Chapter 240: Crocodile: Stop Talking, I’m Going to Catch Pirates!

The World Government exercises tight control over the Marines, monitoring everything from annual military budgets to equipment. While warships can be built independently, all artillery and other weapons must be purchased from the World Government.

Marine artillery is distinct from standard artillery, designed specifically for their warships. Even if it were obtained by other factions, it couldn't easily be mounted on ordinary vessels.

What Claudius wanted to study was precisely this top-tier artillery technology, state-of-the-art equipment that allowed the Marines to dominate the seas with their firepower.

Sengoku had been trying to expand Marine strength quietly, away from the prying eyes of the World Government. He feared that overt actions would result in budget cuts, so he couldn't simply buy large quantities of arms.

Without proper firepower, warships would amount to nothing more than glorified transport ships. They'd be useless.

After much deliberation, Sengoku and Claudius secretly agreed to bypass the system. With the cooperation of Kong, they decided to establish their own covert arsenal. Instead of buying weapons, they'd manufacture them.

With Kong's support, alongside Sengoku and Claudius's influence, it became almost impossible for the World Government to detect these clandestine developments within the Marines.

The Five Elders rarely visited Marineford, relying instead on reports to assess the situation. To them, keeping too close an eye on the Marines might come across as distrustful, something they wanted to avoid. As long as annual budgets were monitored and funding remained under control, they assumed all was well.

Within the vast Marine organization, information on armaments and resources was kept strictly confidential. Only a handful of high-ranking officers, like Sengoku and Claudius, knew the true extent of their capabilities. For the rest, the specifics of Marine equipment remained a mystery.

The Calm Belt provided the perfect cover for these operations. As long as they acted discreetly, there was no risk of leaks.

Marine strength was growing steadily, and while it might seem difficult to keep this hidden, the reality was quite the opposite, it was surprisingly easy.

For Claudius, controlling Marine spending was just the first step in gaining influence. Establishing their own arms production was the second step. Once these two hurdles were cleared, the World Government's grip on the Marines would weaken significantly.

In the future, once relations with the Marines had been cultivated further, it would even be possible to "persuade" them to shift their loyalties.

If Claudius managed to stockpile enough munitions to support Marine operations, external dependencies could be eliminated. After that, he would only need to work on internal loyalty.

This wasn't as difficult as it seemed. Key figures like Zephyr, Tsuru, Sengoku, and Garp all held favorable opinions of Claudius. Among them, Garp was the most disillusioned with Mariejois. If rebellion were on the table, he might even be the first to join.

Sengoku, Zephyr, and Tsuru, on the other hand, had ideological barriers that needed time and careful guidance to overcome.

As for Sakazuki, Kuzan, and Kizaru, each posed unique challenges.

Sakazuki would be the easiest to sway. His unwavering dedication to "absolute justice" made him predictable, if Claudius provided the means for him to eliminate pirates and eradicate evil, he'd likely offer his full support. The World Government, on the other hand, was more of a hindrance to Sakazuki's ideals, so winning him over wouldn't be too difficult.

Kuzan was more complicated. His personal philosophy and lingering doubts could pose problems. Still, Claudius was confident—after all, he'd managed to manipulate even Dragon, the Revolutionary Army leader. Compared to Dragon, convincing Kuzan would be easy.

The only real wildcard was Kizaru. Thankfully, Kizaru's neutral stance meant he wasn't likely to oppose Claudius, even if he didn't fully align with him.

In addition to influencing high-ranking officers, Claudius was also working to strengthen his position by planting loyalists within the Marine ranks. Individuals like Vergo, though nominally loyal to Doflamingo, ultimately served Claudius's interests. Training powerful vice admirals like Vergo would increase his influence further.

Other individuals, like X Drake, had already been embedded within Marine forces by Claudius. And while planting loyalists was one strategy, recruiting others was just as effective. Gion, for example, was someone Claudius believed would choose him over the World Government without hesitation.

Overall, Claudius estimated that he had already secured 50 to 60 percent of Marine loyalty. The remaining obstacles were manageable.

This long-term strategy had been Claudius's primary focus ever since he formulated his plans upon arriving in this world. So far, he was satisfied with his progress.

Of course, Claudius wasn't putting all his eggs in one basket. If the Marines couldn't be fully swayed, he needed an independent power under his direct control, this was where Crocodile came in. Through Alabasta, Claudius was cultivating a second line of strength.

"How's your setup going?" Claudius asked.

Crocodile's voice, calm and slightly amused, came through the Den Den Mushi. "An internal rebellion is about to kick off."

Over the years, Crocodile had built up a heroic reputation in Alabasta. He'd developed his own territory, improved the economy, and gained immense public support, earning the title of a "national hero."

But behind the scenes, Crocodile had been systematically undermining Alabasta. His first target was the reputation of the Nefertari royal family.

In recent years, rainfall around the capital of Alubarna had increased dramatically, creating new oases and river valleys. However, rainfall in surrounding regions had decreased, leading to whispers of foul play. Many suspected the capital was using "Dance Powder" to manipulate the weather, though no concrete evidence had surfaced.

Crocodile's agents had been fanning these suspicions, sowing distrust among the populace. While Crocodile's wealth allowed him to fund tax exemptions and public projects in his territories, the Nefertari royal family had no such luxuries. Faced with increased World Government taxes and a chaotic global situation, they had been forced to raise taxes further, eroding their public support.

Crocodile's network also cultivated and supported bandits, orchestrating attacks on towns throughout Alabasta. When the royal army failed to repel these attacks, Crocodile would swoop in and save the day, further tarnishing the army's reputation.

The once-stable nation was now rife with unrest. Dissatisfied citizens had begun forming guerrilla groups, which Crocodile planned to escalate into a full-blown rebellion. When the time came, Crocodile would exploit the chaos to seize complete control.

After exchanging a few more words, Crocodile seemed distracted by something on his end. "I'll handle everything on my side. I need to go, I'm off to catch some pirates," he said, cutting the conversation short and hanging up the Den Den Mushi.

Claudius stared at the now-silent snail, momentarily speechless. "Was I just talking to Sengoku? Seriously, Crocodile, you're taking this job way too seriously. If I get the chance, I'll have Alabasta rank you among their top ten citizens and build you a statue."

Leaning back, Claudius muttered to himself, "Maybe I should've put him in the Marines from the start. With that level of dedication, he'd probably be a Vice Admiral or even an Admiral candidate by now."