Chapter 43: Natural Disaster
Bridge-Top Kingdom, also known as the Laborer's Kingdom, its full name is Tequila Wolf. Its construction was ordered 700 years ago, with the intention of connecting all the islands of the East Blue. To this day, the bridge is still under construction.
The majority of the people on this bridge are from countries not affiliated with the World Government, as well as criminals sent from various places.
The bridge is vast. Over the centuries, the original 'laborers' settled here, and together with the continually arriving people, formed a new kingdom, hence the name Bridge-Top Kingdom.
Prompted by Marika's suggestion, Sag thought that Bridge-Top Kingdom was a great place to find subordinates.
The torrential rain finally stopped after two days. The crew was currently cleaning the deck with mops, creating a cascade of soap bubbles on the wide deck.
"Everyone, please have something to replenish your energy."
Marika single-handedly carried a huge platter, calling out softly to the pirates who were working.
A group of pirates quickly ran over, grabbing the baked bread with meat from the platter. After devouring it in two or three bites, each one became energized.
"Marika-sama's cooking is incredibly delicious!"
"To be able to eat Marika-sama's cooking, this life hasn't been in vain!"
"Being a pirate is really great!"
Some were even moved to tears.
"It's enough to be full." Marika gave a gentle smile. "Then, please continue to work hard."
"Yes, Marika-sama!"
The pirates picked up their mops again, working three times faster than before on the deck.
After boarding the ship, Marika quickly established herself and became very popular among the pirates.
Her superb cooking skills soothed people's hearts with delicious food.
And her gentle personality allowed her to patiently listen to the pirates' words and even offer advice, like a caring older sister.
After all, who wouldn't like a kind, big-sister figure with black, straight hair and great cooking skills?
Renettia also didn't scold Marika. As long as Renettia didn't scold someone, that person definitely had a position on this ship.
Seeing the pirates resume their work, Marika walked with a smile towards the third level of the deck structure.
Besides the topmost control room, which offered a panoramic view, the area slightly below it was also used as a meeting room.
Inside the meeting room, Paru was busy, setting dishes on each table.
The food was made by Marika, but she wouldn't be the one setting it out; that job was given to Paru.
Only after the dishes were arranged did Sag go up to the meeting room. He found a chair and sat down, shifting his butt. "It's not as comfortable as a throne. Next time, let's get another throne for the meeting room."
It felt less comfortable than the throne in his captain's quarters.
"Then why didn't you bring the stone throne from the Deep Forest Kingdom?"
Renettia found a seat, used chopsticks to pick up a piece of fish, put it in her mouth, and showed a blissful expression. "Delicious!"
"What's so good about a broken stone? I already kicked it to pieces. Don't talk to me about art; any rock you pick up on an island has been around for thousands of years. I don't need that kind of thing, especially when I'm poor. I only want gold and jewels now, and of course, the throne must be luxurious."
Sag poured himself a glass of wine from a small porcelain bottle, drank it in one gulp, and continued, "Alright, let's start the meeting."
The layout of the meeting room wasn't formal. Everyone sat randomly around Sag. Lily was closest, followed by Renettia and Marika. Gin and Paru sat at the end.
"Bridge-Top Kingdom doesn't have any landing points. It's somewhat difficult to get up there. So my plan is... I'll go up first, then recruit subordinates. As soon as someone agrees, I'll break the bridge, and let people descend from the broken bridge onto the ships. What do you think?"
"That's a plan?"
Renettia was taken aback. "Isn't that just you charging in headfirst?"
"What else can I do?"
Sag spread his hands. "I'm not the type who likes to scheme in the shadows. Going straight to the point is the simplest and most direct, with the strongest effect."
It wasn't impossible to enter Bridge-Top Kingdom.
Their ship didn't even have a pirate flag yet, mainly because there were too few people, and Sag hadn't decided yet.
But to show that they were pirates, they had also hoisted a black sail. Otherwise, a ship without any symbols could easily be misunderstood.
Pretending to be a merchant ship or a slave ship, approaching Bridge-Top Kingdom, and then launching a sneak attack?
Wouldn't that be just like Krieg?
Sag wasn't fond of that kind of behavior.
"What can we do?" Lily asked.
"Learn Moonwalk first. Without enough strength, you can't do anything."
Sag picked up a piece of fish and said, "Once we've recruited enough subordinates, we can roam the East Blue at full speed. We'll rob around for a while to accumulate wealth. You all should also train hard. When everything is ready, we can enter the Grand Line!"
He put the fish in his mouth, chewed, and poured himself another glass of wine. He raised his glass to everyone. "Let's rob our way to the New World!"
…
East Blue, on a warship with a dog-head figurehead.
"Thirty million..."
Coby, holding a mop, looked at Luffy's wanted poster in the corridor of the warship and said firmly, "Luffy, you're advancing towards your dream. I'm also about to enter the Grand Line. Next time we meet, I will definitely be a Marine officer!"
"Coby! Come help, don't slack off!" Helmeppo shouted nearby.
"Coming!"
Coby was startled and ran forward.
On the deck, at the bow of the ship, a burly man wearing a white suit, a Marine cloak draped over his shoulders, and a dog-head hat on his head, stood with his hands in his pockets, gazing at the sea.
"Vice Admiral..."
A man with a hooked nose, dressed like a member of the mafia, approached. "Lu... Straw Hat has entered the Grand Line."
"He's entered already? Then we probably won't meet! Pwahahaha!" The dog-head man laughed loudly.
"Yes, it's hard to encounter someone once they've entered the Grand Line. However..."
He picked up a wanted poster and said, "This one is still in the East Blue."
The dog-head man glanced at the wanted poster. "He's the one who took down that idiot Ennio?"
"Yes, Norton Sag. He has successively robbed several towns and destroyed two... no, it's already three countries. The latest news is that he broke into the Deep Forest Kingdom, killed the king, the palace was burned to the ground, and he captured the 'king' of Shallow Sand Kingdom."
The hook-nosed man continued, "Now there are rumors on the sea that whenever this man appears, he will inevitably bring 'natural disaster' to the local area."
"Pwahahaha! Shallow Sand Kingdom even has a king? I've also heard rumors about that Deep Forest Kingdom. This Sag, he's doing a great job!" The dog-head man laughed.
"Vice Admiral, you can't say that," the hook-nosed man reminded him.
"Hmm..."
The dog-head man looked at the photo on the wanted poster again. "If he's still in the East Blue, then let's go catch him! Bogard, where would he go?"
"It is said that his pirate crew is still very small. He will definitely recruit pirate subordinates. The nearest places are only Bridge-Top Kingdom and Shallow Sand Kingdom... and Bridge Top Kingdom has a connection. If he 'captured' the king of Shallow Sand Kingdom, then he is very likely to go there," said the hook-nosed man.
The lower half of the dog-head man's face bared his teeth, revealing a smile. "Let's go there!"
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