Time passed, and the year 1516 was nearing its end. Queen was eagerly awaiting the return of Arceus, dreaming about his bright future, while his figure grew plumper by the day.
In the end, he had regained his former roundness.
At this moment, Queen had just left the Beasts Pirates Pokémon Center—he wasn't here for a checkup, but rather to check up on others.
His previous arrogance was long gone with Kaido's help. He had once again come to understand the gap in strength; just because he could fight didn't mean he could win.
At least he no longer had the urge to stay locked away all the time.
Still, to avoid another unfortunate incident, he would occasionally check the security within Wano Country. The permanent population here could now be divided into four groups: the natives of Wano, the crew members of Beasts Pirates, the Minks from Zou Island, and talented people attracted by the Beasts Pirates' policies.
The pirates stationed on the main island were mostly veterans. The secluded natives and the different-species Minks didn't concern him; the talented people attracted by high salaries, however, were the ones he suspected most.
Relatively speaking, they were the group most likely to cause trouble.
Although these people had lived in Wano for quite some time, it didn't stop Queen from his recurring paranoia.
After some investigation, he confirmed once again that these doctors were safe.
In truth, if there had been an issue all these years, it would have surfaced by now. Queen was just overly anxious. But just as he was about to leave, a doctor approached him.
"Sir Queen, please wait a moment—I have something I'd like to ask you."
"Hmm? What is it?"
"Well... I have some friends who are having a hard time because they offended some people. They're looking for a new place to settle down. One of them is a pretty good doctor. So... are there any new immigration policies?"
Apart from the World Government constantly reviewing identity papers, most islands and nations don't care about such matters.
But simply wanting to live somewhere new isn't easy on this sea.
Affiliated nations have passenger ships that can ensure some safety in travel, but ordinary people rely solely on luck. What kind of encounters a ship might have on the sea or whether it will reach its destination safely—no one knows.
Umit's shipping business includes this part. As long as the money's right, they can usually ensure a safe arrival to the destination.
As the Beasts Pirates developed, they too started attracting outsiders and even offered special benefits to talented people. That's why he was asking Queen.
"The main island isn't possible, but the islands in outer territories might be an option. You know the rules—go back and submit an application."
Some things, once missed, are gone for good. Wano Country was now entering a new era. Skills that would have been welcome ten years ago might not be now.
Queen has always been responsible for matters like migration. This is also related to his current mental state. He doesn't want to give any spies a chance to infiltrate the main island, so he was always trying his best to prevent it from happening.
"Understood."
The internal recommendation system has always been a part of the Beasts Pirates. With the right connections, things can be much easier to accomplish.
For ordinary people, the most trustworthy were still the World Government and the Marines. Residents in the Marineford town are the ones with the highest sense of security, though not everyone is that lucky.
For those in non-affiliated nations, and the residents of some Grand Line islands, they don't share this fortune. In the changing era, they too will make their own choices.
....
On an island in the New World, there once was a nation here, but it was destroyed in a war with an affiliated nation. To pay the heavenly tribute, that country attacked this place, seizing a large amount of wealth. Since then, it has become a lawless land.
However, over time, a new kind of order emerged here. Due to its geographic location, this island became a transit hub—a place where goods, people, and resources gathered before being redistributed worldwide. In a way, it became a unique gray center.
"Dear, are you sure this is safe? This place is pirate territory…"
At the port, a family was gathered together, looking tense. The decision to move hadn't been unanimous among them.
"Trust me, I asked around with House. Even some of the wealthy from the New World are relocating to islands under Beasts Pirates' rule. If it were really that bad, do you think they'd go there?"
"Those people might be immoral, perhaps even vicious and cruel, but to reach this level, they aren't fools. They value their lives very much and wouldn't move somewhere dangerous."
Patriotism is nearly non-existent in this world. In the Great Age of Pirates, few people feel a sense of loyalty to their nations. In order to live a better life, they don't mind moving—especially people like them, who couldn't even say they belonged to a country.
"I hope you're right… Oh no! Dear, the wallet's missing!"
"Forget it. It's just money—we can earn more."
"But... that was our last bit of savings…"
"Let's start over. We'll figure it out once we're out of here."
This place does have some order, relatively speaking. But compared to completely lawless zones, at least there's no open chaos here. The underworld rulers don't allow anything to disrupt their operations.
But in the shadows, petty theft and human trafficking are still common.
They were only here following an address given by a friend, waiting for someone.
There were others around watching them, seemingly looking for an opportunity. Just then, a pirate ship began docking at the port. The Beasts Pirates' flag fluttered in the wind, and even other ships ready to dock moved aside to make way.
"Clear the way."
A few people climbed down the rope ladder. Compared to the other pirates around, these individuals were dressed quite formally, and they were all noticeably good-looking.
They belonged to a special team under the Beasts Pirates, tasked with escorting valuable talent to their territories—a special immigration bureau.
There is one strict requirement for selection to this team: you must look good, at least enough for others to think that you are a good person.
In the Beasts Pirates, this requirement isn't excessive. They have plenty of attractive people, whether male and female, and they select those with a certain level of strength for the role.
As for especially talented individuals, they don't have to worry about that—an officer would personally handle that.
Thanks to the Beasts Pirates' reputation, a path quickly opened up on the dock, and one of them located the people he was there to meet.
"You must be the Wilson couple. Dr. House asked us to escort you to your new home. Please, come with us."
After comparing the photo in his hand, he quickly identified his targets.
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