Chapter 129: Rebellion
[January 4th, Year 128 – As a newly promoted Vice Admiral, you also participated in the military meeting of the Kingdom of Falric. After much discussion, they decided to launch a surprise attack on the Kingdom of Ruins six months later. Since Ruins is a classic inland plateau nation, you didn't take part in the war.]
[January–March, Year 128 – You didn't stay idle during this period. Under the support of the Church of the Sea God, you were given the title "Child of the Ocean and Steam." To be honest, having once been the Pirate King, you weren't particularly impressed by the title—but it did bring you a fair amount of fame. At the very least, your name became a household one in Abbott City. In your spare time, besides occasionally learning alchemy from Goodwin, you also began experimenting with replicating Devil Fruits. After you explained the effects of Devil Fruits to Goodwin, he became highly interested as well.]
[April, Year 128 – After a period of focused study and research, your mastery of alchemy and bio-alchemy reached a new level. With Goodwin's help, you discovered a way to create Devil Fruits—by developing a catalyst that could simulate Devil Factors. After several tests, you successfully produced your first Devil Fruit! Since this world doesn't contain the Pyrobloin element that suppresses Devil Fruits (i.e., Seastone), theoretically, Devil Fruits should have no natural weaknesses.]
[You gave this synthetic Devil Fruit to one of your subordinates and left it up to him whether to eat it. The result was a success: a small-time thug named Ivan Rivers transformed into a lion-man. That's right—the experiment worked! The subsequent trials also went smoothly. Ivan Rivers could swim freely in the sea, proving your hypothesis correct.]
[You began producing more Devil Fruits. Brynd Morton ate a Bird-Bird Fruit, giving him the ability to fly freely and massively boosting his combat strength. Your next goal: just like in the world of One Piece, build an army of Zoan-type Devil Fruit users.]
[Late April, Year 128 – During a routine social gathering, you met a female elf named Louisa. She looked remarkably like Anne Hathaway at the height of her beauty. Under your pursuit, she quickly surrendered and moved in with you.]
[During this time, you also read many books and learned some basic facts about this world. The Church of the Sea God, the Church of the God of War, and the Church of Night all share bitter rivalries and mutual hatred. You saw signs of this animosity as early as your second day after transmigrating, during a street brawl. This was something you might be able to use.]
[June, Year 128 – The Kingdom of Falric finally launched its war against the Kingdom of Ruins. On June 7th, Pope Schmidt IV of the Church of the Sea God came to you seeking help. You had no idea what you could possibly do for a pope.]
[June 9th, Year 128 – You met Schmidt IV for the first time in a modest church of the Sea God. He told you that he had received an oracle from the Sea God and was determined to move the Church's headquarters from the island of Lavendel in the southwest to Abbott City in order to compete with other faiths.]
[Your role was simple—just continue inventing new things and expanding the Church's influence. In return, you would receive the Church's full support. After some brief consideration, you agreed. For you, it was a small investment with a massive return—enough to make any capitalist willingly sell the rope for their own hanging. But you didn't place all your bets on the Church of the Sea God. Thanks to your relationship with Louisa, you also had ties to the Alchemy and Artisan Church, playing both sides.]
[July, Year 128 – The early stages of Falric's war went exceedingly well. They easily broke through the border and entered the heart of the Kingdom of Ruins. But resistance soon emerged. Alchemists used massive quantities of gunpowder and alchemical bombs to inflict heavy casualties on Falric's army, bringing the war to a stalemate.]
[Meanwhile, you entered a phase of rapid innovation. You improved the steam-powered textile machine, built a steam locomotive, invented the bicycle and flatbed printing press, and created and refined the screw-cutting lathe. If it weren't for the lack of rubber and silicon—or viable substitutes—you might have led the world straight into the electrical age. (Achievement unlocked: Modern Era.)]
[August, Year 128 – The warfront in Ruins showed slight improvement. Falric's advantage in flintlock rifle range allowed them to defeat Ruins' forces and occupy the southeastern Puyun Plateau. However, due to Ruins seeking aid, the Kingdom of Byron—united with Ruins in worship of the Goddess of Earth Mother/Nature—joined the war. Fierce battles erupted along the Odes River, but ultimately, Falric secured a narrow victory.]
[September–December, Year 128 – After half a year of war, both Falric and Byron had their wins and losses, with no side making decisive gains. During this time, you made two new acquaintances through Louisa: Archibald from the Church of the Earth God, and Molly Cronin, a believer of the Sun Goddess. The latter was quite attractive, but unfortunately only 17—completely off-limits for you.]
[You began to sense signs of domestic unrest. Your invention of the steam engine caused widespread unemployment among manual laborers. Combined with the ongoing war—which had dragged on for more than three years—the national economy was weakening, and the treasury was nearly empty. If you were king, you'd probably have ended the war by now.]
[January, Year 129 to April, Year 131 – Clearly, Augustine IV wasn't as wise as you. The war dragged on for a full five years with no end in sight. During this period, you received full support from the Church of the Sea God, and maintained good relations with the Alchemy and Artisan Church. You began to sense intensifying contradictions within the country. Augustine IV had poured too much money into the military, and the aging, inefficient financial system couldn't handle the national debt. An irrational tax system only made things worse. Most importantly, you noticed a hidden force in the shadows stirring up rebellion. Your strategy: sit back and wait.]
[May, Year 131 – You received orders from Augustine IV to lead a fleet and attack the Kingdom of Byron from the sea, ending the war once and for all. You sensed an opportunity—one that could elevate you to power. You gladly accepted and set sail along the southern coast of the Dillereno Sea toward Byron.]
[June, Year 131 – Just as you predicted, shortly after your departure from Abbott City, a massive rebellion broke out. Stirred by the shadowy faction, merchants and commoners formed a rebel army. You had anticipated this well in advance and had already planted Brynd Morton and Ivan Rivers among the populace. They led the charge into the royal palace. Augustine IV fled in panic, but his queen and children were lynched by an enraged mob in the city square.]
[July, Year 131 – You reached a full understanding with the Church of the Sea God and the Alchemy and Artisan Church. Returning as a "savior," you led your fleet back home. At Temple Harbor, the largest port in the Kingdom of Falric, you took a brief rest—and in full view of the public, summoned the Pluton, your flagship from the world of One Piece. When this majestic steel behemoth appeared on the sea, everyone who saw it looked at you with awe.]
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