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Chapter 368: The Era of the Grand Landowner!
Chapter 368: The Era of the Grand Landowner!
"The country is not particularly powerful among the member states. While they have a significant population, they lack a substantial military force. However, it used to be renowned for its cuisine and chefs until a new king ascended the throne three years ago, after which this reputation gradually faded."
"Now, the country has no tourists and is completely dilapidated. Many people go hungry, just as those from the Western Sea described."
After speaking, Lily furrowed her brow in confusion. "A country known for its cuisine and chefs, with a population of 500,000, should be quite famous. Why is it so difficult to find information about it?"
Obtaining intelligence had indeed taken a considerable amount of time.
Sage smiled. "Being famous for cuisine and chefs isn't something to be expected. The more a region abounds in culinary experts and exquisite dishes, the more it indicates..."
"...that the land is barren," Maryka finished, ascending the internal staircase while carrying a large tray with a bowl of porridge. "I just made some nourishing frog porridge. Considering you've been hosting a party all night, I thought you could use something light."
"How convenient," Sage chuckled. "I was just about to ask you to prepare some porridge."
He waited for Maryka to set the tray on the table before continuing. "Indeed, the more skilled the chef and the more sumptuous the cuisine, the more it speaks to the barrenness of the land."
Regions blessed with abundant resources may produce unique culinary specialties, but they will never pride themselves solely on their chefs and cuisine.
Chefs are revered for their ability to transform unappetizing food into delectable delights, and they go to great lengths to seek out edible and tasty ingredients, gradually making the most of the scarce resources their land has to offer.
In contrast, those born into regions of ample resources enjoy an abundance of meat and fruit; they need only give a lazy kick to a tree, and a bounty of delicious fruits will shower down.
Abundance breeds laziness; at most, they'll roast their food over a fire and sprinkle on some spices, rarely bothering to create culinary masterpieces.
"That Cloud Mountain Kingdom must be a resource-poor nation," Sage asserted. "No matter how renowned their chefs and cuisine are, in the Western Sea, they don't amount to much. Remember, Lily, the Western Sea is not the Eastern Sea."
Sage went on to explain, "The four seas boast distinct characteristics. In the Western Sea, even criminal organizations evolve into something akin to the Mafia, and there are formidable nations like the Flower Country. In such an environment, a destitute nation is bound to be overlooked."
The powerful nations of the vast oceans are truly formidable. Big Mom's Totto Land is merely referred to as a "powerful nation," and for a pirate to achieve such a status is already a legendary pinnacle on the high seas.
However, there are numerous "powerful nations" across the globe.
The Flower Country in the Western Sea is one such example.
The Western Sea, paralleling the New World, is likely the foremost among the four seas in terms of understanding Haki, and its strength rivals that of the Grand Line.
Gathering intelligence on a destitute nation from scratch can indeed be a time-consuming endeavor, especially if it's not done deliberately.
Correspondingly, there's also the North Blue.
"The Western Sea is undoubtedly the Sea of the Strong," Sage mused. "As for the North Blue, I'd say it's a sea of art, chaos, and perhaps a penchant for romance."
Sage paused, a smile playing on his lips as he recalled something. "That old fool, Hog, spends his days watching Sol Ultraman."
"Ultraman?"
Lily nodded. "Yes, that's indeed Sol Superman."
"Huh? I thought it was the Giant of Light," Sage said, momentarily taken aback before shaking his head. "Never mind, it's not important. Moving on to the South Blue, they're known for their mechanical technology and craftsmen. It seems everyone there has a knack for it, earning the sea the moniker of 'Sea of Crafts and Technology.' And then, of course, there's our very own East Blue."
Lily hesitated before venturing, "The weakest sea?"
After all, they had ventured into the Grand Line, the confluence of the four seas, and had been there for quite some time. While she hadn't paid much attention to the assessments of the other seas, she had gained some insights about the East Blue.
In the Grand Line, this sea was indeed labeled as the "weakest sea."
Aside from the magnetic field of the Grand Line itself, which kept islands from communicating with each other, the existence of the Red Line continent and the Calm Belt had further fragmented the seas.
