"I want to create a new world, with my own two hands." Alistair, uncomfortable from squatting for so long, sat down in front of Ace, smiling as he spoke.
"But my power is too weak, so I need people like you." He extended his arm, roughly the same thickness as Ace's. His height and build were similar to Ace's, but their strength was worlds apart.
This wasn't just the difference between races, but also the formidable physique honed by the world's strongest Haki user, "Iron Fist" Garp, through years of relentless training.
Even without the Mera Mera no Mi, Ace's physique should be comparable to Sanji's, and his martial arts skills would still be far superior to Sanji's when he first set sail.
It was just that he was unlucky enough to encounter some of the world's top pirates.
"With her, isn't that enough?" Ace gestured towards Hancock.
"I've told you, I want to create a new world. One person's strength isn't enough." Alistair leaned on his knees, chuckling as he asked.
"I know you don't trust us yet, but the most important thing in this line of work is honesty."
"Lies cannot cultivate truth." Alistair said with a smile.
"And,"
"Don't you think this world is absurd?"
"Your father created a free and easy world at sea, but don't you think this world hasn't changed at all?"
"It's still the Marines chasing pirates, the unchanging countries, and the Celestial Dragons who enjoy the offerings of the world. What fundamental changes have there been in this world, before your father became Pirate King, and after his execution?" Alistair's expression grew serious. "Oh, there are more pirates."
"But is that a good thing?"
"Explorers, those who truly love adventure, have become fewer. These adventurers, completely different from pirates, are either slandered as pirates by the Marines or assimilated by pirates. Everyone has become extreme dualists. They are either Marines, pirates, or pirate hunters. There are no more free adventurers or explorers."
"This world, nothing has changed."
"You're lying, the Pirate King ushered in the Great Pirate Era!" the intelligence officer of the Spade Pirates, shouted angrily.
Before joining the crew, he was a pirate fan, a great admirer of Pirate King Roger. He deeply respected the Pirate King and his captain.
When he discovered that his captain was the Pirate King's son, his excitement was overwhelming. Now, hearing Alistair "insult" the Pirate King, even if he died, he had to rebuke him.
"Skull! Shut up!" Ace's face was gloomy. His feelings towards Roger were incredibly complex.
So complex that even he himself didn't know what his feelings towards his father were.
He hated Roger; he hated him for killing his mother, Portgas D. Rouge; he resented Roger for abandoning his wife and child for the sea; he cursed Roger for his unfortunate and dangerous childhood.
He also admired Roger; he was the great hero who ushered in the Great Pirate Era; he respected Roger, because he was the strongest father in the world; he envied Roger, because he was the freest person in the world.
He… didn't know how to criticize Roger, so he was extremely extreme and cynical from a young age, until he met his two brothers: Sabo and Luffy.
Now, even though he had calmed down, he still didn't know how to evaluate Roger.
"Roger died of illness." Alistair's words stunned everyone into silence. The bombshells he dropped today were more than they had ever heard in their lives.
"Roger was already terminally ill, so he didn't have time to do many things. He left all his secrets on Laugh Tale, the final island."
"And then, he lit the fuse."
Alistair didn't think highly of Roger, but given his physical condition at the time, Roger wouldn't have been able to do anything anyway. But given Roger's personality, it would have been difficult for him to actually do anything to overthrow the World Government.
In Alistair's view, without overthrowing the World Government, this world couldn't be saved. It was ultimately a problem of the system.
"He left many old comrades and crew members waiting for the arrival of a new era, waiting for someone who could overthrow the World Government; waiting for someone like me, waiting for a younger generation of pirates like you, who aren't so cruel, so stupid, so ignorant, who grew up in hardship under the oppression and exploitation of the World Government."
"Do you forget how your brother Sabo died?!" Alistair's icy words made Ace sweat profusely.
"As long as the World Government exists, people like Sabo will continue to die. Have you forgotten?!"
Alistair didn't tell Ace everything, but if this couldn't stir Ace's rebellious heart, then telling him that Sabo was alive would be meaningless.
"What do you plan to do?" Large beads of sweat rolled down Ace's face. He stared at Alistair with wide eyes, like a furious Vajrayana Buddha, but the words he spoke brought a smile to Alistair's face.
"Unite all the forces that can be united. First, we'll bring over some Marines and officers who are dissatisfied with the World Government." Alistair explained his strategic plan. In this world, few people paid attention to political strategies. Slogans wouldn't work. They had to see something truly feasible, operable, and possible before they would seriously listen to slogans, revolutions, and talk of greatness.
In the pirate world, might makes right. Most people wouldn't listen to your slogans or ideals. Fujitora might listen, might believe, but most people still believed in fists, in strength.
If you don't defeat them, subdue them, many pirates are difficult to communicate with.
For example, Ace. When he first appeared, he was cool, witty, and amiable. But that was only his side to Luffy and Luffy's friends. Hidden deep within Ace was the arrogance of a second division commander of the Whitebeard Pirates and the strength of a Logia Devil Fruit user.
If Whitebeard hadn't defeated Ace, would Ace have really submitted to Whitebeard? Would he have really listened to Whitebeard?
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