Year 1515 of the Sea Calendar. New World, Wafer Lloyd Island. At the very center of the island was a small town of over two thousand people, established five years ago, with neatly arranged houses and buildings that still looked very new. The residents living in this town were researchers, armed guards, and employees' families. Due to the special nature of Wafer Lloyd Island, internal communications throughout the island were conducted using snails, a specialty of Wano Country.
Only a few den den mushi were available for external communication in emergencies, and certain special materials were regularly transported via Sephiroth's spatial gate. Therefore, the World Government warships monitoring and patrolling the waters around Wafer Lloyd Island had no idea that the Gods Breath they longed for had already fallen under Sephiroth's control. Near the Sky Gazing Tower, in a white two-story villa, on the second floor study. Sephiroth sat on a chair in front of a desk, wearing only a white lab coat.
Rim, with her long black hair draped over her shoulders, slowly sat on his lap and gently wrapped her fair, slender hands around his neck.
"How's the research progressing lately?" Sephiroth asked casually.
"The progress in analyzing the Gods Breath is barely better than nothing! However, the instrument created by mimicking the operating principle of the Gods Breath, which can significantly change the weather, is proceeding very smoothly... It is expected to be ready for use in two or three more years," Rim said thoughtfully.
"An instrument to change the weather? That sounds like something with great potential..."
"Indeed! Although it cannot absorb special energy substances from the air for long-term operation like the Gods Breath, and requires us to provide energy manually. But.... Once it is created, it can allow areas that have been dry for years to control rainfall themselves, and winter islands that have been covered in snow year-round will also have a chance to welcome spring..."
After chatting for a few moments, Rim couldn't wait to press Sephiroth's head against her neck. Sephiroth was already used to this. He slightly opened his mouth, two slender fangs popped out, and he gently bit the woman's fair, delicate neck, slowly and leisurely beginning to suck her blood, while simultaneously reading her research memories from this period, gradually converting that knowledge and research findings into his own knowledge reserves...
Blurp! Blurp! Blurp~! Sephiroth's private den den mushi on his desk suddenly rang, so he had no choice but to gently withdraw the fangs from Rim's neck. While licking the wound on the woman in his arms, he asked:
"Who is it? What's the matter?"
Immediately, Tesoro's voice came from the den den mushi:
"Boss, it's me! Vinsmoke Judge, the King of the Germa Kingdom, just contacted me. He said that the Germa Kingdom also wants to join our Umbrella Corporation, and Vinsmoke Judge also wants a position as a high-level executive in the Company. In return, Vinsmoke Judge will provide us with military and technological support..."
Hearing this, Sephiroth couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. He mused:
"Interesting..."
"Could this guy, Vinsmoke Judge, be trying to use the financial resources and assets of our Umbrella Corporation to help him rule the North Blue?"
"Probably... Boss, do you want me to reject him directly?" Tesoro asked tentatively.
Because Sephiroth had been emphasizing recently that the Umbrella Corporation should remain as low-key and restrained as possible, and not attract the attention of the World Government and the Gorosei again, Tesoro was actually not very interested in Vinsmoke Judge's proposal.
The Germa Kingdom is the only maritime nation in the world without a fixed territory. It usually operates independently in dozens of giant snail ships, and when all the ships are merged and connected, they form a single nation. Although the Germa Kingdom is now so down-and-out that it doesn't even have its own territory, the Vinsmoke Family, who control this nation, once led the Germa Kingdom's army to control the royal families of the entire North Blue with powerful military force, dominating the entire North Blue! However... The Vinsmoke Family, who ruled unjustly with powerful military force, did not enjoy their glory for long. The royal families of the countries unwilling to submit to the Germa army united and launched a war against the Germa Kingdom. Under the absolute disparity in troop numbers, the Germa Kingdom suffered repeated defeats and could only miserably abandon all its fixed territories, beginning a long period of wandering and drifting on the sea in their giant snail ships.
The current King of the Germa Kingdom, the contemporary head of the Vinsmoke Family, Vinsmoke Judge, is an excellent scientist. But... He is not a qualified king, nor a qualified ruler.
