https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-643-Not-Choose-Me-Then-Go-Back-to-Guard-the-Place-/13464606/
Chapter 644: Mastering Humanity, Mastering the World
Chapter 644: Mastering Humanity, Mastering the World
"Worldslider seems quite confident, so I'll wait and see."
Yi Xiao reached out, found the wine glass on the coffee table, and took a sip.
"You old blind man can't even see, what are you waiting to see?"
Sagel laughed, "If it's just about order, I won't disappoint you."
"It's hard to say now. Red Hair and Blackbeard attacked your territory, sparking a war. Can your order still be maintained?"
Yi Xiao said, "Even if I can't see, I can predict it. The New World will never be peaceful."
Sagel laughed with a sarcastic tone, "There's no place in the world that's ever truly peaceful. Mary Geoia, the holy land that ruled for eight hundred years, still faces constant attacks. True peace only exists in Imaginaria, or perhaps in that dream-like 'World Key' called One Piece?"
"Ultimately",
He grabbed the wine glass and drank it in one go, then called out, "Peace is something that must be fought for constantly. There's no one-time solution. Anyone who thinks they can achieve permanent peace will eventually be destroyed by their own outdated rules!"
There are too many examples from the past!
Rules change with the times, just as human behavior changes in different environments. Stagnation leads to death!
"The descendants of Ohara always speak so thought-provokingly."
Yi Xiao nodded, "But, Worldslider, I have a question. Two of the Four Emperors attacked you, yet you don't seem worried. You must not have lost anything important, but as your base, Ohara surely has something crucial, like the 'key' to the world."
"Ah, indeed, the Landmark was copied away", Sagel said indifferently.
"I've heard Big Mom's broadcasts. One Piece isn't just pursued by pirates; the Marines and the World Government want it too. Why do you seem so unperturbed?"
Sagel's expression remained unchanged, but his Conqueror's Haki detected a hint of anger within him. The anger was subtle, its tone not one of fierce rage or urgent panic, but rather a low-grade irritation, akin to the annoyance of being slighted.
This anger was nothing compared to his experiences.
"Hehehehe."
Sagel chuckled, "Yi Xiao, you've been through a lot. Tell me, which is more important: that so-called 'World Key' or the territory you currently control? Is the legendary treasure that can grant everything more real to you, or are the four million citizens and seventy thousand subordinates who make you feel truly alive?"
Yi Xiao was silent for a moment, "Naturally, the latter."
"Exactly. Before Rozairogy, One Piece was only known as the 'Final Island,' a place no one in the world could reach. Even after Aqua Celestia, in the twenty years following Rozairogy's death, very few managed to get there."
"So, how did the Final Island become One Piece? It was Rozairogy's final words, saying he left everything there."
Sagel spoke as if telling a joke, his face clearly showing amusement.
"The problem is, this guy started making a name for himself fifty years ago and was executed twenty years later, after just twenty years of adventuring. He had no territory, no followers, and probably not much money, otherwise, Rally the Grim King wouldn't have been reduced to selling himself into slavery in Shabondy."
"What was everything he had worth?"
"Reputation can be as valuable as money, but a dead man's reputation can't be used."
"Strength? Reaching One Piece and summoning the old pirates from twenty years ago to relive the Pirate King's glory? What glory did the Pirate King have? To sail around the world again?"
"Pirates are pitiful creatures!"
Sagel laughed, "What can they do even if they find One Piece? Gain a new 'Pirate King' title? Or use it to conquer the world? Even if Rozairogy left treasures there, how much could they be worth? Could they match my monthly expenses?"
"That's the dream of most pirates", Yi Xiao said solemnly.
"Of course, I'm not mocking anyone's dreams. It's just a clash between my own dreams and others'. After all, pirates do whatever they want, and I am the same."
Sagel stood up, reaching out toward the sea outside the window, then clenched his hand tightly, "I never believed in One Piece! I only believe in what I hold in my hands!"
