The influence of various factions during this period had indeed made Kong Tai and his crew feel as though the world had changed.
In the past, when they visited islands, the inhabitants, while not necessarily fearful, would not actively engage with them.
Now, however, from a distance, the moment the Freedom was spotted, long before it docked, countless citizens had gathered, cheering Kong Tai's name, making him feel like a true superstar.
“Yohohoho!! Captain, you’ve truly become a global star now!”
Watching the cheering crowds on both sides, Brook, taking off his hat, waved enthusiastically, as if the cheers were directed at him.
“Faster, faster, faster!”
The more the common folk idolized Kong Tai, the more the nobles and genuine pirates feared and hated him.
On the other side of the island, from several pirate ships, the captains simultaneously roared orders for their subordinates to hoist the sails and depart quickly.
It was as if some monstrous flood or beast was about to descend upon the island behind them.
Although rumors had circulated before, they had never witnessed anything firsthand. Thus, the pirates had dismissed the tales about Silver Hair and his crew as mere stories.
Such people, they believed, couldn't possibly exist in this world. They simply didn't believe it.
However, this incident had far-reaching consequences. When one event, one person, becomes universally acknowledged as such, even the pirates had no choice but to accept that the past rumors were all true.
Therefore, upon learning that Silver Hair and his crew were about to land on this island, the pirates on the island, regardless of their disposition, urgently abandoned all their tasks and gathered on the opposite side of the island, eager to set sail and leave.
That guy wasn't human; he was a devil. A devil who showed no tolerance for pirates, eradicating them all.
This was the current assessment of Silver Hair among the pirates of this world.
“Kong Tai.”
Kuina, holding Kong Tai’s hand, looked at the young man’s profile with a smile. “Those pirates want to leave. Do you want to stop them?”
She knew that pirates were not all the same, and that most of the fleeing pirates were good people.
This was evident from the fact that they had not caused any trouble on the island.
Of course, there were also genuinely wicked pirates among them.
Kuina’s question was whether they should apprehend these remaining pirates.
“What do you think, Issho?”
Kong Tai did not answer Kuina. Instead, he turned to look at Issho, who stood to the side, practically invisible on the ship.
“Me?”
Issho was clearly surprised that Kong Tai would ask him.
After spending some time together, he had come to understand the nature of this group. While they were righteous, he could also sense a profound, almost extreme indifference towards the world beneath Kong Tai’s gentle demeanor.
It was this feeling that had drawn him to Kong Tai’s ship.
He wanted to know, to understand who this young man truly was.
Initially, he didn't know the origin of this extreme indifference.
But after so many miraculous, even fantastical, events, he had found the answer.
Kong Tai was no ordinary person. Despite his gentle, even tender, outward personality, he gave Issho the impression of not belonging to this world at all.
That sense of inherent superiority, though unexpressed, had been felt even before he met Bian. He had felt it keenly.
After meeting Bian, he had found his answer.
For beings like gods, the history of this world was indeed fleeting. The lives of ordinary people, spanning a mere few decades or a century, might be but a blink of an eye to them.
To them, any display of gentleness was already a form of mercy towards sentient beings.
Just like Bian, who was with Kong Tai, but never appeared to meet them.
This was because they were fundamentally different from the countless people of this world. What was the point of meeting? You were merely a fleeting moment in their long existence. To be remembered was already fortunate. Could one truly expect them to pause and linger in your brief time?
“Mr. Kong Tai.”
Issho did not answer Kong Tai directly. Instead, he raised his head, his eyes, which were entirely white, fixing on Kong Tai. “May I ask you two questions?”
“Certainly.”
Although Issho’s sudden seriousness puzzled Kong Tai, he nodded.
“May I know your true view of this world?”
“And after overthrowing the World Government, how do you plan to proceed?”
Issho’s questions made Kong Tai fall into a slight reverie.
He gazed deeply at Issho, recognizing from his earnest expression that this man had likely seen through his true nature.
His initial flippancy, his desire to be a hero, all stemmed from his knowledge of this world.
That foresight, of course, gave him a sense of superiority.
And after his powers rapidly expanded, his heart, which was so different from this world’s, naturally grew even more detached.
Had it not been for Bian’s appearance, expanding his perspective, he wouldn’t know if he would have changed.
As he had thought from the beginning, the world was a cycle. Human emotions and desires would inevitably prevent this world from remaining peaceful.
Having seen through the world’s essence, and possessing a long lifespan, couldn't he be detached, viewing all things from an omniscient perspective?
Yes, he absolutely could.
Much like countless gods throughout history, they cared only for faith, not for those who held it.
Though Kong Tai had not yet reached the cold detachment of a god, his heart had soared long ago after meeting Bian, leaving this planet.
To call it "indifferent" would not be an exaggeration.
After all, this world, in his eyes at the moment, was simply too small, even insignificant.
An elephant would not care about an ant. Gods would not concern themselves with the masses. And he, of course, would not care who ruled this world in the future.
This mindset was not something he could simply choose to avoid; it arose naturally, beyond his control.
Why then go to Mary Geoise, the Holy Land?
It was because Im was there. It was because the source of his change in disposition in this world, the "slave system," was there. It was because he could feel the expectations of countless people. These expectations did not bother him; after all, they were what the masses wished to see, and what the world should see.
Of course, it was also what he wished to see, what his companions wished to see, what Kuina wished to see…
“I don’t really have many strong opinions about this world. It’s natural for humans to break free from despair and place their hopes in heroes, but truly escaping the mire of despair ultimately depends on themselves.”
“This is my view of the world.”
“As for after overthrowing the World Government…”
At this point, Kong Tai glanced at the countless citizens on both shores and smiled, “The future of the world doesn't depend on what I do, but on what the countless people of this world want to do. It depends on what you all want?”
Turning back, Kong Tai’s gaze fell upon Issho again. “It depends on what you, want this world to be?”