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Chapter 259: The Little People Tribe
Chapter 259: The Little People Tribe
The storm rages on, but this time without the snow that Kuzan brought. In the swaying captain's room, Saga lounges with his legs crossed, his head bobbing gently with the motion of the room. He sips from a cup of wine and gazes out at the tempest, a contented smile on his face.
"On the vast ocean, fierce winds gather dark clouds, hanging between sea and sky."
Renee, busy maintaining the ship's propulsion to prevent it from capsizing in the storm, perks up at these words, eager to answer, "Is it a seagull?"
"It's a storm petrel, like black lightning! Who told you it was a seagull?" Saga scoffs.
Renee tilts her head slightly, feigning deep thought. "I think it was Paru who shouted that. It left an impression."
"Don't hang out with idiots too much; their stupidity is contagious." Saga rolls his eyes.
"It's a nice poem," Lily interjects, showing a bit more appreciation. "Who wrote it?"
"Golf," replies Saga, the illiterate king. He then asks, "How are they doing?"
"They're doing well," Lily nods. "Since the ship has gotten bigger, we were able to accommodate everyone in the cabins. But how are you holding up?"
The current ship they are on is significantly larger than their previous one. With over a thousand miners that Robello brought, a regular-sized ship would never have been able to fit them all. This ship can accommodate three hundred people, and with some squeezing, maybe a hundred or two hundred more. But for over a thousand people to fit, they'd have to be stacked like acrobats.
Saga didn't want to be mistaken for a triangle trader, so he decided to enlarge the ship.
The Mo Mo fruit's power could easily enlarge the ship. Doubling its length, width, and height would be more than enough to fit this unexpected crowd.
"It's only doubled in size; this level of magnification is nothing," Saga laughs.
The Mo Mo fruit's ability is conceptual; it can increase the size of any object by a stated multiple, regardless of its original dimensions.
For the ability, it's simply a matter of 'multiplication.'
Doubling the size of the ship wasn't very taxing on Saga, and if it weren't for the fierce storm, he would have asked Renee to accelerate their journey home.
However, aside from the tempest, Saga also had to consider if traveling at high speeds would cause the ship to capsize. Saga could handle it himself, as he only needed to focus on his own body. But with so many people on board, if they were going too fast and something unexpected happened, like crashing into a reef, they would all be doomed.
After much contemplation, Saga abandoned the idea of accelerating their journey.
"Hehehehe, is this the mother steel?"
Moria stares at the irregularly shaped steel on the table in front of Saga, which constantly extends and retracts, appearing to expand infinitely despite its overall volume remaining unchanged. He lets out a strange laugh and asks, "It looks quite magical. Can it be the core of our ship?"
"Of course!"
Renee replies confidently, "This material perfectly fits the requirements for the container I need. With this, we won't need manual labor for propulsion ever again. As for energy, don't worry; we can even burn rocks!"
Hearing this, Saga bares his teeth in a wide grin and says, "I can't wait to see your masterpiece, Renee!"
...
After ten days of travel, eight of which were rainy, and two encounters with sea kings, they finally arrived at Dressrosa.
When they landed, Donquixote Doflamingo was already waiting for them.
"Kuhkuhkuhkuh," Doflamingo chuckles as he watches the group descend from the landing point, his arms outstretched in greeting.
"Saga, I received news that you completely destroyed Columbus; all his machinery is gone, and there's a massive crater on the island. You've taken out a competitor for me!"
"Is that why you came to greet me specifically?"
Saga, still holding the ankle of a one-armed man, flings him at Doflamingo's feet.
"Kuhkuhkuh, we're business partners, so it's only natural that I'd come to welcome you," Doflamingo says with a laugh.
He looks down at the man and continues, "Ah, 'Melting Man' Kappa, I know you. Kuhkuhkuh, and you're still alive?"
"This guy's pretty arrogant," Saga says. "He woke up and wanted to challenge me to a duel. I punched him, shattering his skeleton, and then I hit his pressure point to take away his ability to resist. Now he's as good as a puddle of mud."
Kappa had woken up on the second day and tried to shout insults at Saga, but a single punch from Saga had reduced him to his current state. As long as Hogback ensured he didn't die, Saga was satisfied.
