Chapter 251: The Trend of Stockings
Strictly speaking, the Marines internally opposed the Seven Warlords of the Sea system. The reason was simple: the members of the Seven Warlords were all publicly recognized notorious pirates, whose very stance conflicted with the Marines. According to the Marines' long-held ideology of justice, combating pirates was their duty and responsibility. Yet, with the introduction of the Seven Warlords system, it was as if the Marines and pirates had joined forces.
The stronger a Marine's sense of justice, the more they disapproved of the Seven Warlords.
However, there was no choice. The Seven Warlords system was decided by the World Government, with the World Government as the leader. The Marines only had jurisdiction and had to obey the World Government's orders. Regarding the Seven Warlords, they could only comply, at most offering suggestions.
Now, the World Government had realized the danger of the Dragon Hunter Pirates and was determined to reduce their enemies. Thus, they sided with the Celestial Dragons, intending to use the position of a Warlord to pull Ian into their camp. Sengoku was deeply displeased but had no choice but to comply.
Sengoku was old and nearing retirement, but he couldn't bear to see Whitebeard, a contemporary of his, continue to roam freely. He felt that the Whitebeard Pirates were his responsibility and that he must eliminate this threat while he was still in the position of Fleet Admiral. He couldn't afford any mistakes in his plan.
What Sengoku feared most now was any connection between the Dragon Hunter Pirates and the Whitebeard Pirates. Allowing Ian to join the Seven Warlords might disrupt his plans.
So he had to resort to a small trick, bringing up other Warlords to oppose this decision.
In Sengoku's view, this Ian would likely face opposition from the other Warlords. Leaving aside strength, Ian had a major weakness: his age.
The current members of the Seven Warlords were mostly between thirty and forty years old. Their fame and prestige had accumulated over time. Even the youngest, the Pirate Empress, was now twenty-seven or twenty-eight. In comparison, Ian, a nineteen-year-old youth, had risen too quickly and would likely struggle to fit in with the other Warlords.
This was Sengoku's leverage. He believed that if the current Warlords collectively opposed the decision, along with the Marines' objections, the World Government might hesitate and ultimately revoke the decision.
After returning to Marine Headquarters at Marineford, Sengoku immediately summoned Bartholomew Kuma, the Tyrant, while personally drafting inquiry letters to be sent to the other Warlords stationed far away.
After carefully considering his wording, Sengoku completed the inquiry letters and had them sent out via special messenger bats. Soon after, Kuma arrived at Sengoku's office.
Due to his cooperation with the Marine Science Unit, Kuma had the closest ties to the World Government and the Marines. Most of the time, the Marines could easily contact him.
Holding his thick book, Kuma silently found a chair in Sengoku's office, sat down, opened the book, and began reading without asking why Sengoku had summoned him.
Kuma had always been a quiet presence in Sengoku's eyes, so Sengoku wasn't surprised. He asked Kuma, "Would you like some tea?"
"Sure," Kuma replied without looking up.
Sengoku had his subordinates bring two cups of tea, then sat opposite Kuma and said, "There's something about the Dragon Hunter Pirates..."
"Do you want me to step down from the Seven Warlords to make room for a newcomer?" Kuma closed his book and asked.
"No, quite the opposite," Sengoku shook his head. "I want you to oppose Ian, the captain of the Dragon Hunter Pirates, becoming a Warlord."
"It has nothing to do with me," Kuma said in his deep voice. "This is a decision by the World Government. I can't oppose it. When they invited Fire Fist Ace to join the Seven Warlords before, the World Government wanted me to step down, and I had no objections."
Sengoku was somewhat irritated. "Damn it, Kuma! Have the body modifications scrambled your brain? If Ian joins the Seven Warlords, you're the most likely to be replaced. Are you really willing to give up your position as a Warlord?"
"The position of a Warlord became unimportant to me when I made a deal with Vegapunk," Kuma stated. "Once the modifications are complete, I'll lose consciousness, so the status of a Warlord means nothing to me."
With that, Kuma stood up, holding his book, and bowed to Sengoku. "If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave."
Sengoku was momentarily at a loss for words. Kuma's attitude was completely unexpected. He had thought Kuma would be the most vocal opponent, given that the World Government wanted Ian to replace him.
Little did Sengoku know the true relationship between Kuma and Ian behind the scenes. In fact, even Ian's move to become a Warlord was orchestrated by the Revolutionary Army in secret!
