Chapter 682: It's Simple, I'll Become a God!
Chapter 682: It’s Simple, I’ll Become a God!
In the latter half of the New World.
A desolate little island.
A small, terrifying three-masted ship was moored in the middle of the island. In the town by the shore, flames shot up into the sky, their shadows undulating like waves, constantly surging and spreading, plunging the town into a tide of red and black destruction.
Inside the town, Ohara soldiers with guns were constantly entering and exiting. Occasionally, the sound of gunfire could be heard amid the crackling of the flames.
Suddenly, the shadows under the flames converged at one spot, forming the shape of Moria.
In his hands were two scissor-bladed weapons, now joined as one, which he slipped into the back of his waist, hiding them under his loose clothing.
Soon, several soldiers ran over and saluted Moria, saying, "Lord Moria, the area has been cleared."
"Hehehehe, indeed there is no trace left."
Moria laughed eerily. "Then on to the next place, my men. Let’s continue our voyage!"
In the flames, the tattered Blackbeard flag, burned to ashes, was destroyed along with the town.
This was a typical town under Blackbeard’s protection, or rather, part of Blackbeard’s territory.
Honeycomb Island was only so big, and not every pirate had the right to settle there. Many pirates occupied their own islands, planted their flags, and thus fell under Blackbeard’s jurisdiction.
Not to mention, Honeycomb Island had been gone for some time, and the pirates, lacking a central gathering point, became even more scattered.
Like the one they encountered now, centered around this island, these pirates began raiding the surrounding areas, gradually turning it into a pirate town.
It was impossible to make such renegades lower their flags, which suited Moria just fine.
He would simply destroy them.
Red Hair was already dead. Next, it was Titch’s turn.
The more of Titch’s territory they cleared, the easier it would be to force Titch out.
As the soldiers began to withdraw, Moria took out a larger sea map and marked a red dot in an open area before heading to the ship.
On the map, red and black dots were densely scattered.
These represented the islands Moria and his crew had encountered during their conquests. Besides conquering, they also mapped the number of islands in the sea and recorded their locations.
The map was a rough outline, with black dots representing islands they had encountered but were not part of their current plan, and red dots representing islands that had been destroyed.
Most of these red dots were protection points of the Red Hair Pirate Crew. The news hadn’t reached these places yet, and no matter what Moria said, the people refused to believe him, insisting on resistance and claiming that Red Hair would avenge them.
For such stubborn types, a heavy hand was necessary.
Even if Moria wanted to spare them, Sagel’s authority could not be underestimated.
At this stage, to maintain such a vast territory, the best way was through Sagel’s own prestige.
If he showed leniency, once it spread, others would lose their fear. Even a single case would have a significant negative impact.
He had experienced this himself. After failing against Kaido, he managed to maintain his authority, but after fighting to a draw with the Straw Hat, he felt a subtle contempt.
Crocodile, on the other hand, went to Impel Down and, upon his return, not only avoided contempt but gained even more reputation for his brief battle with Akainu during the Summit War.
He had a bit of bad luck then, feeling disrespected by everyone, which was one of the reasons he considered joining Sagel.
Maintaining prestige was difficult, but losing it was very quick.
His intelligence included news about the Straw Hat.
That was a classic case of having power but lacking prestige. He was even captured by Haerding’s navigator, Rod, for a ridiculous reason, something about collecting figurines.
This was the same Straw Hat who had fought in Wano and defeated Kaido, growing so powerful that Moria felt he couldn’t handle him.
The lack of prestige was the cause of such a situation.
Therefore, they had to ensure their prestige, even if it meant massacring an entire island.
The World Government’s ability to instill fear in most people stemmed from the indiscriminate, guaranteed execution of the Demon Slaying Order.
It wasn’t a simple matter of seeking refuge; some Marines would destroy even the refugee ships.
Similarly, all those who continue to resist and fly the enemy flag must be completely eradicated.
We need to instill such fear that the mere mention of Sagel's name will make the pirates on the high seas tremble, and the name Worldslider will make them retreat, even more so than the peak of Whitebeard's power. Only then will it be enough.
"We still have some way to go."
Moria walked toward the ship moored at the shore, staring at the Worldslider Pirate flag hanging there. He murmured, "The quality is there, but the intimidation factor is still lacking. We've developed too quickly, and this is the perfect opportunity to elevate Sagel's reputation in the seas to an even higher level."
Sagel has always faced formidable opponents. While these battles have been reported in the news, they remain distant and abstract to the average person, like watching a play—exciting and powerful, but not real.
This is far from enough.
As an old-generation pirate, Moria knows how Whitebeard reached the pinnacle of his fame, making even the most hardened pirates retreat at the sight of the Whitebeard Pirates.
It was achieved through sheer force.
The earth-shattering might that destroyed countless enemy forces and islands, and the terrifying battle records, were what propelled him to the top where no one dared to challenge him.
Sagel now needs to do the same.
Fighting strong enemies is too distant, and assassinating a king is even more so. Only by making these ordinary people realize that destruction is at their doorstep and disaster is always present can they truly feel fear and reverence at the mention of his name!
...
Ohara Palace.
Lily reported to Sagel as usual.
"The front lines are expanding smoothly. We are now dealing with islands that are still holding out due to luck and stubbornness, but the resistance is minimal, and we are making quick progress."
Lily held the latest reports, summarizing them as concisely as possible. "We have already covered half the distance of the latter part of the New World. Once we reach the end, the initial plan will be complete."
"Every island we encounter is being recorded. These records will be useful when we decide to expand further. Our current plan is still on track, and we are in the process of consolidating our gains. As for Blackbeard—"
She put the reports away and looked at Sagel. "We still haven't found him. He's disappeared without a trace."