Now, with the addition of sea prism stone, they could ensure Kappa had absolutely no ability to resist, and they could rest easy.
"That's simple enough," Doflamingo says with a smile. "Let's hold a banquet to celebrate! Kuhkuhkuhkuh!"
"That's a good idea. It's been twenty days, and with the small ship, there's no space for me to host a banquet."
Saga throws his head back and laughs, "Let's have Violet dance for us again. By the way, can you really not give her to me?"
"Ha ha ha ha, now that's out of the question, Saga. She's one of my crew," Doflamingo says, a vein popping out on his temple. "Stop trying to poach my crew."
"Just asking, I'll take no for an answer," Saga replies nonchalantly.
The group continues on their way to the palace.
The next day, unable to contain her excitement, Rebecca takes the mother steel to start shipbuilding, while the officers, done with their revelry, attend to their own matters.
Lily feels that the previous battle is worth reflecting on, so she continues to hone her All-Creation Breathing.
Marika, having recently awakened her Observation Color, finds it intriguing. Her keen sense of discernment, cultivated over a long period of distinguishing ingredients, seems to have been encompassed by this Observation Color. Now, by focusing her spirit, she can sense the quality of ingredients without needing to observe or touch them closely.
She delights in this new ability and practices it daily in the market.
For Saga, this is entirely normal, and it's not a special ability of Observation Color. Since everyone's will is unique, when it comes to the highly spirit-intensive Observation Color, different wills will manifest in different directions.
Those who are timid, for instance, tend to be more perceptive of danger.
What? Do timid people lack will?
Being timid doesn't equate to being despondent. Bravery and timidity don't necessarily conflict with having a strong or weak will.
It's like the difference between a brave warrior and a berserker—they are not the same kind of fighter.
A swordsman's Observation Color is more attuned to sensing renowned blades and the presence of fellow swordsmen, and they are also more sensitive to weaknesses.
So, it's not surprising that someone might be better at sensing the quality of ingredients.
As for Saga himself, he is highly sensitive to valuable treasures.
He isn't interested in mere gold, silver, or jewels; he craves items with a story and a history.
In simpler terms, he has a keen eye for antiques.
As for the miners, on the second day, when Saga was about to go fishing, they all knelt before him.
"Lord Saga!"
Robello prostrates himself on the ground and, upon seeing Saga, looks up and calls out, "We've decided to follow you!"
"Follow me?"
Saga is taken aback and laughs, "Why? Isn't staying in this country of love, passion, and toys good enough?"
He doesn't have much thought about these miners; he had only promised to bring them freedom because they had served as guides. Now that they've arrived at Dressrosa, they can settle here if they wish.
"This place is wonderful, and we've seen many novel things. But we also know who brought all this, and you gave us freedom. You are the first person to treat us well. I know you have a group of Dwarf Tribe members under your command, and our circumstances are similar. Since you can accept them, then..."
"They are strong, but you are just ordinary people."
Saga interrupts Robello's words and scans the group of miners.
Now that they are in Dressrosa, having washed up and changed into new clothes, they look much more spirited. However, many of them don't share Robello's firmness; their eyes are filled with worry, fear, and uncertainty about the future.
Saga addresses Robello, "I admire those with courage. How about this: I'm about to go to the New World to occupy my own territory, and I will definitely need people like you.
"If you truly wish to follow me, then wait here. When I send out the call, I will grant you the qualification to become my subjects."
"Thank you, Lord Saga!" Robello is overjoyed and bows deeply.
He is indeed anxious. Despite the wonders of Dressrosa and the warmth they've received, Robello still lacks a sense of belonging.
Only by following Saga can he find that sense of peace.
As for Saga, if these thousand-plus people are willing to come to his territory later on, he can employ them in core industries. Becoming pirates is out of the question—except for that little guy with the sharp eyes, the rest are just ordinary people. If they became pirates, they'd likely perish quickly, perhaps after just a few battles.
While Saga is in need of more crew members, he seeks desperate fighters who can hold their own in battle, not cannon fodder.
"Now that I think of it, there's something I forgot to do."
He had intended to go fishing, but Robello's interruption reminded him of an unfinished task.
With that thought, he waves his hand, and a nearby crew member who had been resting hurries over. "Lord Saga?"
