Chapter 575: Work, Money, and Rule!

Chapter 575: Work, Money, and Rule!

After inspecting the armory, Sage proceeded to another deeper and more hidden location.

It was a massive place resembling a shrine, with torii-like pillars adorned with enormous knotted ropes.

Beneath the torii, a circular stone platform held an enormous red square stone, engraved with countless indecipherable characters.

A red historical text!

"Another red one," Renetia remarked. "Sage, with this one, you have three now, right?"

Blaze and Quine, still immersed in Sage's previous words, were startled by this statement, their minds refreshed as if by a jolt.

"Three?!" Quine exclaimed. "How can there be three?"

They knew of one, and Big Mom had another, but that was only two. Where could the third one be?

Despite their extensive travels across the vast sea, they had found no trace of a third.

"There's one in Zou, which I found," Sage explained.

"That place..." Blaze's pupils constricted momentarily, and he nodded. "It makes sense. As an ancient race capable of movement, the Zou could conceal it from everyone. Three pieces..."

He gazed intently at Sage and said, "Pirate King, we're just one piece away."

They were even aware that Big Mom had a Three-Eyed Tribe daughter who, upon awakening, could decipher the historical text.

With most of the essential elements gathered, they only needed to wait for the Three-Eyed Tribe member to awaken, and the Pirate King, Laugh Tale, would be within reach!

They never imagined that Sage could collect so many.

To them, the historical texts were not a pressing concern.

Firstly, they were indeed difficult to find. Apart from the two they knew the origins of, the remaining ones were a complete mystery, except for a rumor about a burned man. Wait a minute!

"The burned man is characterized by a black ship, and approaching it will trigger a massive ocean current vortex."

Blaze fixed his gaze on Sage. "Governor, could it be...?"

"Nonsense," Sage rolled his eyes. "Do I look like someone who would announce that I only have one historical text outside? I'm not burned, and if I were the burned man, I'd have four pieces right here. When the time comes, I'll have someone translate it, find Laugh Tale, and claim the peak of my career."

"Translate?" Blaze was taken aback. "Governor, there's a rumor that you're the orphan of Ohara."

"Yes," Sage confirmed. "I'm from there."

Blaze's eyes reflected a newfound understanding.

They were both orphans, of different races but sharing a similar identity.

Their experiences were also similar. More importantly, the historians of Ohara were capable of deciphering the historical texts.

Compared to waiting for a Three-Eyed Tribe member to awaken, a ready-made solution was preferable.

"In that case, why translate it? Can't you read it yourself?" Blaze asked.

"I can't read it at all," Sage scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Do you expect me to recognize ancient characters when I can't even read modern ones?"

While it was true that over time, some things might become more familiar, and frequently seen characters combined with oral explanations could provide a rough understanding, it was still a challenge.

For instance, some characters resembled English letters, while others were like 'Yamada yo' and the like.

But what he couldn't recognize, he simply couldn't.

He was too busy to have time for learning to read.

"People from Ohara can't read?" Quine was perplexed by Sage's statement.

"So what if they can't read? I recall that the leader of the Kyoshiro Nine, Kin'emon, couldn't read either," Sage replied without a hint of embarrassment.

Was it about not being able to read?

That was his way of life!

Quine: "..."

There were some differences, as Wano, under Orochi's rule, couldn't be considered a nation of illiterates. Most people, at the very least, received prenatal education.

Ohara was different.

Sage knew more about it, having once been in the same organization as Vegapunk.

Back then, Ohara hadn't been destroyed; it was just an ordinary island of historians, not a legend.

However, not everyone was a scholar; there were ordinary people too. But even the most ordinary individuals possessed basic literacy.

Could the literacy rates of a nation steeped in history and one ruled by a tyrant who disregarded its people's lives be the same?

However, he dared not voice this thought.

It wouldn't do to offend the new boss.

"Let's take this back," Sage pointed at the historical text and smiled. "There's one more piece left, and it's easy to find. I have a rough idea of its location."

"???"

Blaze and Quine were baffled, question marks floating above their heads.

