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Chapter 594: The Sea Level Rises by One Meter!
Chapter 594: The Sea Level Rises by One Meter!
Mary Joa.
"This is the Headquarters Communication!"
The five elders in the Power Chamber each struck a pose, listening to the Den Den Mushi on the table before them.
"Signal detected. We've intercepted a communication between 'Fire Emperor' Sabo and the Kingdom of Kamabakka. There's no interference from a 'White Den Den Mushi', indicating an emergency. We've successfully traced the target to the Kingdom of Lulusia!"
"Lulusia... I see."
Nasu-shou-rou glanced at the Den Den Mushi.
"What bad luck," Shepard Ten Peter said indifferently.
"No," Topman Woquli spoke in a low voice, "This is fate."
"I did not kill King Cobra, and there's something important you should all know!"
Sabo's voice came through the Den Den Mushi, "The Pangugong Palace in Mary Joa, that empty throne in the void, it..."
"Cut off the communication."
Shepard Ten Peter suddenly spoke up, ordering the Navy to terminate the communication. He then stood up, his expression devoid of emotion, and said, "Listen carefully. The so-called Kingdom of Lulusia..."
Izambolan V Nasu-shou-rou picked up a brush and on the world government map on the table, he marked the island representing the Kingdom of Lulusia with a large red 'X'.
"Never existed."
...
A thunderous rumble shook the air, causing the gemstone wine glass in Sage's hand to tremble violently, spilling its contents onto the table.
"M-Master..."
Bella, the head maid, stumbled as she tried to approach to clean up the mess, struggling to maintain her balance due to the intense tremors.
Sage turned to look out the window. From his vantage point, he could not only overlook the entire scene but also see the vast ocean.
Not only was there a massive earthquake, but the newly constructed houses were collapsing, and at the port, a tsunami-like wave was rising, threatening to engulf everything in its path.
This scene was all too familiar to him.
It was the same sight when he had destroyed an island with a single strike.
"Oh ho."
Sage shrugged, speaking with nonchalance, "It's all white planning, time to rebuild everything again."
Despite his casual tone, the bulging veins on his forehead betrayed his less-than-pleasant mood.
"Tsunami! Tsunami!"
"Earthquake! The earthquake is here! Did Teach call?"
"Prepare for battle! No, first evacuate the civilians here!"
Some panicked while others reacted swiftly.
Akin, who had just returned and was on guard duty at the port, made a quick decision, instructing his subordinates to organize the local residents and lead them to the mountainous areas.
However, the tsunami was massive, and as it rose higher, it plunged down, casting a shadow over half of Ohara.
If it fully descended, the city would be...
Akin's pupils constricted, and steam rose from his body, giving him the appearance of a red-hot steel.
"Stop it!"
The hammer in his hand melted into molten iron, and with all his might, he hurled it upwards, creating a splash in the waves and emitting steam before being swallowed by the thicker tsunami.
In the face of nature's mighty force, even an ability user could feel insignificant.
This was beyond his power to stop.
Just as the tsunami was about to fall, a bright beam of light appeared from the direction of the royal palace, resembling thunder as it streaked above Akin's head and rushed towards the waves, transforming into a massive and intricate net.
The waves fell into the net, which sliced them into several pieces, and then the net merged back into one, emitting a shockwave that dispersed the large water masses into huge raindrops, falling over half of Ohara.
"Lady Lily!"
Akin looked up in surprise.
High in the sky, Lily, maintaining her sword thrust, didn't reply. She kicked off with her long legs, using Moonwalk to continue soaring through the air, stepping on the air to propel herself in another direction.
"It's not Teach, it's a natural earthquake tsunami. Lead the people to open spaces!"
Lily left these words behind, moving as fast as lightning towards the next tsunami.
There were three tsunamis surrounding the main island of Ohara!
However, the speed of the tsunami wasn't as fast. At least, its descent wasn't as swift as Lily's.
With her speed, she could not only cut through the water but also slice it into raindrops.
All she needed was speed!
The lightning-fast beam of light swiftly cut through the tsunami that was about to fall outside the city, in the countryside, slicing it into raindrops as well, but also causing the entire island to experience a downpour.
