Few knew Alistair was leaving—only the core members and leading merchants. Therefore, only the officers and merchants saw them off; to maintain morale, the soldiers weren't informed. This was for secrecy; information leaks during procurement could compromise their position.
Due to the small number of people, the galleon carried a large amount of food and rum for ballast. This was a basic measure; in more extreme cases, stones would be used.
Alistair regretted not having a Devil Fruit; it would have provided self-preservation; even without Robin, Enel, or Ace, he would be fine. But then he considered that the ship was full of Devil Fruit users, and he was glad he didn't have one; at least one person knew how to swim.
Hancock was worried, her brow furrowed; Alistair's journey didn't include her. She felt uneasy; besides her and the Kuja officers, everyone was new; she couldn't guarantee Alistair's safety.
Alistair, however, viewed the Kuja and Spade Pirates equally—new friends, associates, subordinates. He'd known Hancock for less than 50 days, yet he trusted them.
This trust stemmed from his foresight, but also from his belief in their shared enemy and their unwavering stance. Excluding Hancock was a show of trust in Ace, Robin, and Enel. This was true kingly conduct.
He wasn't a king, but his beliefs were righteous; he used schemes but believed in their complementary nature. What truly moved people was tangible benefit and morality.
He always emphasized that individual strength is limited, but the strength of comrades is limitless; he believed this and acted accordingly.
If the One Piece world had a core principle, it wouldn't be the Pirate King or passion, but comradeship. The entire story revolves around comradeship.
Alistair didn't know the profound meaning of comradeship or if it would grant him power. But unity, discipline, and comradeship were ingrained in modern soldiers' DNA.
Since Alistair named his organization the Revolutionary Army, iron discipline and cherishing comrades were paramount; no one could be abandoned. The soldiers' comrades were their partners; weren't his officers his partners?
Addressing Hancock's concerns, he approached her, took her hand, and said firmly and gently, "Mock Town is in your hands, Boa."
Hancock blushed, feeling like she was burning up. She couldn't hear anything; only one thought remained: "He called me Boa; is this a proposal?"
Alistair smiled; she was a beautiful pirate empress, but still a young woman. He turned serious. This world was cruel to young women.
Ace, at the helm, held a Log Pose—for Loguetown. Even Alistair was surprised the merchants had one. Thanks to them, Alistair had easy navigation and didn't need a navigator. This was the benefit of befriending merchants; their connections exceeded expectations.
On the Grand Line, reliable navigation was essential; this Log Pose was useless; you could face a storm one moment and be in the Calm Belt the next.
But none of this threatened Alistair's new warship. Seeing its effortless 30+ knot speed, they knew the Navy's Calm Belt monopoly was over.
This straight line was ideal for Ace's new warship. They didn't bother with Alabasta's pointers; they didn't even raise the sails.
Enel sat proudly on the mast as a "prisoner." Robin read on the deck. Alistair addressed the Revolutionary Army officers: "Mock Town is yours; protect it; I'll be back!"
The officers saluted in unison.
Alistair returned the salute.
Leaving Mock Town, Alistair smiled.
Lafitte emerged from the captain's quarters with two bottles of fine wine, gesturing. "Captain, a toast? These are offerings from the merchants; in my years as a West Blue law enforcement officer, I've never seen such fine wine; those merchants hid their best stuff."
"No, these are for emergencies; no alcohol until Loguetown. Even low-alcohol drinks can cause delays; alcohol is forbidden in the army; violators are flogged thirty times."
Lafitte, a recent recruit, hadn't attended training; his Zoan-type Devil Fruit gave him privileges; he was relaxed. But he was loyal; he didn't argue, merely smiled and returned to the quarters.
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