Chapter 110: Sengoku: Sorry, Our Marine is Too Strong!

Chapter 110: Chapter 110: Sengoku: Sorry, Our Marine is Too Strong!

Although the Five Elders only wanted Claudius to ensure that the Nefertari royal family in Alabasta would be more cooperative, Claudius's ambitions went further. He aimed to eventually bring Alabasta entirely under his control. As for the Nefertari royals, they would just have to step aside. If he was feeling particularly magnanimous, Claudius might even escort them to Mariejois and compel them to join the Celestial Dragons.

However, for the past 800 years, the Nefertari family had ruled Alabasta with fairness and dignity. Their reputation was deeply rooted among the people, so Claudius knew that taking over couldn't be done with sheer force. It required a subtler approach—a "boil the frog slowly" strategy that would gradually weaken their influence and allow him to assume control without sparking rebellion.

If Claudius succeeded in taking over Alabasta, he would gain significant military power, which would undoubtedly prove advantageous in the future.

To execute this plan, Claudius decided to place Crocodile in charge. In the original story, Crocodile had orchestrated a masterful scheme that brought the Nefertari family to the brink of collapse. If not for the sudden appearance of the Straw Hat Pirates disrupting everything, Crocodile might have become like Doflamingo, a pirate ruler of a kingdom affiliated with the World Government.

As for the "unexpected factor" of the Straw Hat Pirates, Claudius was not concerned. As long as Crocodile maintained his focus and determination, defeating that fledgling crew should be easy. And if Luffy did indeed make a move on Alabasta, Claudius wouldn't hesitate to stop him. Alabasta could very well be the end of Luffy's pirate journey, with Impel Down as his next destination.

Before Crocodile could make his move, preparations were being set in motion on all fronts. Claudius was finalizing plans for the Seven Warlords of the Sea, a strategy that was nearly complete. The first candidate he intended to recommend was Crocodile.

Only two steps remained.

The first step was for the World Government to officially announce the implementation of the Seven Warlords of the Sea system. It would be presented as a strategy to control piracy by recruiting formidable pirates, granting them the right to plunder under the condition that they would curb the activities of other pirates and, when needed, respond to the government's summons to assist in various operations.

The World Government had already agreed to Claudius's plan years ago, but the conditions hadn't been right for its execution until now. The world's growing unrest had reached a level where even solutions that resembled "drinking poison to quench thirst" were acceptable. The criteria set for the Seven Warlords of the Sea plan had finally been met.

The second step required Crocodile to make a bold move to shake the seas. This would not only demonstrate his loyalty to the World Government but would also prove his power and influence.

"If we're going to catch them both, we need to split our forces into two groups. But the team handling Douglas Bullet shouldn't be overwhelmingly powerful," Sengoku said, pausing before adding with a smile, "although that's easier said than done."

As the dominant force at sea, Sengoku had complete faith in the strength of the Marines.

Just as Claudius had thought their lineup was impressive, Sengoku shared the sentiment. If they truly threw their full strength at Douglas Bullet, the battle could be over in half a day, with little left but dust and echoes. Such overwhelming force could crush Bullet's fighting spirit entirely.

But to lure Byrnndi World into the trap, they needed to create the illusion of a protracted fight—a stalemate.

Sengoku continued, "So for the team handling Douglas Bullet, it'll be me, Sakazuki, Borsalino, and Gion."

He paused, feeling that the lineup might still be too strong. If they weren't careful, they'd overpower the enemy too quickly. "On second thought, Sakazuki should stay on standby," Sengoku decided.

Claudius couldn't help but chuckle at that. "A problem of being too strong, huh?"

The room erupted in laughter. Yes, it was true. Being too powerful really was a unique kind of problem.

***

For every 500 PS = 1 extra Chapter. Support me on patreon to read 45+ advanced Chapters: /Blownleaves.