"Putting supplies aside, our biggest weakness is money," Daz stated clearly.
The port town of Mopuchi Country, now the biggest base for 'Black Cat' in name and reality.
It used to be a nameless port they built quickly just to unload supplies, but now it's called 'Shamrock.' It's small but stylish.
And this port town was filled with tension because the Captain was away.
"That's true," Gild Tesoro replied. "Thanks to the Captain setting up production, we won't starve or freeze to death anytime soon. But we are short on lumber for building."
"Let's leave that to the citizens. If we let them handle planting, cutting, and processing, it creates jobs and industry."
In the only salon in town restricted to 'Black Cat' members or allied mafia, the Vice-Captain and the man in charge of internal affairs were talking.
"Luckily, the trees growing here are quite good quality," Tesoro noted.
"You can tell?" Daz asked.
"I learned a bit while working to free Stella. Construction and shipbuilding are good ways to make money, and they need wood."
"I see."
A child and an adult, both in black suits.
They looked like an apprentice merchant and his guardian, but they were discussing the organization's future with serious faces that didn't look like pirates at all.
"So that's it. It would be good if we could sell it..." Daz mused.
"Yes. Thinking ahead, we need our own sales routes, just like the Captain thinks."
Normally, many mafia members would be here drinking and eating, but today there were only a few.
Their boss, Capone Bege, had taken many of his men to help conquer the island discussed in the last meeting.
"But even if we want to trade, we don't have trust," Daz pointed out.
"Hm?"
The man, Gild Tesoro, explained to the puzzled boy.
"We are very famous and trusted by the Marines in the West Blue... but the common people don't know us well. We are trusted in the areas we rule directly, but..."
"Bad rumors spread fast, but good reputations don't," Daz finished.
"Yes."
This was the downside of working with the Marines during the pirate alliance operation.
"There are rumors, so we aren't completely unknown, but..." Tesoro paused, seeing this situation as a 'trial to gain trust.'
In a way, he was more desperate than the boy Vice-Captain in front of him.
"To be blunt, they probably think it sounds suspicious," Tesoro admitted.
"What do you mean?"
"Pirates who don't like looting... are rare, but they exist. But pirates who work with the Marines..."
"...Well, normally you wouldn't believe it."
Daz, who had seemed a bit annoyed, sighed and accepted it.
"True. I think our situation is a miracle in many ways," Tesoro said.
"Yes, and the people don't know about that miracle. They think it's a made-up story created by someone sad about this Great Pirate Era."
"...To make big sales routes, we need to appeal to other people soon," Tesoro concluded.
"...Then hunting pirates seems right," Daz decided.
We crushed the core of the pirate alliance, but now real pirates are starting to swarm.
There are plenty of chances to crush pirates for self-defense.
"Yes. But at the same time, we need to strongly show the people what kind of existence 'Black Cat' is."
"Do you have a plan?" Daz asked.
"Yes. First, I plan to accept a request to escort a trading company's transport ships."
"A trading company?"
Tesoro clasped his rough, scarred hands on the table.
The only decoration was a rugged ring on the ring finger of his left hand.
"I happen to have a connection.
...I'll use that first to show them 'Black Cat's' power and that we keep our promises."
"By the way, what will the merchant ships carry?" Daz inquired.
"It's meaningless to protect illegal goods, so I'll check with the guards beforehand, but it's mostly food and building materials like lumber."
"...Materials for rebuilding."
"Yes. Member nations that still function as countries after this incident are rushing to gather food and supplies."
Daz Bones frowned slightly. 'Black Cat' was known for combat experience, but also for political experience.
"Member nations will probably use shady methods to get more food and materials," Daz said.
"Yes. They might even disguise their armies as pirates or bandits to attack other countries' ships."
"...Reminds me of Mogwa."
Daz sighed again, remembering the skirmish before the Germa battle, which ended with them getting lots of high-quality cannons and ships.
"So there is plenty of demand. How much protection is needed?" Tesoro asked.
"If the guards command the ships, two should be enough. We'll start small."
...There's always a 'what if.' I'll let Kika or Toya handle the organization.
The Vice-Captain decided on one of the two guards who were best at naval command after Amisu.
Tesoro read from his subtle expression that the team was decided, and continued.
