Kapitel 31: 31. The God Of Wealth Project Is Officially Launched!
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Pere~Pere~Pere~Pere~.
A certain sea area.
Sengoku, still bandaged from a recent battle, was woken up by the ringing. Groggily, he opened his eyes and picked up the Den Den Mushi beside him.
"Moshi moshi, this is Sengoku. Who's calling?"
"Admiral, it's me."
Huh?
Rosinante.
Sengoku's exhaustion vanished at the sound of that familiar voice.
"Boy, it's only 5:00 in the morning. You shouldn't be working yet. What is this about?"
Sengoku glanced out the window, noticing the first light of dawn. From experience, he could easily estimate the time.
Normally, Rosinante wouldn't call during off hours.
But now, early in the morning, and before the day officially started, who would address him as "Admiral" at this hour?
And there was no one else around to overhear.
So, he spoke sternly, "Call me Dad."
Rosinante heard this but didn't comply.
Instead, after carefully checking his surroundings, he moved further into a secluded corner.
"Admiral, the staff just finished a meeting," Rosinante said.
"Huh? You were up all night?"
Sengoku frowned slightly, sitting up straighter. "Did something happen? Or is Akira planning something again?"
Right now, the only one who could hold a staff meeting at headquarters was the acting Fleet Admiral, besides the Admirals.
Zephyr wouldn't do something like this.
So it must be Akira, who's always determined to make a mark.
His last wild scheme to get married was a surprising success, one that even Sengoku had to admire once he learned the details.
So this time, he was curious about what Akira was up to now.
"Yes, Admiral, Vice Admiral Akira has just proposed a few more plans, some targeting our top officers and staff. Would you... like to hear about it?"
Rosinante swallowed, speaking in a troubled tone. "It's even more outrageous than the Honey plan."
Well, now I'm wide awake.
Sengoku quickly got out of bed, grabbed a notebook and pen, and prepared to take notes. "Go ahead, I'm ready."
"Yes! The main focus of tonight's meeting is making money, with a goal of earning one trillion berries in half a month."
"Huh? Are you serious?" Sengoku's eyes widened in disbelief.
Earn a trillion berries in half a month?
Is he that confident?
What kind of grand claim is this, and where does he get this confidence?
"Why the sudden push for this? Is headquarters low on funds?" Sengoku asked.
Lately, he'd been busy hunting down the great pirate Roger once defeated. He was handling duties more suited to an Admiral and hadn't kept up with the responsibilities of a Fleet Admiral.
And Rosinante scratched his head, feeling the pressure of completing three short love stories every day. Spending all his time eating and drinking in the office, he hadn't been able to report the current situation at headquarters to Sengoku.
"Yes, we're really short on money. Let me explain it like this..."
Rosinante's tone grew serious, his expression somber: "During Fleet Admiral Kong's reign, the Marine actually fell behind on paying many soldiers' salaries. Normally, this wouldn't be a big issue. We'd just wait until the World Government had enough funds to catch up."
"But no one anticipated the era of great pirates that Roger set off. With pirates terrorizing the seas, business routes have been cut off, and civilian savings have been plundered, leaving the World Government even more strapped for cash."
"When he took over as an acting Fleet Admiral, he recruited a large number of soldiers to combat this era and protect civilians, even though salaries couldn't be paid. He offered many guarantees, most of which promised full payment within two months."
"At the time, some in the staff department were already concerned, but Akira assured them he had it under control."
"As subordinates, we couldn't demand explanations from our superiors. Fortunately, he implemented a wage suppression model that delayed payments by just two months."
"While the plan succeeded, with civilians joining the Marines with strong resolve, the time has come for the headquarters to repay its debt."
"That's why he's initiated a new money-making plan, called..."
"The God of Wealth Plan!"
Sengoku's hand trembled slightly as he held the pen, cold sweat forming on his brow.
With his strategic mind, he quickly understood the gravity of the situation.
If, in half a month, the promised salaries weren't paid, the soldiers, feeling betrayed, might start to rebel.
Damn Akira. In his quest for success and the Fleet Admiral position, does he not care about the consequences of his plans?
"Thankfully, Vice Admiral Akira isn't planning to hand this mess over to you."
Rosinante let out a long breath, sounding relieved. "Otherwise, you'd inherit a Marine riddled with issues, ready to explode at any moment."
"You might have to step down to calm the public before you even settle into the Fleet Admiral's seat."
Sengoku gritted his teeth. "I suppose I really should thank him."
If Akira were standing in front of him, Sengoku would have given him a hard punch.
The Marine right now is truly a hot potato.
Whoever takes over is in for a rough ride.
Unless, of course, they can actually manage to earn one trillion berries in half a month.
"What's his God of Wealth Plan?" Sengoku asked urgently.
"Vice Admiral Akira plans to abandon towns and small islands that don't provide any benefits, focusing all the forces on protecting major countries and areas with significant commercial routes, striving to prevent pirates from reaching those places."
"His exact words were: 'Let the people in remote areas suffer first. Marine needs to survive this half month. Once justice has fed itself, we can ensure all civilians eat peacefully.'"
Sengoku fell silent.