You just said you weren't the burned man, so how do you know about the last piece?

"This marker has an overwhelming historical aura," Sage explained as he turned and walked outside. "With such a strong aura, it must be an ancient repository. Where could such a place be?"

He continued, "Wano is one such place, as the historical texts are said to have originated there. Zou is another, an ancient elephant still alive today. The Giant Tribe should have one, but it was taken by Big Mom. And the last one..."

Turning back to the others, he said, "Following this trajectory, there are only two ancient lands: Skypiea and Fishman Island."

"I've been to Skypiea," Renetia raised her hand. "There's a historical text there."

When she, Ulki, and Bellamy had visited Skypiea, they not only retrieved the golden pillar but also took the golden bell, along with the historical text beneath its pedestal.

The bell now adorned the highest point of the palace as a display.

Sage admired it, not only for its ability to showcase wealth and inspire confidence in people to deposit their money but also for the rich historical aura it exuded, which was invaluable in itself.

"That text is about the Sea God Poseidon," Sage shook his head. "It's not in Skypiea, so it must be Fishman Island. But it's not there either. Combining the rumor of the 'burned man' from the latter half, we can narrow down the search area and take our time."

He had no recollection of this, not because he had forgotten due to the passage of time but because he had no memory of this plotline at all.

However, he could make an educated guess.

The legend of the burned man was widespread in the New World, but it definitely didn't exist in the first half. This was because Kaido and Big Mom, the two Yonko, had been ruling this territory, and with their obsession with the Pirate King, they would have captured such a person if they had encountered them.

In the latter half of the New World, two figures stood out—Whitebeard and Red-Haired Shanks, both of whom had no aspirations for the title of Pirate King.

The focus now shifted to the latter half of the New World. After narrowing down the scope, it was clear that a portion of this area belonged to Teach, who had numerous pirates under his command, pillaging and extorting protection fees in groups.

If the Burned Man appeared in Teach's territory, it would naturally be impossible to keep it a secret. Given Teach's personality, he would undoubtedly take action.

The answer was obvious.

Only Red-Haired Shanks!

Or perhaps a place within Red-Haired Shanks' territory that he couldn't reach, and even more so, a place Teach couldn't reach.

"The world's strongest nation, the giant kingdom of Elbaph!"

Sage extended his hand and clenched it tightly, his sinister smile revealing his intentions. "There's a high probability he's there!"

No one had ever claimed that the Burned Man was an ordinary human.

He could be a fish-man, a longarm, a fur-clad, or even a giant!

...

The next day, the eastern sky brightened with the dawn's early light, gradually revealing a golden rim that illuminated the sky.

As darkness dissipated, the morning sun shone brightly.

In the various villages and towns of Wano, people were gathered in the squares, their eyes filled with fear as they gazed upon the pirates with their sinister smiles and studded leather armor.

The Calamity Pirates' style was quite similar to that of the Beast Pirates.

Both wore studded leather armor, but the Beast Pirates' members often exposed more skin, while the Calamity Pirates seemed to combine elements of Big Mom's crew's style.

Sage had once felt uncomfortable with this studded leather armor style, even though he used the North Star God Fist. It didn't fit the apocalyptic aesthetic.

However, seeing them now, Sage no longer felt out of place.

In fact, it seemed more appropriate.

"What are you going to do?"

In Wano, in the dilapidated town, a traditional Wano woman dressed in blue kimono asked the pirates.

She was Tsuru, the wife of Kin'emon.

News of their defeat had already spread through these pirates, and with their last hope gone, they needed to hide and wait for the right moment.

But the sudden arrival of the pirates also made her nervous.

Had they gathered everyone to kill them all?

"Let's show you something!"

The pirate pointed to a hastily constructed large whiteboard and then to a telephone snail nearby, significantly larger than the usual ones.

The telephone snail opened its eyes, emitting a beam of light that illuminated the whiteboard. The image on the board showed a ruined landscape, and in the midst of it, samurai knelt in neat rows on an empty ground, each wearing shackles and bowing their heads in silence.

