Holy Land Mary Geoise:
"Sengoku, knowing that the Limitless Pirates possess such powerful destructive weapons, why did you continue to attack? Why didn't you temporarily retreat and launch a full-scale offensive after finding a way to counter them?"
"Why did you insist on sending reinforcements even though you knew Fishmen have an absolute advantage in the Sea?"
"Why didn't you notice the obvious signs of the numerous bombs falling from the sky!"
"Why didn't you arrange top combat forces to guard the rear? If you had, would those bombs dropped from the sky have caused such massive losses?"
"Why did you allow two top combat forces to die during the retreat?"
"Why is Nox so strong? Even Garp and three top combat forces couldn't hold him back, and he even killed two of them."
The five Gorosei and Sengoku were having a meeting. It was less of a meeting and more of Sengoku enduring the onslaught of criticism from the five Gorosei.
What the five Gorosei found most unacceptable was that among the five top combat forces who died, all were from the World Government, while the Marine's top combat forces suffered no losses.
This led them to suspect that during the war, Sengoku had deliberately sent the World Government's top combat forces to deal with difficult opponents, while assigning the Marine Admirals to handle weaker foes.
As a result, all the losses were among the World Government's top combat forces, and not a single Marine Admiral was lost!
"Damn old men, why didn't you personally go to the battlefield to command? How can you sit here comfortably and yell at people? If I had known the Limitless Pirates' actions in advance, would I have let the Marine sacrifice themselves in vain?"
"It was because you ordered the attack that I led everyone into a full-scale close combat with the Pirates! Otherwise, I would have retreated long ago! How could we have suffered such great losses!"
"You old men are just afraid of death and dare not face Nox. You few old men should go to the battlefield to attract Nox's attention, and then let the rest of us eliminate the other major Pirates!"
After listening to the Gorosei's angry scolding for over ten minutes, Sengoku clenched his fists, cursing these five old men loudly in his heart.
They were afraid of death and dared not go to the battlefield, and when they lost, they put all the blame on him. Even Sengoku, who possessed the Heart of the Great Buddha, was struggling to suppress the anger in his heart at this moment.
If these five old men weren't in control of the Marine's economic lifeline, he would have shown them what the Wrath of the Buddha King meant on the spot!
"Sengoku, do you have anything else to say?"
Perhaps tired from the scolding, the Gorosei saw that Sengoku had been silent and asked.
"Your Excellencies, the Gorosei, both the World Government and the Marine suffered heavy losses this time. We should learn from this experience and strive to defeat the Pirates in the next war."
"Also, the Marine suffered huge losses this time. I hope this year's military budget can be disbursed in advance. Furthermore, over seventy percent of the Marine warships and soldiers were lost. We hope to receive another sum of money to build up the Marine and replenish troops. In addition, the death benefits for the sacrificed Marine soldiers are also a huge expense."
Upon hearing this, Sengoku first spoke some official words, and then came the crucial point. The Marine was currently short on money, very short on money. The only place the Marine could get money was from the military budget in the Gorosei's hands.
"Sengoku, the World Government also suffered heavy losses this time. Coupled with the South Blue being occupied by Pirates, the celestial tribute has significantly decreased. It's impossible to disburse the Marine's military budget in advance, but we will disburse it on time. As for increasing the military budget, we will have to decide after reviewing the World Government's finances this year."
As soon as he heard Sengoku asking for money, Finance War God Nasujuro Saint, immediately spoke up. He could tell with his eyes closed that the World Government's finances would shrink drastically this year. It would be good enough not to deduct from the Marine's military budget, let alone increase it. That was simply a pipe dream!
"Saint Nasujuro, but the Marine's losses this time..."
Hearing this, Sengoku immediately became anxious. The Marine had suffered such heavy losses, yet they weren't going to increase the military budget? How was the Marine supposed to recover? With just that small amount of military budget, it might take three to five years for the Marine to recover.
"Sengoku, the Marine suffered heavy losses, but didn't the World Government also suffer heavy losses?"
