One Piece meme: Starting with eight extraordinary skills

King Riku and Scarlett were disheveled, and Scarlett was accompanied by a beautiful little girl, yet she maintained noble manners, lifting her skirt with both hands and bowing slightly to Yang Ming and the others.

"We have learned of the heroic deeds of all of you from my sister, and we are very grateful to you all!"

King Riku, that old man, was even more direct, pushing Rebecca forward and saying to Yang Ming:

"Heroes have emerged from among the young since ancient times. I think you and I are destined to be together. Why don't you arrange a marriage between our children?"

Chapter 83 Fear not the darkness, for dawn will come because of you and me.

North of Dressrosa lies an isolated island called Greenbit, connected to the other side only by a dilapidated steel suspension bridge. Vast shadows occasionally emerge from beneath the surface of the surrounding waters.

Fighting fish are ferocious and have a habit of traveling in groups. With their huge size and ferocious instincts, they can easily ram and sink passing ships.

Because of the habits of fighting fish, Greenbit is a sparsely populated area. Both foreign ships and local residents are afraid of this place and dare not approach it easily for fear of causing trouble.

In reality, these fighting fish were bred by the ancestors of the Liku clan 200 years ago as a precaution. If their descendants were to meet with misfortune, they could hide in this mushroom rock and preserve their bloodline.

Located in a remote area, Greenbit has been eroded by monsoons, waves, sandstorms, and organisms for many years, gradually forming a huge mushroom-shaped rock formation. This is a rather unique mushroom rock formation, with the lower layer having a slender neck and the upper layer having a thick mushroom head due to the difference in hardness between the upper and lower rock layers.

If you look down on the entire island of Dressrosa from the air, you will find that the fragmented terrain of the Greenbite area is very similar to that of the southern part of the nearby Kingdom of Prodins, as if the two were originally one.

In fact, geologists have long studied the topography of various countries and found that the countries are like broken building blocks scattered all over the world. If the maps of the countries are pieced together, they can form a huge land kingdom.

Of course, all the truth is buried in the blank 100 years of history, and even the geologists who once devoted themselves to studying this subject are now buried under tall grass.

At this moment, this once deserted mountain rock has become more lively than ever before.

Two elderly men, both over fifty, were arguing and glaring at each other.

"You old scoundrel, you even dare to go after your own granddaughter! How could you be so heartless as to marry off the lovely Rebecca to Yang Ming?"

"I don't need a brute like you to teach me how to do things!"

King Elizabello II and King Riku were locked in a power struggle, neither willing to yield.

These two longtime friends were less sulking and more driven by King Elizabello II's one-sided envy and jealousy.

Why do I have no daughters or granddaughters? Even a granddaughter would be fine!

fall!

On this vast ocean, different countries have different customs and traditions, and most people mature early, with marriage being a common occurrence in their teens.

When King Riku's eldest daughter, Scarlett, was 15 years old, she was kidnapped by pirates. She was later rescued by Cyrus and fell in love with him. She gave birth to Rebecca when she was 19.

Generally speaking, members of the royal family are quite particular about their marriage partners. They must meet five criteria: family background, social status, family wealth, strong capabilities, and impeccable character. At least three of these criteria must be met, which is commonly known as "marrying someone of equal social standing."

Cyrus was originally a murderer who later became a gladiator in the bullring. Although he was very strong and had even saved Scarlett, he ultimately suffered greatly because of his background and social status.

For this reason, even though Scarlett insisted on marrying Cyrus, King Riku immediately announced after their marriage that Scarlett had died of illness, in order to avoid bringing shame to the royal family.

However, Yang Ming's situation was completely different from Cyrus's!

Firstly, Yang Ming has the powerful backing of naval hero Garp and Chief Instructor Zephyr.

Secondly, Yang Ming is exceptionally talented and powerful, and now he leads an army on his own. In the foreseeable future, he will definitely have his own territory at the Navy Headquarters.

Thirdly, the Riku family is no longer the royal family of the Dressrosa Kingdom and is already homeless. If they can get on Yang Ming's good side, they don't even need to reclaim the Dressrosa Kingdom. They only need to escape the Donquixote Family's continued pursuit. That would be a blessing from heaven.

King Riku was well aware that for a young powerhouse like Yang Ming, mere wealth could not sway his will. Only through a marriage alliance could the Riku clan be firmly bound to Yang Ming's cause.

