Moger had been making plans for Sphinx for more than a decade.
He would establish an underground black market, develop the service and entertainment industries, use the money earned from pirates to build up his own pillar industries, and eventually go ashore.
In a country short on resources, with low levels of technology and production capacity and no foreign investment, the only thing to do was make a living off the mountains or the sea—and in this case, off the pirates.
It wasn't a short-term project, so back then, Moger had only offered his advice. After raising his pirate flag over Sphinx, he left.
But all these years later, Sphinx's development had remained stuck at the second step.
That was because pirates were simply too easy to make money from. Living with their lives hanging by a thread, they were often willing to spend a fortune on fine food, wine, and women. Casinos were also among the places pirates frequented most.
So even though Moger had repeatedly stressed that these gray-market businesses couldn't operate in the open, and that Sphinx would have to grow stronger if it truly wanted to develop, its rulers hadn't taken him seriously.
As a result, they had used Moger's flag to extort vast sums from pirates, but when his flag could no longer protect them, they had no power of their own to defend themselves.
From that moment on, the nation of Sphinx had existed in name only.
And now—
After defeating the alliance formed by the three great pirate crews, Moger had no intention of handing power back to Sphinx's rulers.
He hadn't intervened before because he hadn't had the time.
Now that Moger planned to use Sphinx as a springboard to build his own forces, he couldn't let these useless nobles and royals stand in his way.
"Moger, if you make Sphinx your territory, the Marines won't just stand by and watch."
The Goat Doctor had come aboard the Black Pearl again to change the bandages on Rocks and the others. He warned Moger,
Moger needed the strength to hold on to this territory!
"Haha, you don't need to tell me that. I won't let ordinary people get caught up in it."
At the Goat Doctor's words, a strange smile crept across Moger's face.
"Why do you think I chose Sphinx?"
For starters, the three great pirate crews alone had tens of thousands of pirates under their command. They might all be weaklings who couldn't even withstand Haki, but even such weaklings could prove useful in a war.
And aside from the pirates in those three crews, dozens of smaller pirate crews were temporarily staying in Sphinx.
If the Marines truly went to war, they would have to take all those pirates into account.
"What if the Marines send an Admiral?"
"Leave that to me!"
Moger answered firmly.
If he wanted to build his own forces without facing any risk, where was the fun in that?
Even if he tried to rally all the pirates in Sphinx against the Marines, the more likely outcome was that they would all run the moment the Marines showed up.
Unless he demonstrated that he could face a Marine Admiral head-on.
"In the end, they're just a rabble."
So Moger had another option: run.
It was perfectly normal for a pirate to flee when he ran into the Marines, wasn't it?
"Ow!"
While Moger was chatting with the Goat Doctor, a girl dressed as a nurse was changing the bandages on Edward Newgate and the others.
Her slender figure and ample curves made several of the more mature boys swallow hard, unable to resist reaching out.
The moment they did, she grabbed their hands, then sneered.
"You little brats think you can cop a feel? Maybe in your next life!"
The girl was none other than Stussy.
After witnessing Moger defeat three great pirates, Stussy had become even more determined to latch on to White Wolf Moger and make a fortune.
She'd thrown a fit and made a scene until the Goat Doctor agreed to bring her aboard the Black Pearl.
And once she got close enough to see what Moger looked like, she was even more smitten.
She wanted to make money, but she had standards, too!
If White Wolf Moger had been some decrepit old man, she wouldn't have wanted to compromise herself, no matter how rich he was.
But one look told her he was nothing like some decrepit old man.
He was a handsome, mature man!
Especially when Stussy saw Black Merchant Duke Men sending box after box of gold, silver, and jewels out of the ship's hold.
Her eyes had turned completely into Moger's shape.
Older, handsome, and rich!
Men like him were hard to find even with a lantern.
There was just one obstacle whenever Stussy tried to get close to Moger.
Lipri!
A girl who dressed wildly and seemed cheerful by nature.
Apparently, she was already a member of the White Wolf Pirates.
Stussy had assumed that, being around the same age, Lipri would be closer to that cocky guy named Rocks.
But that wasn't the case at all.
Lipri was always following Moger around, asking him this and that, leaving Stussy no chance to get close to him.
Bitch, stay away from him!
Stussy chewed on her fingernail as she thought darkly.
Meanwhile, Lipri didn't know Stussy and thought she was just a pretty nurse from the Goat Doctor's clinic.
But perhaps because they'd been fighting so much lately, and her Observation Haki was close to awakening, Lipri couldn't shake the feeling that Stussy's gaze toward Moger was a little strange.
"Captain, do you think my Observation Haki is about to awaken? I feel like I can sense other people's emotions!"
"Really?"
Moger frowned and glanced at Lipri. As far as he knew, people with Observation Haki that let them sense other people's emotions were usually born with that ability.
"Then can you sense how I'm feeling?"
"Uh..."
Lipri glanced at Moger and answered cautiously,
"You think I'm exceptionally gifted—a genius?"
"Bullshit!"
Moger kicked Lipri in annoyance.
"Right now, I think you're an idiot!"
"That's so mean~"
Lipri stuck her tongue out at Moger, then hurriedly ran off when she saw him lift his leg.
In a corner,
Edward Newgate watched Moger and Lipri interact. He also saw Moger regularly guiding Rocks through his training and helping him gain a better grasp of Haki.
There was a hint of envy in Edward Newgate's eyes.
He was an orphan, and that was exactly why he yearned even more for a family.
To him, the way Moger and Lipri treated each other felt just like a real family.
He'd already heard from the others that Moger would take control of Sphinx again. Home of Lambs, which had closed because it ran out of funds, would be rebuilt, and the displaced children would once again have a place to call home.
But what about him?
He was already too old to keep living at Home of Lambs.
Get a job?
But there weren't that many jobs in Sphinx.
After turning it over in his mind, Edward Newgate realized there was only one thing he wanted.
Noticing Edward Newgate's gaze,
Moger smiled.
He knew that after retaking control of Sphinx and deciding to make changes, Edward Newgate no longer had to worry about his friends. At last, he was free of that burden.
Moger held out his hand and asked again,
"So, Newgate, would you like to become part of my family?"
This time, the boy didn't hesitate.
"Yeah!"
Before you continue