Chapter 646: Officially Engaged! (5k)

Chapter 646: Officially Engaged! (5k)

After Sagel spoke, everyone in the tent began to smile.

Jin, who had taken off his helmet, turned his head with a cool look and exchanged glances with Katakuri, who had also discarded his scarf. Both of them smiled.

Since joining Catastrophe, the two of them no longer had to hide. Katakuri could show his terrifying mouth, and no one would say a word about it. As for Jin, things were even better on Catastrophe's side. He could reveal his true face without any consequences.

The World Government offered a bounty of one billion berries for any information, but that money had already been claimed and passed on to Jin. After all, even if they knew the information, no one would dare come here.

Jokingly, Catastrophe even had Pluton, one of the three ancient weapons in the world. A single Lunarian wasn't much of a threat.

Catastrophe also had agents, and their intelligence network was undoubtedly the best in Ohara. Any hint of trouble would be dealt with before Sagel even needed to know.

When Jin received the one billion berries and learned that Catastrophe's Goldline had an estimated value of trillions, he no longer cared.

There were far more dangerous and rare beings around, so being a Lunarian wasn't a big deal.

What Sagel was saying now, however, excited them.

Since joining, they hadn't been given any major tasks. The peace and stability were nice, and Katakuri had become more relaxed. He no longer hid in his sister's mirror world, eating donuts, but instead enjoyed them openly, sharing with his siblings, creating a warm and happy atmosphere without the pressure from their mother.

Jin, on the other hand, had stepped out into the open, showing his true face without fear of discrimination or persecution. After all, various races coexisted here, and Catastrophe was making earth-shattering changes.

Living the life he wanted, it was time to contribute. They hadn't had the chance before, and even though they had tried to arrive in time last time, they were too late. Now, with Sagel announcing a full-scale war, they finally had a chance to prove themselves.

"I have to take revenge. I almost died."

Sever, wrapped in bandages from head to toe, clenched his teeth. "The last time this happened was... the last time!"

"..."

Misty, also wrapped in bandages, glanced at him, her eyes filled with anger.

After being sucked into the darkness, Sever had forcibly broken through, and Misty had used her last bit of energy to create a disturbance, confusing Blackbeard's vision, allowing them to escape.

Now, the chance for revenge was a good thing.

The other officers, like Paruqiang Barumiot, who were also injured, were eager to participate.

Fujitora and his Onmitsu were excited, as were the Minks and Sharkstar representatives, who were determined to contribute.

"Captain, if we're going to attack Red Hair, should we also target Alabasta?"

The tent was large enough to accommodate the New Giant Pirate crew, and Haerding and Stanson were also present.

"If we're going to deal with Alabasta, Captain, could you give my people a chance?" Haerding asked.

Living here was more comfortable than his homeland, but it was still his home. They knew the captain's power; destroying Alabasta wouldn't be difficult.

"For now, I have no interest in them. As long as they don't provoke me, you can go back and try to persuade them. Haerding, I'll give you this opportunity. I'm quite lenient with Giants."

The strongest nation, Alabasta, with its unique customs and racial talents, would be a valuable addition to his forces. If they could be persuaded, that would be ideal. If not, they wouldn't stand in his way for now, but he would deal with them later.

If they insisted on being blind, there was nothing he could do.

No matter how large a nation, in Sagel's eyes, it was just a nation, and destroying it would be simple.

"In any case, this full-scale war will involve everyone, and we will sweep away all the threats in the second half of the New World in one go!"

Sagel's words made everyone in the tent eager and ready for a major operation.

However, when Moria heard the phrase "full-scale war" again, his expression showed a hint of worry. Lily sighed, stepped forward, and addressed everyone inside and outside the tent:

"Let me reiterate, full-scale war does not mean that only we will be fighting."

She paused, scanning the crowd, and some of the more perceptive individuals became visibly serious.

