Water7 is under my protection.

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22 chaps ahead on Patr.eon: patreon.com/MonkeyGodking

I have no idea if this is 3 or not, whatever. I'll count tomorrow.

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The Magma man watched them go and focused his attention on Water7 as he said "You're under Arrest for the Crime of Harboring Pirates and collusion in the form of building a ship." Iceburg retorted angrily "I refuse to accept this! We originally had a deal with the World Government to make all Marine Ships! We're sanctioned by the World Government to work and move without surveillance from agents and our actions would not be penalized through interactions with pirates!"

Iceburg added, incensed about the current situation, "I never received a notice or anything of the sort, even mentioning the alleviation of this sanction! I demand an explanation for the 4 hidden agents, who were employed without my knowledge of their agent status!"

The man said coldly "You don't have that much authority. The Gorosei relieved you of the sanction 5 days ago, following the attack on Enies Lobby. On the grounds that you aided criminals in attacking a Government island." Iceburg immediately said "I have no recollection of aiding any criminals."

The man sneered "Then why did a pirate save you from burning to ashes?" Iceburg had no response and the man said "Surrender and come without an issue and your sentence will be less severe. Resist and I have authority to terminate. There's no wiggle room, the Government is pulling Water7 under it's direct control."

Iceburg trembled in rage, why! He had been making Government ships for years and this is how he gets treated!? All because of the Emperors?! This wasn't fair! The man said "What are you choosing, 'Mayor' Iceburg?" he sneered heavily and Iceburg opened his mouth, but he didn't get to speak.

A man appeared in front of him and said with a smile "Naturally, he will refuse. Water7 will not become a Government owned island." the man narrowed his eyes and said "What are you doing in Paradise, Blue Oni." Iceburg gasped behind Hiro, this was the new Emperor!?

Hiro smiled lightly and said "Offering protection to Water7. You can go, unless you want to see what the bottom of the sea looks like?" The man glared at Hiro and looked at the destroyed Marine fleet, they were batter and bruised. He grinded his teeth and said "Expect repercussions, Emperor." Hiro smiled and said "Notify the 5 elders that we can talk business if they're nice."

The man grunted and waved "Retreat and return to Marineford, Fleet Admiral will want to heard this." the Marines looked unwilling, but inside that were grateful and happy, they could go back home! Thank the lord!

The Marines sailed away and left Water7.

Hiro watched them go and when they were completely gone, he turned around to Iceburg, smiling "Yo!" Iceburg was startled and said "Um.. Hello." Hiro patted his shoulder and laughed "Don't be so tense. I'm actually a nice guy!" Iceburg chuckled nervously and Hiro shook his head, saying "Hah... You become an Emperor and suddenly, everyone is scared of you! It's really uncomfortable."

Iceburg didn't reply, or rather, he was too scared to reply. The newspapers said Hiro was a demon, a big scary demon that ate children and humans! He didn't want to get eaten. Hiro walked forward and said "Let's talk business, Icerink. I'll make Water7 my territory and provide you protection from the government, what can you do for me?"

Iceburg blanked and said "Well, we cant make your ships, give you a monthly cut of city taxes..." he kept mumbling and Hiro couldn't hold it in anymore, bursting out laughing, Iceburg was confused and Hiro smiled warmly saying "I don't need anything. I'm protecting Water7, I'm not taking anything from you."

Iceburg was confused and said "Why?" Hiro smiled warmly and said "This is the scrapyard?" Iceburg nodded and Hiro looked around before saying "Come with me." as he walked away, Iceburg followed him and they came to a small house.

Hiro smiled and said sadly "This is where I met my teacher for the first time." Iceburg mumbled "Teacher? But this is Tom's pl-" he froze and looked at Hiro in disbelief. Hiro smiled and pulled out a picture with a picture frame made of Adam wood and Star sand glass.

He showed Iceburg and smiled "Tom and I built Captain's ship together. He taught me everything on how to build a ship during the time I was here." Iceburg looked at the picture of Roger's crew with Tom and Hiro.