Only three people knelt in the front row.

The two on the sides were strangers—a woman with white hair that gradually turned green and a black-haired youth whose appearance evoked a sense of familiarity, reminiscent of the late Kozuki Oden.

But it was the person in the center who truly shocked everyone.

"Orochi?!"

Tsuru's eyes widened as she recognized Kurozumi Orochi kneeling in the center of the three. Her face paled in the next instant.

It wasn't Orochi's capture that shocked her, but the familiar face she saw in the second row.

Her husband, Kin'emon, was kneeling there!

...

"It's all set up."

Lily, who had been busy all night, returned to Sage's side. "We've connected all the villages and towns in Wano with video den den mushi. Most people should be able to see it."

With their own transportation and the surveillance and coordination of Bao Huang, they could quickly raid Wano, even with its vast territory. Additionally, they had former Beast Pirates among them who were familiar with the land, making it even more convenient.

Lily hadn't visited every place, but she was in command. Even so, she was kept busy managing everything.

She was currently standing on a platform that had been raised in front of the flat square, which had been leveled by the giants. On the platform were golden chairs brought from the ship, and Sage sat on one of them, his body leaning back comfortably, one hand propping up his chin as he looked down at the samurai on the platform below.

The live feed from the telephone snail perfectly captured them all.

"Is this everyone? Well, it doesn't matter. It's no big deal if a few slip through the net."

Sage laughed and then scanned the circle of Wano civilians gathered nearby. He waved his hand and called out, "Bring me a microphone."

Pal handed him a loudspeaker telephone snail, which Lily took and then passed to Sage.

"Ahem, hello, hello."

Sage cleared his throat and shouted, his voice amplified by the loudspeaker telephone snails on the surrounding pillars, echoing throughout the area and reaching the Wano citizens watching the live feed.

"People of Wano, I am Norton Sage, known as 'Calamity' on the high seas. But none of that matters. What's important is that, starting today, I will replace Kurozumi Orochi as the ruler here—the sole ruler!"

"These people,"

he pointed at the crowd in the square below, "are those who refused to surrender—rebellious samurai, defeated generals, and defiant pirates. They're all here."

"Let me introduce them to you. The one on the right is Yamato, Governor Kaido's daughter in the Beast Pirates. But I think she's more like Kozuki Oden's daughter, a stubborn one. That's why she's to be executed."

"Wano will definitely open its borders! The spirit of Kozuki Oden will live on forever!"

"The one in the middle is Kurozumi Orochi, the Wano general. He lost, and I won. It's as simple as that. There's no grand philosophy or righteousness here. I didn't come to save you; I came to rule over you!"

"I surrender!"

Even though Kurozumi Orochi was bound by sea prism stone chains, he could still speak. Upon hearing Sage's words, he immediately shouted, "Calamity! I surrender! Spare my life! I can serve you! I can help you continue ruling Wano!"

"You can surrender, but your identity is unacceptable."

"Sage sighed, "I have no intention of sharing power with anyone, not even a little. So, you must die."

Black Coal Snake was on the verge of tears, "I can be your most loyal dog, do whatever you want me to do! Please spare my life!"

He had been captured halfway through his fight with Tokito, and upon learning that Kaido had been defeated and Calamity had taken over, he had hoped to find a new patron and let Calamity rule from behind the scenes.

But the new ruler had no intention of letting him live.

"You're talking about loyalty to a pirate? Are you not in your right mind? As long as I keep winning, there will always be loyalty. But if I lose, what good is loyalty?"

Sage waved his hand and stopped talking to him.

That Kin'emon boy had shown loyalty, but what good did it do him? He was still going to die.

Loyalty to Sage's son?

But there's a prerequisite for that.

You have to outlive him!

As a master of physical combat, Sage guaranteed that none of his current subordinates could live longer than him.

He didn't fight like Straw Hat, burning through his life force.

Although the fiftyfold form wasn't very sustainable, he was healthy! All the enhancements were positive feedback, not only making him stronger but also representing physical evolution.