The four seas, disconnected from each other, gave rise to distinct traditions and cultures, and their respective strengths and weaknesses evolved independently.
"Especially the Red Line continent, which, as a massive landmass, separates the West Blue and North Blue from the East Blue and South Blue. This results in the West Blue and North Blue, closer to the New World, having far stronger individuals compared to the paradises of the East Blue and South Blue."
"That is true."
Sage chuckled softly. "But there are also differences. Although it's weak, heroes often emerge from time to time. Roger, Garp, and those who stir up the winds of change."
While some individuals were underestimated due to their bounties, and there might be those worth hundreds of millions of berries in the Grand Line, when it came to strength, it wasn't certain if they could match those from the West Blue and North Blue.
The East Blue, which was guarded against the Pirate King, had nothing much to show for it. Their ignorance of Haki, their treatment of Devil Fruits as myths, all of this proved their moniker of the 'Weakest Sea.'
But...
"In this weakest sea, miracles are born from time to time, miracles that will lead an era."
Sage spread his arms wide and laughed heartily. "The Sea of Miracles! The Sea of the Era! The last one to usher in a pirate era was Roger, but eras change, and the next one could be me, ushering in the era of the Grand Landowner! Hohohohoho!"
"Sage,"
"Hm?"
"Aren't you from the West Blue?"
"..."
"I've been living in the East Blue since I was two years old, so I'm definitely an East Blue resident!" Sage waved his hand dismissively. "Never mind that for now. Let's focus on completing our current plan first."
For now, he could forget about becoming a grand landowner. First, he had to get his territory running smoothly; otherwise, when prices rose, what good would it do to just collect taxes?
Sage didn't want to see a situation where he was the only one feasting while those under him couldn't even drink the soup. He wasn't that stingy.
...
Five days later.
Boom!
An unexpected thunderclap reverberated through the sea, stirring up a storm of wind and rain, and causing the ocean currents to swirl.
The gloomy tempest approached a steep-mountained island, and within the storm loomed the silhouette of a massive black ship.
"We've arrived."
At the front of the deck, Sage held a telescope to his eye, observing the island. He could see that a third of the island's area was mountainous, enclosing it and leaving only one opening.
It was a basin-type island.
Ever since they had felt the wind two days prior, they knew they had crossed from the windless zone into the West Blue.
In the West Blue, the climate was naturally more stable, there were no strange currents, and they didn't even need a compass. Lily used the sun to determine their direction and the Ohara Record Pointer as an anchor to locate this Cloud Mountain Kingdom.
"Is that it?"
Sage turned to the West Blue natives on the deck, seeking confirmation one last time.
Nourished by the Sea King's meat for nearly twenty days, these people now looked spirited and healthy. While they might not be robust, they were definitely in normal shape.
"Yes, Captain. That is the Cloud Mountain Kingdom. Our mountains reach up to the clouds, hence the name," one of them replied respectfully.
Sage handed the telescope to Lily, who was standing nearby with an umbrella, and said, "Then let's hear the battle plan!"
Akin at the back straightened his posture, ready to listen intently.
Lily, on the other hand, remained unmoved, her expression unchanged.
"Kill the king, annihilate the army, and take the people," Sage said with a cruel smile. "Crush all resistance. These people will be ours; we don't care about their wishes!"
"Yes, Captain Sage!" Akin exclaimed excitedly.
It had been a long time since he had followed Captain Sage on a plundering expedition. This was a good opportunity to showcase his abilities!
As for Lily, she didn't even need to listen to know what Sage's plan was.
Now that they had come this far, the rest would be simple.
She turned her head to look at the stern of the Death Omen, where the Sea King was chained to the ship by three thick iron chains. Its flesh was pierced by the chains, and as the ship sailed, it was dragged through the seawater.
They had also prepared a substantial amount of food for those fifty thousand people. Whether it would be enough was another matter, but it would definitely serve the purpose of luring them away.
People suffering from famine would be willing to leave if offered food.
(End of Chapter)
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