Disaster Pirates numbered 913, plus Stansen who was nearly twenty meters tall, making the ship not overloaded but indeed quite crowded. Considering they've already ventured into the New World and are looking to recruit more, it's certainly time to change ships.
"After changing ships... Lily."
Sage called out, and Lily stood up, pulling out a blackboard, onto which she pasted a roughly sketched map.
There's nothing on it except a crude drawing of a route. For easier understanding, it uses a bottom-up viewing method, with the symbol of the Red Earth Continent at the bottom.
However, the map shows four circles, occupying half of the map's total area.
"Let me introduce this."
Lily took out a pen and drew a horizontal line at the center of the map. "Using this line as an example, the New World is divided into a front half and a back half."
She pointed to the right side of the front half of the map with the pen, gesturing to one circle. "This is Big Mom's territory."
The pen tip moved left from above Big Mom's area, pointing upwards. "This is Kaido's."
She placed the pen behind the horizontal line, pointing at a circle on the back half's right side. "This is Red Hair's."
Then, she moved the pen to the lower left of Red Hair's circle, onto the circle straddling the horizontal line. "Here is Whitebeard's."
On this map, the horizontal line indicates the position below, with Big Mom to the lower right and Kaido to the upper left.
Their forces are stationed in the front half of the New World.
The back half has Red Hair to the right, and the upper left's Whitebeard's force spreads half into the front half and half into the back half.
Even though the circles' total area is only half, they encompass the center of the New World. No matter how rough the drawing is, it shows these four dividing the New World into fragmented pieces, with the largest being them.
This situation in the New World was provided roughly by Moriah.
"That's about it."
Sage nodded, glancing at the Whitebeard territory Lily was indicating with the pen, and said:
"Everyone, let me talk about my plan. Whitebeard has died, and I've agreed with Teach to formally collaborate once entering the New World, together to split Whitebeard's territory. Of course, how much we occupy depends on our abilities, but I won't bully him..."
He pointed to the front half of Whitebeard's territory. "I intend to take this; the back half will be for Teach. We'll use the horizontal line as the border and split, joining forces."
"As for why this area, it's quite simple. It's near Kaido and Big Mom, and there's still a large blank space in the middle, so we'll first seize the territory, defeat Kaido, and then invade the front half of the New World. That's the long-term plan!"
"For the short-term, we need to find a base for my headquarters, although that requires careful planning. Let's first build the ship."
The ocean is vast, just seeing the area of each island reveals some islands comparable to land, yet they are still just islands. And such islands... ten million? Twenty million?
No one knows, but Sage knows it's really big.
Even just the back half of a route in the world is astonishingly large.
These Pirate Emperors, even the newly appointed Red Hair among the Four Emperors, have been prominent for several years. On this map, Red Hair's territory is among the smallest.
These entities have stood strong on the sea for decades. Still, they didn't rule the New World, merely occupying their scopes within it.
If it truly were small... with the strength of the Four Emperors, they would've filled the New World entirely rather than occupying only half.
The Calm Belt and such wouldn't stop the Four Emperors; even a fallen Vice Captain can swim through the Calm Belt alone.
If they choose, they could attack the West Sea and the North Sea anytime. Why don't they... simply because here lies the Great Line, the central route, large enough...
Sage's 'short-term goal' can't even be considered short, merely finding an appropriate island requires effort.
"Preparations are complete!"
Sage stood up, surveying the group of leaders, grinning broadly: "I've demonstrated my strength to the world and heightened my reputation. There's enough money; I have 20 billion Belly! Next step, find a territory, recruit new followers, continuously expand my land until I become a real landlord!"
Becoming the Pirate King, that's a given, but it's not just about finding Laugh Tale, the title of Pirate King doesn't interest Sage. The pinnacle of being a pirate, according to him, has no relation to finding Laugh Tale.
That place remains unknown.
But one thing, the pirate with the largest territory...
Will certainly be the Pirate King!
"So, do your best. My base starts with you, succeed, and I'll fulfill your wishes and provide material benefits! Following me is the right choice! Hahaha, haha!" Sage burst into laughter.
Lily retracted the pen, silently sitting back. She didn't care, as her aim was already set, sharing prosperity and loss with Sage, leaning on him to realize her ideals.
Marika and Renedia, likewise.
One desires to feed the world; another aims to build ships allowing for safe world-wide sailing. Both rely on Sage's territory expansion, gradually impacting the world.
Moriah similarly entrusted his dreams to Sage. Being a landlord is Sage's concern; Sage's bounty becoming Pirate King suffices, with the largest territory offering the best chance of finding Laugh Tale.
Hawkins now only wishes to challenge fate. Following misfortunate Sage seems quite a smart idea.
As for Urouge... he realized recently, Sage has the ability to help him fulfill the dream of respecting good deeds and punishing evils.
Just executing a Heavenly Celestial Dragon is enough.
"Come, eat, no rush. Head to Dressrosa first."
Sage sat down again, smiling at everyone: "With a target, everything else becomes simpler."
Sage has proposed the broad plan; further perfection and implementation aren't his concern but for the leaders, especially Lily, Moriah, and Hawkins.
Strategy formation, tactical execution, plotting references, that's their responsibility, not the Captain's.
The crew is there precisely for this.
...
After half a day.
The storm finally ceased, signaling their arrival at a magnetic giant island's sea region.
It was near dusk as Lily stood in the third-floor lookout room, observing through a telescope in the direction the Eternal Pose indicated, then turned back to the crew: "Alright, sail in this direction..."
Saying this, she descended the internal stairs to the second-floor Captain's room, where Sage lounged on a sofa: "Sage, we're here."
In front of the Death Star emerged a huge island silhouette, gradually clarifying as they sailed closer.
It was an island surrounded by large circular stones resembling massive flat-topped mountains, looking like giant mushroom rocks with no evident landing points and obscured details inside.
Behind this island stood a bridge leading to a tropical island somewhat smaller than the giant island.
This is a circular island, and within the mushroom rocks lies their destination, a tropical climate island—the Land of Love and Passion.
Dressrosa!
Doflamingo's territory.
The only current presence, holding both Seven Warlords of the Sea status and, as a participating king, attending World Government meetings as an ally nation.
"This place is great!"
Sage sat up, gazing out the window at the circular giant island. "It's practically a natural defense platform, allowing secure internal development, close to the Red Earth Continent, and itself a Seven Warlords of the Sea, with ties to the World Government... all advantages were converted into advantage, tch, what a splendid territory!"
Sadly, it's ill-suited for him.