If Violet hadn't been captured alive by Doflamingo, King Riku would have already simply given his second daughter, Rebecca, to Yang Ming.

If King Riku were the protagonist of the novel, it would probably have been vehemently criticized by a group of readers as a story that favors women, and given it a very negative review.

The two argued endlessly.

Yang Ming was also having a terrible headache.

A beautifully sculpted little girl stood helplessly beside Yang Ming. She had long pink hair, a bit of baby fat on her face, and her big eyes were filled with confusion. She didn't know what to do. Her hands hung down at her sides, her ten fingers gripping the hem of her skirt tightly, and her lips were pressed together.

“My grandfather told me to try to please this young man.”

"But how can I please him?"

Rebecca was so anxious that she paced back and forth, her beautiful eyes welling up with tears.

Seeing the little girl about to cry at the drop of a hat, Yang Ming felt even more helpless. He gently patted her head; her pink hair was as smooth as silk, and she had a pleasant milky scent that was refreshing.

Yang Ming had never had any experience comforting girls before, and he didn't know what to say to comfort someone. He rolled his eyes at Riku in his heart.

If it weren't for the fact that Yang Ming's plan required the Riku clan, he would definitely have pinned King Riku to the ground and given him a good beating.

As the calloused, rough hand brushed across the girl's cheek, Rebecca, looking at the resolute face so close to hers, felt as if she had found a haven for her soul. A sudden calm settled over her, and she surprisingly returned to her usual self.

Men who possess Conqueror's Haki naturally possess an extraordinary charisma.

Tina's beautiful eyes shimmered, and she thought to herself:

"The captain is such a gentle little man."

"I also wish I could be comforted like that by the captain..."

Seeing that Rebecca had calmed down, Yang Ming secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

God knows, comforting a girl is more stressful than fighting!

Seeing this, Cyrus and Scarlett exchanged a glance, seemingly relieved.

Although the two did not agree with King Riku's decision, the Riku clan was being hunted down by the Don Quixote family, and they had no ships to leave the island. Unless they continued to disguise themselves and live in hiding, they could only live a life of barely surviving.

Seeing that Yang Ming was not a crude person, Cyrus thought to himself:

"Perhaps Rebecca can find happiness if she marries him."

After finally managing to knock Elizabeth II to the ground, King Riku dusted off his hands and strode over to Yang Ming.

King Riku had white hair, thick eyebrows, and large, leopard-like eyes with clear whites. His angular face bore the marks of time, and his clothes were tattered and torn, bearing numerous gun and sword wounds, wrapped in bandages. He exuded a faint scent of herbs and blood, clearly indicating that he had been through a bloody battle.

This elderly man, well past fifty, was indeed shrewd and experienced. He seemed to sense Yang Ming's resistance to the arranged marriage and, instead of continuing the discussion, knelt on the ground, banging his head against the floor, tears streaming down his face, and said:

"Eight hundred years ago, the Donquixote Family left the Kingdom of Dressrosa and joined the World Government as Celestial Dragons. My ancestors took over the kingdom's power, making the Riku family the new royal family of the Kingdom of Dressrosa."

"In these eight hundred years, my Liku clan has always been diligent and conscientious, never daring to slack off in the slightest. We not only abolished the slave system of the Lilliputians, but also exempted the country from various exorbitant taxes."

"Although the country has not become rich and powerful over the years, at least the weather has been favorable and the people have lived in peace and health. During my tenure, I have also resisted the invasion of pirates many times, defended the country and the people, and never delayed for a single day. I was afraid that I would not do a good job and would let down my ancestors."

"But what right does Doflamingo have to seize the Kingdom of Dressrosa through conspiracy!"

"What's most hateful is that the World Government and the Five Elders actually ignored the efforts of my Riku clan over the past eight hundred years and tacitly approved of Doflamingo's evil deeds."

"If it weren't for Captain Yang Ming's heroic act of stepping forward today, I'm afraid my Liku clan would have been living like rats in the sewers, never able to hold our heads high again!"

"To express my gratitude, I am willing to recommend Captain Yang Ming, in the name of the Riku clan, to become the Guardian of the Kingdom of Dressrosa, in command of all the kingdom's armies!"

Upon hearing this, King Elizabeth II jumped up from the ground, cursing the shamelessness in his heart.

Doflamingo plotted to seize the Kingdom of Dressrosa, and now he has the power of a king, but not the title.

