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Chapter 44: Natural Disaster
Chapter 44: Natural Disaster
The Kingdom of Labor, also known as the Bridge Kingdom, had the full name of Trachiwolf. It was ordered to be constructed seven hundred years ago with the intention of connecting all the islands of the East China Sea. To this day, the bridge is still under construction.
Most of the people on this bridge are non-World Government citizens, as well as criminals sent from various places.
The bridge is quite large, and over the centuries, the 'laborers' who once lived there have settled and merged with the new influx of people, forming a new kingdom, hence the name Bridge Kingdom.
Upon Maryka's suggestion, Sagge realized that finding his subordinates in the Bridge Kingdom was a great idea.
The storm finally subsided after two days of torrential downpour. His men were mopping the deck, soap bubbles rising into the broad deck.
"Everyone, have something to replenish your energy."
Maryka, holding a large tray with one hand, called out gently to the pirates who were working hard.
A group of pirates ran over and took the meat sandwiches from the tray, devouring them in a few bites. They became excited, and one even cried with emotion.
"Maryka, your cooking is amazing!"
"My life is complete now that I've tasted your cooking, Maryka!"
"Being a pirate is the best!"
"Just eat your fill," Maryka replied with a gentle smile. "Now, let's get back to work, shall we?"
"Yes, Ma'yka!"
The pirates picked up their mops and began sweeping the deck at three times their previous speed.
Maryka quickly established herself on board and became a favorite among the pirates.
Her exquisite cooking skills and delicious food soothed the hearts of the pirates.
Her gentle nature meant she always had patience to listen to the pirates and offer them kind advice; she was like an older sister to them.
After all, who wouldn't adore a black-haired beauty who was an excellent cook and a great listener? Even Letitia didn't scold her, and as long as she didn't raise her voice, she was sure to have a place on this ship.
Seeing the pirates return to work, Maryka smiled and walked up to the third floor of the deck building.
The third floor housed the control room, which offered a panoramic view of the entire ship, and just below it was the conference room.
Inside, Paru was busy setting the table with dishes prepared by Maryka.
Although Maryka had cooked the meal, it was Paru's task to serve it.
Only after the food was laid out did Sagge enter the conference room. He found a chair and sat down, shifting his weight and letting out a slight noise of discomfort. "This isn't as comfortable as my captain's throne. Next time, let's get a proper throne for the conference room."
The throne in his captain's quarters just felt better.
"Then why didn't you bring that stone throne from the Deep Forest Kingdom?"
Renitia chose a seat and used chopsticks to pick up a piece of fish, popping it into her mouth. A look of bliss appeared on her face as she chewed. "Delicious!"
"That old stone thing? It's useless now that I've broken it. Don't talk to me about art; every stone on that island has endured the passage of time for millennia. I don't need that kind of junk, especially when I'm striving for wealth. All I want now is gold, silver, and jewels, and a throne to match!"
Sagge poured himself a drink from a small porcelain bottle and took a swig before continuing, "Alright, let's get this meeting started."
The conference room was laid out informally, with everyone seated casually around Sagge. Closest to him was Lily, then Letitia and Maryka, and finally, Akin and Paru.
"The Bridge Kingdom doesn't have many landing points, so getting up there will be a challenge. My plan is to go up there first and recruit some subordinates. Once I have enough people, I'll destroy the bridge and have them escape down to our ships. What do you think?"
"That's what you call a plan?"
Renitia frowned. "You're just charging in without a second thought."
"What else am I supposed to do?" Sagge shrugged. "I'm not the type to plot and scheme in the shadows. Taking a direct approach is the simplest, most straightforward, and most effective method."
There were ways to enter the Kingdom of Labor.
For starters, their ship hadn't yet flown the Jolly Roger, mainly because their crew was still too small, and Sagge hadn't finalized his plans.
However, to assert themselves as pirates, they had hoisted the black sails, lest their unmarked ship be mistaken for something else.
Disguising themselves as merchant vessels or slave ships to approach the Kingdom of Labor, only to launch a surprise attack?
That would make them no better than Kreig.
"What can we do?" Lily asked.
"First, learn to Moonwalk. Without sufficient strength, we can't accomplish anything."
Sagge picked up a piece of fish with his chopsticks and said, "Once we've recruited enough crew, we can cruise the East Blue at full speed. In the meantime, we'll plunder and accumulate wealth. You all should also train diligently so that when everything is ready, we can advance into the Grand Line!"
Popping the fish into his mouth, Sagge took another swig from his cup and raised it toward the group. "Let's plunder all the way to the New World!"
...
East Blue, aboard a canine-headed warship.
"30 million berries,"
Kobi, clutching a mop, gazed at Luffy's wanted poster within the corridors of the warship and resolved. "Luffy, as you pursue your dreams, I'm about to set sail for the Grand Line as well. Next time we meet, I'll have become a naval officer!"
"Kobi! Come and help! Don't slack off!" Bellemere shouted from the side.
"Coming!"
Kobi sprang to life and sprinted forward.
On the deck, at the ship's prow, stood a burly man in a white suit, draped with a naval cape, and a dog-headed hat, staring out at the sea with his hands in his pockets.
"Vice Admiral."
A man with an eagle nose, dressed like a mobster, approached and said, "Straw Hat Luffy has entered the Grand Line."
"Has he now? Guess we won't be running into him, then! Bwahahaha!" The dog-headed man laughed heartily.
"Yes, once he's in the Grand Line, it's unlikely they'll cross paths. However..."
He picked up a wanted poster. "This man is still in the East Blue."
The dog-headed man glanced at the poster. "Is this the fellow who took down Ennio?"
"Yes, Norton Sagge. He's consecutively plundered numerous towns, annihilated two... no, three kingdoms so far. The latest news is that he infiltrated the Deep Forest Kingdom, slew the king, burned the royal palace to the ground, and captured the 'king' of the Shallow Sand Kingdom."
"It's said that wherever this man appears, he brings 'natural disaster' to the local area," the eagle-nosed man reported.
"Bwahahaha! Does the Shallow Sand Kingdom even have a king? I've also heard rumors about the Deep Forest Kingdom. This Sagge fellow is doing a fine job!" The dog-headed man laughed.
"Vice Admiral, we shouldn't be discussing this," Eagle Nose reminded him.
"Mhm."
The dog-headed man glanced at the wanted poster again. "If he's still in the East Blue, let's go capture him! Bogart, where would he go?"
"According to reports, his pirate crew is still quite small, so he'll definitely be looking to recruit more members. The nearest place would be the Kingdom of Labor, and if he's 'captured' the king of the Shallow Sand Kingdom, he's likely to go there due to their connection with the Kingdom of Labor." The eagle-nosed man explained.
The dog-headed man's teeth were bared in a grin beneath his hat. "Then let's head there!"
...
(End of Chapter)
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