Chapter 1052 - 631: An Unorthodox Treaty
"Garp is going to find Teach?"
Once back in the captain’s cabin, Lily frowned slightly, "A Navy Vice Admiral suddenly goes to find a pirate, and not just any pirate, but a Four Emperors member. Isn’t he afraid of starting a war?"
In a sense, Sage and the World Government have already been at war.
The battles at the Golden Ship, Egghead, and Red Harbor were three stages: the first was initiated by the World Government, the second was Sage’s counterattack, and the third was the finale.
By sinking Red Harbor, they completely won this localized conflict that stretched from the middle of the New World to its entrance.
Sage won, otherwise he wouldn’t have been invited to Mary Geoise for negotiations.
Each of the Four Emperors has their own style, and Sage’s characteristic is a vast territory and wealth, so he focuses on the fundamentals: as long as the plan is in place, everything will be fine.
Teach is different; even if the World Government uses Ancient Weapons to destroy Hive Island again, it won’t change anything.
Blackbeard doesn’t have much of a foundation; occupying Hive Island is more symbolic than practical; he can relocate and rally people again at any time.
Additionally, due to his earthquake ability, once war breaks out, it will inevitably ravage the entire Grand Line, creating chaos the World Government cannot afford.
"If that old man had thought of this, he would have been an Admiral long ago."
Sage snorted and shook his head, saying, "Don’t worry, our business won’t be affected by war. That guy Teach is very shrewd; I can’t even fathom what he’s thinking, and it won’t get to the point you’re suggesting."
Garp’s obedient disciple...
Coby?
Sage remembered this matter; back when he first mastered ’Fist Bone,’ he had used it for comparison.
If he recalled correctly, at that time, Teach wasn’t there and had gone against Law, which allowed Garp to save Coby while he was defeated by Kuzan and imprisoned.
But this time, such a thing shouldn’t happen.
Law?
How long has he been dead?
The Death Star continues sailing smoothly on the waves of the sea, while the Doghead Battleship drifting farther away seems to sway more in the waves, as if about to capsize any moment...
Several days later.
"Is that the trace left by Pluton?"
In the sea directly ahead of the Red Earth Continent, Sage appeared on the ship’s bow, peering through binoculars at the bottomless pit blasted open like a tunnel in the distance and the massive whirlpool still spinning below it.
"This sea current whirlpool, damn it, why does it feel so familiar?"
He put down the binoculars and looked at Lily beside him.
"Gate of Justice."
Lily said, "It’s very similar to the sea current whirlpool there, just smaller. That current can surround Marineford, Enies Lobby, and Impel Down."
She didn’t understand the technicalities but was definitively an expert in navigation.
"The deep pit whirlpool below Enies Lobby is similar to that of the Lulucia Kingdom; both are caused by Ancient Weapons, so if that is caused by Ancient Weapons, Pluton would have similar effects."
Looking at the massive Gate of Justice, Lily said: "Maybe it has some special power that allows that gate to harness the power to stop the sea current."
"Oh..."
Sage said meaningfully, "Looks like there’s a lot to discuss."
"Yes."
Lily pulled out a memorandum, opened a page, and said, "Sage, this time, your judgment follows a detailed plan as per your request."
"Commerce: After opening the passage, we demand free commerce with membership nations under the World Government without tax issues."
"Passage: If possible, people under our Pirates can freely enter the Grand Line without being pursued by the Navy."
"Tax: Ideally, we’d intercept a portion from the heavenly tribute; and, of course, we don’t want Belly. What we want is resources."
"Most importantly, the Sea."
Lily paused and said, "The countries most severely affected by famine are those that can’t afford the heavenly tribute and desperately exploit their masses. If allowed free movement and proactively welcomed by us, through the channel, we could quickly absorb a large population."
These points were extracted from Sage’s plan, and as the internal affairs supervisor, Lily naturally jotted them down to prevent Sage from forgetting due to misremembering.
"Where did you get these treaties?"
Sage smiled at her and said: "Luckily, the World Government is just a coalition government, and these countries are merely homes to kings, otherwise based on these points, I’d be cursed by the sea."
These demands were what he intended, but still, hearing them from Lily shocked him somewhat.
If outsiders only hear these demands, they might think it’s relinquishing national sovereignty and indemnities.
Unfortunately, the sea lacks cohesion in these matters; apart from a few human-like kings, the rest are far from fully human-like beings who essentially overlook the implications.
Too much freedom!
Being so free that each is an individual also makes it the best time to exert control.
In conversation, the Death Star arrived at a point at a distance from the whirlpool guided by the Life Paper, where a lift resembling Aladdin’s lamp descended to the sea beside a large battleship.
Aboard it are two noteworthy individuals; one was entirely white-haired, dressed in casual beachwear, with a Navy cloak marked ’retired’ on his back.
The other was a very charitable-looking elderly lady.
Former Navy Fleet Admiral, now Chief Navy Supervisor, Sengoku!
And Navy Chief of Advisor, Tsuru!
The two stood before the deck, expressionlessly watching the Black Ship approaching, surpassing the size of the large battleship, as they caught sight of a grinning young white-haired man on the Black Ship’s deck.
"It’s rare!"
Sage grinned fiercely and said, "I thought you had withdrawn from the sea; it seems I am quite significant, with you two welcoming me."
"Your weight warrants such treatment."
Tsuru said indifferently and sighed, "As a pirate, to be able to negotiate with the World Government – I don’t know if anyone has done this before; of what I do know, you’re the only one, ’natural disaster,’ no, Norton Sage."
"After all, the strongest ’Four Emperors.’"
Sengoku’s glasses glinted with white light, obscuring his expression, "With accolades like these, it’s only natural, not surprising, to have special treatment. Though absurd, there’s an absurd matter on our own side too."
"Garp?" Sage laughed softly: "Encountered him on the way here; apparently, you weren’t able to dissuade him as you only came to know afterward."
"Since you encountered him, couldn’t you attempt to stop him?"
Sengoku said: "Without Garp, you wouldn’t have reached this point, Sage."
If Garp had been more earnest back in the East Sea and caught him, none of what followed would have transpired.
It wouldn’t be simply too massive to dismiss; now it’s actually checking and balancing!
"Chohohohoho!"
Sage strode forward and leaped onto the battleship’s deck, laughed heartily: "People on the sea have long handed their life and death to the sea; the freedom to choose is available as long as they can bear the incurred cost! Even as a pirate, I understand this; the ones dealing with pirates for years surely do too!"
"I can’t even envision Garp being dissuaded!"
Saying this, he bypassed the two and entered the lift, "Come on, let’s go up and negotiate; I haven’t explored Pangu Palace yet!"