"Full-scale war means total war. It involves all four million residents of Ohara, regardless of age or gender. Everyone will be mobilized to strike against the second half of the New World. Everything will serve this purpose. This is not a small skirmish with a few ships and a handful of people. This is a true war!"

Everyone in the tent fell silent.

Misty's cold expression turned to a cold sweat. Her usually indifferent voice trembled, "Everyone will join the war?"

"Exactly, everyone. Under our rule, each person has a duty. When Ohara makes a collective decision, everyone must respond", Lily said.

Four million people.

The officers had never truly grasped the scale of the population. They knew the numbers, but it didn't always register. They only felt that Ohara was prosperous, the capital was grand, and the main and secondary islands were peaceful and beautiful.

Suddenly hearing this number, many of them were trying to grasp the scale.

The combined forces of the Marineford War totaled only 150,000.

Even halving four million, that was still ten times the scale of Marineford. How vast was that?

Their power was truly so extensive?

"Ordinary people?"

Fujitora, holding a cigarette, exhaled a puff of smoke. "Governor, aren't ordinary people too weak?"

"One bullet from each of them, and you wouldn't be able to stop it."

Sagel smiled. "Weak or not, they won't all be on the front lines. They will be equipped with proper weapons. They might not be able to fight the strong, but together, they can be strong."

For example, how many lead bullets could Fujitora withstand?

Even with Haki, he would still die in a hail of gunfire.

There were very few people in the world with Ougon's special constitution that could withstand bullets without injury.

Even for Giants, lead bullets are like grains of sand, but in large enough quantities, they can still turn a person into a sieve.

Hesitating over the numbers...

Shanks can withstand it, but can all of Shanks' subordinates?

"But regarding the costs", Sever hesitated.

Doing so would result in too many casualties. They joined Sage's cause because he promised a better life for the people, free from chaos. Now, to sacrifice their lives would be against their principles.

Even if not everyone goes to battle, any loss would be something Sever doesn't want to see.

They aren't dead yet!

"Let me explain the specific plan."

Lily said, "First, not everyone will go. We don't have that many ships, and we can't afford the losses."

They didn't spend so much effort increasing their population just to use them as cannon fodder. Sage wouldn't allow that.

"First, we need to recruit a large number of soldiers, not pirates, but pure soldiers. This will be supported by our new equipment, Sakya, you can introduce it."

In the tent, only Sakya was present.

He pulled out a black box from under the table. Inside were a pair of ear-mounted headphones and glasses combined, a pair of gloves, and a long gun.

"I will introduce the new functions of the Peace Starter. This includes the automatic scanning of the Peacekeepers, synchronized with the gloves, and a long gun equipped with a laser. With these, we can achieve seamless aiming and some assistance in increasing strength and flexibility, allowing the long gun to fire lasers."

He then took out a square magazine from the box, "This is the energy magazine. Each one can fire six shots. Although the power is less than that of the Peacekeepers, it is more than enough for ordinary pirates."

With Big Mom's involvement, obtaining technology from the Peacekeepers became much easier. Renee had already been working on replicating weapons, and Big Mom's arrival accelerated the process.

The laser technology of the Peacekeepers is supported by high precision, which is why they have such great power. Placing this technology in pure firearms naturally doesn't provide as much energy, but a slightly lower level is sufficient.

The power is greater than that of lead bullets.

As for the energy source...

It's not the Primordial Fire Seed. This energy magazine uses refined oil, but the technology is derived from the Primordial Fire Seed, meaning it burns more intensely and produces greater power.

"We also have a new cannon, with the same structure but even greater power, suitable for use as a ship's main gun."

Sakya continued, sighing, "I don't approve of making weapons. Technology should benefit the world, but I also know that without weapons, there is no peace. To achieve happiness, some pain is necessary. If we win, we will gain complete control over the New World, and then we can live in peace."

Sage's territory, apart from Ohara, has been visited by others, and while it may not be as prosperous as Ohara, it is absolutely safe, and people can eat and dress well.

