Several days passed, and the reconstruction of Aruba progressed smoothly without any reaction from the royal family.
It was as if they had tacitly accepted it.
"Extra! Extra!"
"Breaking news!"
At the port of Yuba, inside a café.
Gurd sat at an outdoor table, flipping through the latest newspaper.
[New Marine Headquarters Admirals Appointed!]
"Issho, the 'Fujitora,' and Aramaki, the 'Ryokugyu'!"
"So it's finally happened."
Gurd shook his head.
He had wanted to recruit these two as well, but he hadn't known their whereabouts. According to the newspaper, Fujitora hailed from the West Blue, while Ryokugyu was from the South Blue—both territories under the World Government's control.
Vivi peeked over his shoulder.
"Are these two really strong?"
"Of course they are."
Gurd glanced at the girl.
For the past few days, Vivi had been following him around like a shadow, bombarding him with endless questions. She was practically on the verge of kneeling and shouting, "Master, teach me how to govern!"
The problem was, he didn't know much himself.
Through sheer exposure, he had only picked up superficial knowledge. Delving deeper left him just as clueless.
Making things up on the spot was exhausting.
But even these basic ideas held an indescribable impact for most people in this world.
Even Vivi was no exception.
Under a feudal system, what they lacked most was a clear direction forward, leaving them to grope blindly in the dark.
It was like how, before the concept of a round Earth was established, everyone believed it was flat. Even those who suspected otherwise were dismissed and criticized.
As he read the paper, a message arrived.
"Lord Gurd, the first shipment of supplies has arrived at the port!"
"Good."
Gurd stood and headed for the docks.
Three Hoenn Battleships and ten large transport vessels had docked, escorted by Aokiji's top enforcer.
Vice Admiral Drake!
In addition to overseeing this shipment, Drake was now the commander of N–1 Fortress, one of the three major fortresses in the North Blue.
Spotting Gurd's arrival, Drake immediately stepped forward to greet him.
"Commander Gurd."
"You've worked hard!"
Gurd nodded with a smile.
"Was the journey smooth?"
"Very smooth!"
Drake replied solemnly.
The North Blue was now largely under the Hoenn Government's control. Though some Marine branches remained, they posed little threat.
From the North Blue, entering the Grand Line led straight to Alabasta.
But still...
What the hell am I even doing?!
Drake was inwardly distressed.
He had come as a spy, yet he'd ended up as one of Aokiji's subordinates. His daily duties involved maintaining stability in the North Blue's allied nations and capturing Pirates that entered Hoenn's waters.
He was managing fortresses now—there were no classified intel to gather. Whenever he requested to return to Hoenn's headquarters, Aokiji refused.
As for the Beasts Pirates? Forget about it.
The worst part was his growing confusion.
For this critical supply mission, he hadn't reported it to Marine Headquarters. Nor did he want the Marines interfering.
Because he knew—the cargo on these ships was vital for the people of Alabasta. It would bring them stability and happiness.
What if I just defect already?!
Half a day later.
The port was piled high with mountains of grain.
Alongside food, there were all kinds of goods.
Daily necessities, clothing, shoes, candy...
Even appliances like refrigerators and fans—essential for a desert nation.
There were both cheap daily items and higher-end products, though most of this batch was reserved for the reconstruction sites, with only a small portion allocated for sale.
Gurd began issuing orders to his subordinates.
"Prepare ten units of each type of goods and deliver them to the palace, clearly marked with their selling prices. Also, send someone intelligent to explain the advantages of our company's products to King Cobra."
"Oh, and ask Cobra if he needs weapons."
"Don't slack on procurement—maintain strict quality control."
"Yes, Chairman Gurd."
The transport fleet had arrived fully loaded and would return the same way. Alabasta possessed several scarce resources, especially minerals.
Vivi followed behind Gurd, observing the mountain-like pile of supplies. She silently made up her mind—even if it meant diverging from the World Government, she would persuade her father to establish diplomatic relations with the Hoenn Government.
This was a great opportunity for the nation and its people!
Vivi bowed respectfully and bid farewell: "Teacher Gurd, I need to return home for a while. I'll relay your proposal to my father. And... thank you for your guidance these past days!"
"Oh, goodbye."
Gurd waved cheerfully.
Finally, the little shadow was gone.
Meanwhile, in the northeastern waters of Alabasta...
A Marine warship was sailing swiftly.
"Lahaha, this island is huge!"
The man in leather pants marveled at the sight of Alabasta ahead. An island this massive could practically be called a continent.
Truly befitting of a superpower.
An officer approached the man from behind.
"Admiral Ryokugyu, Fleet Admiral Sakazuki has issued orders for you not to act recklessly."
"Yeah, yeah, got it."
Aramaki waved dismissively, his expression making it clear he hadn't taken the warning seriously. If anything, he seemed eager.
This was his first mission as a Marine Admiral, after all. He wanted to complete it flawlessly—he longed to hear his idol, Sakazuki, praise him with a "Well done!"
He truly admired Sakazuki!
"I'm going ahead!"
Ignoring his subordinates' protests, Aramaki sprouted small flowers on his back that spun like propellers, carrying him toward Alabasta.
Elsewhere, in the palace...
Various goods were piled high in the palace hall—mostly common items with high demand.
Cobra inspected each one, growing more excited as he went. The quality of these products far exceeded his expectations, and each was clearly priced.
Not expensive!
No, in fact, they were quite cheap.
Aside from items like refrigerators, most were slightly below market price yet matched in quality.
These goods alone proved Gurd's sincerity. Cooperation would bring immense benefits to Alabasta.
Vivi had also returned to the palace and now pestered Cobra: "Father, Teacher Gurd wants to turn Aruba into the world's largest trade hub!"
"A trade hub?"
Cobra blinked in surprise.
"Here's how it works..."
Vivi explained in detail.
Beyond trading with Alabasta, Gurd intended to leverage the kingdom's geographical advantage and influence to connect all seas except the New World.
With Alabasta's superpower status and political clout, establishing diplomatic ties with other member nations would be easy, allowing the Groudon Company to sell its products widely.
Later, the Groudon Company would also set up factories in Alabasta, transforming the kingdom into the world's factory.
Vivi was exhilarated.
"Father, this will bring immeasurable wealth to our nation—and most importantly, happiness to the people of Alabasta!"
Large-scale construction would undoubtedly provide numerous job opportunities and boost economic development, making Alabasta prosperous.
A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
"Vivi, ah!"
Cobra let out a long sigh.
Of course, he was well aware of these benefits—but his concerns ran much deeper.
"I'll talk to Mr. Gurd!"
(End of Chapter)