One Piece: Blue Scale Admiral

Kuzan shook his head. "It's not related to military affairs."

He got straight to the point, pointing to the prison entrance, "You may not know, but Ilya has been wanting to see you. During the seven days you were out at sea killing pirates, he asked to see you every day."

"I have nothing to say to him."

Rorschach's expression turned cold.

He didn't know why Ilya was so determined to see him.

But Rorschach didn't want to see Ilya's face again.

He just wanted to grab that face and smash it into the wall.

Kuzan had anticipated this, seeing the expression on Rorschach's face.

He sighed, "That's why I'm asking you to grant his request and go see him."

Before Rorschach could even ask, Kuzan explained the specific reason.

It turns out that the vast amount of money and resources that Ilya has amassed over the years, as well as the enormous sum of heavenly gold that was prepared and required to be handed over this year, have not yet been found.

It is said that the celestial gold alone amounted to 160 billion peles!

This is the three-fold share of Heavenly Gold that Ilya prepared for establishing a pirate nation.

This enormous wealth would be an astronomical figure no matter where it is placed.

It's worth noting that the sea emperors of the New World only had bounties of four or five billion Berries.

The heavenly gold that Ilya prepared could buy the heads of several sea emperors.

If we can buy it.

Because of this huge sum of money, the government ship from Mary Geoise is still stuck in Thousand Rock Town.

As for the Navy of Branch 177, their desire to find this enormous fortune was not to embezzle it.

Instead, the Kingdom of Prince is in dire need of a large sum of money for disaster relief.

The damaged houses and families need to be rebuilt.

Tens of thousands of people have been displaced and need to consume large amounts of food every day.

There are also losses to be compensated from neighboring countries.

These all require a lot of money.

Of course, a portion of the North Sea navy also needs to be left behind to provide ongoing assistance to these refugees in the future.

“Ilya said he’ll tell you where the money is after he meets with you.” Kuzan scratched his head, looking at Rorschach somewhat embarrassed. “So, please, this is important.”

"Is that so? Then I'll go see him and see what he's up to."

Rorschach walked alone into the underground prison of Branch 177.

The underground environment was somewhat dim, but overall, the cell floor was quite clean and not filled with various unpleasant odors as Rorschach had expected.

It's probably because pirates aren't usually imprisoned here.

Because the pirates in the North Sea are mostly vicious and ruthless, when they encounter the Navy, it usually ends in a life-or-death struggle.

Even if they are arrested, most of them will be sent to Paya Island because they have committed too many crimes.

After walking down a short flight of stairs to the innermost cell, Rorschach saw Ilya's delicate and handsome face once again.

"You've arrived."

Upon seeing Rorschach appear, Ilya, whose face was pale and bore several fresh bandage marks, gave a gentle smile.

There was not a trace of hostility or anger.

What are you trying to say?

Rorschach sat down directly on the ground, not caring whether it was dirty or not.

The two of them looked at each other through a fence.

"Just wanted to chat casually before leaving this boring world."

Ilya's gaze seemed to pass through Rorschach's body, looking into the distance.

"Aren't you afraid of death, this aristocrat who is so high and mighty and doesn't care about the lives of others?"

Rorschach made no attempt to hide his cold gaze as he looked at Ilya in the cell.

There's definitely a monster in human skin inside; its death would only benefit the world.

Seeing the coldness in Rorschach's eyes, Ilya smiled. "I've already gotten the answer I wanted. Life and death are no longer important to me. Perhaps you can consider it the ultimate dream you've pursued your whole life. Once it's achieved, won't your life be complete? As for whether you live or die next, that doesn't matter."

Rorschach found it somewhat incomprehensible.

"Is that hollow question really that important to you? Important enough to sacrifice your own country to find a so-called answer? Do you know how many people you've killed?"

Ilya's smile vanished, and he sighed, a hint of reminiscence appearing on his gloomy face.

“It’s really important to me. Actually, it’s not just important to me, it’s important to you and to the world.”

"Didn't your navy discover that the Revolutionary Army had been to the Kingdom of Prince?"

