"Still too few." Zephyr wasn't satisfied with the current output. "Even now we're barely scraping by. Any more recruits, and we'll face shortages again."
His tone was regretful, but the upturned corner of his mouth betrayed him. He was obviously pleased. He was probably just probing to see if production could be squeezed up another notch.
He slid a sidelong glance at Dante. "I heard they're also producing a weaker version of the Viagra Pills. Zero training enhancement. What's the point of that thing? Scrap it and redirect the capacity to the standard pill and Aqua Ursa."
Dante stared in deadpan silence.
That weaker pill was actually vital. It was wildly popular with nobles and high-ranking officials. Sales were through the roof, and it had become a critical revenue stream for the branch.
He thought about it and decided not to tell Zephyr about the wildly popular side effect. He paused, sighed, and said, "The real hurdle is raw materials."
Part of the materials came from the Tontattas farming. Another part, the most critical, was what Vegapunk extracted from Kuma's blood. That part was the real headache.
"Once Vegapunk finishes his current work and frees up, we should be able to boost production a bit more. And anyway..." He sighed again. "Right now, we're meeting demand, aren't we?"
"Still a materials issue? Then I suppose it has to wait." Zephyr sighed, genuinely regretful this time. He had been planning to use this stretch to forge an invincible marine unit.
He knew the World Government and Marine HQ well enough. Yes, they had successfully diverted their attention this time, but it was only a matter of time before those powers noticed the branch again. If they had real strength by then, the central authorities wouldn't dare act so freely.
Zephyr considered the problem for a moment, then looked at Dante. "By the way. I'm considering heading to the first half of East Blue to recruit. What do you think?"
Hearing the suggestion, Dante froze.
Thanks to their cabal of gatekeepers holed up in the starting sea, Smoker, the wandering Garp who popped up from time to time, and Mock, who had already withdrawn, life for pirates in that half of the East Blue was truly miserable. They couldn't win a fight, couldn't loot anything, and couldn't even run away.
Just thinking about it made them despair. Left with no other choice, these pirates could only huddle in the first half of the East Blue, waters that the 16th Branch had not yet touched. As a result, the outlaws in that half had grown wildly rampant. Mock's broadcast hadn't helped, and neither had the useless local marine branches.
That half of the sea had become thoroughly chaotic as of late.
It was a pity. That stretch of sea was simply too vast, and the forces of Marine Branch 16 could not control it yet.
When it came to his core territory, Dante was extremely particular. Steady, solid expansion was the rule. He didn't blindly extend his reach. The geography of the world was far too unique. Expand too fast, and governance would easily break down.
What if they ended up like the Germa 66 Kingdom, unifying for a mere sixty-six days before crumbling apart? That was precisely why Dante placed such heavy emphasis on public opinion.
And this era, they were in the middle of the Great Pirate Era. Even without it, in this world, it was impossible to stop people from abandoning their homes to chase so-called freedom and adventure. Adventure was this world's defining trait.
Countless islands, different climates, diverse cultures, strange creatures, endless dangers, and surprises, plenty of people still looked forward to all that. Never mind this world, even in Dante's previous life, where you could look up whatever you wanted online, plenty of people still chased adventure straight into an early grave.
So Dante was also pondering how the 16th Branch should adapt and manage its own territory. Within his sphere of influence, that problem was still relatively minor. Sure, there was always the odd thick-skulled fool who secretly wanted to set sail and become a pirate, but they were few and far between.
However, the time had indeed come to begin preparations for expanding their turf.
After a moment of deliberation, Dante agreed to Zephyr's suggestion.
First, recruit soldiers there, then gradually gain control of those waters. But this wasn't something you could just mandate and instantly achieve. There were still plenty of logistical issues to handle.
After Dante laid out his thoughts, Zephyr paused, then nodded.
No rushing things, indeed.
Dante took a bit more time to tour the new academy.
Under Zephyr's management, the Marine Academy had grown quite proper and official. With the specially made high-tech training devices, all the new cadets were working hard.
