## Chapter 218: Secrets and Rules!
Inside the Treehouse between the Moon, Im looked at the latest reports sent by the Five Elders. Personally steering the World Government was truly not an easy task.
Although the trivial matters didn't require his attention, managing an entire planet – oh no, two planets – meant there were increasingly more things he needed to know.
But he couldn't blame anyone but himself for causing so many things to happen this past year.
Following his habit.
Im first picked up the Report regarding the Kabaneri World.
"The Shogunate has basically been taken down. It seems the people below did a good job. Next is taking over the entire Hinamoto."
In his view, the World Government was currently in the investment phase for the Kabaneri World, investing in Manpower, physical Resources, financial Resources, and other aspects.
Only when Hinamoto was fully controlled and the local Citizens were led to plant crops and mine various Natural Resources would it truly enter the harvest phase.
"Hmm?"
"Kabane Resource Regeneration Plan?"
Opening this Document, whose very Headline was somewhat chilling, Im read through it expressionlessly. Slowly, his Gaze became increasingly solemn.
"Well done, Five Elders. Truly ruthless and vicious..."
Look at what was written on it. They wanted to try building a mechanized semi-automatic Factory in the Kabaneri World that integrated Functions like 'breeding', 'collection', 'processing', and 'transportation'.
If this attempt proved effective, they would build more Kabane Factories, concentrating the Kabane in these Factories, while also facilitating other departments in mining Natural Resources.
It also stated that the existing Kabane would inevitably decrease over Time, so a method to 'maintain' their numbers was necessary.
To be honest.
As a young man who had only transmigrated two years ago, seeing such a dark, anti-human Plan truly made him furrow his brow the entire Time.
He really hadn't thought about the so-called 'Renewable Resource' issue.
Before, he just thought that Kabane were already Monsters, and utilizing their Heart Membranes was nothing. But now, the Five Elders were preparing to turn Humans into Kabane when the existing Kabane were almost used up!
"They want me to sign this?"
Im immediately fell into a dilemma. He knew that once he signed and agreed, countless Humans would be forced into Factories and turned into Kabane in the Future.
But even he had to admit that the Kabane's Heart Membrane was indeed a Biomaterial with the character 'black' in its name, and crucially, it could indeed be 'mass-produced'.
[Drip, drop, drip, drop...]
The Antique clock face hanging on the wall kept rotating. Ten minutes passed, half an hour passed, an hour passed, two hours...
Im hesitated for nearly three hours before raising his hand and picking up the fountain Pen.
"Multiverse Conquest concerns the fate of the entire Sea Star World. If I don't do everything possible to constantly become Stronger, one day we will be conquered by a Stronger World..."
While comforting himself in his Heart, he firmed his Gaze and quickly signed the word 'Agree' on the Document. After signing, Im pushed it aside without even looking at it and picked up the next File Report.
The subsequent Content was all normal.
"Hold a Government Conference, Internal Disclosure of the Star Gate. No problem!"
"Still no progress on the Amber Lead Disease?"
"Hmm... The Academy of Science has researched the optimal Plan for embedding Seastone in the Ship Bottom. Also, the first Blade to 'eat' a Zoan-type Devil Fruit has appeared!"
Seeing this, Im knew that the Munch-Munch Fruit he gave Vegapunk had been effective. He figured that the Shape Memory Alloy with its own Lineage Factor would also be developed soon.
"Did Kaido agree? It was smoother than expected. But can that guy really defeat Kozuki Oden?"
Im wasn't very confident about this point.
According to his Memory, Kaido seemed to have been defeated by Kozuki Oden, and only succeeded in a sneak attack from behind because Kurozumi Higurashi transformed into Momonosuke, distracting the latter.
Kaido twenty years later would definitely be fine, but the current Kaido was still too green.
[Borurururu, Borurururu]
The Transponder Snail rang.
"Hmm?"
"Lord Saint Nerona, your Vehicle, Noah's Ark, has been pushed onto the Sea Surface by Admiral Garp. The relevant departments are arranging for its handling."
The person on the other end was Stussy.
"Understood. You can come back now."
"Yes!"
Immediately after, Im called Saint Topman Warcury and ordered, "Have the 'Giant God Soldiers' stand by in the Plaza. I want to see them."
"Yes, Lord!"
After hanging up the Handset, Im lowered his head and continued reading the File Report.
Two hours later, on the Social Plaza of Pangaea Castle, the Ground was, as always, covered with lush Grass Court. The Tennis Court named 'Holy Land' also quietly sat there.
Suddenly.
A series of heavy Footsteps sounded. The blades of grass on the Ground trembled slightly. Moments later, three Giants, nearly twenty meters tall, walked over, one in front and two behind.
The one walking at the very front was wearing an oversized Coat of Justice.
"Brother Saul, why are you still wearing that Clothing? Didn't you say you're not a Marine anymore?" Oimo, walking on the left, asked with a smile.
"Because I want to carry Justice and ask that Lord some things," Saul, whose face was covered in orange-red hair like a lion's mane, grinned, showing his teeth.
His Body Size was nineteen point five meters tall, a Head taller than the sixteen-meter Oimo and seventeen-meter Kashi.
In terms of Strength, he was also the strongest as a Giant Vice Admiral in the Marines.
