https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-260-You-Can-t-Escape-My-Cape-of-Command/12612531/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-262-The-City-That-the-World-Yearns-For/12612533/
Chapter 261: Begging on His Knees?
Chapter 261: Begging on His Knees?
"Aren't we going to invite them?"
Seeing Sag simply grabbing people, Lily asked in confusion, "What if such simple dwarves deem you a bad person?"
"I never claimed to be a good person. I don't care what they think as long as they willingly work for me and produce results. Let them curse all they want!" Sag was utterly nonchalant.
Leti cursed him with 'fried fish' every day, and did he ever get angry?
He was completely indifferent to such trivial matters.
"If we continue to invite them sincerely..."
"Am I supposed to beg on my knees?" Sag interrupted, extending his hand adorned with jewelry and golden ornaments, "What is this?"
"Rings... no, wealth." Lily was quick to respond.
"With this, can we invite people?" Sag asked.
"Yes, but you have to sincerely invite them. Not everyone is motivated by wealth." Lily said.
Sag clenched his fist, "And what is this?"
"A fist... no, strength."
"With this, can we invite people?"
"Yes, but they will hate you, and not everyone will submit to strength."
Sag spread out his fingers and asked, "Then what is it called when I combine my strength and my wealth?"
After a moment of silence, Lily replied, "Rule."
"Then it's settled."
Sag laughed, "What is rule? Rule means that as long as they willingly work for me and I provide them what they're due, it doesn't matter if they hate me to the core. They can't do anything about it."
Under the landlord, there were not only loyal and obedient lackeys but also tenants who cursed him yet worked diligently.
Moreover, Sag was an unusual landlord. He didn't withhold because he was inherently an exploiter, always finding ways to acquire wealth.
"I just want to be a landlord, not depriving them of their livelihood. We can negotiate the terms, being stuck on an island is not a viable option. Once we reach the destination, they will gradually understand on their own."
After being refused twice, they were really treating this pirate as a decoration.
He was first a pirate, then a landlord, but regardless of his identity, Sag clearly understood that attributes like 'good' and 'bad' didn't exist within these roles.
With his crew, Sag returned to Dressrosa from Green Bit and released all the dwarves hidden in his cloak. After counting, he realized he had captured around eight hundred of them.
Sag waved his hand, and his Haki stabbed the secret acupoints on the dwarves' bodies, causing paralysis and weakness before leaving them under Moria's watch.
These dwarves must not be given a chance to escape. If the target was too small, it would be easy for them to cause trouble if they weren't guarded by powerful individuals.
"If anyone comes to rescue them, capture them together. It will be a good opportunity to bring more dwarves along. We'll figure everything out once the new ship is done and they are on board."
After giving instructions, Sag added, "Find Lao Huo and Lao Wu for me."
"Sag, what are you going to do?" Lily asked.
"Perform a ritual!"
Sag grit his teeth and said, "I refuse to believe that I won't catch a single one!"
Lily: "..."
Hawkins, who was in charge, had Urki and his subordinates chanting prayers to bless Sag's fishing rod, attempting to increase the probability of catching a fish.
While this ritual couldn't be said to be entirely ineffective, its impact could be described as marginally better than nothing.
"Two per ten thousand."
On the bridge, Hawkins stood in front of a group of clerics who were sitting and chanting prayers. He silently drew out a few Tarot cards, his face filled with conflict as he looked at Sag, who was sitting with his back to them and fishing by the bridge.
"It's already been mentioned!"
Sag exclaimed excitedly, "Chant more! We must catch something today!"
Hawkins wanted to say something, but after thinking about it, he abandoned the idea.
He actually wanted to say that the probability might increase because fighting fish were generally more active than other fish, and it had little to do with the prayers.
Even with the prayers...
That tiny probability was practically useless.
Lily, who had followed along, pursed her lips and advised, "Sag, fishing is supposed to be a relaxing activity. Whether you catch a fish or not is irrelevant. It's mainly about meditation and calm thinking."
"I don't want to think!"
Sag cursed, "I want both the process and the result! If I don't want to catch a fish, then why go fishing? I might as well find a place to recite poetry!"
"Sag, that word is pronounced 'hai'." Lily corrected.