There is no need to worry about hunger here.

This place is better than the areas controlled by the World Government, and it's not just a small-scale operation with a population of a few tens of thousands. Sage has proven through his actions that he has the ability to bring peace to the world.

As scientists, they are much more rational. Just as Big Mom doesn't despise the World Government, he always believed that the establishment of the World Government 800 years ago must have been based on some just cause, and not a conspiracy.

Because a conspiracy cannot rule the world.

Similarly, they are well aware that pure ideals alone cannot improve the world.

Big Mom's ability to create the Peacekeepers through experiments is a clear signal.

So, making weapons doesn't burden them psychologically; everything is for peace and prosperity.

"All recruited soldiers will be equipped with the 'Peace Starter' series of firearms. We will launch indiscriminate attacks on all territories marked by Blackbeard and Shanks. Yes, indiscriminate attacks."

Lily gestured, and the maid-in-chief, Bellona, brought in a whiteboard. Using a Den Den Mushi, she projected a map showing the approximate distribution of power in the latter half of the New World.

She pointed to the two ellipses, "This is a simplified map of the latter half. The left is Blackbeard, and the right is Shanks."

The deep blue circle representing Blackbeard is larger than the green circle representing Shanks, reflecting Blackbeard's rapid expansion over the past two years, which has surpassed Shanks. In the center of Blackbeard's circle, there is a marker for Hive Island.

"Don't consider whether these people have grievances, whether they are coerced, or whether they planted their flags due to good relations. None of that matters. This operation is not only to achieve our dominance over the New World but also to warn other external forces that anyone who crosses us will face dire consequences."

"This battle will demonstrate our collective power, ensuring our future safety in business."

Until now, it has been the Apocalypse Pirates who have been building their reputation. While Ohara was founded by Sage, the current sea doesn't consider them as a unified entity.

Ohara is Ohara, and Catastrophe is Catastrophe. Ohara's prosperity is brought by Catastrophe, but without Catastrophe, it is nothing.

Even their own people think this way, and it is true, but now it must be corrected.

Sage tapped the table and said, "The recruitment and mobilization must be seen by the world. There are no restrictions. Anyone willing to join, come! All strategies will be transparent, showing the world how strong Ohara's mobilization capabilities are!"

This statement made everyone sit up straight.

Ash asked, "Who should we target first?"

"Everyone! Push all the fronts out!"

Sage grinned, "Put everyone on the line!"

"Exactly."

Lily adjusted the map on the whiteboard, revealing their detailed sphere of influence.

The New World is divided into five routes in the first half and three routes in the second half, based on the magnetic fields of the Log Poses. We are positioned in the New World, which offers many strategic locations.

She glanced at the routes that split the second half and said, "This area is not suitable for a large-scale battle because there are too many islands to manage. We need to push forward and control the three magnetic routes in the second half, using them as our main battlefield."

"Of course, we also need to set up defenses."

She drew her sword along with its scabbard and pointed to the map. "The five routes and the five Magnetic Islands are essential to control. We need to push forward and secure the starting points of the three routes, then connect them all."

"We don't know the exact number of islands, but the entire horizontal route will be centered around the starting points of the three vertical routes. We need to monitor, defend, and attack, ensuring no enemy crosses this line."

"Of course, we will deploy heavy forces at the end of the five routes."

She moved the scabbard to the junction between the first and second halves of the Grand Line. "These key points, which span the entire Grand Line, are our Magnetic Islands. We will station our recruited soldiers on these five islands as reserves, ready to advance into the second half and dominate all navigable areas!"

The Grand Line is vast, even horizontally. Pirates have never been completely eradicated by the Marines because it is too large. A single ship can easily traverse the seas, making it impossible to surround and capture them.

If not for the Red Line and the Calm Belt, and the treasure on the final island, the Four Emperors would not be in the New World; they would be in the Four Seas, where the resources are far greater.