"Actually... I was a member of the Revolutionary Army myself."

Chapter 69 Ilya

"What did you say? You're a revolutionary?"

Rorschach was startled and looked at Ilya in the cell with disbelief.

How could this man, who regarded countless lives as ants, be a member of the revolutionary army?

Is Dorag blind?

Perhaps noticing Rorschach's astonishment, Ilya showed a serious expression for the first time.

"Don't misunderstand Mr. Dragon; he is the only person I respect."

At this point, Ilya showed a rare expression of reverence.

"Mr. Dragon is a true pioneer. He is the first man in this corrupt world to stand up and declare that he will not collude with the World Government. He openly and honestly lit the lamp and brought hope and light to this world!"

"Unlike Pirate King Roger, who placed his hopes for overthrowing the World Government on a group of chaotic pirates, Mr. Dragon took the lead, personally going to those impoverished places that, for various reasons, had fallen into darkness and lost hope and a future, to deliver food, warmth, and the hope of survival!"

"His actions did not plunge the world into chaos like the Great Pirate Era. Instead, they ignited sparks in some forgotten corners."

“He once told me personally that he did indeed awaken to the path he would take in the future on the day Roger was executed.”

"But he was destined not to follow Roger's example and plunge the world into chaos. He would forge his own path to save the world."

"I have failed his high expectations and gone astray. But..."

Two tears suddenly streamed down Ilya's face as he looked up and said, "I don't regret it."

As Ilya recounted the story, Rorschach's eyes widened further and further.

The shock I felt was indescribable.

He believed he had overestimated Ilya.

I didn't expect that I still underestimated the other party.

This man actually saw through Roger's true intentions.

Ilya continued speaking.

Rorschach also learned that Ilya's true identity was that he had once been a staff officer of the Revolutionary Army.

Although his status wasn't quite at the level of the second-in-command of the revolutionary army, it was equivalent to that of the deputy commander of the revolutionary army, making him a genuine high-ranking member of the revolutionary army.

About ten years ago, in 1506.

Because no matter what he did, he could not gain his father's favor and praise, Ilya left the Kingdom of Prince in resentment and went to other countries in the North Sea to relax.

By chance, he encountered Dorrag, who was organizing a civilian uprising in that country.

Perhaps it was a fateful encounter.

With the help of Ilya's exceptional eloquence, Dragon successfully seized power in that small country without bloodshed.

It enabled the oppressed common people, who could not even get enough to eat, to overthrow the rule and exploitation of the nobility and gain their own land and freedom.

Dorrag extended an invitation to Ilya, who did not refuse.

Because at that time, he was also shocked by Dragon's courage to challenge the World Government.

In the years that followed, Ilya helped the revolutionary army in the North Sea to dismantle the aristocratic rule of several small countries, freeing tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands, of civilians from their dark lives and giving them hope for survival.

This gave him confidence in himself.

He believed that as long as he didn't give up, he would definitely gain his father's approval.

He didn't want the throne of the Kingdom of Prince; he just wanted a word of recognition.

Later, the revolutionary army shifted its focus to the South China Sea. Ilya did not go with them, but chose to stay and promised to take care of those small countries that had once enjoyed the light.

This event became a turning point in Ilya's life.

"Do you know what I saw when I returned to those countries that had overthrown aristocratic rule seven years later?"

A mocking smile appeared on Ilya's face.

It's unclear whether the target of their mockery is themselves or someone else.

Rorschach didn't answer, but he already had a vague idea in his mind.

“I have seen it. Darkness has once again swallowed the light, and the common people of those countries have returned to the era of exploitation and rule. Moreover, they are even more miserable than before they were overthrown!”

As Ilya spoke, a look of pain appeared on his face.

The chains rattled, and he raised his hands, pressing them against his head.

Why is this happening?

"That shouldn't be the case!"

“They’ve already killed all the nobles, and there’s no one left to inherit the royal bloodline. Those commoners should have become the masters of those small countries by now.”

"Why do new nobles, new exploiters, and new rulers emerge?"