Chapter 262: The City That the World Yearns For
Chapter 262: The City That the World Yearns For
Boom!
Boom! Boom!
In the sea, the dark clouds above seemed to blot out the sky as they unleashed a torrent of thunder. White-hot lightning bolts transformed into slender silver-white threads as thick as fingers, striking a massive black ship sailing on the ocean.
On the aft deck, Lily watched the lightning strike the deck and ship, a displeased look on her face.
The ship itself was fine.
After leaving the waters of Dressrosa, they had encountered a tempest, an unusually fierce one at that. The howling winds and towering waves would have required Lettie's abilities to stabilize the former Death Prophecy.
Such waves could easily reach the height of their previous ship.
However, for this new ship, which was twice its size, the waves merely slapped against its hull without causing any damage or even a hint of instability.
This was thanks to the Power Room.
Deep within the ship's heart, beneath the treasury, lay a large furnace containing the Power Room. It was here that Mother Steel consumed and converted all fuel into energy, distributing it throughout the vessel.
Through the furnace's combustion, the energy required for propulsion was generated within the Power Room.
Before their departure, Rainette had gathered a plethora of materials—iron, stones, alcoholic beverages, cola, and even discarded food items. Though she received a gentle rap on the head from Mary for the latter, it was overlooked in the name of experimentation.
Aside from seawater, almost anything that existed in the world could be used as fuel.
With this robust power system in place, the ship could now navigate anywhere with absolute safety.
But that didn't mean they wanted to be struck by lightning.
"Is this the price of a new ship—increased difficulty?" Lily wondered. "Or is this the New World?"
She had been looking forward to testing her command skills in the midst of this violent storm, leading her crew with composure and resilience. But she certainly hadn't anticipated being struck by lightning.
While the lightning's power was insufficient to damage the ship's material, it was still a lightning strike!
It crossed a line!
"Lady Lily," a female pirate said, holding an umbrella for her. She looked afraid, cowering behind Lily as she trembled. A bolt of lightning had just struck the aft deck, and if it had been any closer, it would have hit them.
Lily sighed. "Forget it. Strongbar, stop steering. Just keep the ship on course, and let it sail on its own for now."
As long as the sails remained intact and they could maintain a steady course, even inching their way out of this stormy sea would suffice.
Lily turned and made her way up the stairs to the first floor of the main building, where the banquet hall was located.
The ship was enormous, especially the first floor, as it was expected to be their main vessel going forward. The banquet hall was designed to accommodate their diverse crew, so it, too, was quite spacious, easily capable of hosting several giants.
The second floor now incorporated the functions of the former control room and conference room from the previous three-story structure. With the Power Room in place, there was no longer a need for a separate control room, and all other functions had been consolidated on the second level.
At that moment, a boisterous banquet was underway in the first-floor banquet hall. Lily entered to find the room ablaze with revelry, untouched by the electrical storm raging outside.
Ordinary crew members and the Fish-Man race caroused together, drinking and shouting. Over time, the initially sheltered Fish-Men had quickly embraced the ways of pirates, displaying their newfound exuberance.
It was far easier to pick up bad habits than good ones, and the allure of freedom and pleasure was a common human weakness.
Even the lone giant, Stansen, was in high spirits, laughing heartily as a group of hard-drinking pirates challenged him to drinking contests.
At the far end of the hall, a exquisite jewel-encrusted throne stood atop a dais. Upon it was a delicate long table laden with exquisite dishes prepared by Mary using rare and choice ingredients. Several female pirates with beautiful faces and figures took turns feeding Sag, while Bella poured wine for him by his side.
Of course, there was also a group of adorable dwarves huddled together at the foot of the long table, negotiating with Sag as they nibbled on food.
After setting sail, Sag had released them from their restraints, reasoning that they were already out at sea and posed little threat in such foul weather.
The dwarves, true to their nature, gradually relaxed their guard as Sag invited them to join the festivities.
