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At present, the entire royal treasury contains less than 200 million Beris at most. For Anos, this amount of money can only cover the food needs of the people.
Therefore, if his strength cannot increase, Anos can't protect himself or the people of his Kingdom.
After studying the treasure map for a while, Anos was slightly surprised. The names and places marked on it were clearly within his kingdom.
But the key issue is that Anos had never even left the capital of this kingdom since his birth, let alone knew anything about the world outside.
After pondering for a long time in his small chamber, Anos stood up, picked up his demon blade, and walked out of the room.
"Summon Daiki, I need to ask him something," Anos commanded the maid stationed outside the door.
"Yes, Your Majesty…"
As the details of the situation started to unfold, it was evident that making use of the treasure map was immediately necessary since it wouldn't be of much use in the near future.
After nearly half an hour, Daiki arrived promptly.
Upon seeing him, Daiki bowed respectfully. "Your Majesty, I heard you were looking for me?"
"Yes, I want to ask if you're familiar with a place called Takao Mountain in our kingdom?" Anos asked directly.
"Your Majesty, I've never heard of it. Why do you ask about such a place all of a sudden?" Daiki replied.
Anos didn't hold back and handed Daiki the treasure map left behind by the old king.
Daiki glanced at it and then, somewhat perplexed, said to Anos, "Your Majesty, this seems to be Baterilla, the area closest to the Kingdom of Tru within our territory."
"Is it far from here?" Anos inquired.
"Not too far. Our kingdom isn't large, but it would still take at least a day to get there," Daiki replied.
Anos thought for a moment, feeling an inexplicable familiarity with the name, but ultimately couldn't place it.
"Prepare to leave tomorrow morning. We will go together," Anos ordered.
"Yes, Your Majesty…"
Despite these new plans, Anos' daily training continued uninterrupted.
His routine of running, push-ups, and frog jumps had been part of him for so long that it took less than half an hour to complete.
A ten-kilometre run would take mere minutes if he used his abilities, but Anos took it seriously, believing that some things needed to be done with diligence.
The next day, just after dawn, they set sail. It was Anos' first time leaving the palace, and though his expression was calm, excitement surged within him.
In the One Piece world, what most people crave is freedom but can such freedom truly exist?
Following the coastline, they observed the living conditions of various places, and it became apparent to Anos that most people lived in misery. This only solidified his resolve to change the kingdom's situation.
Their ship, originally used by pirates, was quite large, capable of accommodating 300 to 500 people.
With the flag changed, it looked much more imposing and dignified. The former pirates are now laboured on construction projects within the royal city's borders.
"The feeling of being at sea is laboured. Once things settle here, I'd love to explore more," Anos said, standing at the bow of the ship.
"The future of the kingdom is in your hands, Your Majesty," said one of the maids behind him with a smile.
Anos turned to her, smiling slightly. "The future belongs to all of us. Alone, I can't achieve much."
"Yes, Your Majesty, but Lina is honoured to serve you," replied the maid.
"I hope everything unfolds as we imagine. At least that way, we won't have to worry about the future for a long time," Anos said softly.
Around fifty people accompanied Anos, each with specific duties. He didn't want to draw too much attention, so they proceeded quietly.
However, even in the calm South Blue, surprises are inevitable.
Midway to their destination, a naval warship approached. The seagull flag flying proudly from its mast was unmistakable, even from afar. However, it was the ship's unique silhouette that truly captured Anos' attention.
"Your Majesty, there's a Marine warship approaching. What should we do?" Daiki asked urgently.
"Do nothing. Whatever happens, do not reveal your abilities," Anos commanded, his tone serious.
Daiki had long been curious why, despite years of training, Anos hadn't explained this policy. But he followed orders without question.
Staring at the warship a kilometer away, Anos immediately recognized its dog-head figurehead. He knew exactly who was aboard.
"Do your best to avoid contact with the Marines. We don't want any encounters," Anos ordered again.
"Yes, Your Majesty…"
"I didn't expect it to be Garp! I can't believe I'm seeing Vice Admiral Garp here in the South Blue," Anos murmured to himself.
He had no intention of clashing with Garp or even meeting him. The reason for Garp's presence in the South Blue was still unknown, and Anos didn't want to find out the hard way.
As the ships neared, Anos' crew skillfully steered away, avoiding a direct encounter.