"Find Lily and bring her to me, then gather a group of people to follow me."
"Yes!"
Soon, the subordinate found Lily, who was currently cultivating. At the moment, Lily was wearing a white dress that resembled battle armor, her golden hair glowing as if illuminated. The neckline of the dress was not particularly deep, but due to Lily's ample figure, one could still catch a glimpse of her cleavage.
"Saga, did you call for me?"
"Hmm, about the Green Bit incident, I think it's time for a visit. Those miners can wait for now, but this group of Little People should ideally be recruited." Saga said.
Lily thought for a moment and replied, "I asked the locals about Green Bit, and they told me it's considered an uninhabited island. A long time ago, there used to be a bridge connecting to it, but ever since a school of Fighting Fish took up residence there, no one has ventured over. As for the Little People, they don't know anything about them either. However, Donquixote does know, and I suspect he's hiding something. Do you want to ask him?"
Lily had visited Green Bit several times and indeed hadn't found any traces of the Little People, but she could sense their presence, even if they remained elusive.
"What's the point of asking him? He won't just hand over the Little People to me."
Saga looked toward an outlying area of Dressrosa and said, "Donquixote definitely has a group of Little People, but given his character, who knows how he got his hands on them."
"If you want to acquire the Little People and have them farm for you, it would be simple to stage a play with Donquixote where you pose as their savior. But I don't like that idea. This time, I'll go to Green Bit and ask them myself."
The Little People, if memory serves, are a very pure and trusting race.
Donquixote does have Little People in his possession, and if Saga truly wanted them, he could probably get them by staging a drama where he plays the role of their savior.
But what's the fun in that? He wanted the Little People to willingly follow him. When it comes to ruling, it's essential that they willingly accept his rule!
The Little People possess an incredible talent for cultivating plants, and if he were to make them a core part of his crew, he couldn't afford to deceive them. Otherwise, they might rebel one day.
"Alright then, if you won't come out, we'll leave."
With that, a group of people made their way across the bridge. Suddenly, a Fighting Fish leaped out of the water, its horns aiming straight for the people on the bridge as it dove toward them.
"Scram!"
Saga merely glared at it, and the force of his Conqueror's Haki caused the fish to flip over in midair and fall back into the sea.
"You damn fish! When I was fishing for you, you didn't jump out then. Now that I'm not, you want to show off? Get lost!"
He continued to grumble as he crossed the bridge.
On the other side was a wild and untamed island with towering plants that reached for the sky. The fruits growing on these plants were also enormous, roughly half the size of Saga at a glance.
There were also strange beasts roaming about, and Saga felt their gazes were somewhat lewd, each of them squinting as they watched, like the old monkey, Yellow Monkey.
"We haven't found anything here."
Lily pressed her hand against the hilt of her sword and scanned the surroundings before speaking. "Most likely, they're underground, but we can't find an entrance to get down there."
Green Bit was considered a small island, but the term 'small' was relative.
Compared to Dressrosa, it was indeed small, but compared to normal humans, it wasn't that tiny, especially with the massive plants and fruits. Perhaps it would only be considered small to a giant like Stansen.
From a giant's perspective, everything in the world would seem reasonable in size.
"Then we won't go down. Let them come up."
Saga turned to Lily and asked, "Have you tried calling out to them?"
Lily shook her head slightly.
"Then that's it," Saga said. "Sometimes, being direct can make things simpler."
Saga took a deep breath and stomped his foot, shouting, "Little People's chieftain, come out and meet me!"
His stance and demeanor were reminiscent of Sun Wukong summoning the Land Lord.
Boom!
The force of Saga's stomp created a shallow pit in the ground and caused a slight tremor in the surrounding area.
Lily pursed her lips and gently suggested, "Saga, even if they are underground, they're probably deep down. It's unlikely they'll hear you just from your voice..."
Suddenly, there was a slight rustling in the nearby bushes, and Lily's eyes flashed with a red light as she subconsciously glanced to the side.
On a branch extending from one of the trees, a tiny green creature, no bigger than a palm, appeared.
"Why are you calling our chieftain?!" The creature spoke in human tongue, surprising Lily.
So it does work!
(End of Chapter)
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