Half a year later, in the Sea Circle Calendar year 1506.
After Rosinante's return, the seas seemed to have entered a period of calm.
Everything was steadily moving forward.
The trade of Fishman Island, under the joint supervision of the Marines and the Whitebeard Pirates, was flourishing vigorously.
Looking at the endless stream of Belly flowing in, even the Ryugu Kingdom, which normally cared little for material gain, was becoming more attentive to the matter.
After all, the only reason they had once been indifferent was because they already possessed endless resources beneath the sea.
But now, with those undersea resources converted into wealth, directly improving the livelihoods of their people—that was what they truly cared about.
Perhaps King Neptune and Queen Otohime were a bit too soft and indecisive, but for the citizens of Fishman Island, having such a royal family was simply a blessing too great to describe.
...
As for Michael, in the past half year he had been running tirelessly back and forth between Alabasta, Marine Headquarters, Fishman Island, the Revolutionary Army, and the Cross Guild.
Especially the Cross Guild.
As its secret financial backer, Michael had once again delivered a massive amount of gold and treasure to Rayleigh and the others.
Converted, it amounted to nearly 8 billion Belly.
Looking at that number, Michael couldn't help but sigh more than once…
Running a power is so damn expensive!
Why hadn't the novels he read before crossing over told him about this!?
Why did it seem like in other people's stories, building forces cost no money at all!?
The Revolutionary Army, however, didn't receive gold or treasure, nor Belly.
Instead, Michael had sent them a large shipment of weapons.
Among them were vast amounts of items made from "Shells" and "Clouds," as well as various weapons purchased from Fishman Island, which had now become the greatest trading hub of the seas.
Fishman Island at present truly offered everything imaginable.
Everything except people—you could buy anything.
Weapons, of course, were a major category.
To maintain this prosperity, Fishman Island had even dispatched warriors of both the fishmen and the merfolk to chart out a safe route.
As long as ships followed that route, their safety would be absolutely guaranteed.
No more ending up shipwrecked and drowned at the bottom of the sea.
Of course…
Using that safe passage came at a cost.
Ten million Belly to buy the lives of an entire ship's crew. Reasonable enough, right?
When Michael had first suggested this idea, everyone had thought the price was far too high.
Would anyone really pay to use it?
But seeing the booming prosperity now, every last skeptic had shut their mouths.
Fine, when it comes to making money, Michael, you really are the professional.
...
Yet even with all these weapons, the Revolutionary Army still hadn't chosen to directly liberate the East Blue.
Because Garp had taken his entire family and gone back to Foosha Village for vacation.
And he had made it abundantly clear: Monkey D. Dragon had to show his face,or else from then on, he would completely sever all father-son ties.
Perhaps since the Revolutionary Army wasn't under too much pressure yet, Dragon hadn't reached the point of total extremism.
So under his old man's threats, Dragon had instead ordered the Revolutionary Army to quietly infiltrate the nations of the East Blue, thoroughly investigating the situation of each one, classifying potential enemies and allies.
As for himself, he returned to Foosha Village with Kuma and Ginny.
He brought those two specifically because Ginny oversaw intelligence and communications,while Kuma could instantly transport them to any crisis point if necessary.
But of course, Dragon wasn't about to waste the trip. Since Foosha Village fell under the Goa Kingdom, he took Ginny and Kuma to scout around.
And when they came back, they brought along a kid named Sabo.
He had recognized Kuma's identity, and then shamelessly insisted on following him to join the Revolutionary Army.
As the little brat rolled around begging Dragon, Garp sat to the side, watching with a big grin…
Then whacked Dragon, Kuma, and Sabo alike with his old slipper.
It was said Garp had struck so hard this time that the imprint of the sandal was left on Dragon's face.
After returning, Dragon's face bore what looked like a new tattoo.
As for Sabo… of course he wasn't allowed to follow Dragon back to Baltigo.
After Garp smacked him around, the boy was left in Foosha Village. When Garp's vacation ended, he took Sabo directly to Marine Headquarters.
The whole way there, Sabo wailed and cried, giving Ace endless headaches.
"This guy keeps shouting about going out to sea and becoming a Revolutionary. He's driving me crazy."
Reading Ace's letter, Michael let out a long sigh.
Good grief, picking up children really had become an addiction?
In the original story, at Foosha Village, Dadan had ended up raising three kids.
Now at Marine Headquarters, Rouge was raising three kids.
No, wait not just three kids.
His five nephews had already been sent to study in Marineford!
Naturally, Sengoku had arranged for them to live at Michael's own place.
Rumors had even started spreading again in the Marines, claiming that the next generation of well-connected Marines was bound to come from this pack of brats.
"Sigh, honestly… Sengoku, that old man. Was he just too lonely at Headquarters? So he decided to dump all the little ones into his home?"
"This isn't bad at all. At least the children have someone to look after them."
Stella walked up beside Michael, gazing softly at the sparkling sea.
"This time, going back to Alabasta with just the two of us—are you sure that's okay?"
"Come on, it's nothing earth-shaking. Cobra just had a daughter, that's all."
Michael curled his lip.
In the year 1506 of the Sea Circle Calendar, Nefertari D. Vivi was born.
For a whole month beforehand, Cobra had kept calling him on the Den Den Mushi, insisting he had to come back to attend his daughter's one-month celebration.
As the landlord who had provided him with a base, Michael had to give the man that courtesy.
And privately speaking, Michael and Cobra were truly "like-minded rogues."
They always somehow clicked in the strangest places.
Especially in matters of governance.
After Michael had suggested introducing the educational concept of "democratic politics," Cobra had actually thought it over for a while, then raised both hands in support.
He even came to grasp the milestone concept of "constitutional monarchy" on his own.
But from Michael's perspective… the only reason Cobra understood "constitutional monarchy" was because he didn't want to bother handling state affairs anymore!
Michael could only sigh.
Sometimes, laziness really was the greatest motivator.
Just as he was thinking this, the Seraphim suddenly shuddered violently.
"What happened?"
Michael frowned, looking over the side of the ship.
There, a gigantic figure—larger even than Whitebeard—was slowly rising from beneath the waves.
It looked like…
The Seraphim had just knocked the thing out cold?
---
(For each review +1 additional chapter)
read +155 chapters on Patreon tambeerg