But just as they thought they were in the clear, a middle-aged man in a suit appeared on their deck. His large frame and unmistakable square face confirmed it: Vice Admiral Garp had made his appearance.
"Wow, haha… I almost punched this ship into pieces, thinking it was a pirate vessel! Luckily I held back!" Garp laughed heartily, paying little attention to the surprised looks from Anos and his crew.
Anos, keeping his composure, stepped forward and said respectfully, "Vice Admiral Garp, it's an honour to see you here in the South Blue. I never expected such a distinguished figure."
"You know me, kid?" Garp asked, though with no hostility.
"Of course, how could I not? I'm Anos, King of the Tru Kingdom. My father often spoke of you. I never imagined I'd meet you in person," Anos replied with a smile.
As the conversation continued, Daiki and the others relaxed, realizing that Garp had no ill intent.
Garp grew even more intrigued. He looked at Anos and asked with curiosity, "I didn't expect you to become the king of this kingdom at such a young age. It seems the burden on your shoulders isn't light. Is your Kingdom struggling right now?"
"Thank you, Vice Admiral Garp, for your concern. I believe things will improve in the Kingdom of Tru in the days ahead."
"Haha, you're quite an interesting fellow. How about joining the Marines and working under me?"
Garp stared directly at Anos as he made his offer.
Anos rolled his eyes. The blatant attempt at recruiting him left him speechless.
"Vice Admiral Garp, if I weren't the king of Tru, I might have happily followed you. But as you can see, many citizens are relying on me to lead them toward a better life. So I'm afraid I must decline your offer!" Anos replied with a smile.
"Well, that's what you say now, but your Kingdom is not thriving. If you ever find ruling to be no fun, you can always join the Marine. I'll save you a good spot," Garp chuckled.
"I appreciate the offer, Vice Admiral. If the opportunity arises in the future, I'll certainly consider it."
"Where are you headed? Do you need assistance? I can stick around for a bit to ensure things go smoothly."
Before Anos could reply, Daiki stepped in. "Thank you for your concern, Vice Admiral. His Majesty simply wishes to assess the state of the kingdom, to better understand the situation and decide how best to address it."
For a brief moment, Garp's eyes turned sharp as he locked his gaze on Daiki, but the intensity passed quickly. He returned to his usual jovial self, his dog-head hat perched atop his head.
After observing the crew for a while, Garp grinned at Anos. "Well then, I'll take my leave. I have a feeling we'll cross paths again."
Everyone was left wondering what exactly the old man meant by that. Did he board their ship just to exchange a few words?
What happened next stunned Daiki. Garp suddenly stepped into the air using Geppo, flying straight back to his warship in an instant.
It was only then that Daiki understood why Anos hadn't allowed anyone to display their abilities from the start.
If his hunch was correct, these training methods and abilities must be closely tied to the Marine.
Pov- Garp
Back on the warship, as soon as Garp sat down, a voice behind him shouted impatiently, "Garp, next time you disappear like that, could you at least give me a heads-up?"
"Crane, don't worry so much. I just went to have a look." Garp replied with a straight face.
"Did you discover anything?" Tsuru asked directly.
She could tell from Garp's expression that the ship wasn't as ordinary as it seemed, so she pressed him with a serious tone.
"The people on that ship aren't ordinary. I didn't expect such a small kingdom like Tru to have this level of strength," Garp said.
"What do you mean? Are they all Devil Fruit users?" Tsuru asked, concerned.
"No, not at all. It's just that their physical training is exceptionally advanced, comparable to the best in our Marine," Garp explained.
"That's all? Many places have people who, with proper training, can achieve similar results. What's so surprising about that?" Tsuru replied indifferently.
"You don't get it, even after I've explained it. No point in discussing it further. Maybe we'll meet that young king again. He's quite an intriguing person."
Garp smiled slightly and dismissed the subject.
After all, as Tsuru had pointed out, with the right training, others could also reach the level of the Marine.
He wasn't entirely sure If what he saw was significant, so he decided to test things out, but the outcome seemed to align with his initial thoughts.
In any case, Garp wasn't too concerned. As long as the other party wasn't a pirate, a kingdom having such strength was understandable.
After all, he knew very well that without a few powerful figures, a Kingdom would easily fall prey to pirates.
Pov – End
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Thank you for reading!