All the great pirates who became Warlords had their own motives. Kuma was no exception. His original task from Dragon was to become a Warlord. Now that he had successfully made contact with Vegapunk, Kuma's goal was essentially achieved. The position of a Warlord was indeed meaningless to him.
However, the Revolutionary Army couldn't afford to lose this foothold within the Marines. So, after consulting with Dragon, Kuma decided to let Ian, the new Revolutionary, take his place.
To protect Ian and ensure his plan succeeded, Dragon, the leader of the Revolutionary Army, had even secretly traveled to Salamis Island during the great battle there. He planned to lend Ian a hand if he couldn't hold out against the two Marine Admirals. In the end, the unexpected appearance of the Whitebeard Pirates forced the Marines to retreat.
To avoid arousing suspicion about Ian's identity, Dragon never revealed himself.
Now that the Celestial Dragons had finally relented and wanted Ian to become a Warlord, Kuma was eager for things to proceed this way. Why would he listen to Sengoku and voice opposition?
Kuma left, having made it clear he wouldn't oppose the matter. Sengoku, troubled, could only pin his hopes on the other Warlords.
Over the next week, the inquiry letters Sengoku had sent gradually reached the other six Warlords...
On the Calm Belt of the Grand Line, at Amazon Lily, the island of the Kuja tribe, it was midday. The sound of bells echoed through the city.
The panicked citizens of the Kuja tribe rushed out of their homes but orderly gathered outside the city. They knew it was time for the Snake Princess to bathe.
While waiting outside, the female warriors of the Kuja tribe weren't bored. They chatted with familiar friends as they awaited the Snake Princess's bath to end.
On Amazon Lily, many women had snakes coiled around their bodies. These snakes were their most common companions, not only as partners but also as helpers in daily life and combat. They were an indispensable accessory for the women of the Kuja tribe.
However, if one looked closely, the women here now had another unique adornment: stockings!
The women of the Kuja tribe dressed openly and boldly. In the past, bare, long legs were common. But now, regardless of beauty, body shape, or height, they all wore stockings in various colors. Their conversations often revolved around these stockings.
For a type of clothing to become a trend across the entire island, only one person could achieve it.
That's right—the Pirate Empress, Boa Hancock!
After returning from outside, the women of Amazon Lily noticed that their most admired and beloved Snake Princess had started wearing these things called stockings. This sparked a frenzy. Eager to emulate their Snake Princess, they began to imitate her. However, since stockings were scarce on Amazon Lily, they became highly sought after. Recently, when the Kuja Pirates went out to plunder supplies, they added stockings to their list of loot, alongside food, ore, and gunpowder.
But no matter how they wore them, everyone on Amazon Lily agreed that the Snake Princess looked the most beautiful and alluring in stockings.
The female warriors chatted enthusiastically about what color stockings the Snake Princess had worn in the past two days. As their excitement grew, they failed to notice a small black dot flying toward the palace atop the cliff...
Inside the palace, there was a massive bath. Steam filled the air, and a breathtakingly beautiful figure soaked in the water. Her jet-black hair floated on the surface, smooth and silky.
Boa Hancock was bathing. She had cleared the citizens to prevent anyone from seeing the slave brand on her back. However, just as she was enjoying the warmth of the water, a bat flew in through the window.
This messenger bat, carrying a letter, was unlucky. As soon as it entered, the alert Boa Hancock noticed it. She fired a Kiss Shot, hitting the bat and turning it to stone. It fell from midair and shattered upon hitting the ground.
The sudden intrusion of the bat infuriated Boa Hancock. Just as she was considering ordering the citizens to hunt down all the bats on Amazon Lily, she noticed the letter beside the bat.
With a splash, Boa Hancock stood up from the bath, her exquisite figure and proud curves fully revealed. Amid the rising steam, her silhouette was both alluring and tantalizing.
Walking to the edge of the bath, she picked up the letter. Seeing the Marine insignia on it, her expression darkened.
Although she was a Warlord, Boa Hancock had no fondness for the Marines. Now, a letter from the Marines dared to disturb her bath—an unforgivable offense.
She initially wanted to toss it aside without a second glance, but something stirred within her. She glanced at the shattered bat and, recalling something, quickly opened the letter.
After skimming through Sengoku's inquiry, Boa Hancock couldn't help but exclaim in joy, "It's him! He... he really is being invited to become a Warlord!?"