Chapter 1187 - 696: New Plan (Part 2)

"As long as the time is long enough to allow them to change their survival environment and believe this world is like this...that’s sufficient. Even if Sage dies, O’hara can continue to operate. As for the long term..."

Issho took a sip of wine, "The eight-hundred-year-old World Government has started facing crises today too, hasn’t it? There is no country or person on the sea that can remain eternally prosperous. The future...nobody can foresee it."

"Ah lala, what you said makes a lot of sense."

Kuzan scratched his head, "I thought too much. People on the sea seem unlikely to think that far ahead..."

Despite saying this, there remained a hint of worry between Kuzan’s brows.

Mankind’s lifespan is indeed too short to accurately predict the future.

Even with a moment of happiness at hand, the thought of it decaying in the future brought him heartache.

Sage’s one-man system is good, but it really relies too heavily on talent. If replaced with an ordinary kingdom...

Even though he just arrived, Kuzan could foresee how messy O’hara might get.

And the durability of the World Government makes Kuzan realize it won’t disappear anytime soon; it is a long-term opponent lasting decades, hundreds, or even several hundred years.

Or perhaps the World Government will always exist, and no matter how beautiful the kingdom, it will ultimately vanish under its watch.

Regarding this issue...

Kuzan turned to Sage, "I need to ask clearly."

...

Before the second day arrived, shortly after the banquet ended, Kuzan found Sage in the banquet hall to ask about his doubts.

But the answer wasn’t clear to Kuzan.

"So, you forsake being human for longevity? I don’t bear the name Jo either."

Sage, seeing Kuzan’s worried face, shifted his wine glass for Lily to pour him another.

"You’ve hardly drunk anything, just thinking nonsense. I don’t worry, why do you? Don’t think just because you can freeze things here that you have a Stone Ghost Mask for you. You ate the Freeze-Freeze Fruit, not the Vamp-Vamp Fruit."

Speaking of, if his memory serves him right, these two seem to have the same tone.

"Issho is here too, answer their concerns for them."

Sage smiled, "After me, authority will shrink. I am, after all, a Norton. If I have children in the future, I must offer them face. O’hara is ultimately mine, a Norton’s. If someone isn’t as skilled, they can just enjoy their fortunes and act as a titular king."

"As for specific authority...what do you think these ministers do? They are the executors. Ultimately, the institution may rigidify into decay or create new vitality, but no one can control it. I can live for two hundred more years; by then, we’ll have slowly honed a good sustaining institution."

"And when I die, Lily, note this—whoever inherits my power, if Norton, automatically becomes the new king. Since they’ve obtained my power, regaining authority is straightforward, nothing to discuss. If they can’t even contend with those ministers wielding authority, then so be it."

"If they are not of the Norton Clan, they automatically become the Prime Minister, governing all aspects of the kingdom. Having my power certainly means inheriting my will. But if my descendants lack successors, don’t blame others for holding power. Once the titles are set, forget the throne, but it’s still feasible to forge a new influential family."

"As for the future...I’ve spent my lifetime laying this foundation. If it collapses again, then let it fall—you don’t need to keep something useless."

Sage extended his palm, "I’m fundamentally just a pirate. There isn’t a pirate always existing in the world, nor is there a forever-existing kingdom. Having achieved this, if it still gets destroyed, what more is there to say? Kuzan, would you worry about your children not being capable in the future?"

"I have no offspring."

Kuzan shook his head: "However, if the environment is good, I would actually want one. If they disappear due to lack of talent, it’s their own choice."

The Navy’s strong ones have children yet remain contained.

Most pirate strong ones have no offspring.

I hadn’t thought about it before, but when contemplating deeply...

The reason for not having children couldn’t be simpler.

In this world, you can’t protect them even if they’re born, and they’re prone to be a weakness.

For some, the continuation of will is valued more than bloodline continuation.

"The continuation of will..."

Thinking of this, Sage smiled amusedly and addressed Kuzan, "And what about Garp? After you released him, did he retire completely? It’s kind of strange—you’re his disciple; I also learned some of his techniques. But speaking of legacy, not you, nor his treasured grandson, but a pink-haired Navy instead. What’s his name again? Making Garp go to save him—is it wise to place so much of the will on him?"

"Mr. Garp..."

Kuzan lifted his head, appeared lost for a moment, then said, "He likely returned to Windmill Village. After all, he was captured and exchanged, thus resigned due to guilt. He’s gone back to East Sea."

"Ha! Maybe he’ll nurture people again in the future. Just like that guy Rayleigh, who taught Navy’s grandson, perhaps he’ll teach a pirate grandson someday."

Sage laughed, drained his wine, and rose. "Since we’re on this topic, and you’re all here, let’s hold a small meeting. Lily, tomorrow you’re responsible for organizing and conveying, now summon old Mo and old Hawley."

"Yes."

Lily nodded and turned to inform the two who had already left.

Sage then led Kuzan and Issho to the conference room.

"This stage has already passed."

Once everyone arrived, Sage sat at the main throne and glanced around, saying, "After killing Teach, there is no longer anyone in the New World that can obstruct me. Everything here is entirely under my plan and similarly, no one can obstruct my business dealings."

"Is the next step to bring the second half under control?"

Kuzan asked, "If that’s the case, let me handle it. I’m quite familiar with that side."

"No, no, no...too inefficient."

Sage extended a finger and shook it, smiling, "Ladies and gentlemen, next, we’ll discuss the new plan, which is..."

Upon hearing this, even Kuzan who had just joined tightened his expression.

Even the newly added Kuzan had heard about Sage’s planning abilities, and his reputation that he himself might fail, but his plans couldn’t allow failure.

Only Lily remained unchanged in expression.

She could mostly guess what Sage intended.

"Business dealings."

Sage opened his hand, revealing his teeth, "Paradise’s business, New World’s second half business, and the Navy withdrawing from here, unable to monitor West Sea and North Sea business—I intend to do it all!"

"There’s no need to go to the second half temporarily. Many pirates over there moved when I was dominating the first half, handling them would take substantial time. Mostly they have just one ship; it’s hard to catch them. Let them play in the second half; as long as they exist, they’ll inevitably need resources, which we can sell them."

"For my plan, I also need them."

Sage’s expression turned serious as he spoke, "First step, relocate the civilians from the second half of the New World. Send newspapers there and have those pirates make way, transferring all civilians here. Since I’ve digested the islands in the first half, I need more people than islands."

Indeed, there’s a shortage of people.

Alabasta alone has a population over ten million; while he hasn’t finished counting the entire front half yet, dispersed as they are, there’s still not enough people for his plan for developing local industries.

"Leave the second half to those pirates to mess with it. Whether they have things to loot or not, I’ll give them places to loot. I’m preparing to sell those pirates ships that can traverse the Calm Belt, letting them raid West Sea and North Sea. Whatever they capture, they’ll exchange at my place."

"The Grand Line will be regular business, controlling Paradise’s industry sooner."

"A longer timeframe is fine, as long as the plan steadily progresses—in the meantime..."

Sage grinned, "Let the Revolutionary Army and World Government fight fiercer; otherwise, they can’t withstand my goods."