Totto Land... Aside from the fact that the food is sweets, and ten months of the year belong to Big Mom, the rest makes it just like a heaven on earth.
Work?
Do whatever you want, whether you work or not, the sweets are unlimited anyway.
Chaos?
Apart from Cake Island being a bit off due to Big Mom's presence, other places are indeed quite peaceful, thanks to the prestige of the Four Emperors here.
Money?
Not needed.
For the locals who've accepted Big Mom's protection, the Belly doesn't hold much meaning.
The people there just wander around casually, and when they're hungry, they can even take a bite out of their clothes.
The only downside is that after Big Mom dies, this way of life might not last long.
Once Sage arrived, he naturally wouldn't miss the available labor force, redirecting them to the export sweet trade.
Big Mom really achieved a place without discrimination, not through collective labor but purely by force, even setting an example by bearing many other human races, including the Fishman.
Their dream is truly undeniable, given that even their biological children are multiracial, naturally attracting races all over the world.
Kaido's methodology was crude, but his values were not wrong, and he always upheld them.
He wanted some means to bring the high and mighty nobles down, to compete with the commoners.
But his way involved war, being belligerent, and wanting just a big move... Yet he aimed too big, never achieving it even till death.
If back then when he first set out, Kaido had recruited him, Sage might now be the successor of the Beast Pirates, marrying Yamato and becoming the second Governor.
Similarly, Wano Country might become Noxus.
Such a place that values bloodline hierarchy is perfect for war to break it.
Military merit and strength speak the loudest!
He also defied this far under the influence of local values, thinking of redefining class through war, so the capable won't be listless due to bloodline.
He's already quite good.
Better than the Revolutionary Army.
As for Teach, he has been lurking for his dream, joining the biggest force of the time, even when the Four Emperors emerged, he was still under Whitebeard.
He even thought at one point, if he couldn't find it under Whitebeard, he would be serving the Old Man for life.
Even to this day, he still calls Whitebeard the Old Man.
Different methods, but one can't say he's disrespectful, just that their dreams and goals differ.
When Sage and Teach were in their honeymoon cooperation phase, they talked about this too.
If his captain hadn't gotten the Devil Fruit first, where by rule the one who gets it has the right to dispose of it, he wouldn't have done what he did.
If he himself had gotten the Dark-Dark Fruit first, then he would have stayed on the Old Man's ship till he died, inheriting the power of the Quake-Quake Fruit, thus inheriting the Old Man's legacy and Pirates.
As for whether the remaining people would agree, or if Teach's character would be accepted, it was beyond his concern.
A Pirate crew, the captain and the ship are its soul, without the ship, the Pirates lose its symbol, but can be rebuilt.
Without the captain... the Pirates fall apart.
The Whitebeard Pirates, even without the Summit War, Edward Newgate wouldn't have lived many more years, he was too old, the result is an obvious big classification.
Might as well make the most of their residual power, old strong warriors with Devil Fruits knocking on the door, who's not afraid?
A bit younger wouldn't even start the fight.
In a way, Teach was also considered to have consolidated the remains of the Whitebeard Pirates, avoiding their split, instead uniting them towards defeat.
Even so, at that time, many still left the Whitebeard Pirates.
He's also advancing unstoppably for his dreams and goals!
Only this Red Hair, the sea's street wanderer, charlatan, once seemed bold and grand but now appears to result from the arrogance of a World Noble Shanks, truly perplexing.
Dream?
To be a troublemaker?
These Pirates aren't filth!
Always for the sake of this balance or that balance.
When Ace was captured, he rushed to persuade Whitebeard to settle peacefully, avoiding greater casualties first.
Couldn't persuade, then went off to stop Kaido, avoiding more chaos, then hurried over to prevent the war from expanding.
They were already fighting till the end!
Just when it was time to reap the battlefield, you went to negotiate...
Signs of him seemed to appear in Wano Country too, whether to prevent it from falling into Navy hands or to save the Straw Hat, but unclear, this guy's obsessed with balance.
The essence of the Heavenly Celestial Dragon hasn't changed a bit, even being a Pirate from a young age, raised by Roger, but it's very odd that there isn't much change.
They also maintained balance over there, and after becoming a Pirate, he still maintains balance.
Didn't become a World Noble but became a world policeman.
Pirate?
He's a noble!
Still a World Noble!
What pirate!
Got tired of it, he could go back to Mary Geoise and continue being a lord, truly unafraid, hence the air of indifference and so-called grandeur.
Sage has never figured out nor understood his mentality, being skilled in planning, naturally he would understand the character and psychology of every worthy enemy to make the most precise plans.
He doesn't know Red Hair's true thoughts, but according to this pattern, as long as it's about balance, this guy will surely show up.
That's why Sage is confident, that the first one he will eliminate is the Red Hair!
Sage's influence has become a force too large to control, equivalent to disrupting a major balance, let alone with plans for indiscriminate attacks and no surrender in the New World, the Red Hair will certainly appear.
This Tot Musica incident, the World Government communicated with him, but that might not mean they haven't communicated with the Red Hair, essentially they're one family.
"I'm curious, this also emphasizes balance, that also emphasizes balance. Now that Vegapunk's analysis is out, after all that talk, it's just about the Straw Hat's Sun God."
Sage couldn't help but ask: "Balancing this and that, balancing for so many years, whether you or those old men, is it just to await the Sun God Nika?"
"Back then when Roger found One Piece but didn't make it public, instead let people continue to seek, launching a lively age, was it to pave the way for Sun Nika?"
"What are you actually? A backup for the World Government? A guide NPC in the game? Or a real charlatan banking on prophecy? Liberation of the world? That kind of thing can't be done with One Piece."
"Breaking the Red Earth Continent to connect the Four Seas? Give me time, and I can do that myself. If that's what you think, why not just join me, once I sit on that Void Throne, become the Master of the World, I'll still keep the Navy to fight the Pirates."
"What's the use of having so many Heavenly Celestial Dragons, they still bully others, I'm different, I'm just one, even my future family won't be as large as the Heavenly Celestial Dragons, at most choose only one heir to inherit my privileges, everyone else will be treated the same, and with no capacity just be a wealthy one. Hey, Lily, note this down."
Sage took a moment to tell Lily, then continued: "Most importantly, I don't bully the weak. The weak already offer tribute, yet they're bullied, that's too immoral. I'd better be the Master of the World, and rule the whole world."
"Hey hey hey, don't say such things carelessly." Kizaru said with a bitter smile.
Sage ignored him and raised a finger, "I don't know what you're up to, I don't want to know now either, the sea will still stir in your absence, but if you still roam, I can't find peace of mind!"
A spiral of beams, rapidly gathering at the fingertip, instantaneously released.
"Today, you will see your Death Star!"