Under Queen Sally's massage, Wang Shi carefully studied the map of the East Blue and the descriptions of its kingdoms.
There was an Orange Town in the Organ Kingdom. That name sounded familiar...
There was a Syrup Village in the Moonlight Kingdom...
And a Cocoyasi Village in the Konomi Kingdom...
"So many kingdoms in just one East Blue. This is a betrayal of the Great Unification."
Wang Shi's eyes flickered as he planted a dagger in the map of the East Blue spread across his desk.
Every cluster of small islands—even a medium-sized island—was its own independent kingdom.
He wanted to do what the Four Emperors did and claim territory, planting the Goa Kingdom's flag over several nearby kingdoms and upgrading the Goa Kingdom into the Goa Empire.
Vinsmoke Judge had carried out a Four-Nation Slash in the North Blue, once again striking fear into the region.
Then Wang Shi had to wage at least one war of conquest across four kingdoms, making the name of the Goa Empire known throughout the East Blue, and even the whole world!
But expanding the territory meant paying more Heavenly Tribute.
No wonder King Bekori of the Sorbet Kingdom had split his kingdom in two, abandoning its poor southern lands.
Damn it!
Never mind. He'd consider this bit of Heavenly Tribute a temporary deposit with the Celestial Dragons.
He'd find a way to earn it back—or take it back—later.
For now, he needed to grow stronger and build up the military.
He thought again of two criminals who were nearly Admirals in strength.
Would a kingdom with the Goa Kingdom's reputation have any chance of recruiting them?
Maybe, if the time was right.
After all, Issho had once been the captain of the Guard Army in the fallen Moonlight Kingdom in the Grand Line, while Aramaki had been a police officer in the Taya Kingdom of the South Blue.
He'd redeem Issho from the casino on Twin Snake Island in the West Blue and see whether the righteous criminal from a fallen kingdom would obey Wang Shi's orders.
"Next, I need to make sure the old man and the Goa Kingdom are known far and wide."
"I'll be the East Blue's judge! I'm the King of Exile!"
Wang Shi gazed at the map of the East Blue, his eyes blazing. He would lead the Goa Kingdom's fleet on a tour of the East Blue, spreading the idea of the Great Unification across the region.
Those Marine Branch colonels, little emperors in their own domains, took advantage of poor communications to collude with pirates and oppress civilians.
If the Marines were so corrupt and depraved,
then Wang Shi would take charge of the Marine Branches beyond Marine Headquarters' reach!
He'd take charge of the Affiliated Nations beyond the World Government's reach!
He'd take charge even of the seas under the authority of the World Government and the Marines!
The Goa Empire had imperial authority!
Come to think of it, there had been kings who personally went to sea to fight pirates and wage war.
There was one king of an Affiliated Nation in Dressrosa who'd done just that.
Elizabello II, the man who used King Punch.
Several days later, at the Goa Kingdom's court assembly,
the kingdom's nobles and officials gaped when they heard that the new king planned to tour the East Blue and even subjugate nearby kingdoms.
After all, the Goa Kingdom had always been famous for being "peace-loving" and "beautiful and prosperous."
Wang Shi's plan was at odds with the peaceful East Blue and the Goa Kingdom.
"The Germa Kingdom rose in the North Blue. Don't any of you want to enjoy the glory of an empire?"
"Don't worry! I won't keep the empire's glory all to myself!"
"The glory of the Goa Empire is the glory of the Wang Clan, and it's the glory of all of us!"
Under Wang Shi's devilish words of motivation, a crowd of young, fervent nobles and officials emerged.
Even some of the old nobles, rigid and stubborn as they were, were deeply captivated by the imperial vision Wang Shi painted.
From "the most beautiful kingdom in the East Blue" to "the strongest empire in the East Blue."
It was an enticing thought.
If the empire expanded its borders, their noble titles and power would grow too, and their descendants could earn even more titles.
But could this new king really lead them and the Goa Kingdom to glory?
Was he just all talk, with ambitions beyond his abilities?
And would Vice Admiral Garp really stand by while the peaceful Goa Kingdom became a nation of war?
Several traditional high-ranking nobles and senior officials, who wanted nothing but stability and peace, immediately stood up in opposition.
"The Goa Kingdom is the most beautiful kingdom in the East Blue and the most peaceful nation. I will never allow you to destroy a century-old tradition!"
"Everyone, do you really want to turn our country into a nation of war?"
"Once war begins, it's hard to stop!"
"Do you trust this new king?"
"He's a demonic king who seized the throne illegitimately!"
An old duke and a second-rank official pointed at Wang Shi on the throne and began to berate him.
It was bad enough that this demonic king had killed the Outlook family and five hundred members of the Guard Army.
Now he was planning to drag the Goa Kingdom into war.
They would never allow it!
The entire court fell silent.
Every noble and official watched Wang Shi, waiting to see how the new king would "persuade" the old duke and senior government official.
"Rotten bones in a grave, and you dare stand in the way of the empire's great cause? You even dare insult me?"
Wang Shi's face darkened when he heard the two old men call his claim to the throne illegitimate.
Did they really think Queen Sally, whom he worked so hard to please night after night, wasn't of royal blood?
"I'm informing you, not asking for your approval!"
"You two have shown disrespect to your king, and I'm displeased. I sentence you to exile!"
Wang Shi's face remained impassive. He tapped the armrest of the throne with his left index finger, instantly activating the Time Domain. A transparent energy shield spread across the court.
Then he raised his right hand and snapped his fingers.
Snap.
The old duke and the second-rank official vanished on the spot.
The nobles and officials in the court were so frightened by the eerie sight that they fell silent at once.
The noble and official standing beside the old duke and the second-rank official even collapsed to the floor, terrified they might be caught up in it.
What kind of Devil Fruit power did this king have?
The Sentence of Exile?
Had those two powerful figures been banished to some unknown prison?
"Good. The noisy ones are gone."
"Now, let's plan my tour of the East Blue properly and draw up a list of the kingdoms to conquer."
Wang Shi's authoritative gaze swept across the court. He was every inch the arbitrary, despotic tyrant, his tone admitting no dissent.
But inwardly, he couldn't help thinking that the ragtag government of an East Blue kingdom seemed no match for a powerful pirate crew.
His starting point wasn't much better.
The path he'd chosen seemed pretty difficult.
Still, it was a little better than going to sea with nothing.
Once Wang Shi had set the direction, the nobles and officials hurried to flatter him and offer suggestions.
The young nobles and officials clamored to conquer every nearby kingdom and build a mighty Goa Empire.
After heated discussion and Wang Shi's decisive approval, the East Blue tour route and conquest plan were officially drawn up.
When Wang Shi saw a route through the World Government's Affiliated Nations that one of the officials had prepared, his eyes filled with delight.
It seemed that, besides a campaign in the East Blue, a tour of the Four Blues could also be put on the agenda.
Damn it!
He'd been misled by the Straw Hat Pirates' route.
All that nonsense about having to go through Reverse Mountain to reach the Grand Line.
It was all bullshit!
Reverse Mountain was only a necessary passage for pirates from the Four Blues.
Mary Geoise, on the other side of the Red Line, was also a hub where the Four Blues converged.
There was no reverse current running up Reverse Mountain on that side, and safe shipping lanes had been established through the Calm Belts on all four sides. Seastone Warships sailed those routes and escorted the ships traveling them.
These were the legal, safe routes used by the Affiliated Nations of the Four Blues to travel directly to the holy land of Mary Geoise during the Reverie.
The Affiliated Nations of the Four Blues didn't need to brave Reverse Mountain and the Paradise section of the Grand Line to reach the holy land of Mary Geoise.