487 of the Sea Circle Calendar..."
Gern murmured to himself, his fingertips lightly brushing the Black Blade: Eight Desolations at his waist.
Three years later, seventeen-year-old Kuma would become a priest, overthrow Bekori's rule, and become the king of Sorbet.
Then Dragon would leave the Marines to form a volunteer army. Soon afterward, the Ohara Incident would erupt, and Dragon would officially establish the Revolutionary Army.
After that, Bekori would make a comeback. Kuma would kill him himself, then join the Revolutionary Army with Ginny...
And then... Ginny would be abducted.
At that thought, a strange gleam flashed in Gern's eyes.
"Ginny's abduction will be the decisive turning point that lets me truly secure Kuma's strength for myself."
Even if Kuma really agreed to follow him now, Gern could not simply bring him back to Marine Headquarters.
After all, he still lacked the power to challenge the World Government's rules.
"This time, I'm just planting a seed." Gern stepped onto the warship's deck.
By the time that seed truly sprouted, Roger's era would have long since ended, and the Great Pirate Era would be in full swing.
Although the incident with Golden Lion had made Gern famous,
the move he was truly planning, the one that would firmly establish him within the Marines' power structure, was...
To use his foreknowledge that Roger would turn himself in to...
Arrest Pirate King Roger!!!
"Turn a 'surrender' into an 'arrest'..." A dangerous smile curled Gern's lips.
The plan was already taking