Becoming the Largest Landlord in the World!

The bright moon and twinkling stars cannot illuminate the entire ocean, for some places are shrouded in darkness, while others bask in daylight.

However, this has nothing to do with the East Sea, at least not with a certain area of the East Sea.

In a sea area far from Log Town, the nearby sky is clear with bright moonlight and stars, but at the center, there is a storm with thunder and dark clouds.

Boom!

Thunder shatters the darkness, illuminating a bright light in the sky, striking the sea and covering it with a layer of electric sparks.

Near these electric sparks, a Black Ship appears on the surface of the sea. This Black Ship seems different; despite the raging winds and giant waves, it sails steadily through the tumultuous waters, with only slight, barely noticeable sways.

Death Star Ship.

First-floor banquet hall.

Pirates dressed in various outfits excitedly count the piles of glittering jewelry and gold in the banquet hall.

One Pirate picks up a gem-studded golden crown and places it on his head, laughing and showing off to his companions. Others are not to be outdone; one grabs a golden bracelet and puts it on his wrist, shouting to the crowd, while another picks up a sharp knife and laughs heartily.

This makes the banquet hall very lively.

At the head of the banquet hall, on a raised platform, Sage sits on a throne, looking down at his lively subordinates. His body is wrapped in bandages, especially his arms, which are tightly bound and even cast in plaster, resting on the armrests, giving him a formidable appearance.

In front of him is a huge dining table filled with food: steaming roasted pigs, cows, and sheep, stews of meat and seafood, golden fried meats and vegetables wrapped in flour, and steamed shrimp and crabs glistening red, along with cut pieces of meat on the table, all piled high.

The ingredients stolen from Log Town are now being put to use.

At the dining table, the gentle and amiable older sister Marika scoops a bowl of meat soup and feeds it to Sage, who swallows it in one gulp, quickly finishing the soup.

In the next moment, the pink-haired, freckled little girl Renetia picks up a piece of cooked meat with bones and feeds it to Sage, who opens his mouth and swallows it quickly, leaving no bones behind, chewing them to bits as he swallows.

At that moment, the blonde, wavy-haired knight Lily peels a giant lobster and quickly shoves it into Sage's mouth.

One after another, the three of them take turns feeding him, and the food on the table visibly disappears. Then, the twenty chefs selected by Marika among the Pirates bring out more prepared dishes to continue the feeding.

"So much, so much treasure! We're rich!"

Paru grabs a handful of gold coins, letting them flow through his fingers, listening to the clinking sound of the coins, his eyes sparkling with dollar signs. He turns around to look at Sage on the throne.

"Sage Captain! You are truly magnificent! Please allow this humble Paru to join the ranks of those serving you at the table!"

Saying this, he rushes to the side of the dining table.

Sage has just swallowed a plate of fried chicken that Lily fed him when he hears Paru and glances over, "Lily."

Lily nods, saying, "Paru."

"Eh?"

"Use an iron block."

Bang! As soon as she finishes speaking, Lily kicks out, her leg like a whip striking Paru, sending him flying into a pile of gold jewelry, scattering coins everywhere, as if it were raining gold.

The Pirates are momentarily stunned, then burst into laughter.

"If you're going to be fed, it should be by a beauty! Don't get too close, Paru!" Sage says fiercely.

Once on the ship, Sage had people start preparing food without needing Marika to do it personally. At this moment, he just wanted quantity; if it weren't for the chefs, he would have wanted to gnaw on raw food.

After all, he was heavily injured after fighting Zefa.

Even with Haki protection, his arms suffered from a shattering fracture due to Zefa's Haki-infused hand strike, and his internal organs were displaced, with his limbs and bones shattered due to the Internal Destruction Haki.

If he didn't use Life Return, he feared he might die from his injuries here.

That old guy, even with asthma and his age, was still as strong as a monster. If it weren't for those two factors and the loss of an arm, he might have really been done for.

Unlike that carefree guy Garp, Zefa simply 'doesn't kill' rather than letting Pirates off easy.

With no family ties, why would he let him off easy? So sometimes he couldn't understand Garp's way of thinking.

But Sage acknowledged the favor he owed Garp.

"Sage."

While feeding Sage, Lily asks, "That Black Arm is almost done for. Why don't we just kill him? Wouldn't that mean victory?"

"What kind of victory is that? We are Pirates, not battle maniacs."

Sage replies, "Lily, I like your attitude towards work, but I don't agree with your methods. Our goal is to rob, not to seek revenge. That old man has no grudge against me; he is Navy, I am Pirate, and we just had a fight. It's that simple. But still, thank you all."

Not for their help, but for stopping their fight at the last moment.

At that time, Sage couldn't care less; if it weren't for these three, especially Lily's last-minute intervention, he feared he would have to fight Zefa to the death.

Most likely, Zefa would live, and he would die. At that moment, Lily seemed to understand something with a thoughtful nod.

"Ah, but it's very dangerous."

Marika says while feeding, "That Black Arm is very strong. This time was too dangerous; the Natural Disaster Pirate Crew almost disbanded. Should we consider this more next time?"