As the beam of light descended and transformed back into Lily, she slightly lifted her head, welcoming the rain. She tightly gripped the hilt of her White Lightning Sword, unconcerned with the villagers' expressions of gratitude, and surveyed her surroundings.
The shorter buildings in the city remained intact, unaffected by the earthquake. However, the 'Golden Tower,' a building that Sage had high hopes for, with almost all of his business operations housed within, was directly half-collapsed by the quake. Other structures also suffered various degrees of damage. Along the coast, seawater flooded everywhere, showing no signs of stopping or receding.
"What's going on?" Lily frowned, her voice filled with concern.
Their buildings shouldn't have been affected like this. While the materials used might not have been the best, they were certainly not the worst.
Being on an island, their structures were designed to withstand earthquakes. This was true both before and after Sage's arrival.
After Sage's arrival, the materials used had improved significantly.
Hawkins, in charge of the architectural environment, had confidently assured them that ordinary earthquakes and tsunamis couldn't bring this place down. Only the passage of time and the catalyst of battle could lead to its collapse, according to him.
But now, this earthquake had caused their buildings to crumble! The massive golden bell atop the palace had even fallen during the quake, crashing into the main entrance and emitting three deep, muffled tolls that sent shivers down everyone's spines.
Blackbeard?
There was no trace of his presence, and he didn't have the guts for this! Gambling required equal stakes, and right now, Blackbeard had nothing but his own life.
Even if he won, he had nothing to gain and would only fade into the vast sea. The best outcome would be a 'mutual loss,' and Blackbeard wouldn't dare gamble under such circumstances.
Otherwise, why would he have called Sage to ask for Charlotte Brulee? He could have just taken her by force.
Now, they all knew that Charlotte Brulee, as a member of the Three-Eyed Tribe, could read the historical text upon awakening.
Whether this was a racial ability or a unique power of hers remained unknown. And given that guy's personality, if he took action, it wouldn't be on this scale, and he wouldn't stop at just one move.
So, the question was, what was with this tsunami?
Was Sage's luck this bad?
After the storm, now they were dealing with tsunamis and earthquakes, as if preparing for the world's destruction.
Lily was perplexed, and on the neighboring island, Moriah shared her confusion.
Moriah, stationed on the neighboring island, hadn't experienced the tsunami, but the powerful earthquake had caused his castle to collapse partially.
The taller the building, the more vulnerable it was to earthquakes.
But that wasn't the most crucial issue! The neighboring island, a flatland and the closest agricultural island to the main island of Ohara, had a level terrain with no significant obstacles or rocks. Moreover, there was no risk of rising seawater.
The rising and falling tides along the coast were normal, and the salty water had turned the surrounding area into a beach. But now, the raging seawater showed no signs of receding; instead, it grew more intense, relentlessly spreading towards the island's center.
Moriah, drenched in the rain, clenched his teeth and roared, "What the hell is this?!"
If this situation continued, this flat island, almost level with the sea, was in serious trouble!
...
A week later, the port of Ohara, or rather, half of Ohara, was submerged. Amidst the reinforced and repaired port, pirate ships distinct from the Calamity Pirates' warships docked one after another. People continuously descended from the gangways, stepping onto the port's land.
Not a single person was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
"Lord Hawkins."
"Lord Ulki."
"Lord Siffer."
"Lady Misty."
The pirates and residents at the port respectfully greeted those who had arrived.
Except for Siffer, who briefly nodded in response, the others acted as if they hadn't heard a word, their faces calm but their minds elsewhere.
"This is..."
Ulki walked a short distance and suddenly sighed, shaking his head in disbelief, said, "Don't joke around."
"Alright, let's go."
Hawkins replied, his voice flat, "I can already picture the captain's furious face."
"Oh? Isn't this all fate, according to you?" Ulki glanced at him.
"I'm not messing around at a time like this. It could cost lives."
"The damage is too severe. The captain's assets have suffered significant losses, and it's not appropriate to make light of the situation," Hawkins explained.
The other 'Seven Stars' had also been on external missions, discovering unknown islands and patrolling their territories, keeping an eye out for any marauders attempting to seize Sage's assets.
But this sudden disaster not only prompted Lily to recall them urgently but also made them realize the gravity of the situation as they sailed back.