Akira's words, though harsh, had a certain logic.
In these difficult times, with limited resources, they could only prioritize one part and temporarily neglect the other.
Once the situation improved, they could address the neglected areas with renewed vigor.
Even as a competitor, Sengoku couldn't find fault with the plan.
Choices are always tough, but avoiding them isn't an option.
Rosinante continued, "At the meeting, Akira instructed everyone in the staff department to start coordinating with the various generals, ensuring they work together to keep commercial routes operational."
"At the same time, he ordered the headquarters to use all available funds to buy special products from each island, transporting them to the next location to profit from the difference."
"Vice Admiral Akira pointed out that merchants have been buying low, selling high, and making a fortune on the trade routes that our Marines protect, yet none of the berries land in our pockets. What a waste."
"From now on, we'll handle the most profitable business ourselves. Every warship patrolling daily will be stocked with goods to sell at the next port, including items like wine, cigars, and even prohibited items."
"Next, we'll compete for profit against nobles and unscrupulous merchants, eliminating anyone who stands in our way."
"All forces and departments under the World Government are required to cooperate with us unconditionally. If anyone dares to interfere, the Marine has the authority to eliminate them, with the approval of the Five Elders."
"Unless ships using our trade routes pay taxes directly to us, they won't be allowed to pass."
Sengoku gasped, "Akira actually managed to get the Five Elders on board?"
"Yes, Admiral."
"So, you called to ask for my cooperation?"
Sengoku's eyes flickered as he pieced things together.
After a deep breath, he said firmly, "I understand, don't worry. I'm not someone who can't prioritize. I'll inform the other generals to cooperate fully—everything for the sake of justice."
Having known Rosinante for decades, Sengoku was well aware of his adopted son's character.
Rosinante was deeply kind-hearted, with a strong sense of justice.
Hearing that the generals needed to cooperate in making money probably made him worry that Akira, as the acting Fleet Admiral, might struggle to command them, so he reached out to Sengoku for reassurance.
It was very much like Rosinante.
Sengoku wasn't the type to desperately cling to the position of Fleet Admiral, and he certainly wouldn't hold back at a time like this.
Even if it meant Akira won the competition and replaced him as the new Fleet Admiral, what then?
So, both for personal reasons and practical ones, Sengoku knew he had to cooperate fully.
"Uh, Admiral, no… the generals accepted the orders without any resistance when they heard it was from Vice Admiral Akira."
Sengoku: "..."
What?
What happened while I was gone?
They accepted everything without the slightest pushback?
Who's still on my side for the Fleet Admiral position?
Sengoku's heart skipped a beat, a sudden unease settling in.
Even though I didn't intend for you to stop me, it's one thing to give the order myself, and another to find out the orders were followed without question.
Rosinante, oblivious to Sengoku's internal turmoil, continued in a complicated tone, "Honestly, maintaining the routes, killing pirates, and making some berries along the way isn't such a bad deal."
"There are other legal ways to make money that I could explain, but what I really need to report is…"
"Vice Admiral Akira has an even messier plan in mind, one that can only be carried out in secret. The world can't know about it."
Sengoku's attention snapped to this new information.
He knew Akira well enough to realize it wouldn't end with something so straightforward.
"What's the plan?" Sengoku asked, intrigued.
"The IQ Tax Plan!"
"What's this?"
Sengoku looked puzzled.
He understood what IQ meant and what a tax was, but putting those two words together left him completely baffled.
Taxing IQ? How on earth would that work?
"Vice Admiral Akira has formed a new department called the 'Fraud Department.'"
"He wrote... well, an entire book of scams himself."
"We're going to swindle the world using the deceptions in that book."
"Some of the highlights include 'Long Money for a Child,' 'Hi, I'm Roger, I'm Not Dead Yet!'..."
"And 'The Little Girl Selling Tea,' among others..."
Sengoku listened, his whole body turning to stone.
Especially as Rosinante explained the specific methods of each scam through the Den Den Mushi, Sengoku's jaw practically hit the floor.
The cabin was dead silent as time ticked by.
Finally...
"That's pretty much it. I'll be even busier over the next half month, so I won't be able to call you again."
Rosinante, far away in Marineford, wasn't surprised by Sengoku's stunned silence.
When he and his colleagues first heard Akira explain this strategy, their reactions were almost identical—complete disbelief, with jaws hitting the floor.
He hesitated for a moment but couldn't hold back:
"Father, maybe you should just concede. You can't beat Vice Admiral Akira."
Click.
With that, he hung up the phone.
Sengoku didn't react, just staring blankly at the Den Den Mushi.
It wasn't until the bright sunlight streamed through the window, the seagulls flew over the sea, and their cheerful cries echoed, that he snapped back to reality.
"Nonsense!"
"A dignified Marine..."
"How can a proud Marine... at least shouldn't..."
Sengoku's blood pressure spiked, and he slammed his hand on the table, standing up and roaring.
But after pacing around for a moment, he could only sigh helplessly at the sky:
"If this gets out, Marine's reputation will be in tatters."
"Akira, do you really know what you're doing? Are you really planning to make a trillion berries through these shady schemes?"
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
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Rangliste 
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Stein