He also observed the teaching methods of Kuro, Ain, Kuina, and the others.
After undergoing Zephyr's training, Kuro's growth was plainly visible. Even his way of instructing had improved by leaps and bounds. Perhaps this was his explosive growth phase. Years of slow accumulation, plus a Devil Fruit, and now a true master to guide him, his progress was skyrocketing.
He had even been appointed by Zephyr as the Director of Discipline. Overseeing school conduct and providing harsh guidance naturally made the cadets gnash their teeth in frustration.
And Enel... Dante saw him too. A pair of Seastone Bracelets sat heavy on his wrists, specially prepared for him by the head instructor.
The two bracelets were separate, so they didn't completely hinder the movement of his hands, but they greatly suppressed Enel's mobility. Every motion he made now looked stiff and labored. Even shifting slightly was a massive hassle.
According to Zephyr, although the kid's talent was extraordinary, he relied on his Devil Fruit way too much. If he wanted to get stronger fast, there was no choice but to use drastic measures.
Enel's physical growth was obvious. His physique had clearly become much sturdier.
Before long, Zephyr might just end up cultivating a true Marine Admiral for the 16th Branch.
During his tour, Dante also dropped in on Nami's class.
Nami was no longer a teacher in name only. She was now a full-fledged instructor at the academy, teaching the students practical navigation.
Even Zephyr had remarked that she was exceptionally gifted, more so than any prodigy he had seen at Marine HQ. It seemed Nami had overheard the praise. She puffed out her chest, looking utterly proud, and sneaked a wink at Dante, as if demanding acknowledgment. Dante could only look back at her with a proud smile.
After a quick stroll to take in the educational approach, Dante left them to their work. He headed over to the plantation base managed by the Tontattas.
Nothing major was happening there, he was just dropping by to check in.
With Noland's name in play, the Tontattas worked with serious diligence. His arrival was met with loud cheers, welcoming him as Noland Dante. By now, the grain seeds the tribe had been researching were already spread across the fields of every island. The food supply was completely secure.
After giving them another pep talk and painting a grand vision of the future, Dante finally returned to his office.
Robin and Viola were still there, having clearly noticed his approach long before he walked in. They had already poured tea for him, and by the time he stepped inside, the temperature was just right.
Dante settled straight into his chair, picked up the teacup, and drained it in one go before reviewing his documents.
The communication base stations on each island were already built. They would be operational before long. Meanwhile, East Blue No. 1 units were still being quietly deployed in secret.
Furthermore, Dante was planning to construct a Sea Train or a bridge from the base to the waters near the Goa Kingdom. That would make travel between the two ends more convenient and strengthen his control over that area. When the time came, advancing into the other side of the East Blue would be much easier.
As for a massive bridge connecting all the islands, construction hadn't started yet.
Military, economy, livelihoods, defense, everything was progressing steadily.
After finishing the day's work, Dante stretched comfortably. He was just about to lie down and get some proper rest when a sharp ringing broke the quiet.
*Purupurupuru~*
His personal Den Den Mushi chimed.
Dante blinked in surprise but picked up the receiver. "Yeah?"
"Boss!" The Den Den Mushi, now taking on the appearance of a bald Mock, shouted frantically. "Black Sole's been captured!"
Dante stared blankly.
Who got captured?
Hearing the frantic voice, Dante asked, puzzled, "Black Sole? Who? Some new underling you picked up?"
"No, no! It's Teach! That bastard Teach got captured by a Marine Admiral! What do we do now?!"
Silence hung heavy in the room.
Dante squinted at the Den Den Mushi in his hand, looking like an old man trying to read a blurry map.
Never mind what to do. First, explain to me... how did Teach end up being called Black Sole? Wasn't his epithet Blackbeard?
===============
Dear Readers and Fans,
For those eager to dive into next chapters earlier before others, I invite you to join us on Patreon. By becoming our Patron, you not only gain access to exclusive advanced chapters but also help us continue this endeavour and expand it further.
pat reo n.co m /8Ashes8
(no space)
You can read upto 30 Chapters in advance.