#419 - Chapter 419 The Dust Settles
Time flowed on, and the situation in the North Sea finally settled.
The sky over the North Sea was gloomy and low, as if foreshadowing a major change.
The North Sea had been completely changed by war and schemes, and the arrival of this day was unforeseen yet inevitable for many.
Bandi Wold's power swept across the entire North Sea like a storm, conquering island after island.
In the end, Germa 66 had no choice but to yield. Although they had struggled to resist with their advanced technology, the Vinsmoke family had to bow their heads under Doflamingo's skillful manipulation.
On the surface, the North Sea was still ruled by the Vinsmoke family, but the New Navy behind Jinan truly controlled everything.
All of this, under Doflamingo's careful planning, became so silent and imperceptible.
Germa 66's castle still stood on the high ground of the North Sea, its cold architectural outline delineating its iciness and arrogance.
Vinsmoke Judge stood at the highest point of the castle, overlooking the newly calmed sea, but his heart was like a churning wave.
He knew that after today, the North Sea would no longer belong to the Vinsmoke family.
Just then, an invisible door quietly opened behind Judge, and there seemed to be a secret fluctuation in the air.
Gu Yan walked out of the door silently. His footsteps were light and calm, and his gaze passed through Judge's back, carrying a hint of irony.
"Vinsmoke Judge," Gu Yan's deep voice sounded in Judge's ear, carrying an inexplicable sense of oppression.
Jinan stood still, his eyes as sharp as an eagle's, sweeping across Judge's luxurious conference hall.
He wore a faint smile on his face, but there was no warmth in the depths of his eyes.
He slowly opened his mouth, his voice as cold as ice: "The pride of the Vinsmoke family is nothing more than this."
Judge turned around abruptly, and the expression on his face quickly changed from surprise to indifference when he saw Gu Yan.
Judge gripped his scepter tightly, his face gloomy.
Although he was unwilling to admit it, the reality was in front of him—Germa 66's technology was strong, but it had lost its deterrent power in the face of true strength.
He had anticipated this moment for a long time, but when he truly faced it, he still felt a trace of unwillingness and powerlessness.
"You're finally here," Judge's tone was full of suppressed anger, but deep down he knew that the young man in front of him represented a force he could not contend with.
Gu Yan smiled slightly, his eyes calm and indifferent, as if he had seen through Judge's inner struggle. "It seems you already understand today's situation."
Judge was silent for a moment, his eyes gloomy, his fists clenched under his cloak, his knuckles cracking.
He asked helplessly in a low voice: "Then, what exactly do you want here? Humiliation? The joy of victory?"
"What I want is cooperation," Gu Yan's tone was calm, but every word hit Judge's heart like a heavy hammer. "You know very well that Germa's technology is valuable to us, and if you want to continue to rule the North Sea, there is only one way—cooperate with us."
Judge's face changed slightly, and a complex emotion flashed in his eyes.
He knew he had no choice but to succumb to the power behind the young man in front of him.
He slowly raised his head and said coldly: "Germa 66 has lost, but the Vinsmoke family will not fall. I accept cooperation, but don't forget that true powerhouses will not always be subservient to others."
Gu Yan chuckled and waved his hand indifferently, "Mr. Judge, you only need to remember that today's choice will determine the future life and death of your Vinsmoke family. We will not tolerate betrayal forever."
A trace of anger flashed in Judge's eyes, but he knew that he was powerless to resist in the face of absolute power.
He barely maintained his composure and forced a smile: "We Germa 66 are not so easily manipulated. As long as we have our technology—"
"Technology?" Jinan sneered, interrupting Judge's words.
His eyes were as sharp as knives, and he suddenly took a step forward. Judge only felt a chill run down his spine in an instant.
Jinan's voice suddenly lowered: "Don't think too highly of your so-called technology. You are just scum among the survivors, lingering on in the past. What do you think your technology can change? No, your only value is to prevent the situation in the North Sea from being too chaotic."
Judge's face became even more unsightly, but he had no way to refute it.
Jinan continued, his voice carrying an undeniable pressure: "You can continue to maintain your status, maintain your face, but don't forget that from today onwards, every inch of the North Sea is under my control. Your every move must be reported to us."
Judge's lips trembled slightly, and a trace of unwillingness flashed in his eyes, but he could only lower his head and silently accept this fact.
Jinan smiled faintly, turned and left, his voice coming from behind: "Remember, Judge, those who obey me prosper, and those who defy me perish. The era of you Vinsmokes is over."
As his voice fell, his figure disappeared into the air again, as if he had never appeared.
Judge stood there, the scepter he held tightly in his hand trembling slightly with anger, but he could only grit his teeth and silently face all this.
The wind in the North Sea was still cold, and Vinsmoke Judge stood there, staring at the horizon, knowing in his heart that the North Sea no longer belonged to him, and the road ahead was full of unknown dangers.
......
Jinan stood at the door of Germa 66's laboratory, quietly watching the small figure inside through the glass window.
Sanji was just a little bean at this time, and his thin body looked particularly weak.
He was being forced to undergo harsh training, with a stubborn and unyielding expression on his face. His hands were clenched tightly as he tried to hold himself up without being knocked down.
Jinan's eyes were deep, and a complex emotion flashed in his eyes.
He didn't go in, nor did he interfere with anything, but just stood there, silently watching the child.
He frowned slightly, as if thinking about something.
He knew the original history and what kind of pain and struggle this child would experience in the future.
The Sanji in front of him was helpless and lonely. Although he had genius brothers, he had become an anomaly and a disgrace to the family.
"Perhaps... he deserves a different childhood," Jinan thought silently in his heart.
His gaze fell on Sanji's slightly childish face. This child was born with kindness and was destined to form a sharp contrast with the cold and ruthless family.
And the Germa family's cold environment was destined to hone a hard heart that shouldn't belong to this age.
Jinan's hand lifted slightly, as if he wanted to do something, but in the end he just smiled indifferently and put his hand down.
"Child, your destiny is much more complicated than you think," he muttered to himself, a trace of pity flashing in his heart.
He knew that he had interfered with the child's growth, but he also needed some tempering, just like his consistent control of the situation—calm, objective, and trying to maintain distance.
However, Jinan also hoped that Sanji's future could have some different encounters, perhaps without being crushed by the heavy family burden, and without struggling in that darkness for too long.
"I hope you can seize this change in the North Sea and live a different life," Jinan sighed softly in his heart.
He took a deep breath, and his eyes returned to calmness and coldness.
He turned around gently, and his figure gradually disappeared into the air, as if he had never existed.
Space twisted, and after a moment, he had already left the North Sea and disappeared into the vast sky.
This encounter, like a speck of dust in the wind, quietly merged into Jinan's complex river of fate.
And little Sanji was still in that cold training room, facing the oppression of fate lonely and stubbornly, completely unaware that a stranger had once silently watched him.
Perhaps, one day in the future, Sanji will have a different life.
But at this moment, he is still just a little bean struggling in the storm.
...
