One Piece:Becoming the King of the World from the Rocks Era

"Huh? Didn't Captain say it was just a few Beast Islands? But this map shows at least dozens of them!"

Looking at the map, Kaya was utterly dumbfounded.

She had naïvely assumed there would only be a handful of islands. Even if she could only transport one island at a time, finishing a few wouldn't take her long.

But what was she seeing now?

The map marked dozens of islands, many of which were far from the Infinite Sea territory, with some even located in the Four Seas regions. How long would it take her to move all of these?

In that moment, Kaya felt deceived. It was supposed to be just a few islands—how had it turned into dozens?

"What's the matter? If you can move islands for the Captain, why can't you move them for me?"

Seeing Kaya looking reluctant, Yadina immediately put on a stern face.

"No, Sister Yadina, I didn't say I wouldn't move them. It's just that I can only move one island at a time. With so many islands, I can't bring them all back in one go," Kaya said, her tone softening instantly as she noticed Yadina's stern expression.

Ever since she was little, Kaya had been intimidated by Yadina's stern gaze. Whenever Yadina gave her that look, things never ended well for her.

"Kaya, I'm not asking you to finish it all at once. Start with the Beast Islands the Captain needs. The rest of the islands can be brought back over the next year."

"Also, each of these islands has one of Sister Shakky's mirrors on it. You can use her Mirror World to reach those islands directly, saving you the trouble of flying there yourself."

Once Kaya agreed, Yadina's stern face softened, returning to her usual elegant and kind demeanor.

"Right! Using the Mirror World, I can go straight to those islands and move them back without having to fly there myself. That saves so much time!"

"Don't worry, Sister Yadina. I promise to complete the task and move all the islands back within a year!" Kaya exclaimed, her eyes lighting up.

She was well aware of the Mirror World, which was known to anyone recognized by Li Yuan. Knowing that she could use it made the task seem far less daunting.

Seeing Kaya so cheerful, Yadina smiled faintly.

Her husband's approach—one stick, one carrot—was incredibly effective. The once-reluctant Kaya was now eager to get started.

"Judge, did you call me because of a breakthrough in your experiments?" Li Yuan asked upon arriving at Judge's lab.

"No, Captain. This isn't about experiments. There's something else I'd like to discuss with you," Judge replied.

At first, Judge seemed a bit nervous, but soon he steadied himself and spoke with determination.

"Oh? What is it?" Li Yuan asked curiously.

"Captain, as you know, I'm from the Germa family. Once, Germa ruled the North Blue, but it fell apart due to certain events.

"Now, with Mariejois destroyed by Walde and the world in chaos, the World Government's grip has weakened significantly.

"I want to return to the North Blue, reclaim the Germa family's legacy, establish a new Germa Kingdom, and restore its former glory!" Judge's eyes burned with ambition as he spoke.

Originally, he had planned to wait until he had more experimental breakthroughs before bringing this up, ensuring he had leverage. But the news of global chaos convinced him that this was the perfect moment. If he waited until the World Government regained its footing, it would be too late.

"Captain, I have no intention of leaving the Infinite Pirates. As the future king of Germa, I'll still be a researcher for the crew. The Germa Kingdom will function like a subordinate nation under the Infinite Pirates, much like the World Government's affiliated countries," Judge added hastily as he noticed Li Yuan's expression change.

He was well aware of the Infinite Pirates' strength. If even the World Government couldn't gain the upper hand against them, he stood no chance. Moreover, he knew Li Yuan had invested significant resources in his research. Leaving now, after gaining knowledge and funding, would be unacceptable.

After much thought, Judge had devised a plan to gain Li Yuan's approval.

"You want the Germa Kingdom to rule the North Blue?" Li Yuan asked, his interest piqued.

"Yes, I want to restore Germa's former glory," Judge replied earnestly.

"Do you know why Germa fell apart in the first place?" Li Yuan asked.

"It was because of the World Government," Judge answered, clenching his fists.

"Exactly. The World Government doesn't allow powerful, independent nations to rise in the seas, as it threatens their control. Even if you rebuild Germa in the North Blue, the World Government will suppress you.

"Even now, with Mariejois destroyed and their forces weakened, the World Government could easily crush the Germa Kingdom if it became a threat.

"If it were that easy to establish dominance, the Infinite Pirates would've already supported several powerful kingdoms to rule the seas," Li Yuan explained.

"I understand, but I still want to try!" Judge said, his determination unwavering. Ruling the North Blue and restoring Germa's honor had been his dream since childhood.

"If you're that determined, I'll give you the chance. I'll let you return to the North Blue, and the Infinite Pirates will secretly assist in strengthening the Germa Kingdom. However, you must continue your experimental tasks.

"I'll also assign someone to accompany you, to help with your kingdom's development and maintain communication with the crew. After all, I've invested a lot of resources into you. If something happens to you, my investment would be wasted," Li Yuan said.

The Germa Kingdom in the original story had fared poorly, lacking even its own territory. With the support of the Infinite Pirates, things were bound to be different. Li Yuan was curious to see if Germa could rise.

If it succeeded, he planned to support other kingdoms to divide the World Government's influence further.

"Thank you, Captain! I'll make sure to complete all assigned experiments!" Judge said excitedly. With the Infinite Pirates' backing, Germa's rise was inevitable.

"Remember, Judge, in this world, true power is everything. No matter how strong a kingdom is, it's nothing before top-tier individuals.

"Even islands with millions of inhabitants can be destroyed with a single sword strike from a strong enough warrior.

"Never forget—power is the ultimate foundation. Do you understand?" Li Yuan said, patting Judge's shoulder.

"Yes, Captain!" Judge replied, snapping back to reality. He realized this was both a warning and a reminder of his position. If he betrayed the Infinite Pirates, Li Yuan could destroy Germa with ease.

"Prepare yourself. I'll arrange for someone to escort you back to the North Blue," Li Yuan said before leaving.

As he left, Li Yuan mused, "The world is in chaos now, but it's not chaotic enough. Let's stir the pot a little more."

The current state of the world presented countless opportunities. With the World Government weakened and struggling, it was the perfect time to sow further discord and expand the Infinite Pirates' influence.

By secretly supporting and manipulating kingdoms, fostering wars, and selling weapons, Li Yuan planned to reshape the world order. In this era of chaos, only the strongest would prevail.

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