"Sag, you kidnapped us, but then you set us free, so you're a good person," said one of the dwarves, a soldier named Flap with a red uniform and a white hat dotted with pink. His tail matched the colors of his hat. "We want to go back to our homeland, to Green Bit."
"It's been many years, and we still haven't been able to find any news about them," Flap continued, shaking his head. "We have underground tunnels leading to Dressrosa, but our searches have been fruitless."
Sag waved dismissively. "If you haven't been able to resolve it in so many years, it's time to change tactics. Your kin is important, but so is your future. Think about it. On your own, you couldn't even gather information in Green Bit, but with me, things will be different."
"I am a pirate, a great pirate at that," Sag declared, raising his cup and draining it in one gulp. "By joining me, you gain my strength as well. When the time comes, you can borrow my power to communicate with your kin in Green Bit. Won't that be faster?"
"But—"
"There are no buts," Sag interrupted. "I captured you, and I won't let you go. I'm a man who values talent, and your tribe, the Tontatta, is known for your green thumbs. I admire that talent."
"Whether you like it or not, you will bear my flag," Sag continued. "But I won't force you to do anything you don't want to. If you want to farm, then farm. Consider it a new home! Now, let's drink to celebrate the addition of our new dwarf crew members!"
Sag raised the wine-filled cup that Bella had poured for him, prompting a cheer from the crowd.
The dwarves were simple, and Sag was straightforward. He hid nothing from them—they were his crew now, and that wasn't going to change. They could farm wherever they wanted.
In fact, Sag was patient enough to wait for them to fully embrace their new lives as his crew.
"That's not Sag's problem anymore. He's willing to lend his subordinates strength, but he'll also give his partners face. If a real conflict arises in the future, he won't intervene."
"It's not good to intervene in conflicts between subordinates and partners. Let them figure it out."
"As long as we control the direction, that's all that matters."
Flap and the other dwarves didn't know what to say. They were pulled by a few crew members and, with their simple-minded nature, merged into the revelry.
After being set free, the crew had come to view them as partners, and they were all quite friendly. The dwarves couldn't sense any hostility and even felt that most of the crew were good people, so their resistance gradually diminished.
Kidnapping?
As long as they explained things clearly, the dwarves wouldn't hold a grudge.
That's just how the dwarves were.
The former royal family of Dressrosa had deep ties with the dwarves, so there was no reason why the Norton family couldn't do the same.
All they needed to do was create a new connection, and from that point on, the Norton family would also be known for their relationship with the dwarves, starting with Sag.
After the feast, the crew members retired to their quarters to rest, while Sag took the executives to the second floor.
The overall layout of the captain's room hadn't changed much, but a few new areas had been added, including a dining room, a training room, additional rest areas, and even relaxation spots within the office space. The room also displayed Sag's collection of artifacts, creating a harmonious and aesthetically pleasing environment.
This design was courtesy of Hawkins.
Sag proceeded directly to the conference room and took his seat on the velvet golden throne. Unlike before, the table was no longer round but now extended outward to the left and right, with Sag's throne at the head.
To his left were the three female executives, and to his right, the three male executives.
Standing guard by the door was Akainu.
"The Steel-Steel Fruit," Sag mused as he scanned the room, his gaze settling on Akainu standing by the door. "What do you think of that ability, Akainu?"
Akainu lowered his head. "I follow Lord Sag's orders."
For the crew's strength to improve, aside from years of diligent training to awaken and hone their Haki, the quickest way to gain power was through Devil Fruits.
Akainu's current strength was indeed falling behind. He had mastered the six styles of swordsmanship and was on par with Jabra in terms of raw power. However, Jabra was a Zoan-type Devil Fruit user, and his power would continue to increase.
Given time, even Bellamy might surpass him.
Not to mention the other executives.
