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Anos was already refusing in words and actions. It had been some time, and he had no interest in attending any World Government meeting. This matter did not affect him at all.
After reading the newspapers over the past few days, Anos had already guessed the content of the upcoming World Government meeting.
It was just a bit of talk, nothing worthy of further study or discussion.
Cobra knew that he probably wouldn't be able to stop Anos from going to Mariejois this time. Besides, he didn't even think about stopping him.
"King Anos, do you not plan to attend the World Government Conference? At least you could meet the kings of all the Kingdoms under the World Government, which would facilitate the economic and trade development you often talk about," Cobra said.
"There's no need for that now. The development of the Tru Kingdom is progressing relatively quickly. We don't need to communicate with them for the time being."
"Perhaps we can have a proper discussion with them by the time of the next World Government Conference in four years," Anos replied.
"Well, although I don't know what you think, let's have a grand banquet tonight. It can be seen as a practice for you. We look forward to the friendly cooperation between our two countries," Cobra said with a smile.
"Regarding this, when I return to my Kingdom, I will naturally arrange this matter as soon as possible to promote economic and trade exchanges between our two nations," Anos said, returning the smile.
Cobra seemed to have realized that Anos was about to leave. He didn't hold back too much.
He simply took a box from a table beside the throne, stood up, and walked over to Anos, handing it to him.
"This is the Eternal Pose leading to Mariejois. After a good banquet tonight, I don't know when we will meet again," Cobra said with some reluctance.
"As long as there is fate, we will meet sooner or later. There's no need to worry about this. In the future, exchanges between our two nations will become closer, and we will have many opportunities to meet," Anos said, taking the box with a smile.
He wouldn't refuse such a valuable item, a Compass, to Mariejois. This was something that couldn't be bought on the market, and it was quite precious.
Although it was true that reaching Mariejois could be done by simply following the Grand Line with any pointer, this Eternal pose would save them an unknown amount of distance.
If they followed the usual route, it might take over half a year to get there, but now it could be done in at least half a month.
---
The Next Day.
Setting off early in the morning, Cobra got up early and personally escorted Anos to the palace gates.
As they departed, many people came out to watch in Alubarna, the royal city.
Most people already knew that the Kingdom of Tru would cooperate with their own Kingdom in the future, though they didn't know the specifics of that cooperation.
However, some of them, who often read newspapers, knew about the Kingdom in the South Blue.
"King Cobra, just send me off here. I'll walk the rest of the way alone!" Anos said, standing at the entrance of the palace, smiling at Cobra and the others who had come to see him off.
Today, Anos looked completely different, dressed in a sharp white suit and bow tie. If they didn't know he was a king, many would think he was just a well-mannered gentleman.
Many followed Cobra to see him off, including several princes and ministers, which also demonstrated Cobra's emphasis on the cooperation between their two nations.
"King Anos, I won't say too much. Have a safe journey. If you pass through Alabasta when you come back, we can have a good chat then," Cobra said, smiling.
"Don't worry, King Cobra. I will do that," Anos replied, saluting Cobra in a very gentlemanly manner before turning and walking toward the white carriage that had been prepared.
Having spent four days in this Kingdom, Anos felt it had been a fruitful experience.
This communication with Alabasta would undoubtedly ensure a steady flow of resources for the Kingdom of Tru in the future, though that was not very evident at the moment.
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"Daiki, has Robin been sent off?" Anos asked while lying on a rocking chair on the deck of the sailing ship.
"She's already gone, but I don't understand why you wanted to keep that woman. Even her existence should be a danger to our Kingdom!" Daiki replied, a bit confused.
"That woman will be of great use in the future, and her knowledge is invaluable. She became Oharan's archaeologist when she was just eight years old, an absolute genius. For our Kingdom, we won't only be developing forces; we will also need knowledge. Do you understand?" Anos said calmly.
"Ohara? Isn't that the once-famous place of learning in the West Blue?" Suzu chimed in curiously.
"How do you know?" Anos asked, surprised, as someone of Suzu's age probably shouldn't know much about it.
"I lived in the West Blue for several years, so I've heard of it, but I never visited. Later, I heard that a natural disaster occurred there, and no one survived!" Suzu continued, a regretful look crossing her face.
Anos and the other two exchanged glances, taken aback by Suzu's naive view.
"It was indeed that place, but Ohara didn't encounter a natural disaster; it was a man-made disaster. The Marine's Buster Call turned the entire island into a graveyard, and Nico Robin was the only one who survived," Anos explained.
"Devil Child!!" Suzu exclaimed in surprise.
"Is it necessary to be so surprised by that name?" Daiki said, looking at Suzu helplessly.
"What do you know? When I was eight, she was already wanted with a bounty of 83 million Beris. She is the youngest person in history to have such a high bounty!" Suzu said, brimming with excitement.