"Hack told me earlier that the captured ships are modified, and the volunteer soldiers have finished basic training. Toya said before he left that he taught them basic ship work."
"...Is that why he said he was coming here?" Daz realized.
"Yes. That way we can do more than just defend the island and work with the Marines."
"How many?"
"80 soldiers finished training. 20 per ship, so four ships for now."
"...Reorganizing is a pain since they're all new recruits, but it's not bad," Daz agreed.
"Yes. If we build trust while increasing our numbers, we can get higher-paying escort jobs."
"Hmm."
As the person in charge of the town and development, Daz wanted money desperately.
"But protection is valuable because it's dangerous. Won't the value drop if we follow the Captain's policy?" Tesoro asked.
"Yes. So we need to change the direction of our business along with the escorting. Vice-Captain—"
"--How about... the insurance business?" Daz proposed.
--
"Miss Robin, Mr. Mihawk. Village secured," Toya reported.
"We killed all the bandits we could see who were controlling this village. We are treating the villagers now," Chris added.
"Good work, Toya, Chris. Now... what should we do, Robin?" Mihawk asked.
A kingdom on a fairly large island, it was hit by disaster and pirates at the same time. Now it was a poor island ruled by bandits, a shadow of its former self.
"...It's just like the map the Captain prepared, but seeing it in person..."
A pirate ship with a three-clawed black cat flag, carrying lots of food, arrived right in the middle of a bandit raid.
The bandits attacked the ship full of beautiful women, thinking they were easy targets, but were wiped out instantly.
For the pirates, the attack became a chance to show off their power.
"How is it?" Mihawk asked.
"Yeah. The mountains are steep, but the other side is a wetland. It's huge," Robin observed.
"I see. It was on the map... It looks hard to farm."
The man with hawk-like eyes was talking to a girl who was squatting with her eyes closed next to a beautiful female pirate flying a kite.
"But there seems to be a lot of flat land before the mountains. There's a lot of green, so there must be water... yes, there are a few rivers."
"Can we farm there?"
"Probably. But I think Mihawk should see for himself. You're good at this, right?"
"True. ...Chris," Mihawk called out.
"Sir."
The skinny villagers, who were used to being robbed, were surprisingly obedient to the pirates.
To them, it just meant a change in rulers.
But they seemed relieved that the pirates were clearly more gentlemanly than the bandits.
"Who will control this village?" Mihawk asked.
"Toya and the soldiers of the 4th ship will handle it and defend the village."
"And you?"
"Nothing specific right now. If anything, the Captain ordered me to guard Robin when not on a mission."
"Hmm..."
For the villagers, knowing who to suck up to was very important.
The man with the impressive sword clearly looked like the leader.
"Mihawk, I'll go too," Robin stated.
"Hm."
"Then Chris, who is used to the work, can come too, right?"
"Ah, that helps," Mihawk agreed.
But the one being treated with the most care was the black-haired girl.
One of the armed beauties was always by her side, watching the surroundings.
"Wide land near the river is good, right?" Robin asked.
"Yes. It's easier to develop if water is near."
The girl kept her eyes closed and wrote on a map, pointing to a part of it. The swordsman spoke.
"Robin, what's the slope like from here to the nearest coast? This route."
"...From above, it looks gentle. Part of the coast is a cliff, but there are gentle beaches too. Yeah, I think this is good."
"Good. Miakis, have the soldiers move supplies to this point."
"Okaaay," Miakis chirped. "But I don't think that was all the bandits, so can I borrow some soldiers just in case?"
"Then the people from the unit we organized..." Chris gestured.
Unlike the noisy bandits, this group was very organized.
They all wore the same black suits and moved efficiently. The villagers thought secretly:
-- ...Why is that one guy wearing coveralls?
"By the way, Robin. You said the wetland is right over that mountain?" Mihawk asked, looking at the terrain.
"Eh? Yeah. The water from the mountain probably got stuck there—"
"Rayleigh and I can cut off a corner of the mountain and... yes, fill it in. Okay—"
"No," Robin interrupted firmly.
"But... we could get more farmable land?"
"No. Wait, Mihawk, don't draw your sword—No! NO!! Rayleigh, don't come over here either!"
--
Hoping we reach 200 Powerstones this week!
The goal would be same 1 Chapter every 100 Powerstones.