As one of the 170 member states of the World Government, the Kingdom of Dressrosa requires a World Conference for such a dynastic change. The Five Elders would announce the change to all member states, and Doflamingo's status as king would only be recognized and confirmed if more than half of the attendees voted.

Otherwise, anyone could plot to seize the kingdom, and wouldn't the world be in chaos?

Where is the authority of the world government?

What is the authority of the Five Elders?

If things had continued as they were in the original story, everyone would have known that Doflamingo was a Celestial Dragon, and they would have turned a blind eye to it, as no one wanted to provoke this madman.

But the interesting thing is that the World Conference has not yet been held, and King Riku is still nominally the king of the Kingdom of Dressrosa!

Once Yang Ming obtains the title of Kingdom Guardian, it's essentially like giving Doflamingo a powerful figure to rely on.

Even if it couldn't shake Doflamingo's foundation, it could still annoy him and protect the safety of the Riku clan. It was a two-birds-with-one-stone plan, and it was also an open scheme. Doflamingo wanted to stop it, but he couldn't.

Yang Ming thought to himself, "That's the way to go!" He suddenly drew his Zanpakuto with his right hand, and the blazing flames reflected on everyone's faces.

"Do not fear the darkness, for dawn will come because of you and me."

Chapter 84 This is a small step for Yang Ming, but a huge leap forward for the Navy.

The concept of a kingdom guardian is actually nothing new.

On this vast ocean, numerous countries are scattered like stars in the sky. Because the ocean separates them from the land and makes communication difficult, each country has developed its own unique civilization.

Because countries are constantly plagued by calamities such as pirates, bandits, revolutionary armies, and natural disasters, and the normal talent selection system cannot meet the security needs of protecting the country, they often hire powerful foreigners with high-level treatment to guard their country, thus giving rise to the title of Kingdom Guardian.

The Kingdom of Alabasta, as one of the oldest civilizations, serves as a powerful example.

In the Kingdom of Alabasta, there are two guardians: one is named Jackal Jakka, who has the Zoan-type Dog-Dog Fruit in Jackal form and leads the Kingdom Guard; the other is named Bell, who has the Zoan-type Bird-Bird Fruit in Falcon form and serves as the vice-commander of the Kingdom Guard.

Perhaps, compared to the main characters of the original work and Crocodile, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, these two guardians of the kingdom seem too insignificant and are often regarded as cannon fodder.

In reality, Devil Fruit users are sought after everywhere, especially those with Zoan-type Devil Fruit abilities that are geared towards combat. They are welcomed by various countries and their combat power is much stronger than that of ordinary bandits and pirates, enough to maintain the stability of a country.

In the past, kingdoms generally hired skilled individuals as guardians of their kingdoms, and there was never a precedent of hiring naval commanders.

The Navy Headquarters has never explicitly prohibited admirals from holding concurrent positions outside the Navy; it's just that no one has ever considered this possibility.

This is why, upon hearing the news, King Elizabello II secretly cursed his old friend King Riku for being shameless.

King Riku not only sold his own granddaughter, but now he's even trying to trap Yang Ming with a seemingly worthless kingdom guardian?

King Elizabello II, putting his newfound knowledge to use, disregarded the surprised look on his old friend King Riku's face, gripped Yang Ming's hands tightly, and said sincerely:

"Captain Yang Ming, I feel that we get along very well. I hope you can become the guardian of our Kingdom of Prodins. I can give you one-tenth of the Kingdom of Prodins' annual tax revenue!"

Clearly, King Elizabeth II remembered the advice of his strategist Vasco da Gama and was determined to treat Yang Ming with sincerity.

King Riku is a figurehead title given to Yang Ming, a king with no real power. In the current situation where Doflamingo occupies the Dressrosa Kingdom, it can only be used to annoy Doflamingo at most.

But the benefits that King Elizabeth II gave to Yang Ming were real and tangible!

One-tenth of a country's annual tax revenue is no joke!

King Elizabello II was a boxer, not a shrewd politician like King Riku. He had little concept of financial management, and once he spoke, it was too late even if his strategist Vasco da Gama wanted to stop him.

"Your Majesty is truly out of control; you have no idea how expensive oil, rice, firewood, and salt are!"

The strategist Vasco da Gama touched his thinning head, where he could still feel a few strands of hair, but now he felt deeply that even these last few strands of hair were about to be lost.

But how do you say something?

If you marry a chicken, follow the chicken; if you marry a dog, follow the dog.