Kanosfa Island, a massive landmass perched near the edge of the Calm Belt, lay in uneasy stillness. Anyone who crossed the Calm Belt from here would sail straight into the New World, and lately even the air above the island felt heavy, as if war itself were gathering strength.
Across the Kraken Kingdom, tension simmered. Internal strife had grown difficult to contain, and the ruling court had found its solution in an old, familiar outlet: war. Their chosen target was their long-time rival, the neighboring Tirisfal Kingdom.
Supply caravans thundered across Kraken territory. Foundries belched black smoke while weapons rolled out in endless batches. Shipyards hammered day and night. If conflict could not be contained on land, then the battlefield would spill onto the sea. Maritime conflict promised consequences far more sweeping.
The Tirisfal Kingdom possessed an economy that ran on hundreds of billions, even trillions. If Kraken failed to suppress that advantage, Tirisfal could simply buy the arms, supplies, and manpower needed to grind the Kraken Kingdom into exhaustion. Likewise, hit-and-run strikes on Tirisfal's sprawling coastline might disrupt regions too far from the kingdom's heavily fortified interior.
The scale of war would not be brief. A month, several months, perhaps longer. But anything beyond that would crush Kraken's fragile economy. Prolonging the war meant destroying themselves, running against the very purpose they sought.
Within the Tirisfal Kingdom, the prestigious Worry-Free Palace hummed with activity. Ironically, the structure looked nothing like its name. Towering spires cut into the sky like a collection of upright blades, projecting power and vigilance rather than serenity.
Inside the great hall, a council was underway. At its head sat King Cartilage von Wilhelm, draped in black and gold regalia. His crown gleamed with oversized pearls, and instead of a scepter, he held a black longsword by the hilt. Simply by sitting there, he radiated a commanding presence.
Wilhelm scanned the room with sharp eyes and noted one absence.
"Redyat has not arrived?" His voice carried a hint of resignation.
"I am not sure where he slipped off to," answered a young man below the throne with an easy smile. "But brother likely went to gather intelligence from the Kraken Kingdom. This war is no small matter."
"Yes, Mainz is correct. Redyat informed me beforehand," said Grand General Hindenburg, standing at the front line of ministers. His tone carried equal parts worry and relief.
In some ways, Mainz and Redyat mirrored two halves of the same person. Hindenburg saw it clearly. Mainz resembled someone he once knew, while Redyat carried echoes of another.
Cartilage von Hindenburg, sixty-three years old and still as sturdy as a cliff face, served not only as Grand General but also as the King's uncle. The royal Cartilage family held all authority within the Tirisfal Kingdom. Alongside the King and the Grand General stood Oscar, Minister of Finance and younger brother to the King. Oscar commanded the nation's largest merchant guild, the Royal Merchant Guild.
Two heirs existed: Mainz, present here, and the elusive Redyat.
The Tirisfal Kingdom was counted among the world's mightiest nations, powerful enough to make even the World Government tread cautiously. Grand General Hindenburg alone was a reminder of that. His mere presence projected strength.
Even within the palace, powerful figures hid in the shadows, silent guardians of the realm. A country that could shake the World Government did not survive on public forces alone.
The King had no direct children. The heirs were the sons of the esteemed Princess Isabella, Wilhelm's elder sister. Her beauty was legendary. She had once been the ideal of the realm, cherished by nobles and commoners alike. When word spread that Isabella had given birth, hearts across the kingdom shattered.
Both heirs were gifted in strength, potential, leadership, and temperament.
Mainz was gentle with flashes of steely resolve.
Redyat was dominant with moments of quiet warmth.
Redyat's strength was slightly superior, making him the favorite among those who prioritized military might. But he had no interest in the throne, and the brothers shared a genuine bond. Because of that, succession disputes never took root. Neither desired power for glory. Mainz simply accepted responsibility as the younger brother.
"Let us proceed," King Wilhelm said. "Report the Kraken Kingdom's movements."
A man stepped forward from behind General Hindenburg. He belonged to the Royal Defense Department, the kingdom's intelligence network, comparable in function to the World Government's CP. He was the minister of that department, known only as Black. His mask and chilling aura fit the name. He commanded all spies and served as the nation's most formidable one.
He had risen from the bottom through brutal training, proving talent and ruthlessness in equal measure.
"The Kraken Kingdom has expanded its army," Black reported in a cold monotone. "Their goal is three and a half million soldiers, plus two million slave troops. These include war criminals, slaves, and captives seized from previous conquests. The number continues to increase. Intelligence estimates suggest another three hundred thousand."
The hall rustled. Oscar, the Finance Minister, frowned deeply.
"Have they lost their minds? Do they intend to invade our territory?"
"It is possible," said another minister. "Their internal crisis is severe. Seizing our land and wealth would ease their instability. It may even allow them to grow stronger."
"This slave force is only fodder," someone else agreed. "But with such numbers, they could be a nuisance."
"They cannot threaten us," a minister countered with confidence. "Our elites are stronger, and we have Princes Mainz and Redyat. Both possess kingly potential."
In truth, Tirisfal's hidden forces alone could swallow the Kraken Kingdom whole. They could even reclaim lost territory. But doing so carried risks.
"That would expose the princes," a minister warned. "The World Government has CP agents inside our borders. We monitor them, but exposure would put the heirs directly in the Government's sights."
"Unless we could win the entire war within a month," another minister mused. "Crush the Kraken Kingdom, reclaim all lost territory, secure their technology, and fortify our domain before the World Government could intervene. But that is not realistic."
"It would require eliminating Kraken's royal family swiftly," someone said. "Without them, the nation would collapse. Combined with our agents embedded in their society, we could absorb their territory in short order. The frontline forces might not even matter."
They all knew this was little more than a dream. Kraken's capital was notoriously fortified. The World Government maintained hidden agents as well. Any attempt on the royal family might be detected. The Government could secretly support Kraken, tipping the balance.
For now, the World Government's vigilance against Tirisfal was low. Many of the Government's own agents had been discovered and contained thanks to deep efforts, largely through Redyat's intelligence sources. A few ministers suspected the reason behind his uncanny ability, but none spoke it aloud.
This silent understanding had held for over a century. The dawn of the Great Pirate Era had only diluted the World Government's focus further, pulling its strength toward chaos across the seas.
The World Government could not intervene openly in member-state disputes. Doing so would undermine the very idea of fairness and justice, the foundation that convinced countries to join.
Member states bowed before the Empty Throne because it symbolized a world without a supreme ruler. If the Empty Throne ever proved to have an owner, half the member states would withdraw instantly. No king wished to kneel to another king.
Thus, even if interference occurred, it would be in shadows.
Many powerful nations maintained their own navies, using the World Government only nominally. The Heavenly Tribute felt like pocket change, nothing more. Tirisfal often ignored international meetings entirely, confident in its internal stability and impervious to revolutionary influence.
The ministers knew their true adversary was not the Kraken Kingdom, but the World Government that loomed beyond the horizon. Kraken was merely a complication on the path toward reclaiming what once belonged to Tirisfal.