https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-644-Mastering-Humanity-Mastering-the-World/13464607/
Chapter 645: General Mobilization
Chapter 645: General Mobilization
Chapter 645: General Mobilization
The massive black ship crushed the rocks in the coastal defense zone, its sturdy and formidable hull ignoring all obstacles as it docked along the shore.
"Such destruction."
Sagel stood at the front of the deck, surveying the damaged Royal City, and clicked his tongue.
Originally, there was a grand canal that connected directly to the Royal Palace, specifically designed for the Dead Omen to navigate.
But now, that canal was buried under a vast amount of debris.
As far as the eye could see, the Royal Palace, situated in the north of the Royal City, had collapsed in large sections, with a golden bell hanging precariously from its spire.
"Lord Sagel!"
"Lord Sagel!"
"Governor Sagel!"
As the gangplank was lowered, Sagel walked down to the landing port, where the people responsible for the construction called out excitedly.
The previously somber atmosphere seemed to come alive with Sagel's arrival.
People's eyes began to sparkle.
With the lord here, there was a backbone!
With the master here, there was clear sky!
With the governor here, there was order!
"Captain."
Hawkins bowed slightly as Sagel approached, "I'm sorry, we couldn't hold Ohara."
Sagel patted his shoulder and smiled, "Victory and defeat are common in the sea. No one can win all the time, so there's no need to worry."
"But—"
"What's the point of buts? You must have divined the odds, right?"
"No."
Hawkins paused, "They were practically zero."
"Yet you still went ahead, didn't you?"
Sagel pointed to the bandages around Hawkins' waist, "That's enough. The rest, I'll handle."
"Yes."
Hawkins couldn't help but smile at Sagel's confident demeanor.
As the captain, Sagel was the biggest leader, enjoying the rewards first and bearing the responsibilities first.
Subordinates, with less pressure, could perform at their best without any constraints.
Handling pressure was the leader's job.
"Where are the others?" Sagel asked, looking around.
"Moria is at the Royal Palace. Viper, Sever, and Misty are heavily injured and still recovering. Especially Sever and Misty, they might have died if they hadn't been found in time. Ulchi went to perform the funeral rites for the deceased. Renee is locked in the laboratory, apparently working on new weapons", Hawkins reported.
Sagel nodded and turned to Big Mom, "The relocation went well."
"Sagel, can we not use it?"
Big Mom worried, "The sea level can't rise any further, or many people will lose their homes."
Another meter of rise would mean a total of three meters.
Most people aren't three meters tall, and reaching this limit would cause many islands to disappear, turning into reefs.
"We won't need it for now. I don't know about others, but I keep my promises. Since we signed the agreement, I won't be the first to break it!"
Sagel paused, "Of course, I won't give anyone the chance to be the first. You need to work on a monitoring device. Since the energy source is the Primordial Fire Seed, if you understand it, create a device to measure the Primordial Fire Seed. If there's a large energy signal, it means someone has used it. When that happens, I need to act first."
"Also, based on Pluto's power, try to create a defensive system to cover the Royal City at least."
Attack and defense go hand in hand. If there's a destructive capability, there must also be a counter-destructive capability.
The betrayal only destroyed a local area, which can still be rebuilt. If a direct hit occurs, he would have to find a new base of operations.
He would keep his promise, but he couldn't lack the ability to prevent it.
"Should we set up the cannons in advance?"
Hawkins suggested, "Sagel, there's a saying: there are no permanent friends, only permanent interests."
"Outdated thinking!"
Sagel grinned, "Now, we can have permanent friends because we create common interests! Tee wasn't my friend to begin with, so his sudden attack, while unexpected, was entirely reasonable. The ones who can be our permanent friends are the Dragon Palace Kingdom and that Old Sha."
Their interests are constant.
The Dragon Palace City wants to emerge, to step into the sunlight, and to be free from discrimination. Only Sagel can provide that.
Even if the World Government falls, the only one who can truly treat Fishmen as equals is his Ohara.
