The gunpowder smoke gradually dissipated, and the sounds of shouting and clashing weapons on the various islands of the Totto Land Sea Area finally ceased.
The Female Warriors of the Heavenly Calamity Pirates began to methodically clean up the battlefield: confiscating weapons, gathering prisoners for supervision, treating their own lightly wounded, and at the same time, burying the enemy pirates at sea on the spot—those who had been blasted beyond recognition by Ripley and Red Star.
Brand-new flags were raised at the highest points of every island in Totto Land—the insignia of the Heavenly Calamity Pirates. The design merged elements of Dragon Wings, lightning, and sharp swords, snapping in the sea breeze, announcing a new master for this sea area.
The civilians on the islands hid in their dilapidated houses, fearfully observing everything outside through cracks in windows or broken walls.
When they saw the new pirate flags rising, the expression that surfaced on most faces was not joy, but a deeper despair and numbness.
"Another... another batch has changed..."
"Sigh, one pack of wolves just left, and a group of tigers has arrived. When will these days ever end?"
"I wonder how much 'protection fee' they'll demand this time... We don't have much food left at home."
"I hope they... at least don't kill people for fun like the ones before..."
Long-term suffering had long since made them afraid to harbor any positive expectations toward pirates.
Soon, Orders from the Heavenly Calamity Pirates were conveyed to every island: the heads of all villages and towns were to immediately gather at the central main island of Totto Land.
The Order was brief, but it caused even greater panic across the islands.
"It's over... they're definitely going to raise taxes! Or they're going to conscript us for hard labor!"
"Maybe... they want an excuse to purge us 'old people'..."
"You can't go, Village Head! This is definitely a trap!"
Amidst a cloud of gloom and voices of discouragement, the village heads and mayors still set out for the central island with the mindset of those going to their deaths. They had no choice.
On the central main island, the pirate base hall that originally belonged to "Bone Cracker" Samuel had been slightly cleaned up and served as a temporary council chamber.
More than thirty leaders gathered here, everyone's face pale and restless, whispering their anxieties and speculations to one another.
Each of them looked terrified and sat uneasily, not knowing what kind of fate awaited them.
"Everyone... please be a bit more calm," a female village head with a determined expression said softly. Her name was Mara.
"This group that came... might be different from the previous ones."
"Different? How can they be different! Mara, have you gone mad? They are pirates!" an old, white-haired village head next to her retorted excitedly.
"Pirates are pirates! They burn, kill, loot, and commit every evil! They gathered us here for nothing more than money, food, and people! Maybe... maybe they even want to sell us as Slaves!"
"Yes, how can there be good people among pirates?" another middle-aged village head agreed pessimistically.
Mara opened her mouth to say something, but seeing the atmosphere of pessimism and despair around her, she ultimately swallowed her words.
She just silently clenched her fists, a sliver of the light of hope she had seen five years ago when she was rescued from human traffickers still remaining in her eyes.
Just then, the hall doors were pushed open, and a powerful aura instantly enveloped the entire room. The village heads subconsciously held their breath and looked toward the entrance in terror.
Then, they were stunned.
The ones who walked in were not the burly, fierce-looking men with fleshy faces they had imagined, but a group of... women? And a group of extremely beautiful women at that!
Leading them was an exceptionally tall young woman with long pink hair and peerless beauty. Her expression was calm, yet she carried a natural, awe-inspiring pressure.
Following closely behind were several female cadres, equally beautiful but with different temperaments, as well as two Female Warriors from the Giant Race who were like small mountains!
This group of pirates... was actually entirely female? And such beautiful, powerful women?
This completely overturned the village heads' inherent perception of pirates, leaving them dumbfounded for a moment.
"They... they are the new rulers?"
"All women... and all so... beautiful?"
The expected bloodshed and savagery did not appear; instead, it was replaced by a strange pressure—a mixture of beauty, power, and a sense of Order.
Charlotte Linlin walked straight to the main seat and sat down. Her gaze swept over the silent, trembling crowd below. Without redundant pleasantries, she directly asked Mia beside her:
"How is it? Have the statistics been cleared up? How many people are here?"
Mia immediately stepped forward, holding a preliminary report in her hand:
"Captain, based on our quick tally and estimates from existing records in each village, the thirty-four surrounding islands have a combined permanent population of about one hundred thousand.
If not for the constant raiding and exploitation by pirates over the years, which led to population loss and unnatural deaths, there should have been more."
"One hundred thousand?" Charlotte Linlin raised an eyebrow, her tone carrying a hint of unbelievable doubt.
"So many people... and they were actually oppressed by a few thousand pirates to the point of not daring to resist?"
She couldn't help but think of the history of the world before she crossed over, of those martyrs who still rose up to fight under extreme disadvantages.
You should know that in her previous life, those comrades who had no guns, cannons, or logistics dared to charge at the Japanese Army who had guns, cannons, and planes. This group, who also had guns and cannons, actually just accepted their fate like this?
Mia seemed to see her doubt and explained in a low voice:
"Perhaps... it's mainly a lack of effective organization and leadership. The various islands are like a tray of loose sand, unable to gather enough strength.
Moreover, previous resistances were likely met with bloody suppression. Over time, they lost the courage to resist."
Charlotte Linlin nodded thoughtfully, no longer dwelling on it. She lightly tapped the armrest of her chair with her finger, her gaze becoming profound.
One hundred thousand people... although scattered across dozens of islands, it was already a foundation for establishing a nation. A thought gradually became clear in her mind.
"Since we have taken over this place, then everything should follow our rules."
Charlotte Linlin's clear voice echoed, attracting everyone's attention.
"I intend to establish a brand-new country in this Totto Land Sea Area."
She paused and spoke the name she had already thought of:
"Its name is—Inazuma!"
After thinking it over, she still felt this name was the most suitable. Inazuma, literally translated, is the wife of rice, referring to lightning.
This not only fit her current ability to control lightning but also aligned with the importance she would place on food crops later.
"As for you..." Her gaze swept over the dumbfounded village heads and mayors below once more.
"For now, continue with your respective duties and maintain the basic operation of the islands."
She paused, seeing the undisguised shock in everyone's eyes. It wasn't surprising; after all, they had never heard of pirates establishing a country.
"The specific rules and management methods will be explained to you in detail by my cadres later. For now, I will only say a few points:"
"First, the original, unreasonable systems of 'worship' and 'protection fees' are all abolished."
"Second, we will restore trade and transportation between the islands as soon as possible, and station personnel to maintain basic Order and crack down on any outlaws who dare to cause trouble here—including those pirates who might wander in and do not belong to our jurisdiction."
"Third, we need to survey the population, resources, and specialties of each island. Capable people, whether they are craftsmen, farmers, doctors, or scholars, are all needed. Those willing to work for us will receive a corresponding Reward."
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