To be honest, he didn't quite understand why the stronger he got, the shorter his lifespan seemed to become. Shouldn't strength bring longevity?

"Kin'emon?!"

In the live broadcast at the dilapidated town, Tsuru's pupils constricted, "Is it Tokito-sama?!"

Their symbol of spiritual perseverance was about to be executed?!

No, this couldn't be!

"Everyone, we—"

Tsuru clenched her teeth, about to rally the people around her to fight the pirates and capture that strange snail that seemed capable of communication.

"I have a question!"

Just as she was about to act, a voice suddenly rang out from the live broadcast.

Flower Capital.

Among the onlookers, a young man with a month-shaped head stepped forward and shouted, "How do you plan to rule us? Like the Snake, ignoring our lives, letting us starve, and continuing to let us die of hunger?!"

"Hmm?"

Sage turned to look, momentarily stunned.

It was Jozu.

"My name is Jozu!"

Jozu shouted again.

Sage glanced at Lily.

"It wasn't me."

Lily whispered, "I didn't arrange for him to do this. It must have been his own initiative."

"Good. It's better to have someone ask questions so I can provide answers."

Sage smiled and spoke into the microphone, "Dying of hunger is too wasteful. I will squeeze your labor, make you work for me until you die."

Upon hearing this, the surrounding onlookers' faces turned desperate.

With Black Coal Snake gone, had another tyrant taken his place? Tsuru, in the dilapidated town, took a deep breath and raised her voice, "We oppose—"

"I will give you work, pay you, make you pay taxes, and ensure you can buy food. Under my rule, I guarantee you will be well-fed and warm, with enough money to buy more and generate tax revenue for me."

In the broadcast, the white-haired man sitting on the golden throne burst into laughter:

"Starve? How can you work if you're not well-fed?"

The surrounding air seemed to freeze, causing everyone's faces to stiffen.

"Is...is that true?"

Beside Tsuru, a thin and haggard farmer asked in a trembling voice.

At the same time, in the broadcast, a man in tattered clothes bravely stepped forward, asking the same question.

Sage couldn't help but laugh at the question.

"First, I never lie. Second, I, the ruler of the first half of the New World, am I someone you, a weakling, can demand answers from?"

Sage bared his teeth, "Guaranteed!"

Another moment of silence followed.

Jozu looked around, frowning. He had planned to ask questions, but these people didn't understand the governor's intentions. It was better to let them ask now and dispel any unnecessary resistance, rather than have them realize it later.

To break the spirit of Kin'emon, this was the best approach.

Let them willingly respect the governor.

But this situation seemed insufficient.

Jozu was about to ask more questions to reassure the people of Wano, but as he opened his mouth, his ears suddenly exploded with noise.

"Oh!!!"

The people gathered in the square erupted in cheers, their hands raised in celebration.

The entire Land of Harmony seemed to tremble with this sound.

Not only in the Flower Capital, but in every village and town watching the broadcast, people cheered, their eyes filled with hope.

They weren't just tired of pollution; they were tired of hunger and poverty.

The nobles of the Flower Capital only cared about themselves and never paid attention to the commoners. The ingrained mindset also made them afraid to approach the nobles, leaving them to endure hunger.

Unfortunately, now someone claimed he would execute the Snake and feed them.

Their first reaction was disbelief.

But this person had a massive following! Everyone in the villages and towns could see the tall and fierce pirates, and in the broadcast, there were many people dressed differently, undoubtedly his subordinates.

Sitting on such a magnificent golden throne, he must be powerful.

Leading so many people, even if he couldn't fully deliver on his promises, a tenth of it would be enough!

They just wanted to be full; everything else, like having a job or money, was a luxury.

Now, at least there was hope.

Lily watched the cheering crowd, her eyes betraying a hint of emotion, but she wasn't surprised.

This outcome was obvious.

Sage's rule wouldn't require much effort.

Even without personally investigating, last night's command had given her a rough idea.

In Wano, the nobility and commoners were strictly separated, with the samurai in between.

A divide as vast as the heavens.

And it was all too easy for them to take advantage of this situation.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end