Because the role of Fishmen here is the greatest, and their necessity in the world is unmatched by any other.
The Cross Guild doesn't count, but Old Sha is definitely a friend. If his ideal nation fails to materialize, he'll likely end up here. This place is essentially Old Sha's dream, just not with him as the leader.
Sagel would welcome him with open arms, offering him a seat at the table.
This is why Sagel can tolerate Old Sha's debt.
After such a long time, the only person who still owes him money and remains unscathed is a friend.
"You stay here and continue. I'll head to the Royal Palace."
Sagel said to Hawkins, then noticed Link standing humbly by, and added, "I've heard about the guilds. Let them stew! No one is to act without my orders!"
This is a matter of principle.
If he lets the merchants have their way today, tomorrow they'll demand more control.
This isn't about personal courage; it's about being blinded by profit and being manipulated. When Sagel has to clean house again and start from scratch, it's a waste of time. It's better to set the rules from the start.
He knows the power of these people better than anyone.
Even the Five Stars, the highest-ranking officials, can sometimes be manipulated by these individuals. It's not just one or two people; it's a large group with aligned interests, so they don't feel like they're being controlled but rather act on their own for the benefit of those interests.
They might not be merchants themselves, but they certainly represent the interests of commerce.
For example, the establishment of the Navy.
Was it to protect the Celestial Dragons?
No, it was to give the World Government's allied nations a sense of security.
And do these allied nations not engage in business?
This is a broader trend, and what Sagel aims to do is to stifle this trend before it gains momentum.
That side is a mix of various elements, with unclear power dynamics. They claim to be the supreme rulers, able to destroy entire countries with a word, but in reality, it's a hierarchy: the Celestial Dragons, the allied nations, the nobles these nations represent, and the interests those nobles stand for.
At the root of it all is this.
Sagel doesn't want this, so he won't allow even a hint of it.
With one-man rule, he can maintain absolute control.
"Lily, stay here and see if there's anything that needs to be handled. Maria, go bring Letty over."
With that, Sagel set off toward the Royal Palace, reaching the main gate of the Royal City in no time.
Moria, with his chest still bandaged, was staring at the half-collapsed Royal Palace.
"What are you looking at?"
Sagel walked up beside him, looking at the palace and chuckled, "At the ruins? This place looks like it saw a fierce battle."
"This is your bedroom, and a symbol of Ohara. It's fallen, and it's a blow to your authority."
Moria glanced at Sagel, his sharp voice tinged with guilt, "My assistance has failed."
Having Sagel return by ship was a sign of trouble.
Not even the Four Emperors could prevent Sagel's return, and as his 'vice emperor,' a strategist and advisor, he should have done better.
"Ohara isn't a symbol of anything. Don't you remember this place? We conquered it and kept it because it looked nice, Moria. I am the symbol!"
Sagel bent his thumb to point at himself, grinning, "Don't worry about the destruction. We can rebuild. If people die, we can recruit more. As long as I'm here, no problem is insurmountable. After all, if there's a problem, there are always people to solve it!"
Problems are hard to solve, but people are even harder to replace?
"Rest well. I'll help you reclaim your honor. Soldier to soldier, general to general. Red Hair didn't finish you off, so I won't finish off them, but I'll return the favor!"
What Red Hair thinks doesn't matter. He might be a carefree mystic who believes that killing doesn't solve problems, only victory does.
If that's the case, Sagel won't show a lack of vision. He'll return the favor, but the retaliation will be constant!
"I've always believed in you. But won't this disrupt the plan?" Moria laughed.
Unlike Hawkins, as a seasoned pirate, he knows that victory and defeat are unpredictable. As long as the will is strong, success will come one day.
Sagel isn't like him. The death of his old companions once left him devastated, but Sagel, even if everyone dies, has the ability to start over and retaliate even more fiercely.
However, starting a war like this will disrupt Sagel's plan to expand into the ideal nation.