"Interesting. Is he planning a big move?"
Sagel glanced at the map of the New World seas in front of him, which showed the extent of their current advance. The territory once controlled by Red Hair had vanished, and Blackbeard's domain had shrunk significantly.
"Logically, he should make his move at this point. The power of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit, if used first, could cause significant damage to Ohara. Combined with the tsunami triggered by the vibrations, it could even render Pluton ineffective for a moment."
Sagel pondered, "Now, with the three of you female officers here and the rest out conquering, our main forces are depleted. I'm essentially alone here, and even Chopper is out on patrol. He knows this, and this is his last chance. Once my main forces return, he won't have any more opportunities."
"Tee and Kuzan together are more than enough. He shouldn't lack the confidence for this."
Sagel leaned back, took a sip from his wine glass, and shifted his gaze from the New World region of the map to the Red Line.
"Garp has also vanished. So, is it the World Government?"
"Do you think Tee would collaborate with the World Government?" Lily asked.
"He became a Shichibukai that way. My influence is growing, and while we have a cooperative relationship with the government, both sides are wary of each other. If he has a new ally, and given the World Government's tendency to overlook past grievances for usefulness, there's no reason they wouldn't agree."
Sagel chuckled coldly. "Perhaps that guy's plan will succeed. He wants to establish a Pirate Kingdom and become the king of all pirates. That would make him a unique Pirate King. If he succeeds, many would be willing to join his kingdom."
"A Pirate Kingdom recognized by the World Government has never existed. Those with bounties, once they join the Pirate Kingdom, would be engaging in legal robbery. They would have everything."
In fact, if Sagel were willing, he could become a Celestial Dragon, and Ohara would become a unique Pirate Kingdom, giving him an additional layer of legitimacy, surpassing the Shichibukai. He could officially declare himself the king of all pirates.
If Tee is to do this, he will likely follow the same path.
Not everyone is loyal to Sagel.
Many pirates want to see Sagel dead, and Ohara turned into a feast for the many pirates who would come to claim their share.
But now, given that this is clearly impossible, once a Pirate Kingdom is established, they can still form a massive force. These pirates can recklessly seize the territories of unaffiliated countries, declaring them as part of the Pirate Kingdom, and transform into nobles.
However, since they are pirates, they can essentially plunder anywhere in the world.
In the past, the World Government would never have allowed such a possibility, but things are different now.
Nika has already appeared and caused a lot of trouble, performing quite well in Aghored.
Now, in Alabasta, it seems like something strange is about to happen again.
The Revolutionary Army is causing conflicts everywhere, alongside the pirates who set sail in large numbers due to Big Mom’s statements, effectively tying up the Marines' resources.
Moreover, Sagel has essentially taken control of the New World, with no one daring to challenge him. The New World is practically his backyard. The appearance of a peer-level individual who offers allegiance might actually be accepted.
“Then there’s Kuzan. As a Marine Admiral, he knows a lot. Garp is still important on a global scale. No matter how the World Government might disregard him, for the sake of their own ruling foundation, they won’t let Garp be captured by pirates in such a humiliating manner.”
“Either assassinate him and have Garp die outright, but that’s probably impossible. Tee is prepared for the destruction of Hive Island and has hidden Garp, indicating he’s keeping a tight watch. In the end, Tee might really be able to establish a Pirate Kingdom.”
Sagel said, “They will become a bridgehead to oppose me. Lily, they won’t need to force the issue anymore, and the process will speed up. I expect to see Tee’s coronation as king in the newspapers soon, but I wonder if it will be in Paradise or at the forefront of the New World.”
If it’s at the forefront, it means Tee is going all in. But if it’s in Paradise, it means he’s still lying low, waiting for something.
“It’s more likely to happen in the latter stage.”
Lily, following Sagel’s line of thought, said, “That way, he can gain more support from the World Government, become stronger, and take advantage of the opportunity to fight us.”
“Hard to say, I’m hoping for that, to save trouble. But this guy knows history, and quite a bit of it. He must know something about Nika, considering he’s been a Yonko for so long and has taken over Hive Island. The intelligence he’s gathered is substantial, so it shouldn’t be hard for him to figure it out.”
Sagel’s lips curled. “The fate that Nika represents, if left unchecked, might lead to some interesting outcomes.”
Fighting the World Government single-handedly sounds romantic, but Sagel isn’t that idle.
He’s here to do business!
And with Nika’s appearance, Red Hair is even betting his life on it, showing that there must be a big secret.
Whether it’s the key to One Piece, the bane of the World Government, or the Poneglyph in Alabasta, Sagel doesn’t need to be there in person. Haerding, as the royal heir, has already sent the information and footage to express their regret and guilt for not participating in this expedition.
Sagel has seen the mural, depicting a character representing Nika and a group of strange objects battling a massive demon holding the sun.
Whether it’s a prophecy or a replay of a thousand-year-old scene, it’s already stirring things up.
The demon’s willpower and destiny, along with human desires and expectations, might really make something happen with the Straw Hat.
He knows that the World Government is more focused on the Straw Hat than on him.
He can almost destroy half the world with Ohara, but in that aspect, he’s still not as formidable as Nika.
“Whether the owner of the Void Throne is cowardly or truly knows something, it doesn’t matter. It won’t affect my plans. If the Sun God is truly a deity, then it’s simple—I’ll become a god myself!”
“Anyway, I won’t hide my presence anymore. I’ll capture Tee and refine him in an instant—cough, cough. In short, as long as I become stronger, I won’t fear those things.”
Sagel teased, then laughed loudly. “He will give me the answers. There’s no need to rush. After all, he’s much older than me. Ho ho ho ho!”
(End of Chapter)
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