"Don't sweat the small stuff. As long as humans can accurately convey their meaning, it's fine. Alright, Lily, get a landing net. When I catch something later, you can use the net, and then I'll take it for a walk around Dressrosa. Got it?"
Lily pursed her lips, but after a moment's thought, she decided to follow through.
Whether they would catch anything was one thing, but whether Sag's orders would be carried out was another matter entirely.
However, the outcome was obvious. From dawn to dusk, the fighting fish lay still as if dead. As long as Sag dipped his fishing rod into the water, they obediently stayed submerged, refusing to move no matter what.
Left with no choice, Sag could only reel in his line and try again the next day.
Lily didn't know where Sag's confidence came from. She had always heard him talk about his failed business ventures and his determination to keep trying, assuming it was just an excuse for his bad luck.
Now it seemed that it wasn't just an excuse.
This guy was truly stubborn! Even after failing and changing careers, Sag still harbored ambitions to reach the top in the professions he had attempted.
Being a landlord was his primary focus, and the others were merely peaks he had to conquer on his way to the pinnacle of landlording.
He was serious about fishing! He just couldn't catch anything.
Over the next half month, a legend spread throughout Dressrosa about a white-haired man sitting patiently on an abandoned bridge, fishing while someone behind him recited prayers nonstop, and a charlatan performed divinations.
Those fierce fighting fish dared not come to the surface, as if some magic was suppressing them, forcing them to dwell forever in the sea, never again attacking humans.
Yes, it was spread by word of mouth.
Or, more accurately, by owl.
And as the story spread, it became distorted.
One morning, as Sag and his companions continued their fishing ritual, they noticed an abundance of fruits and food neatly arranged on the spot where they usually fished, causing them to lose all interest.
It was like offering sacrifices, and it felt too ominous!
Of course, there was another reason they stopped fishing. Leti's ship was ready!
At the landing point, in addition to the members of the Catastrophe Pirate Group, Donquixote Doflamingo had also arrived with his crew.
Moored on the sea was a ship similar in appearance to the original Death Star, but visibly twice as large.
"Hehehehe! Is it done? It looks great!"
Donquixote Doflamingo, clad in a pink feathered coat, strolled forward with a swagger, his hands tucked into his pockets. He gazed at the massive black ship floating on the water and cackled, "Aren't you going to say something?"
"What's there to say? I just got here myself."
Sag stood tall and straight, exuding an aura that was not to be underestimated, despite his shorter stature compared to Doflamingo. In that moment, he seemed to tower over the other man.
"Leti, you tell them." Sag turned to Renee, who had already boarded the ship and was brimming with excitement.
Clearing her throat, Renee proudly placed her hands on her hips. "Then, allow me, a genius child and the world's greatest shipwright, to introduce to you the Death Star that I've built using all the finest materials from the vast ocean after a month of hard work!"
"In addition to inheriting the stability of the previous Death Star, the materials used are even more durable. Normal Sea Kings won't be able to damage this ship with their collisions, nor will any waves, no matter how big, cause it to sway or be swept away!"
She pointed to the two-story structure built at the rear of the front deck. "Here we have the banquet hall, and the second floor is your captain's room, Sag. Hawkins designed the entire interior layout, taking everything into account!"
"Below the banquet hall is the treasure room, also encased in steel. And beneath that is our core area, powered by mother steel, so we won't need manual labor anymore!"
She then pointed to the rear deck, which was almost level with the roof of the two-story structure. "The ship's rudder is located here, providing a panoramic view of the surrounding sea."
On either side of the two-story building, near the edges of the ship, were smaller two-story structures.
And on the front deck, closer to the center of the ship, were more two-story buildings on both sides.
"These are the residences for the officers. Everyone has already chosen their rooms and positions. They can also be used as lookout posts, and each is equipped with a Den Den Mushi for easy communication."
"There are three masts on the deck, with the main mast at the center. Each mast has a lookout tower, and we've hoisted our flag on all of them!"
The sails on the three large masts were white, but they bore the mark of the Catastrophe Pirate Group—a skull hidden within the stars, its eyes blazing with fire, ready to consume everything in its path.
The flagpoles on the lookout towers also flew the same black pirate flag.
"The ship can accommodate two thousand people and has a maximum capacity of three thousand. This time, we've divided the ship into three layers on both sides. There are eighty cannons on each side, forty cannons at the rear, and the main gun..." Renee cackled with delight as she pointed to the ship's prow.