"It will just slow us down. Everything is in chaos now, and the Revolutionary Army's movements have the others preoccupied. No one will seize the initiative, and no one will dare to use my methods. They can only watch as I, Lord Sagel, take action."
Sagel waved his hand. "We'll hold a meeting to discuss the specifics of the plan."
As he spoke, he saw Maria approaching with Renee, who was pouting and glaring.
"Sagel! I want revenge!"
That was the first thing she said upon seeing him.
Renee waved her little hands, shouting angrily, "I’m going to develop a weapon with destructive power on par with Pluto! I’ll blow up Red Hair and Titch's territory, turning their bones to dust!"
"Great! I’ll support you when the time comes!"
Sagel patted Renee's small head. "But before we start the war, we need to prepare. We lost our factories, so we need to rebuild them first to give those still living in tents something to do."
"Alright, I’ll get to it right away!" Renee nodded vigorously and ran off.
Maria watched Renee run away with a gentle smile. "She’s been working on weapons in the laboratory. When I came, she was cursing and forging with her power. I haven’t seen Renitia forge in a long time."
Renee, who could create mechanical hammers and once made controllable steel men, certainly knew how to forge. She had been focused on shipbuilding, but with her ability to manipulate power, she could produce even the most extravagant weapons given enough time.
However, in terms of power...
It might not match Sagel’s casual strikes.
"Times have changed."
Sagel sighed. "The sea is fickle. Past glories mean nothing. There are always some who don’t know their place and want to test us. Let them test us. Maria, from now on, you’ll handle the logistics of the war. Assume a state of total mobilization and work with Lily to create a plan before everyone’s injuries heal."
"Moria, research our strategy. Determine how we’ll fight and give me your findings before everyone recovers. Also, inform Lily."
He turned to the ruined city. "Use this opportunity to halt external trade temporarily and focus on infrastructure. Once Ohara is ready, have Hawkins survey the key points and set up defensive cannons, with Big Mom’s assistance to use the Peacekeeper technology for automatic friend-foe recognition."
"Convert the remaining islands into war infrastructure. Use this to temporarily replace trade. Suspend all other transactions, including those with the World Government, and reduce trade with the Revolutionary Army by half. Everything must serve the war effort."
Sagel’s voice was calm, but to the two of them, it sent a chill down their spines.
War was something all kingdoms had experienced, and even army-to-army battles were brutal enough.
But Sagel’s words carried a much stronger sense of bloodshed, as if it transcended the scenes they knew.
They didn’t understand, but they felt that the phrase "everything must serve the war" was terrifying.
"Understood!"
The two of them responded in unison and left to prepare.
Sagel stood alone before the collapsed Royal Palace, his eyes turning crimson, and his smile growing more unsettling. "Unless you kill all of my people, once the war starts, it will be the most terrifying thing you’ve ever seen!"
A war between kingdoms?
A conflict between the Navy and pirates?
Too childish!
Protesting to avoid taxes?
Protesting to remove a king?
Those weren’t total mobilizations; they were just expanded conflicts that dispersed once their goals were achieved.
Ruling wasn’t just about living comfortably in the palace and owning wealth and land.
What is a total mobilization for an industrial war?
"I’ll teach you all a lesson!"
Under the sunlight, Sagel’s shadow stretched infinitely, growing larger, as if it were about to swallow the entire Ohara.
...
Half a month later.
In the temporary meeting place set up before the collapsed Royal Palace, a large crowd had gathered.
The lowest-ranking were the captains of the Apocalypse Pirates, including those stationed on the islands, as well as the "True Fighters" of the Beast Pirates and non-ministerial members of the Big Mom Pirates.
Further up were the senior officers, the Shogunate, the Demon Race, and the ministerial members of the Big Mom Pirates.
Inside the large stone structure, the Seven Stars Above members gathered, with Jin leading the other Disasters and the Six Supernovas, while Katakuri led the Generals and the front-line ministers.
Sagel, seated at the head of the table, spoke his first words:
"Begin the war on all fronts!!"
(End of Chapter)
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