"Am I not alive and well?"

Sage grins, "And my plan is progressing smoothly without any mistakes. Dangerous or not, what line of work isn't dangerous?"

Renetia pours a large cup of rich sauce over a roasted whole lamb, tears off a large piece of lamb leg, and feeds it to Sage, saying, "Sage, you are the overlord, the man who will reach the pinnacle of the Sea. That old coughing man will die sooner or later!"

Sage rolls his eyes, "That old coughing man you mentioned almost killed me. Besides, even if I don't reach the pinnacle, Zefa will die, of old age!"

In another thirty years, Zefa might turn to dust while he remains lively.

The chefs are quick to serve, and the cooking is rather simple. Sage doesn't even care about the taste; as long as it's cooked, it's fine. However, the chefs Marika recruited clearly have some talent, and the food they serve tastes decent. A total of ten tables of sumptuous food are quickly cleared away by the three's rapid feeding.

At this point, Sage suddenly extends his plaster-wrapped hand, signaling the chefs to stop serving.

The hundreds of Pirates in the banquet hall now all look at Sage, whose arm can move.

He extends his right hand, picks up a wooden wine cup from the table, and swallows the rum inside in one go.

Bang! He slams the cup down on the table, and at the same time, the bandages around him make a tearing sound, and in that moment, the bandages around his hands burst apart.

A white vapor erupts from his body, rapidly healing the minor injuries on his surface, as if he had never been injured.

"All done?" Lily asks.

"Still a long way to go, but I can move now. A few more meals and I'll be fine."

Sage stretches his body, letting out a soothing sound.

Ten meals for at least a hundred people have healed most of his injuries; this time, he was indeed heavily injured.

But it doesn't matter; his Life Return has no such restrictions. As long as he eats, it's enough!

No matter what kind of injuries, as long as he can replenish energy in time, he is confident he can recover completely, and even become stronger!

He sits back on the throne, one leg draped over the armrest, one hand supporting his chin, addressing the crowd below, "Akin."

"Sage Captain."

Akin, who had already finished counting, arrives at the bottom of the steps and reports, "The statistics are in. This time, aside from the gold piled up here, we robbed two hundred and fifty million Belly in cash from Log Town, plus one billion in goods. The gold in your Treasure vault that isn't of high purity is also counted as goods."

The gold and jewelry in Sage's Treasure vault are still worth something, but he has robbed a large amount and looks down on those collectibles, preferring to use them as payment to avoid running out of time to reach one billion Belly.

He is serious about keeping his promise; if he says one billion, it is one billion. As for the valuation, that is handled by those Black Market Merchants.

In addition to these, there are also supplies like weapons, medicine, and food to fill the warehouse, as well as clothes and weapons that these Pirates casually grabbed, which are not included in this count.

What needs to be counted now is the cash, gold, and jewelry in the banquet hall.

"Very good!"

Sage glances at the gold and jewelry in the banquet hall, saying, "Pour out all the money."

The Pirates open ten large leather cases, pouring out the stacks of Belly, mixing them with the stolen Belly, forming a small mound.

The pile of one billion Belly looks quite substantial.

Three hundred million Belly could cover Sage's large dining table; if it were a smaller reception table, it would probably be piled high. And these piles of money on the ground are naturally quite spectacular.

"Fifty million as a tip for you all. Put six hundred million into my Treasure vault. As for these gold and jewelry, pick out half for me, and the good ones go into my second floor. Reti, later make a display room for the second floor; I want to collect them. The rest..."

Sage scans the Pirates present, a grin spreading across his face, revealing his white teeth, "It's all yours!!"

"Oh!!!"

The banquet hall erupts with a loud cheer, hundreds of Pirates shout in unison, their voices drowning out the roaring storm outside the Black Ship.

Even Lily has a hint of a smile; although she doesn't care much for money, under Sage's influence, this distribution of spoils is quite enjoyable.

With a 5% share, the remaining six hundred and fifty million means she can get over thirty million, more than her own bounty.

As for the other Pirates, after their share, there will probably be five hundred million Belly left, divided among over six hundred people, meaning each person can get around eight hundred thousand Belly.

While this can't compare to the cadres, it's still a decent amount, and with their numbers, gathering in Log Town means a risk-free robbery.

Plus, with the gold divided up and the things they grabbed in Log Town, the value adds up to at least two million! They just spent half a day robbing a town, which is a path to wealth, so naturally, they are very happy.

Sage stands up, spreading his arms, laughing loudly, "Marika, go make it lively! And the chef team, prepare the banquet food. Ho ho ho ho! Everyone, we are having a feast!!"

"Long live the Captain!!" The Pirates continue to cheer.

"Cooking for such an eating Captain is a very happy thing."

Marika smiles gently, leading the chef team to the kitchen, while the Pirates begin to divide the spoils, moving what needs to be moved and taking what needs to be taken. Before long, the banquet hall is cleared of spoils, and Marika brings out food and wine, making the banquet hall lively again.