Roger was pressing on Hiro's head and Hiro was smiling happily.

Iceburg said "So, you..." Hiro smiled and said "I'm your Senior Brother for lack of a better term, Tom's first student..." his eyes looked pained and he added "I couldn't save teacher because I was somewhere else..." Iceburg patted his shoulder and was a lot warmer as he said "Hey! Don't worry about it, it's not your fault. I'm surprised you're a fellow student!"

Hiro smiled and put away the picture, saying "Yeah, he was the best though. It was strange, he said that I was just as good as him when I left but he was clearly superior." Hiro sighed and changed the topic "Anyway! I didn't expect the Government to react so harshly. I'll mark it as my territory but..."

He looked at Iceburg and said seriously "I'm only 1 person, that's my entire power. The other Emperor is my wife. We don't have crews, so therefore, we'll have to negotiate with the government a new agreement on Marine Ships." Iceburg nodded seriously with a frown as he said "That's a big issue. Honestly, I don't want to work with them anymore..."

Hiro chuckled and they walked away as he said "Iceburg, Water7 is too appealing to the Government. All their ships are made here, even if they have to start a war, they will do it." he paused and narrowed his eyes adding "I'm also 50% sure, that if they're losing, they'll cut their losses and try to kill every shipwright on the island."

Iceburg looked at him in shock and Hiro chuckled "Don't underestimate them, they are very shrewd and calculating. If they can't have ships, neither will the pirates. The balance of power is very delicate, I fucked it to hell, and now the World Government is retaliating, trying to accumulate more power for itself." Iceburg said "That's why they sent an Admiral... But isn't spreading their power a bad thing?"

Hiro shook his head and said "No because they're deeper than you think. There's hundreds and hundreds of CP agents. Marines are never in need of men and women because there's a lot of hotblooded kids enlisting every day. The Marine is shady but they work their dirty business in the dark. Certain Pirates don't care and attack in broad daylight announcing themselves as Pirates and looting towns, raping women, murdering innocents..."

Hiro sighed and rubbed his temples, adding "Unfortunately, the frequency of Pirates doing this is much higher than Marines making morally questionable decisions. A lot of kids turn to the marines for revenge against pirates, forming a twisted sense of Justice. They only want to kill Pirates to satisfy themselves and avenge their families, thus the current situation."

Iceburg replied "So you're saying the Marines are never in need of fresh blood... Then shouldn't they have taken over already?" Hiro smiled and shook his head, replying "How can it be so simple? There's a natural filtration system for Pirates in the form of the Marines themselves, and as you saw before, the Emperors have deterrence against Marines, slightly protecting all of the Pirates. The Government can't make a move because the Emperors might retaliate and engulf the entire world in the flames of war. It's a constant game of Tug of War between the two sides."

Iceburg nodded, understanding what Hiro was trying to say. He voiced his doubt "Would they really come and negotiate with a Pirate?" Hiro nodded firmly and said "Absolutely, I wouldn't be surprised if they were already on their way. I expect them in a few days not more than a week." Iceburg said "So fast!?"

Hiro got serious and said "They don't play around. If they can reach an agreement easily, they will do it..." he added solemnly "Though... They might play dirty to probe me. Currently, I'm just a clone, the real me is somewhere else, but I still have my means." He looked at Iceburg and said "This is own secret, okay?"

Iceburg nodded seriously and Hiro whistled, soldiers appeared from his shadows and kneeled on one knee in front of him. Hiro looked at the ordinary shadows and said "Hide in the shadows of the city, I want your eyes and ears everywhere. One of you will be in Iceburg's shadow and relaying any suspicious information to him." the soldiers saluted and moved immediately.

Iceburg watched as a soldier bowed to him before going into his shadow, Iceburg bowed in return just before the shadow left. He looked at Hiro and said "What now?" Hiro smiled and said "Well, I want to put down my businesses here, candy, coffee, weapons, and clothes. Also, I have a bunch of Eternal Poses to my Island in the New World, you have a Log Pose shop, right?"

Iceburg smiled and said "Yeah, follow me!" Hiro followed him happily.