But now, for strategic reasons, we need to draw a line.

A large territory means a deep strategic depth, but it also means that if invaded, the enemy's strategic depth is not insignificant.

Wano and Totto Land did not have this problem before. Blackbeard's core was only the Hive Island, and Red Hair had no territory to worry about at all.

Pirates are like that; they just need to rob and throw parties. But as rulers, there are many more things to consider.

To achieve a lasting solution, Sagel decided to gradually force Blackbeard and Red Hair into a corner. With a wave of his hand, he called for a full mobilization!

"Since the routes are open, if necessary, we can recruit more people from Alabasta! In short, not even a fly will be allowed to enter my territory in the first half!"

He looked at everyone and said to Ash and Katakuri, "You two, each take one route in the second half and advance according to my orders. Any problems?"

"I will do my utmost!" Ash said firmly.

Katakuri also nodded, his expression resolute.

"I'll handle the rest. I won't believe it can't be done!"

Sagel slammed his hand on the table. "With my full mobilization, there is no war I cannot start! I'll strike first, and anyone who follows will have to see if they can handle the consequences!"

"Right, but we need to prepare in advance. For example, we haven't conquered the end points of the five routes. So, in the initial phase, we will rely on these four million people to secure all the Magnetic Islands on the five routes in the first half of the New World", Lily added.

They nominally ruled the first half of the New World, but their actual control was limited to 52 islands in Ohara, 34 in Totto Land, 21 in Wano (since the main island was transformed into Pluton), and 21 in Dressrosa, totaling 108 islands.

Time was short, and manpower was insufficient; they could only manage so much.

After all, they needed people to govern and develop the territories. Even if Lily were divided into ten, she might not be enough. They had always lacked the necessary talent, which is why Sagel had been waiting for his plan to be implemented.

Otherwise, places like the Providence Kingdom next to Dressrosa would still be untouched.

But now, the time was right. He had ruled for over two years, and his authority was deeply ingrained. The people under his rule revered him, and education was being implemented in parallel, with different methods for children and adults.

Using these people as a foundation, they could confidently expand to the newly conquered islands!

"Merchants, pirates, civilians, fishmen, giants, dwarves—everyone, anyone! They will all serve my current plan! Four million is enough! We will expand along the entire line!"

This was no longer about pirates raiding bases or single combat.

It was no longer limited to targeting Red Hair and Blackbeard. If a war was to be fought, it would be a comprehensive one. After all, he had reached an agreement with the World Government, making the first half of the New World his territory. It was time to start claiming it!

He was going to implement a strategic push!

For this, everyone would serve this purpose!

The islands of the Grand Line are numerous, and many undiscovered, non-magnetic islands exist. But along the magnetic routes, he would definitely claim these territories now.

The timing was perfect; it was time to act!

"It's decided! Everyone, this war might be long, and we need to show a relentless spirit!"

Sagel picked up the wine bottle on the table, poured himself a glass, and raised it, his voice echoing through the collapsed palace gates, reaching everyone gathered there.

"As usual! Anyone who hasn't been fully incorporated into my rule, regardless of your status, if you join the war, half the loot is yours! No mercy for the enemy, no hesitation in attacking! Of course, if you work under me, you must follow my rules. Do you understand?"

"Yes! No robbing the poor!"

"Exactly! No robbing the poor! Beyond that, all wealthy, powerful, and renowned individuals who surpass the ordinary are within your hunting range! Go! Plunder the entire New World for me, make all its land mine! And I will not hesitate to share wealth and status with you!"

"Fight! Fight until I achieve complete victory! Hahaha, hehahaha!"

Sagel drained his glass and laughed heartily.

Inside and outside the tent, everyone stood up, regardless of their size, raising their glasses to match their stature, and drank in unison.

"Then, after midnight, the order will officially take effect and be announced throughout the land!"

Sagel spread his hands, the sound of cracking energy echoing as he declared, "The war begins!!"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end