Excluding Moriah, who was a former Shichibukai, the others were incredibly strong. With his slowly recovering will and formidable presence in the New World, Moriah was the strongest among the crew, second only to Sag.
Hawkins and Urki were also Devil Fruit users, and while they hadn't yet awakened their Haki, the cunning and unpredictability that came with their abilities were not to be underestimated.
All three female executives were proficient in Haki. Though Lettie couldn't use Armament Haki, her attacks, both close-range and long-range, were incredibly powerful when boosted by her Observation Haki.
If Akainu didn't keep up, he would indeed, as he himself had said, be unworthy of his position as a top executive.
Fortunately, they had a Devil Fruit here, and once they made contact with Teach, they could extract the ability. As Lily had said, high-temperature steel could melt, and it would be difficult for close-quarters fighters to win against it.
"I'm the kind of person who won't let my subordinates suffer," Sag declared. "Those who have died have died; there's nothing we can do about that. Being a pirate comes with the risk of death, but even in death, their share will be preserved."
"Even if someone wants to slack off and give up the pirate life, I'll still take care of them out of sentiment. In the past, I didn't have the resources, but now…"
Sag waved his hand, signaling for Lily to hand him his exclusive gem-encrusted wine glass, and he took a bottle of fine wine from her.
As he poured himself a drink, he clicked his tongue. "I want my throne, and I want my cup, too. Pay attention to these things in the future. If you find any nice wine glasses, bring them to me. I want one for each area, and I'll carry this one with me from now on. Alright, Lily, let's begin."
"Aye, aye, Captain."
Lily walked over to the conference room and pulled out a blackboard, on which she affixed a hand-drawn but highly detailed map.
Drawing maps was a basic skill for navigators, and with detailed intelligence, they could create standardized maps.
The map was divided into two halves, with an illustration of a city in the center, belonging to the left island but also very close to the right one, separated by a narrow strait.
"Hey, this is—"
Most of the crew didn't react, but Moriah's eyes widened slightly, a hint of surprise flashing across his face.
Lily continued, "Through Doflamingo's intelligence, we have finally determined the territory we will conquer, and it is also the most suitable base for our development."
"It is located in the first half of the New World, very close to Whitebeard's former territory, and they were on good terms. According to the intelligence, it is considered a 'powerful nation' in the world."
"Its unique geographical location is a key factor. It is a large island with a strong magnetic field, and those sailing this route cannot avoid it. Furthermore, within this sea lane, even with an Eternal Pose, one cannot bypass it."
"This is because the areas to the left and right of the two islands are prone to severe weather conditions. Trying to detour around this island would be time-consuming and greatly increase the risk of maritime accidents. Most people opt to take this strait instead."
Lily pointed to the strait between the two islands. "With more people passing through, trade and population in this area will naturally increase. It is already a bustling place, and over the years, it has attracted a diverse range of individuals. Its amicable relationship with Whitebeard also makes it pirate-friendly."
"The name of this country is Galess, and that city…"
As Lily moved her finger toward the city illustration on the left island, near the strait, Moriah interrupted.
"The City That the World Yearns For."
Moriah's voice was low and filled with a mixture of awe and respect. "Oh, how I've longed to see this place. Augustus City."
"Have you heard of it?" Sag asked, his eyes narrowing.
"Of course," Moriah replied with a sinister smile. "I, too, have sailed the New World, and this place is renowned—a free city-state, a maritime gem, the City That the World Yearns For. Who hasn't heard of it?"
Moriah's laughter echoed eerily. "Hehehehe, Sag, this place won't be easy to capture. It's incredibly strong, brimming with powerful warriors. The World Government has made countless efforts to bring it into their fold, but Galess is just too powerful. They can afford to ignore the World Government."
Sag's smile was equally sinister. "And that's precisely why it's worthy of being our base of operations!"
This was the territory that Doflamingo had carefully selected from a multitude of options, and it had caught Sag's eye.
(End of Chapter)
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