Among the arrangements, Paru takes the lead, quickly setting up tables and chairs with his newly formed combat team, and once the Pirates are seated, the revelry begins.

The dark storm cannot stop the lights and noise of the Death Star Ship; as the storm intertwines with the rain, thunder roars and lightning strikes the ocean, creating a symphony of the Sea, gradually reaching its peak as the ship sails.

It isn't until four hours later that the noise in the banquet hall begins to subside.

"Tsk, a bunch of useless drunks, ho ho ho ho!"

Looking at the Pirates sprawled on the ground, Sage finishes the drink in his cup and extends it forward, "Lily, pour me another cup!"

Lily picks up a beautifully decorated wine bottle, pours a cup of fragrant liquid for Sage, and glances out the window, saying, "Sage, we're almost there."

Outside the window, a massive island can be seen, and on a cliff of the island, there is a lighthouse shining light in a certain direction.

"The guiding light."

Lily says, "If we follow the direction of the light, we can reach the entrance to the Grand Line. Sage, are we entering the Grand Line now?"

With greasy little hands, Renetia and Marika, who is leisurely eating a meat patty, both look up at Sage.

Akin, who is drunk and lying on the ground, slowly gets up. Although his face is still flushed from the drink, his eyes are incredibly bright and determined, filled with anticipation.

"Hmph, if we don't leave now, are we waiting for the headquarters to come to East Sea to catch me? Log Town is not a small town; if we attract attention here, it won't be good if more people come!"

Sage grins wickedly, "Akin, wake up these drunks, set sail, and power up! We are heading to the Grand Line!"

"Yes, Sage Captain!"

Akin's eyes widen, clenching his fist tightly, "This time, we will definitely conquer this sea route!"

Last time with the Klick Pirate Crew, they failed.

But this time is different; they will definitely enter the Grand Line and sail onward!

"Looking forward to your performance, ho ho ho ho!"

Sage stands up, walks out of the banquet hall, and stands on the deck.

The storm has not yet stopped; rain hits his body, and the fierce wind flutters his fur cloak, making a rustling sound.

Behind him, the three follow him to the bow of the ship, gazing at the ship sailing on the turbulent sea.

The crew rises, heading to the deck to unfurl the sails or to the engine room to control the power, and the ship's speed increases. Before long, they see a massive continent stretching across the sky, almost reaching the clouds.

In front of the ship, there is a gigantic gate, surrounded by extremely turbulent sea currents, forming whirlpools that appear even more violent under the storm, as if they want to swallow everything.

And above that gate, those turbulent sea currents ultimately converge there, flowing against the current up the gate, reaching its peak.

"Ah, this is indeed dangerous."

Marika gently touches her cheek, saying, "Is this the Inverted Mountain?"

Lily says solemnly, "Be careful; if the course is slightly off, we will crash into the Red Line with that speed. Even a ship made by Reti cannot withstand it."

"Don't worry!"

Renetia pats her little chest, "The ship I made is designed to withstand such currents and waves; no wave can capsize it!"

After saying this, she looks at the approaching entrance, takes a deep breath, and shouts, "I want to build a ship that everyone in the world can sail safely!!"

Lily is taken aback, "What are you doing?"

"Eh? Don't you know? It's traditional! My master said that everyone must shout their dreams when entering the Grand Line because the sea route is great, so the dreams shouted must also be great!" Renetia explains matter-of-factly.

"Ah, that's really nice."

Marika smiles, also facing the entrance. Her gentle smile remains unchanged, but her voice carries a determination that even the storm cannot overshadow.

"I want to create the ultimate dish that will fill everyone in the world!"

Lily tightens her grip on the hilt of her jeweled sword, her eyes slightly closed.

In her mind, she recalls the Oikote Kingdom, those who couldn't pay taxes and became mountain bandits, the town that was robbed, where the mayor lived in luxury despite the plundering, and Sage's landing in the kingdom, killing Ennio, leading the oppressed people of the Royal City to the sea. When landing in the town, they robbed the mayor, and the commoners did not stop them. Even when entering the Deep Forest Kingdom, those residents who deliberately avoided them yet held a glimmer of hope. Lily opens her eyes, looking at the entrance with utmost seriousness, shouting, "I want to ensure that no one in the world suffers oppression again!!"

"If there must be someone to oppress, Sage, I hope it's you. You don't rob the poor! Right, Sage?"

Lily looks at Sage.

"Captain."

Marika smiles.

"Captain?"

Renetia tilts her head.

With his back to them, only Sage's upright figure and fluttering fur cloak can be seen as he pulls at the corners of his mouth.

Always talking about the whole world makes me seem foolish. With such grand dreams, don't you really need to make plans? The first thing he wants to accomplish is to become a landlord; the subsequent matters also need planning.

Pirate dreams are truly... Sage extends his hand, the rainwater falling into his palm, which he tightly grips, squeezing the rainwater away.

"Then let's become the largest landlord in the world!!"

It's still being updated, but it's daytime now. Today's ten thousand words are done, and I'll post another ten thousand words during the day.

Fish Head thanks you.