"Master the key to the world? What kind of key are you talking about? If getting the One Piece can grant infinite Moon Reading, then wouldn't it be better to just fall into a hallucination and take over the world? Wouldn't it be simpler to just dream in bed? If you do it well, half of your life could be under your control, without the need for constant battles. Isn't that better?"
"I am a Pirate, not Columbus! I enjoy raiding places I want to raid and ruling the world I discover more than just discovering new islands and continents!"
"By the way, what exactly is this world made of?"
"An endless sea?"
"Millions of islands?"
"Or those unintelligent creatures that can't communicate?"
"None of the above!!"
Sagel turned to Yi Xiao with a sinister grin. "It's me! You! It's the world made up of all the people who speak, feel, and create!"
"Without humans, without us, without the civilization we create, who the hell would care about what the world is or what it looks like!"
"Sea Kings? Can Sea Kings build structures? Can they make fires? Can they map the sea? Can they prepare exquisite dishes? They don't even have the qualifications to please humans!"
"Only we do! Only our existence is the world!!"
"Ultimately, a landlord is not just about occupying land, but also about ruling people!"
Sagel's voice thundered, "When all is sinful, the sin lies in me! When all is spiritual, the rule lies in me! To hold humanity is to hold the future! To rule humanity is to rule the world!"
One Piece?
He truly didn't care.
That thing couldn't truly rule the world. Only his current methods could achieve the most suitable rule in this Age of Great Navigation!
Sagel's laughter grew more rampant and wild:
"I'll tell you, Yi Xiao! The day a beggar in Water Seven can hear about the prosperity of Ohara and proudly stand tall, that will be the day I begin to rule the world! Hahaha, hohahaha!"
Yi Xiao opened his emotionless white eyes and stared at the source of the laughter, clearly stunned for a moment.
"The two poles of the world", he murmured.
The positions of Ohara and Water Seven, if divided by the planet, were exactly at opposite ends.
One in daylight, the other in darkness, just like Mary Geoia and Reverse Mountain.
And just like the extremes of the Straw Hat and Sagel themselves.
"Terrifying spirit, fearsome ambition."
Yi Xiao stood up and gripped his cane-sword. "Let me see for myself whether your Ohara is truly a heaven-like place, as the rumors say!"
He had been a soldier, a bodyguard, and a Marine. He had attended the World Government meetings and seen all kinds of pirates, including kings with their own schemes.
A pirate like Sagel, he had never seen before!
He was nothing like the Straw Hat kid he admired, completely different, just like the geographic poles.
But from the aura and the emotions of the people around him,
they were of the same type.
If they were both fire, the Straw Hat was the fire of hope, bringing the last bit of light in the darkness and breaking through it.
Sagel was pure devouring flame, burning everything, dark or not, leaving no darkness behind!
...
Ohara, the port.
Hawkins held a book and made markings on it, matching the drawings to the port's background, where buildings that were either not yet repaired or being rebuilt stood out.
Along the port's edge, there was a massive fissure that stretched across half the island, still unrepaired.
This was because Garp was still fixing the earthquake damage in the royal city.
"Lord Hawkins."
Link approached and said, "The local chamber of commerce has come to request it for the third time today. They are willing to cover all the repair costs for Ohara. Should we accept their offer to avoid dampening their enthusiasm?"
"Wait for the captain to return."
Hawkins replied calmly, "We don't lack money or materials. What we lack is a decision on how to proceed with this opportunity. This is not our decision to make; it has to be the captain or Lily."
He was the Minister of Environment. Repairing the fissure, focusing on beautification, and dealing with pollution were his main responsibilities. Even the port repairs were only started because Sagel had instructed that commerce should not be affected.
The royal city wasn't left un-repaired because of laziness. Sagel had to see it firsthand to decide whether to rebuild from scratch or repair the existing structures. But regardless, infrastructure development was a good thing for the economy, and he couldn't let the chambers of commerce ruin it with their good intentions.