At the palace entrance, Aokiji was already waiting. Upon seeing their arrival, he nodded and said, "Please follow me to the conference room."
"Wow, is it that serious?"
Xifer's eyes widened as he pointed at the cracks in the ceiling, the collapsed corner of the palace, and the massive golden bell lying at the entrance, "Are you just going to leave it like this? Won't you repair it?"
"The restoration work in Ohara isn't finished yet, and it's not just the main island. The captain has no mood to deal with these trivial matters."
Ajin pursed his lips and said, "In any case, please be mindful of your words and actions."
The group arrived at the conference room together.
Several people were already seated at the long table.
Xifer's heart skipped a beat as he glanced around. He had already sensed the tense atmosphere, and now his expression turned solemn, his body tense.
The tension in the room was palpable.
The usually gentle Marica, who always had a smile on her face, now had her eyes wide open, her expression cold.
Renetia was like a quail, huddled in her seat, head down, silent, neither causing a fuss nor cursing anyone.
Webble sat upright, his hands crossed and placed flat on the table, like a kindergarten student being scolded by a teacher.
Moria's face was devoid of any smile, his expression frighteningly grim.
The group found their seats and sat down, all of them remaining silent, adding to the increasingly stifling and tense atmosphere in the conference room.
Creak.
The door was pushed open again, and Bellana entered with several maids, then stepped aside. They lowered their heads, their hands clasped in front of them, not uttering a word. Upon closer inspection, one could even notice a slight tremble in their bodies.
Sage and Lily entered from behind, Sage's face dark and Lily's expression grave.
The mix of anger and killing intent created an overwhelming aura of tyranny, causing an involuntary shudder in those present.
In an instant, everyone stood up, their postures straight.
"You may leave now."
Sage waved his hand at Bellana, signaling her to close the door with the others. He then strode towards the Beast Jade Throne placed in the conference room, glanced at them, and spoke through gritted teeth.
"Sit down, let's begin the meeting!"
As everyone took their seats, Lily walked to the front of the table and directly activated the video Den Den Mushi, projecting their territory's sea map.
"I'll get straight to the point."
Lily began with a shocking statement, "The sea level has risen by one meter!"
"What?!"
Xifer's pupils constricted, and he exclaimed, "O-One meter?!?"
When he returned, he had seen some islands submerged, but he had assumed it was just a massive tsunami. He had never imagined that the sea level would rise.
What a joke!
One meter was a significant amount. Many islands had flat terrain, and although there were some elevations, they weren't substantial.
Some islands were reduced to just a coconut tree, making them practically uninhabitable. What was the difference between this and being submerged?
Lily nodded, "The statistics are correct. Let's start with our island. Ohara's port is half-submerged, and the coastline has changed. The surrounding seawater has risen by one meter. The original land is now covered by the sea, and through measurements, the height is precisely one meter!"
She began to project other sea maps, first showing the topography of Ohara's main and secondary islands.
On the main island's map, half of the original port area was covered by a shadow, and the surrounding terrain was partially obscured by the same shadow. As for the secondary island...
The surrounding area was covered by the shadow, resembling a doughnut, where the outer shadow represented the submerged portion, and the inner hollow was the remaining island.
"The secondary island's terrain is too flat. From the area's perspective, two-thirds of the land has been swallowed by the sea! Our black soil, the nearest agricultural base, has suffered not only a reduction in area but also a severe blow to its production capacity!"
Lily spoke solemnly, and continued to project sea maps, displaying one after another.
"Vakano Gures, our volcanic island and important fertilizer production site, is half-submerged. However, it's as good as fully submerged because all the flat land is underwater, leaving only the volcano and some high but unsuitable areas for cultivation. This island has lost its agricultural function and is now solely a fertilizer production site."
"Stidteville, the iron ore island, has sustained less severe damage, but all the flat land suitable for habitation is underwater. While iron ore mining is still possible, the cost of accommodating people on the island has skyrocketed to terrifying levels."
"There are various other flat islands rich in resources that have suffered varying degrees of area reduction and production capacity decline due to the one-meter rise in sea level."
Lily's voice lowered, "According to intelligence, there have been tsunamis and earthquakes worldwide. Based on this, I can conclude that the entire ocean has risen by one meter!"
(End of Chapter)
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