"So what? The bounty amount doesn't tell the whole story," Daiki remarked.
"Daiki, don't deny it. The bounty amount can determine a lot in many cases. Nico Robin's knowledge, especially her expertise in historical texts, is enough to make the World Government and the Marine nervous," Anos added.
"Your Majesty, if I understand correctly, the woman I brought last time was Nico Robin, the 'Devil Child'?" Daiki realized, having never worried about a pirate before, but after hearing it from his king, he now felt that she was quite extraordinary.
Suzu looked at Anos expectantly, both of them filled with curiosity.
"You are correct; the woman is Robin. The 'Devil Child' has had a bounty of 83 million Beris since she was eight years old. But so what? I never care about those things. Instead of worrying about that, we should think about how to deal with the Celestial Dragons once we reach Mariejois," Anos said, reclining on the chair, swaying leisurely.
"Celestial Dragons are indeed a significant issue," Suzu agreed, resting her chin on her hand.
They all clearly understand the power and influence of Mariejois. After all, who in this world hasn't heard of the Celestial Dragons?
"Suzu, have you sent all the information to those Celestial Dragons who asked us to investigate?" Anos asked calmly.
"There's no specific information on the others yet. So far, we only have intel on a woman named Verbona, who was previously investigated. The rest haven't been looked into yet. Besides, isn't she our main focus this time?" Suzu replied.
"How useful can she be? Forget it; let's wait until Mariejois provides us with further details," Anos said dismissively. He wasn't concerned about whether the goods he brought on the ship would be handed over or not. They were just tokens of formality.
In Mariejois, who knows which Celestial Dragon has the final say? There are almost a thousand of them, and Anos has no intention of bowing to so many people. It's a place that only serves to damage one's pride.
But sooner or later, he'd have to face this if he went to Mariejois. The Celestial Dragons reside there, and dealing with them means he may need to meet with countless individuals if he wants to avoid conflict.
With the Eternal Pose in hand, the journey to Mariejois was much quicker than expected, with no worries about getting off course. The Eternal Pose would guide them in a straight line, taking the rest out of their control.
"Your Majesty, may I go to the Sabaody Archipelago nearby? I heard it's the most prosperous place in the entire Grand Line!" Suzu asked expectantly.
"Nothing worth seeing there. If you encounter a Celestial Dragon, you'd have to kneel wherever you go. It's incredibly frustrating," Anos replied, yawning.
"Then let Daiki accompany me. You'll be heading to Mariejois, but we won't be allowed in. Instead of waiting outside, it'd be better to visit Sabaody," Suzu suggested.
"Suzu, if you want to go, go ahead, but don't drag me into it!" Daiki, seated beside her, immediately objected.
He had no interest in visiting Sabaody with her; Daiki wasn't that curious.
"Why are you so defensive? Coming with me is a privilege. Aren't you curious about what Sabaody is like? It's said to be the most prosperous place," Suzu insisted.
"It may be prosperous, but it's also one of the most chaotic places in the Grand Line. Sabaody is home to some of the darkest and dirtiest parts of the world," Anos explained. "If we had more time, I'd like to visit Fish-Man Island and see what the beautiful mermaids look like."
Anos reclined in his chair, closing his eyes, imagining the allure of Fish-Man Island likely a thought every man would entertain.
"Your Majesty, where exactly is Fish-Man Island? I've heard of it, but no one who goes there seems to return, let alone speak about it," Daiki asked.
"Fish-Man Island is below Sabaody. You coat the ship at Sabaody, then dive 10,000 meters underwater. With a skilled navigator, reaching Fish-Man Island under the sea is nearly assured," Anos explained.
"For pirates, Fish-Man Island is the gateway to the New World."
"Fish-Man Island! I'm excited to see it, too," Suzu added.
"So, if Fish-Man Island exists 10,000 meters underwater, does that mean the legendary Sky Island, high above the sky, also exists?" Daiki asked suddenly.
"Exactly. After we're done in Mariejois, Sky Island will be a must-visit on our way back. No matter what, our next key destination will be Sky Island," Anos said, his eyes snapping open as he sat up, looking at Daiki with a determined expression.
"Your Majesty, what exactly do you mean?" Daiki asked.
"Daiki, you mentioned the Tru Kingdom lacks space for a proper training base. For the Tru Kingdom's security, I've considered the safest, most secluded place: Sky Island. After our return, we'll go there to explore," Anos replied, lying back down in his chair.
It was a bit early to discuss this, but Anos had already planned it out in his mind.
On their journey, with not much else to do, Anos decided to brief Daiki about this idea, ensuring he'd be prepared.
The gentle sea breeze brushed against his face as they sat on the deck, enjoying the endless horizon and the blazing sun overhead. Besides the occasional seagull, there wasn't much scenery on the open sea.
Chatting on the deck became the best way to pass the time.
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