28. Latest News
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The latest newspaper stirred up significant attention, making waves across the world. Not only did it contain news of the alliance between the Tru Kingdom and the Marines, but it also featured photographs of Anos and Aokiji in conversation.
The most noteworthy aspect is that Anos wouldn't miss this chance to promote his Kingdom.
The various flashy advertisements were hard to ignore. In this era, few people fully understand the power of such marketing strategies.
Meanwhile, at Marine Headquarters, everyone was left in shock.
Aokiji hadn't even returned to Marine Headquarters yet, but the Den Den Mushi in his pocket had rung countless times already.
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At Marine Headquarters:
"Wow, Bwahaha…"
Laughter echoed as Garp glanced at Sengoku, unable to contain himself after seeing the newspaper.
"Garp, you idiot, stop laughing! Don't you want to go back to East Blue? Get out of here, and don't let me see you again!"
Sengoku shouted, his temper flaring.
But Garp continued to grin and munch on his snacks as if nothing had happened, still holding the newspaper. The most prominent part displayed pictures of Anos and Aokiji together.
"I didn't think we old-timers would be outplayed by a young king. The key to rescuing a Kingdom overtaken by pirates with the help of a Vice Admiral. That kid made a clever move. Even the World Government is probably having a headache now, and yet they can't say a word."
Garp chuckled, but there was a note of admiration in his voice. Taking control of a kingdom without drawing criticism was a truly brilliant strategy.
The key point is that with this newspaper's publication, Marine Headquarters is now seen as having formed an agreement with the Tru Kingdom.
The involvement of a Marine Vice Admiral means there's no way for Marine Headquarters to avoid responsibility.
"Garp, what do you think we should do now? I specifically told Aokiji before he left not to get involved in any conflict between the two Kingdoms. But now look at this! Everything has been announced so openly."
Sengoku's frustration hadn't subsided.
"What's the point of dwelling on it now? Instead of that, why not figure out what the young king wants? This whole situation feels like a chessboard, and we've been pulled right into it," Garp replied.
However, Anos's intention, from the moment he arrived in Logue Town and allowed his subordinates free rein, was to ensure the involvement of a Marine, thereby demonstrating trust between his Kingdom and Marine Headquarters. Although the situation had evolved, the outcome still aligned with his goals.
The war between the two Kingdoms had only escalated the situation, pushing everything to a breaking point.
Now, Marines found itself in a tight spot. The last thing they wanted was to get caught up in such a complex situation.
The Marines uphold absolute justice, remaining neutral to all Kingdoms and powers. But now, this incident had tipped the scales of their so-called justice.
Regardless, this event had a massive impact on the Marines, and they were powerless to stop it. The era of pirates had arrived, and as all the forces on the sea converged, piracy had reached its peak.
The Marines were already stretched thin dealing with pirates. Handling the distant Tru Kingdom, where the influence of the World Government was weak, was almost impossible.
The South Blue, one of the weakest of the four seas, meant that even if something significant occurred there, Marine Headquarters could only suppress the news.
In the office of Fleet Admiral Sengoku at Marine Headquarters, Garp and Sengoku exchanged glances, both feeling a mix of frustration and helplessness.
Garp, however, wasn't too bothered, but Sengoku, the strategic mind of the Marines, was deep in thought. His usual sharp intellect was at a loss for solutions.
"I'll head back tomorrow. This won't have much of an effect on the Marines. I doubt the King of Tru will do anything drastic. We'll wait until the pirate situation settles, then handle it," Garp said.
"That's all we can do."
Sengoku agreed.
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What they didn't realize was that in the coming days, the economic development of the Tru Kingdom would accelerate rapidly.
All merchant ships began flying the flag of the Tru Kingdom alongside the Marine emblem, allowing them to sail freely.
Even if they encountered pirates, there was no need for fear. Most pirates wouldn't dare to attack them.
This was precisely Anos's plan. Money is the lifeblood of his Kingdom, and this was the cheapest and simplest way to maximize its benefits.
After this incident, other neighbouring Kingdoms may have entertained thoughts about the Tru Kingdom, but its power was enough to make them reconsider any aggressive actions.
With the downfall of the Roya Kingdom, the Tru Kingdom had risen to become the largest Kingdom in South Blue.
The population of the Tru Kingdom also became the largest among all South Blue Kingdoms.
Anos decided not to use the opulent Roya Palace after taking over the kingdom. Instead, he ordered its demolition, placing all valuable items in the royal treasury.
Using the old Roya Palace would have only given critics something to gossip about, and it wouldn't have benefited the Tru Kingdom at all.
The Royal Palace of Tru, situated near the coast, became the centre of the kingdom's economic growth. These developments were crucial and could not be neglected.
Anos didn't share the same mindset as the previous King of Roya. He didn't see the point in living luxuriously when the Kingdom's economy could be improved instead.
Most rulers didn't think this way or didn't even have the concept of doing so.
These kings rarely valued their inherited thrones, which is why their Kingdoms had fallen into poverty.
One month after the incident, the first major summit was held in the Royal Palace of Tru.
Hundreds of participants attended the meeting as the Tru Kingdom prepared to implement sweeping reforms.
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