Therefore, even though the three had only met recently, these two Giants from the former Giant Warrior Pirates called him 'Big Brother'.
"Huh, what's this?"
Kashi looked curiously at the Holy Land Tennis Court. In his eyes, it was just a blue square drawn on the grass.
"It looks like the Main Islands on the Grand Line are drawn on it. Look, our Elbaf is on it too!" Oimo pointed to the Court representing the New World and said with a smile.
Saul, standing beside them, looked at it and fell silent. He knew what this thing was, and therefore understood even more clearly what it represented.
"So this is a Celestial Dragon..."
[Step, step, step, step]
Suddenly, crisp Footsteps sounded in the ears of the three. They were all excellent Warriors, so their Reaction was naturally not slow. Their three pairs of large, bell-like eyes simultaneously looked over.
They saw that the approaching people were a man and a Woman, a man in white Clothing and a blonde Woman in a black dress following behind him, slowly coming from inside the Castle.
[Boom!!]
When the Giants' gazes met the man's eyes, they felt as if a huge Explosion had occurred in their minds. A strong sense of Fear surged up from the depths of their Hearts.
Saul's performance was better. Although his whole body trembled, he still stood rooted to the spot. However, Kashi and Oimo behind him retreated repeatedly, finally sitting down on the Grass Court with two Loud Noises.
"So this is the Giant Race? They're really big!"
Im stood with his hands behind his back, ignoring their disheveled Posture, and instead observed their huge Body Size with interest.
It was the first time he had seen such a magical Race with his own eyes.
"I heard you have something you want to say to This Saint?"
Im withdrew the oppressive feeling from his Gaze and looked arrogantly at the quickly relaxing Saul. Behind him, Stussy quietly awaited Orders.
"Hoo— Yes!"
Saul swallowed. He didn't know why this Celestial Dragon, whom he was supposed to 'protect', had such a terrifying Aura, but the obsession in his Heart made him choose to ignore these things.
"I want to ask you, as a World Noble, can you tell me why the World Government is arresting those innocent Scholars?"
"They are just a group of unarmed Scholars, why must you put them to death?"
"The people I've arrested so far, in my opinion, they truly just wanted to understand past History. If their Research is really that dangerous, couldn't the Government just help them?"
"I want to ask you, can you give me Evidence that they are evil people!"
These questions, amplified by his Giant Race voice, truly gave a sense of power and echoed throughout the Holy Land.
It even attracted Gion and Mihawk, who were practicing Swordsmanship nearby.
But this also made Stussy's Gaze towards him become dangerous. She angrily said, "Watch your Attitude! How dare you be so disrespectful in front of Saint Nerona?"
However, Im in front of her waved his hand, signaling her to be quiet, because he had specifically called Saul here precisely to change his fate.
After all, he was a Giant Vice Admiral. What a waste it would be to lose him, especially on those Scholars from Ohara.
"What is History?"
Im looked at this kind Giant Vice Admiral with calm eyes, but the latter clearly didn't dare to meet his Gaze, though this was insignificant.
"History is what happened in the past. History that is forbidden to be researched is past events that are not wanted, cannot, or are unwilling to be known by outsiders."
"If you view the World Government as a person, then these are Secrets that are not wanted to be known by others, and it has already been clearly stated externally that probing is rejected."
Saul was stunned after hearing this. He hadn't expected the answer he received to be like this. Then he heard Saint Nerona ask him in return.
"Do you have Secrets you don't want others to know?"
"If so, and someone is trying every possible way to probe your Secrets even after you've clearly told them you don't want them probed, how would you feel?"
"This..." Saul was left speechless by the question.
"This is from a Human perspective. And from the perspective of Law, researching Poneglyphs is something the World Government has explicitly forbidden. So, are they not breaking the Law?"
"But..."
"According to This Saint's knowledge, the World Government has issued three explicit Warnings to the Scholars of Ohara, forbidding them from continuing to explore and research Poneglyphs. Yet they are still doing it. Is this not knowingly breaking the Law?"
Im questioned back again.
"It is..."
Saul replied with a bitter Expression, shaking his Head.
"You are of the Giant Race, from the Elbaf Kingdom. Does the Elbaf Kingdom have its own Laws?"
"Yes..."
Saul nodded with difficulty. Kashi and Oimo behind him also nodded repeatedly. Then they heard Im ask again, "Then in the Elbaf Kingdom, if someone knowingly breaks the Law, will they receive Punishment and Sanctions?"
"Yes! Yes! If you don't listen to the King, you'll be dragged to the Duel Arena and have your Head cut off!"
Seeing Saul not Speaking, Oimo immediately answered the question loudly, then added, "But we call those things Rules over there."
"Since that's the case, Saul, do you understand now why those Scholars are being arrested?"
Im asked finally.
"I understand..."
Saul had nothing more to say. He could only look up at the Sky, filled with emotion. After listening to this Celestial Dragon's questions one by one, he suddenly felt that the Scholars of Ohara were seeking their own demise.
Because he truly couldn't find any problem with these words. They all sounded very reasonable, and he couldn't think of any counterarguments.
"Yes, even Humans have their own Secrets, let alone the vast World Government..."
(End of this chapter)