"This defeat caused huge losses to the World Government, leading to a sharp decline in the World Government's finances. Therefore, both the Marine and the World Government have common difficulties."
Sengoku was interrupted by Saint Nasujuro before he could finish speaking. The bottom line was that they couldn't increase the Marine's military budget. After all, not a single Marine top combat force was lost this time, while the World Government lost five top combat forces.
If the Marine continued to grow stronger while the World Government became increasingly weaker, it was possible that the Marine might develop rebellious intentions.
This was one of the reasons why Saint Nasujuro was unwilling to increase the Marine's military budget.
"Sengoku, you bear the greatest responsibility for the failure of this war!"
"Furthermore, during this war, the Revolutionary Army also incited wars in many kingdoms on the Red Line, attempting to attack Mary Geoise. They were eventually defeated and suppressed by us."
"However, the Revolutionary Army still has many forces in the Four Seas and the Grand Line. Your next task as the Marine is to comprehensively strike at the Revolutionary Army and completely annihilate all Revolutionary Army forces in the Four Seas, except for the South Blue!"
"As for the Pirate matter, you can put that aside for now. Annihilating the Revolutionary Army is currently your most urgent task as the Marine!"
Scientific Defense Warrior God Saturn Saint said.
"Yes, Saint Saturn!"
Hearing the Gorosei say this,
Sengoku knew his plan to get money had failed.
Limitless Pirates:
A few days later, Nox did not continue to manage the South Blue matter, leaving it to his subordinates, and returned to the Limitless Sea with Baccarat.
Nox brought Baccarat to the Limitless Pirates' grand prison, where members of Pirate Crew annihilated by the Limitless Pirates, or World Government spies, were held.
Upon Nox's arrival, he immediately used Haoshoku Haki to knock everyone out.
Then Nox called his subordinates to move the over a thousand prisoners together.
"Baccarat, give it a try. Absorb the luck of these people."
Nox said softly to Baccarat, who was hiding behind him, a little scared.
"Okay, big brother."
Hearing Nox's words, Baccarat was no longer as scared. She timidly walked over to the prisoners lying on the ground, took off her gloves, and touched their bodies one by one, absorbing all their luck.
"Big brother, I feel like the luck I've absorbed has reached its limit. I can't absorb any more."
However, after absorbing just eight hundred, Baccarat said somewhat dejectedly.
It was the first time she realized that her ability had a limit. She had never absorbed so much luck at once before.
"It's okay. It's enough that you've absorbed enough. Let's go."
"When Baccarat grows up and develops her ability further, she will naturally be able to absorb the luck of more people. When that time comes, no matter how much luck Baccarat wants to absorb, big brother will find the people for you!"
Nox stroked Baccarat's little head and said.
It was normal to have a limit. No Devil Fruit was invincible, not to mention that Baccarat could only use a very small part of the Fortune Fruit's ability at the moment.
"Really, big brother?"
Baccarat blinked her big eyes and asked curiously.
"Of course! Big brother never lies to Baccarat!"
"Let's go, big brother will take you to meet some very smart scientists. When that time comes, whatever Baccarat wants, they can invent it for you."
Nox took Baccarat's little hand and walked out of the prison. As for those whose luck had been absorbed, they would simply be kept locked up.
As long as they didn't die, their luck would naturally recover slowly in the future.
At that time, it would be time for them to contribute their luck again.
It was because of Baccarat's arrival that Nox decided to comprehensively upgrade the Limitless Pirates' grand prison.
Currently, there were only over three thousand prisoners in this prison, not even ten thousand.
So Nox decided to give those who would covet the Limitless Pirates and oppose the Limitless Pirates a chance to live.
Just like the Marine, he would capture all the prisoners who could be captured alive and lock them up in prison, making them pay for the mistakes they had made with their luck.
Otherwise, if Baccarat's Fortune Fruit ability limit increased next time and there weren't enough prisoners to provide luck, it would be a little awkward.