Translator: PapaSmurf0700
The moment Bai Ye spoke, a wave of surprise rippled through the Straw Hat Pirates.
"Hey, Nami, Bai Ye's got that look again... Is he planning to trick the Marines?" Usopp asked, worry creasing his brow.
Nami nodded, sharing Usopp's concern. "In this situation, there's no stopping him. Luffy's grandpa seems really serious!"
"Yohoho, what a bold claim!" Brook couldn't help but laugh. As the newest member who hadn't yet seen Bai Ye's deceptive tactics, he was intrigued. Why would the vice-captain claim that the Marines were also villains?
In everyone's mind, the Marines symbolized justice.
"Mr. Bai Ye, if you're referring to the incidents with Morgan, Nezumi, and the Seven Warlords in Alabasta, I can explain!" Coby interjected, clearly anxious. Ever since he was a child, his dream had been to become a noble Marine.
"Calm down, Coby," Bai Ye said casually, gesturing for Shakky to pour him a drink. He then leisurely continued, "I know those guys are like a disease within the Marines, and that the Seven Warlords aren't directly controlled by the Marines."
"Every group has its misfits."
"You're here talking with us because we're different from other pirates, right?" Bai Ye observed Coby's uneasy look and shook his head in mild exasperation. "You've been with the Marines this long and still lack nuanced thinking?"
Glancing at Garp, who stood nearby, Bai Ye mused internally that under Garp's watch, one could expect a rise in strength, but not much else.
Turning back to Coby, Bai Ye flashed a grin that the crew all recognized.
[Everyone, move aside! I'm about to start fooling people again!!!]
Bai Ye's thoughts about the Marines had changed a lot over the years. Initially, as a young fan of the One Piece series, he saw the Marines as villains for opposing the heroes. As he grew up, his perspective shifted. He came to admire the stability and order that the Marines represented, believing they were the guardians of justice, as many citizens did.
However, stepping into the actual world of One Piece altered his views significantly. He questioned, "Where is the justice in their actions? Aren't they just as corrupt?"
Before diving into his theory with Coby, Bai Ye posed a critical question, "Do you think the Marines operate independently, or are they under the World Government?"
When Coby confirmed they were a branch of the World Government, Bai Ye laid out his argument. "If the Marines exist mainly to enforce the World Government's rules, their primary job is to suppress anyone who opposes that rule, including pirates."
"This raises a question, doesn't it? Why are there so many pirates willing to face such dangers?"
Bai Ye paused, allowing his words to sink in. "Being a pirate is arguably the most perilous job. At any moment, you could be hunted by the Marines, face execution, or succumb to the countless dangers of the sea."
"Does it really make sense that so many are willing to risk their lives without a strong reason?"
As Bai Ye spoke, a thoughtful silence filled the tavern, prompting everyone to ponder the complexities of justice and rebellion in their world.
"But the sea, the sea calls to a man's sense of adventure..." Usopp began, his voice faltering as he tried to bolster his own spirits. Despite his lifelong dreams of piracy, Bai Ye's probing questions had left him doubting.
"Maybe it's the lure of treasure?" Nami suggested, her tone uncertain. She remembered the harsh rule of Arlong over Cocoyasi Village, driven by greed.
"Actually, few pirates ever find real treasure," Robin chimed in with a calm authority, born from her twenty years at sea. "Most are lucky to scrape together enough to repair their ships or replace lost crew."
"In other words, piracy is hardly a lucrative career for most," Robin concluded. The reality was stark: like in any profession, only a few at the top prospered while the majority struggled just to survive.
This revelation left Coby and the others perplexed. "Then why choose to be pirates if it brings so little reward?"
Bai Ye paused, shaking his head before offering, "There's an old saying from where I come from that seems fitting here. Let me tweak it a bit—it might shed some light on your question."
"If the world were truly at peace, with no one oppressed and everyone well-fed, then who would choose the life of a pirate?"
His words, soft yet impactful, resonated deeply, leaving a profound silence in their wake.
It wasn't just about the thrill or the gold; Bai Ye's insight suggested a deeper, systemic challenge. "Oppression, hunger..." these words lingered in the air, painting a picture not just of piracy, but of the societal conditions that drove men to it, subtly hinting at the role of the Marines without direct accusation.
Only then did the gravity of Bai Ye's earlier question truly sink in for Coby: Are the Marines truly independent, or are they just enforcers for the World Government?
"The World Government is the real chaos behind this ocean's turmoil, and the Marines…" Coby's voice shook as he spoke: "They're the main force upholding the World Government's dominion over the seas."
"Is that not true, Vice Admiral Garp?" Coby's plea was desperate, directed at the man he respected the most.
Ignoring Coby's emotional outburst, Garp addressed Bai Ye sternly: "Don't paint pirates as mere victims." He continued, "Regardless of their reasons, pirates have wreaked havoc—burning, killing, and plundering the weak. They chose that path themselves."
Although Garp highlighted a critical flaw in Bai Ye's argument, to Coby, it felt as though Garp had admitted that the underlying issue indeed stemmed from the World Government.
Bai Ye responded calmly, "That's not quite my point." He was unshaken, even knowing Garp would challenge his views, "Certainly, pirates are a scourge—they bring nothing but suffering and destruction."
Bai Ye had never tried to disguise the truth about pirates. Even in original story, Luffy openly embraced his role as an outlaw. "If someone tried to deny that, Luffy himself would probably be the first to object," Bai Ye thought amusedly.
Turning back to Garp, he added, "The focus here isn't whether pirates deserve their fate at the hands of the Marines. What I'm really pointing to is the fundamental corruption within the Marines themselves."