"It's not just pirates who don't engage in productive labor. Think about it again, there's a group that openly robs and kills without shedding blood!"
Vic said calmly, "The superstructure determines the foundation. If the top is rotten, how can you expect peace below? It's only because this world has extraordinary power to suppress it, otherwise the order would have collapsed and a new world would have been established long ago. Eight hundred years? It probably won't even take eighty years. The Celestial Dragons would have been wiped out three times already."
"You mean... the Navy?"
"Think about it again."
"Celestial... Celestial Dragons?"
"That's right! They're the ringleaders, the most vicious parasites! Do you know how I left the Navy in the first place?"
Because they suspected that there were survivors of Ohara lurking on an island, they ordered everyone on the island to be killed, preferring to kill the innocent rather than let the guilty go free. So I rebelled, killed the Celestial Dragons who was in charge, and that's why I had to leave the Navy!
They've done plenty of things like this, and many of the charges against them are completely fabricated. They've destroyed a large portion of the many countries that have disappeared. Do you really think an organization like that can rule the world? Calling themselves a World Government? It's utterly ridiculous!
Aokiji is trapped in an information cocoon, ignoring the actions of the Navy, the World Government, and the Celestial Dragons, who represent justice and rule the world. He has been in this environment since birth, accepting the world's concepts and rules!
He was used to the way the Navy and the World Government acted, and he was also used to the Celestial Dragons ' superiority, even regarding it as a belief!
Furthermore, the World Government's deliberate or unintentional targeting of pirates has led most people to transfer their hatred to pirates. Even those who are starving to death because they paid the Heavenly Tribute have also pointed the finger at pirates, because they believe that it is the pirates who are responsible, and that the World Government collects this money to protect them from being harmed by pirates!
Very few people actually know that the problem lies with the World Government. The Heavenly Tribute was collected by the local rulers and then transported by the Navy. Many people are completely unaware of the existence of the World Government behind it. People at the bottom have no access to the operations of the upper echelons. Even high-ranking Navy officers like Aokiji are confused until they are enlightened by Vic.
"This... you're talking about the Heavenly Tribute, right? But that's used as military funds for the Navy to fight pirates, so there shouldn't be any major problem, right?"
Aokiji went through all the past events in his Vice Admiral and gained a lot of insights, but he still found it hard to believe. Faith and beliefs are not things that can be broken in a short time. Many people will go down a dark path because of them, and even if they see the truth, they will try their best to convince themselves that they have been deceived!
Fortunately, Aokiji isn't that kind of obsessive person. He trusts what he sees with his own eyes more, otherwise he wouldn't be so confused. He's in a stage of self-doubt. The next step is self- Awakening like Dragon. However, Vic clearly wants him to take a shortcut and achieve a quick Awakening.
"Do you know how much Heavenly Tribute is collected each year? And how much of that Heavenly Tribute is used to fund the Navy's military expenses? Where does the Celestial Dragons get their extravagantly spent money?"
Do you know how much they spend at auctions every year? Do you know what kind of extravagant lifestyle they lead? You believe them when they say they use Heavenly Tribute for military expenses?
Go and look at those ordinary people at the bottom of society. What kind of lives do they lead? No matter how hard they work to earn money, they just can't get rich. Their lives get worse and worse, and they even have to sell their children!
The Heavenly Tribute they have to pay far exceeds their income. Even if they worked without eating or drinking, they might only barely make enough to cover the Heavenly Tribute. How are they supposed to live?
If their rulers are kind-hearted, they might even help replenish some of the Heavenly Tribute, allowing the lives of the common people to barely survive. If you don't believe me, you can visit several other countries to see the actual situation. With your abilities, this is easy to find out!
Vic doesn't need to bring Aokiji into the team right now. It's enough to make him truly realize who the enemy is. He might come looking for him on his own when the time comes.
As for an ambitious man like Blackbeard, you'll know what kind of person he is after just a little interaction. And his crew isn't exactly benevolent either. Expecting them to overthrow the World Government? Wouldn't that just mean another World Government would take over? Wouldn't that have been a pointless effort to overthrow the World Government?
Aokiji is a smart man; he can see all this. In the end, he will never join Blackbeard's crew again. The Blackbeard Pirates are not that competitive now, at least he is no longer a dual Devil Fruit User.
If what you're saying is true, then how can things be changed?
Aokiji was also a bit numb. He was already seven or eight parts convinced, but he had no clue what to do when faced with the behemoth that was the World Government. On the other hand, Vic was talking eloquently, as if he knew a lot of inside information.
"That depends on your attitude. If you want to live a secluded life, then hurry up and find a place to live in seclusion, get married, have children, and live out the rest of your life well!"
With your strength, you don't need to worry about the Heavenly Tribute falling into your lap. However, as for your descendants, it's uncertain whether they will possess your abilities. Perhaps the Heavenly Tribute will fall into their laps, and their descendants will continue indefinitely, or perhaps it will end after two generations, leaving no descendants at all!
"Of course I want to do something! But how?"
Just imagining the scene Vic described sent chills down Aokiji's spine. He could certainly avoid it if he had the strength, but who could guarantee that his descendants would always be strong?
Although he could choose to be alone, as a member of the human race, he also has a sense of social responsibility. He wants to do something for his community instead of letting them forever remain as objects of exploitation, living a life of misery.
"You should know something about the Ohara Incident. The World Government did this to cover up the Void Century of history 800 years ago. That period of history should be considered the World Government's dark history!"
They became the rulers of this world through some illegitimate means, and if this is exposed, it will certainly shake their rule.
Those who knew the truth are long gone, and the only thing left is the Poneglyph. However, very few people can still translate Ancient Script now, and your good deeds in Ohara back then were precisely a glimmer of hope!
Nico Robin's ability to translate Ancient Script might be a consequence of your actions; you saved her back then, and now she can help you. The truth Void Century should lie at Laugh Tale, the end of the Grand Line.
He needs Robin's guidance to get there, because he needs the landmarks recorded in the Poneglyph. Therefore, the Straw Hat Boy are the most likely to become the Pirate King on this vast ocean!
If you follow the Straw Hat Pirates to Laugh Tale, even if you don't learn the truth and overthrow the World Government's rule, you could at least end the Great Pirate Era!
Of course, you can also join my Thunder God Pirates. When the Void Century incident happens, I'll definitely lend a hand. The Celestial Dragons and I have a deep-seated grudge that can't be resolved. It's up to you to choose!
Vic didn't really care whether Aokiji joined the Straw Hat Pirates or his own Thunder God Pirates, since in the end they would all be on his side, as long as he didn't join the Blackbeard Pirates.
Moreover, Aokiji definitely won't be able to join in the short term. He will go and see the world for himself, based on what Vic said. He was too superficial before and didn't see the causes and consequences behind it. This time he will look carefully!
Aokiji left, taking with him the questions Vic had raised. That night, Olvia was unusually frantic because Vic had mentioned Ohara and the Poneglyph, which had been causing her great distress and repression as she had been listening in. So, she vented her frustrations on Vic that night.
Half a month passed in the blink of an eye, and Vic and Olvia returned to Titan Island, this time heading to the underwater Fish-Man Island.
At the entrance to Fish-Man Island, Vic saw the pirate flag he designed, and then went to the Ryugu Palace to see Shirahoshi. The Hard-Shell Tower was very sturdy, and Shirahoshi was safe. After wandering around Fish-Man Island, Vic took Olvia back to the New World.