One Piece: Tainted Throne

The Germa Kingdom, a formidable power in the North Blue, boasts a history spanning 300 years, established by the Vinsmoke family.

At the height of its glory, the Vinsmokes once conquered the entire North Blue single-handedly. Though their rule lasted only 66 days before they were overthrown, this achievement remains the family's greatest pride.

They have long sought to reclaim their dominion over the North Blue.

Naturally, Germa's ambitions have been met with resistance from all the other kingdoms in the North Blue.

This has left Germa without a permanent land to govern, making it the only member of the World Government without a physical territory.

The current ruler of Germa is Vinsmoke Judge, a highly capable and ambitious man. By leveraging Lineage Factor technology, which he once researched alongside Dr. Vegapunk, he has rearmed Germa's forces, preparing for war.

Finally, just one month ago, Judge could no longer suppress his hunger for conquest and launched a full-scale invasion of the North Blue.

Within a mere month, Germa had crushed four kingdoms, and Judge even broadcasted images of himself decapitating the four North Blue kings, using it as a show of power to intimidate the remaining kingdoms into submission.

As the rulers of the world, the World Government could not turn a blind eye to Germa's unchecked brutality.

The kingdoms of the North Blue, all affiliated with the World Government, were gripped by fear and pressured the government to take action.

The 175 allied nations form the very foundation of the World Government's power. The Five Elders knew they could not allow Germa to run rampant, lest their influence wane.

This was the opportunity Romantis had been waiting for.

He personally volunteered to mediate the crisis, persuading the Five Elders to grant him authority over the matter.

Of course, simply volunteering wouldn't have been enough. Romantis' family was not a particularly powerful faction among the Celestial Dragons, meaning his influence alone would not sway the Five Elders.

What truly convinced them was a far greater threat than Germa—Monkey D. Dragon.

Ever since Dragon founded the Revolutionary Army, he had been working to overthrow the World Government itself. Over the years, he had successfully toppled multiple allied nations, weakening the government's grip on the world.

While pirates were mostly concerned with looting and chaos, the Revolutionary Army directly threatened the government's authority.

If the Revolutionary Army kept eroding the foundation of the World Government, the entire system could collapse.

This was a crisis the Five Elders could not ignore.

Romantis used this to his advantage. He proposed a deal—he would mediate the disputes among the allied nations, uniting them under his leadership to stand against the Revolutionary Army.

The Five Elders, always striving to maintain their delicate balance of power, found this idea favorable.

If Romantis could keep the allied nations stable and counteract Dragon's influence, it would strengthen their hold over the world.

........

"Compared to Nico Robin, isn't our mission far more important, Admiral Kuzan?"

Romantis' voice was calm but firm.

Kuzan, also known as Admiral Aokiji, exhaled a breath of cold air as he considered the situation.

"You're right. Germa's actions have shaken the entire world. Even the Holy Land, Mary Geoise, is abuzz with discussions about it."

Kuzan's expression remained unreadable, but in truth, he was quietly surprised.

He hadn't expected a Celestial Dragon to be so clear-headed and strategic.

Most Celestial Dragons were arrogant, self-indulgent, and had no concern for the world beyond their own pleasure. But Romantis… was different.

Romantis, meanwhile, felt a surge of satisfaction within.

'Thank you, Judge,' he mused internally.

The "Four Kings Massacre" in the North Blue had created the perfect opportunity for Romantis.

With four entire kingdoms suddenly left without rulers, he had all the justification he needed to step in.

The World Government consisted of only 175 allied nations—and Romantis was about to secure four of them in one move.

If he could continue this strategy, pulling more nations under his control while using the Revolutionary Army as an excuse, he could reshape the government itself.

If he managed to secure even a third of the allied nations, then…

Even the Five Elders themselves wouldn't be untouchable.

........

Kuzan was unaware of Romantis' deeper ambitions. His only concern was ending Germa's war before more civilians were slaughtered.

"What's your plan, St. Romantis?"

As an Admiral, Kuzan knew that certain Celestial Dragons were more competent than others. Since the Five Elders had personally chosen Romantis for this task, they must have deemed him capable.

According to the World Government's founding charter, neither the World Government nor the Marines could interfere with the internal affairs of allied nations. This was precisely why Germa had been able to act so boldly.

Judge knew that the World Government could not directly send the Marines to stop him, so he had tested the limits of their patience.

The final decision on how to handle Germa's rampage was now in Romantis' hands. Kuzan's role was simply to provide military support if needed.

To ensure Romantis' safety, the Five Elders had sent an Admiral as his escort—after all, Judge was not a weak opponent. If Judge decided to assassinate Romantis, it would deeply humiliate the Celestial Dragons.

"Admiral Kuzan, I will first stabilize the Four Kingdoms of the North Blue."

"In the meantime, I leave Germa in your hands. Before I finish negotiations, you must ensure that Judge does not make another move."

"As these are all allied nations under the World Government, we cannot allow him to continue running rampant.

If Judge refuses to comply… then you have permission to bring him down."

Kuzan nodded. "Understood."

With that, he turned, leading the Marine fleet away. Romantis watched as the Marine battleships disappeared into the horizon.

A small smirk crept onto his face.

"The privileges of a Celestial Dragon really do come in handy."

......

"Now then, Nico Robin…"

The young girl, seated across from him, had been silent throughout the conversation.

Robin hesitated before finally responding. "…Yes."

With trembling hands, she placed down a chess piece on the board. Ever since Kuzan arrived, she had been plagued with unease.

For nine years, she had been hunted by the Marines. She had been forced to hide, run, and survive alone, constantly fearing for her life.

And now… she was stuck on a Celestial Dragon's ship, surrounded by the very people who had destroyed her home.

This was a nightmare.

.......

As the chess game continued, Robin played absentmindedly, her mind elsewhere.

Unsurprisingly, she lost quickly.

Romantis, noticing her discomfort, ended the game, "That's enough for today. You should rest."

His voice was calm, but Robin could not trust him.

"Rest assured, as long as you're under my protection, no one will dare lay a hand on you."

Robin forced a smile.

"…Thank you, St. Romantis."

Inside, however, she was seething with resentment.

'If you really wanted to help me, you'd have the World Government cancel my 79 million berry bounty!'

As she left the room, her mind raced.

She needed to find a way out.

She could not trust Romantis.

Not when it was the Five Elders—the very masters of the Celestial Dragons—who had ordered Ohara's destruction.