Judge worked in the research team MADS in his early years, learning many techniques under Vegapunk, and became a scientist who mastered Lineage Factor Technology and cloning technology. After the research team MADS was suppressed by the World Government and Vegapunk was arrested, the team disbanded, and Judge returned to the Germa Kingdom, becoming the King and the contemporary head of the Vinsmoke Family. In Judge's heart, he always harbored the dream of restoring the glory of the Germa Kingdom.
Judge began building a powerful scientific army when he returned to the country. He started mass-producing clone soldiers and equipping them with powerful technological weapons. He launched campaigns of conquest, even causing the major incident of successively killing four North Blue kings. However…
Judge only knew how to conduct scientific research and wage war. He had no idea how to govern and develop a country; his political acumen was almost nonexistent.
Ultimately, the Germa Kingdom couldn't hold onto the territory it had conquered. Before long, another incident occurred where various countries united to besiege the Germa Kingdom. They were forced to flee back into the sea in disgrace and could only work as mercenary assassins to earn money. They continued to maintain the nation's scientifically armed forces this way. The Germa Kingdom was less a nation with a powerful army, and more a powerful army with a nation attached.
Everything was for battle; they simply didn't know how to develop and govern a country, only how to plunder and wage war! Now, Judge wanted to become a high-level executive of the Umbrella Corporation. It was nothing more than him believing that with the Germa Kingdom's army and technology, he could occupy an important position within the Umbrella Corporation. He wanted to use this to leverage the Company's financial resources and assets to achieve his dream of ruling the North Blue!
Compared to the Big Mom Pirates in the original story, the current Umbrella Corporation was just as formidable, not only possessing vast resources and financial power, but also having Sephiroth, a top-tier fighter. Therefore, it was a very natural thing for Judge to want to leverage the legitimate and compliant power of the Umbrella Corporation rather than the illegal power of the Big Mom Pirates. Sephiroth thought for a moment before speaking.
"Tell Judge that it is impossible for the Germa Kingdom to join the Umbrella Corporation. For him personally to become a high-level executive of the Umbrella Corporation is even more of a fantasy. However, we can engage in some private cooperation… For example, their Germa would be responsible for conquering and plundering, while our Company would be responsible for providing them with paid financial and weapon support… In return, half of the minerals, land, and energy resources in the areas they occupy must belong to us… Hmm! To make him understand his place, you need to suppress his arrogant attitude a bit."
You can arrange for someone to demonstrate to him the weapons of our Umbrella Corporation that are not sold externally, showcasing the strength of our Umbrella Corporation. However, do not show him the cloning technology and Lineage Factor Technology for now…"
"Okay, I understand!"
"Then that's all for now!" After hanging up the call, Sephiroth reached out and patted Rim, signaling her to stand up and not keep sitting on his lap…
Two hours later, Sephiroth left the white two-story villa and stood at the entrance of the Sky Gazing Tower in the center of Wafer Lloyd Island.
He gently closed his eyes and lightly pressed his right hand, wearing a silver bracelet, against the outer wall of the Sky Gazing Tower.
As Sephiroth continuously consumed his stamina, an invisible energy emanated from the bracelet, spreading rapidly outwards from the Sky Gazing Tower as the center, towards the surrounding areas of the island. For the Float-Float Fruit to control objects, it requires consuming stamina beforehand for assimilation before the object can be moved or even deformed.
Thanks to Golden Lion Shiki's insights into ability development, after several months of training with the Float-Float Fruit ability, Sephiroth now finally had sufficient confidence to assimilate the entire Wafer Lloyd Island and control it freely.
After a while, this invisible force finally assimilated the entire island. "Rise!" As Sephiroth lightly commanded, the sea around Wafer Lloyd Island immediately roared with the sound of rushing water, "Splash-!"
From the coast to the bottom of the island, the entire island slowly lifted from the sea level, floating up from the surface of the sea, carrying the seawater near the island with it into the sky.
Before long, the entire Wafer Lloyd Island had risen to a height of a thousand meters, and it was still steadily rising at a constant speed! Such a conspicuous scene naturally could not be hidden from the World Government warships patrolling and monitoring in the distance.
Thus, the officials on those ships quickly picked up their den den mushi and urgently contacted the Gorosei far away in Holy Land Mary Geoise, reporting the matter to them.