Would it be a good thing if it didn’t cost anything?
Sagel’s low-cost education is heavily subsidized by the Worldslider Bank when it comes to teacher salaries. Otherwise, the meager pay wouldn’t be enough to live on.
“I understand.”
Link nodded, then glanced around the port, sighing. “This will delay a lot of business.”
Not all seas are suitable for anchorage, and not all can support ships with deep drafts. From a commercial perspective, light vessels are manageable, as there are places near the capital where they can dock. However, cargo ships have to anchor here.
The large stones that sank in the port area are still there, some with sharp edges protruding, making docking impossible. The positions closer to the front are still usable, with Donquixote serving as a temporary transfer point, but the positions further back are completely out of service.
The merchant guilds aren’t doing charity; the loss from a single day of inactivity is enormous. So, they’re trying to get someone to make repairs, and if necessary, they’re willing to fund the repairs themselves, even including the capital city, given its significant scale. Every day without goods entering the city means a significant financial loss.
It was only after coming to Ohara that Link realized merchants would actually rush to pay for repairs. This was unheard of elsewhere.
Even so, no one has agreed to the repairs, as the authority lies solely with Sagel. His word in Ohara is divine, and whatever he says goes.
Even the refugees who have lost their jobs and homes due to the port’s inactivity and the disappearance of factories haven’t caused any trouble. They obediently stay in the provided tents.
“Yes, delaying business means delaying vitality.”
Hawkins gazed out at the sea. “We’re not dead yet. When the captain returns, we’ll launch the final assault. Tell the merchant guilds not to worry; they’ll have plenty of business to do afterward.”
As he spoke, Hawkins subconsciously gripped the hilt of his sword, his six vertical brows furrowing in anger.
Humiliation!
He was actually surrounded by the Red Hair Pirate crew’s officers!
It’s not that he couldn’t handle being outnumbered; when they attacked Kaido, he was also fighting many at once.
The humiliation lies in the fact that the Apocalypse Pirates, having come this far, are now reduced to being surrounded by others!
More officers on the other side?
They’ll soon see who has more officers and who has the greater fighting power.
Hawkins turned to the other side of the capital, where the city, now expanded almost to the shore due to the removal of the city walls, stood before a towering pillar in the sea, his eyes filled with confidence.
Stronger!
Big Mom had moved Pluton here, placing it right there!
“Done.”
Just as he thought this, Big Mom’s voice rang out. She appeared with several artificial clones and greeted Hawkins. “The food machine has been temporarily set up, allowing the refugees to get food for free, but...”
“But such a good thing, and people still complain, even though they have no homes!”
Atela, half angry and half confused, added, “The food machine we created uses strictly controlled ingredients, and the taste is excellent! How can it not be as good as those restaurants?!”
“Lady Big Mom.”
Link smiled and bowed. “This is a tradition brought by the governor. We provide ample rest time for the common people so they can enjoy cooking leisurely, rather than using machines quickly. It’s fast, but it doesn’t align with our values.”
Sakya said, “I see. It’s indeed unsuitable for everyone in Ohara, but if we expand, we can place it in the industrial zones to provide food for workers.”
The people of Ohara have peculiar preferences. They avoid convenient things and instead enjoy the complexity of cooking in the kitchen, spending time on it and finding joy in it.
This has always been a mystery to them, as time is life and efficiency, and this is a waste.
“That won’t work.”
Link, well-versed in the matter, said, “The governor’s policy doesn’t allow it. Doing so would squeeze the livelihood of local factory chefs. We need both tax revenue and a thriving population.”
As a major merchant and a Worldslider royal trader, he had long figured out Sagel’s preferences.
“Here he comes.”
Just as he spoke, Hawkins suddenly said.
In the distance, the outline of a massive black ship appeared on the sea.
Sagel has returned.
(End of Chapter)
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