East Sea.
With the Big Mom Pirates and the Beast Pirates, leading nearly a hundred pirate crews, beginning their assault on Marineford, the pressure on the East Sea suddenly eased considerably.
The forces that had been ordered to stand and resist were now suffering devastating blows one after another.
In the end, some surrendered, while others fell in battle.
Meanwhile, Wang Zhi and Sakata Gintoki, near Reverse Mountain, were engaged in a brutal slaughter.
These individuals were mostly pirates controlled directly or indirectly by the World Government, or local criminal organizations.
They had gathered near Reverse Mountain with the intention of applying pressure, and also to break through the blockade line with their sheer numbers.
Unfortunately, they had underestimated the resolve of the Xuanwu Navy and the combat power of Wang Zhi and Sakata Gintoki.
Sakata Gintoki, in particular, was practically flying, his unparalleled sword energy continuously harvesting enemies and damaging ships.
As a result, as soon as they broke through the East Sea border from Reverse Mountain, they were almost all ship-wrecked and dead.
The few forces that managed to break through, relying on either immense strength or luck, were completely annihilated by the prepared Xuanwu Navy.
Over these past few days, the entire East Sea had been embroiled in fierce battles, day and night, resulting in countless casualties.
The disturbance and accidental injury to ordinary citizens were minimal, and the overall situation was barely affected.
Thus, while the Big Mom Pirates and the Beast Pirates were engaged in a fierce battle at Marineford, the entire East Sea was officially incorporated into the territory of the Xuanwu Navy.
Xuanwu Navy Base.
Seriously injured by Kenshiro and imprisoned in Azkaban, Momonga was brought to the Marshal's office by Xuanwu Navy soldiers, his spirits low.
In the days that followed, having his happy memories taken and being tormented by sad ones, Momonga had also become significantly thinner.
"How was your experience in Azkaban?" Benedict asked with a smile, looking at Momonga seated opposite him.
Concurrently, a cart laden with delicacies prepared by chefs from the Gourmet Restaurant was brought in.
Momonga's gaze was drawn to the delicious food.
He hadn't eaten a decent meal in days.
"Well, it seems you are famished."
"This is lunch prepared for you. Please enjoy."
Benedict extended his hand, making an inviting gesture.
Momonga glanced at Benedict and asked, "Is this the last meal?"
Benedict smiled faintly, "You can see it that way, but regardless, this is a rare delicacy in the world. Are you sure you won't partake?"
There was no need for much deliberation. Momonga looked at the three dishes, one soup, and a large bowl of rice, and then began to eat ravenously.
About ten minutes later, Momonga clutched his stomach, let out a satisfied burp, and his spirits seemed to have lifted considerably.
"How was the taste?" Benedict asked with a smile.
"It's the most delicious food I've ever eaten," Momonga admitted frankly, hiding nothing.
"This is a gourmet meal personally prepared by the head chef I hired from Gourmet Island. It is truly exquisite," Benedict said with a chuckle. "In fact, you could continue to enjoy such delicacies."
Momonga was not foolish. Upon hearing this, he immediately understood and asked with disbelief, "You want me to become a traitor and join the Xuanwu Navy?"
"Why not?" Benedict replied with a hint of amusement. "You are betraying an organization, not justice."
"Vice Admiral Momonga, you are an intelligent person, and you should know where you ought to stand."
Momonga fell into silence for a moment.
He desperately wanted to refute Benedict.
However, he also knew that the current Navy was truly rotten, rotten to the point of being mere lapdogs of the World Government.
Those who could still uphold justice were but a minority.
And these individuals would eventually be assimilated by vested interests.
The Navy was the bayonet brandished by the World Government; this bayonet could strike proactively, but when the World Government needed it, it would be held in their grip, thus losing its initiative.
Seeing Momonga's silence, Benedict then spoke, "Do you know the truth of history?"
Momonga looked up at Benedict, unsure of what he intended to say.
"The truth of history is that this world once possessed a civilization far more advanced than it is now."
"However, eight hundred years ago, this civilization was destroyed because of a traitor in its high echelons who, in collusion with outsiders, directly annihilated the advanced civilization and created a new world."
"This world is not progressing along the river of time; instead, it is constantly regressing."
"They fashioned themselves as high-ranking nobles, while everyone else were low-class commoners, even beasts."
"They viewed those outside their circle as penned pawns, as livestock."
"These pervasive pawns stifled geniuses, created chaos and ruin, and any pawn that showed potential to break free from control was killed without hesitation."
...
Momonga listened in shock as Benedict gradually revealed the so-called historical truth, his eyes filled with disbelief.
He knew that many scholars were secretly researching the "Poneglyphs," and he was aware that these contained certain secrets, which caused the Celestial Dragons and the Five Elders to become anxious.
But he had never imagined that such an earth-shattering secret lay within.
Pluton, Poseidon, Uranus, the power to destroy the world, the kingdom that was destroyed, "Im" who was called a god, the origin of the Devil Fruits...
All of this was too horrifying.
"You're saying all of this is a conspiracy?"
"Are you joking?"
Momonga trembled, unable to refrain from questioning.
"Joking?"
"Do I need to joke?"
"The guidance and records of the Poneglyphs, the active volcanoes spanning the Red Line, the peculiar special magnetic fields, the special environments that should not exist..."
"All of this is the result of the cataclysmic battle eight hundred years ago."
"If you believe what I'm saying is false, then if you have the opportunity, you can invite a group of experienced scholars to investigate these places."
"You will find that there will still be numerous traces there, proving that these are the results of destruction by terrifying power."
"These truths will gradually be revealed to everyone."
"The World Government, the Celestial Dragons will be dethroned."
"The Navy, which you uphold, will eventually disappear from this world along with the World Government."
"This is the Navy in your eyes, but it is not the justice you desire."
Benedict placed a stack of documents and photographs before Momonga.
Momonga initially did not wish to look, but the crimes listed on them caused Momonga's pupils to contract sharply.
As he unfurled each document, Momonga trembled more violently.
Benedict did not rush Momonga, and at the same time, he was confident that Momonga would give him a satisfactory answer.
He needed Momonga to join the Xuanwu Navy and, in turn, to reduce unnecessary trouble for the Xuanwu Navy's upcoming operations.
Moreover, it would be quite amusing for Momonga to join the Xuanwu Navy and slap the World Government and Kong in the face.