There, extending forward, was a black and red beast, resembling a dragon but flatter and less elongated, with a gaping maw that seemed ready to devour everything in its path.
"You can fire the main cannon from here. While the cannonballs have the same diameter as before—one meter—their power is now vastly different. When necessary, you don't even need cannonballs; you can just fire an air cannon! Sag, this is perfect for you!"
Pluto's technical prowess could not be replicated, whether in terms of materials or technology.
Having seen the ship built by Franchy, Renee knew that from a technical standpoint, it only offered additional jet propulsion, with the rest being a matter of workmanship.
They didn't need jet propulsion; instead, they required stable acceleration propulsion due to the ship's massive size.
As for the cannon...
This weapon didn't require sophisticated technology; it just needed to be able to fire consistently. Aside from the main cannon, which Leti had put considerable thought into, ensuring it could stably fire giant cannonballs, they hadn't done much else.
After all, the larger the cannon's bore, the stronger the propulsion force it required. This cannon not only ensured stability but also utilized mother steel, guaranteeing it wouldn't explode. With sufficient power, it could even fire an air cannon without the need for cannonballs.
It was also very befitting of Sag's abilities!
With this new Death Star, Sag wouldn't need to hold onto the cannonballs and detonate them himself anymore; he could just aim and fire!
She still remembered the scene of Sag destroying a volcanic eruption with one of his cannonballs. This type of cannonball would be perfect.
Renee excitedly jumped up and down, clapping her hands. "With this, you could blow up an island like Green Bit with a single cannonball, Sag! As for Dressrosa, it might take two! In terms of power, there's not much difference between me and Pluto now!"
"Hey!"
Cold sweat trickled down Donquixote's temples. "Don't joke about that!"
Island-destroying cannonballs...
He was well aware that Sag possessed such strength, and even he himself could accomplish this feat, although it wasn't the complete destruction of an island but rather the annihilation of its structures and inhabitants with his Birdcage ability.
However, there was a significant difference between individual ability usage and ship-based cannons.
"Hohohoho! Excellent! Excellent indeed!"
Sag threw his head back and roared with laughter. "Renee, you've done well! Men, let's board!"
Saying so, he patted Donquixote's shoulder. "You've been a gracious host during our stay. If you ever end up in Impel Down, I'll make sure you don't stay there long!"
"Kukukuku, don't joke around, Sag. I won't end up there. I won't lose!"
Donquixote cackled, his eyes narrowing into slits. "On the other hand, your journey into the New World won't be a smooth sail. The Yonko are the rulers of the seas. If you enter the New World and fail to challenge them successfully, you'll have no choice but to submit to their rule. If you do fail, I welcome you with open arms. You can even make Green Bit your base of operations."
Even he himself had dealings in the underground world, owing to his reputation as Joker.
"Hmph, we'll see about that!"
Sag bared his teeth in a grin. "You mentioned a place to me. I'll go take a look. If it suits my needs, it will become my base of operations."
"Kukukuku, then it's no different from challenging the Yonko. However, Sag, it's a nation that even the Emperor of the Sea wouldn't easily invade. It's very fitting for you!" Donquixote chuckled quietly.
"Men, let's board! We set sail!"
Sag waved his hand grandly and was the first to stride up the gangplank that had been set up. His underlings followed, quickly familiarizing themselves with the ship as it wasn't much different from the previous Death Star aside from the structural changes.
With the sails unfurled, the ship steered by Strongbar set a course, riding the winds and currents away from Dressrosa.
Lily climbed the stairs to the aft deck, drew White Thunder, and pointed it to the sky. "Set sail!"
The massive black ship sailed with the wind and currents, leaving Dressrosa behind.
"Kukukuku, go forth and conquer, Sag! The world has already undergone great changes. The biggest changes and the craziest era are soon to come!"
Donquixote watched the Death Star sail into the distance, his eyes gleaming with madness. He spread his arms wide, laughing up to the skies, as if speaking to the distant Red Line Continent, to the Holy Land, to the dwelling place of the Celestial Dragons—the home of the World Nobles.
"You've already been brought down once. The day of your complete fall isn't far off, kukukuku, hahahaha!"
(End of Chapter)
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