Arrangements on Cologne Island

On the beach.

Dill saw the brig from Cologne Island, along with Brandon, whom he had not seen in a long time.

"You're leading the team this time?"

"That's right, boss."

Brandon wore a black suit and sunglasses, and grinned, showing a mouthful of gleaming white teeth.

"It's been almost a month. I missed you so much-hic!"

Dill took two steps back and waved away the smell of alcohol with a look of disgust.

"Cut the flattery. Who else came with you?"

Brandon fell headfirst onto the beach.

Dill: "..."

"Sorry, boss. He just had a few drinks."

The blond Geno hurried over and bowed apologetically, then called to the people behind him:

"Carry this guy away. Don't let him touch a drop of alcohol until we get back to Cologne Island!"

Geno was the actual leader of this operation. Brandon was simply, simply talking nonsense with alcohol going to his head.

"Boss, fifteen people came along this time. Ten of them are our people."

"Our people," of course, meant those who had been hypnotized and could be trusted completely.

Dill nodded. He had specifically arranged this as well. The remaining five would soon become trustworthy people too.

"Then don't stand around. Have someone deliver the apples to the tribe."

"Yes, boss!"

While the others got to work, Dill took Geno into a room to catch up on recent developments.

"The school you mentioned has been built. It mainly teaches basic literacy, reading, and writing, but not many children are willing to attend."

Geno scratched the back of his head and gave a somewhat embarrassed smile.

"After all, as you know, although we're called the Public Security Bureau now, we used to be a gang. A lot of parents think enrolling in this school means becoming a gang recruit."

"There's no rush. It doesn't matter if we subsidize it a little at first. Waive all fees and provide room and board."

Dill tapped rhythmically on the table with one hand and propped up his chin with the other.

"With such generous terms, someone will send their children eventually. Move on to the next item."

"All right. The town newspaper is just getting started. Mayor Karin has already sent people to other islands to contact printing houses."

"We haven't found anyone suitable for the comics you mentioned. There's no one with the relevant skills nearby."

"The rumor campaign has been ongoing. Since you caused such a commotion earlier, that part has been going relatively smoothly."

Geno took a wanted poster out of his clothes and lifted his head and chest, looking rather proud.

"And the wanted poster from a while back has made our rumor campaign go much more smoothly.

"I'm confident that in less than three years, you'll become the most terrifying legend on Cologne Island. Everyone will believe you're omnipotent."

"There's no need for omnipotence."

Dill waved a hand. Omnipotence was far too vast an ability.

"I'll give you a list of abilities later. Try to steer things in that direction."

"Have you located the World Economy News Paper's West Blue branch?"

If he could not find Morgans, a branch chief would do.

"Well, we found it, but it might be a little different from what you imagined."

Geno took out another photograph. It showed an enormous Den Den Mushi.

"All the news in West Blue is gathered here, then transmitted to the newspaper's headquarters by this giant Den Den Mushi.

"There's no branch chief, just a group of clerks responsible for filtering out boring news."

Dill pinched the bridge of his nose, then waved a hand.

"That's all for now. You can go."

"Yes, boss!"

Geno bowed and left the room, leaving Dill sitting alone behind the desk, pondering something.

Cologne Island was his base of operations. According to his plans, it would become the place that hated Kali Dill most.

The school would tell the children how evil he was and how extraordinary his powers were.

It would also teach the children some knowledge, making them excellent rank-and-file employees once they grew up.

Terrifying legends about him would circulate on the island.

All kinds of comics and novels featuring him as the villain would be sent from Cologne Island to every corner of the world.

Of course, whether in novels or comics, he would ultimately be defeated by a righteous hero.

Promoting the spirit of the World Government, after all.

If the protagonist of the story stood on the side of justice, it would spread more easily, and the World Government would not ask too many questions.

His depictions in these novels and comics would possess all kinds of abilities. Add "based on true events" at the end, and someone would believe it.

Just as plenty of people in the real world still believed Ultraman actually existed.

Novels required a certain foundation of literacy, and that audience was less likely to believe things so readily.

That was why he was mainly looking for comic artists.

He had a dream: to draw a hero comic that would sweep the world, one that even little children could easily understand!

"What are you hiding in here for?"

Robin suddenly poked her head through the doorway and beckoned.

"We need to get going too. We're heading to the tribe to turn those women back."

"All right, coming."

Dill stood up lazily, ready to follow Robin to the Morisou Tribe.

Now that the toxin was gone, the men who had turned into women naturally needed to be changed back.

Most of the patients were weak all over and had difficulty moving, so Dill had to go treat them himself.

The treatment was not complicated. Women only needed to be fed a bite of apple, while men required the additional step of having the green disc placed on their foreheads for one minute.

The children needed to eat apples too.

This muscle-dissolving toxin would lie dormant in the body until muscle mass reached a certain level, at which point it would take effect.

Children did not have enough muscle mass, but they would grow up eventually, so preventive measures were necessary.

The elderly had no such need. Their muscles would only weaken with age, leaving almost no chance of the condition developing.

Because of the island's prevailing attitudes, quite a few actual women tried to become men during treatment.

Sally assisted from the side, identifying which women were actually men and putting an end to their hopes.

By giving away Morisou's Favor, she had already become a sinner of the Moriju Clan. Offending a few more people did not matter.

Besides, she did not intend to stay here.

"You're leaving?"

Somewhat surprised, Hina tilted her head up and asked in confusion:

"What about the people here?"

Sally was still the chief of the Moriju Clan.

She pursed her lips and looked toward the men who had already been changed back, a hint of dejection in her expression.

"Now that the men have changed back, the position of chief will naturally be handed over to a man."

"If I stay here, we'll probably end up splitting apart all over again."

The hardliners led by Greber would attempt to execute her, the sinner who had given away Morisou's Favor.

Those loyal to her, led by Sharin and the others, would oppose them.

Solving this problem was simple. She only needed to beg Dill to kill Greber and the others now.

But she was unwilling to slaughter her own people, and equally unwilling to see the Moriju Clan split apart again.

"Rather than that, I might as well leave. If anyone still wants to kill me, they can sail out to find me!"

She smiled and reached out to ruffle Hina's hair, while pointing someone out.

"Lord Dill, she's lying to you. She was a woman to begin with."

The woman about to receive Morisou's Favor raised her head and glared at Sally with hatred.

"Hina, do you know why we can't let these people become men?"

Ignoring her glare entirely, Sally crouched down and spoke to Hina.

"Because these women who become men will oppress other women twice as hard.

"They'll think, 'I've already become a man. If I don't bully other women, wouldn't that mean I changed for nothing?'

"There were three women before who decided to have one of them become a man first..."

"Hey, hey, hey, stop whispering over there."

Dill waved a hand, interrupting Sally.

"This is the last one, Greber. Whether to change him back is up to you."

"Yes, of course. If possible, please let me change him back myself."

Sally stepped forward, took Morisou's Favor from Dill, and placed it on Greber's forehead with a smile.

"Greber, if you want to punish a sinner like me,

"Then lead the tribe out of the forest and onto the seas."