Settsetse! The Pirate Nemesis

Upon seeing these manuals, Sett's eyes lit up—undoubtedly, what Sett lacked most right now was time. Both Hextech Crystals and Anti-Magic Stones required time for research before they could be applied. The current True Word Fleet, for example, was only using the most rudimentary technology to utilize the energy within the Hextech Crystals. This energy utilization rate, with at least 90% loss, was seen by scholars like Judge as a complete waste.

Now, both these golem manuals and the application of Hextech can greatly shorten research time—especially the key points of Hextech research and application. In the Battle of the Two Cities, Jinx relied solely on Jayce's notes to complete the application of Hextech.

While Jinx's genius is undeniable, it's undeniable that without Jayce's notes, even Jinx would have faced a long and arduous path to mastering them. Now, Sett refuses to believe that his many researchers can contribute their ideas alone. Three heads are better than one. Having them sacrifice all their hair would significantly shorten the research progress!

However, during this process, Sett also had some doubts: "System, where did these notes come from?"

"It is a concrete representation of part of the hero unit's memory."

Upon hearing this, Sett's eyes brightened slightly—if that's the case, then it's no wonder.

Filled with doubt and curiosity, Sett glanced at the books and finally chose Senator Talis's book, "Key Points of Hextech Research and Application".

Sett knew Garen, after all, he was one of the most commonly used heroes by beginners. He was tanky, dealt damage, and had a finishing move with his ultimate. Heimerdinger was a given; new players often got annoyed by his cannon turrets when they first encountered him. Durand, while not yet a hero, had a significant impact with his creations. For example, Galio and other anti-magic statues. In comparison, Councilman Talisman? Sett had never heard of him.

Opening the book to the first page, the first sentence that catches the eye is: "The taste of a dark horse is really good."

"..."

Upon seeing this sentence, Sett pondered for a moment and quickly realized who this guy called Councilor Talis was... no, he should be called Councilor Talis.

Jayce Talisman—actually, upon closer inspection, Jayce didn't do anything wrong. Although he was messing around with Black Beta while his best friend was coughing up blood, these two things were unrelated. It's just that the editing was extremely accidental, making it seem incredibly unsettling. Even Jayce's actions were just the normal hesitation and indecision of an ordinary person caught in a vortex of interests.

It's understandable that a researcher who has never been involved in politics would be embarrassed when suddenly caught up in this vortex of interests... but compared to his good brother Victor, he's just not as likable.

But Jayce's talent was undeniable—Sett glanced at it and felt a little dizzy. Although Sett could understand the words, they were confusing when put together. So he decided not to dwell on it and left it for Judge and the others to study.

Sett was pleasantly surprised by Heimerdinger's Hextech Grimoire—unlike Jayce's theory and practice, the Hextech Grimoire felt more like a Lego or Gundam assembly manual, only more hardcore, requiring a certain level of hands-on ability and knowledge. It contained, but was not limited to, numerous technological gadgets capable of automatic target acquisition or stance combat, such as the Hextech Stomp Cannon and the Hextech Automatic Rocket Launcher.

I watched it once, and although I didn't understand it, Sett still enjoyed it immensely—as mentioned before, boys often have to choose something they love from among dinosaurs, robots, and many other things as they grow up. And Sett is someone who is naturally drawn to things like mechs.

Although I don't understand it, Sett can feel that it's really cool—let them develop a few more later so I can play with them.

With that in mind, Sett opened the standard weaponry and training manual for Demacia's first shieldbearer.

Previously, he only had a basic understanding, but after watching carefully, even Sett couldn't help but be somewhat surprised by the strength of the Demacian soldiers—although in the lore, Nocasas is incredibly powerful, waging war against Demacia, Freljord, and Ionia. But if we're really going to rank them, the strongest nation is still Demacia…

In terms of lore, Demacia operates on an elite soldier model. While their numbers may be insufficient, their quality is extremely high. One Demacian soldier can essentially take on five Noxian soldiers. In addition to regular soldiers, there are also Silverwings—a unique Demacian unit that controls the air. In the lore, twelve Dragonwing Riders slaughtered over a thousand Noxian warriors, including Nocasian Dragon Lizard Riders, without suffering any casualties.

Beyond these core fighters, Demacia also possesses numerous hidden strengths such as Galio, Shyvana, and Kayle. Furthermore, due to the presence of hidden World Runes, if danger were to arise, the rogue mage Ryze would likely be among the first to appear…

The emergence of Sylas led to a decline in Demacia's reputation. But reputation aside, if we're really talking about it, while Nocas seems fierce, it's really hard to say who would win in a real fight…

In this process, Sett discovered an interesting technology—the technique of grinding anti-magic stones into powder and adding them to armor.

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Yesterday I half-did researched and half-slacked off on figuring out the timeline...it was a bit messy. I've decided to put it on hold for now. My next book will still be about Shurima x Movie/Anime. I'll put the pictures of Demacian soldiers in the bonus chapter or the comments section later.

257. Antuo Island renamed

There are quite a few differences between the magic-suppressing stone statue and Seastone. The most obvious difference is that Seastone has a hardness comparable to diamond, and apart from the special techniques of the artisans of Wano Country, it is almost impossible to destroy or forge it. Even the artisans of Wano Country can only process Seastone into nail-sized pieces at most.

As many people have said, it's absolutely impossible to make a bullet out of seastone—because at most it would be the size of a nail. In contrast, the anti-magic statue, because it is a special kind of fossilized wood, can be processed with much higher precision once the technology is mastered.

When made into a golem, it can generate a wide-range radiation that suppresses magic. When ground into powder, it can be added to armor as a special material—similarly, it can also be used as bullets to directly penetrate the body of a Devil Fruit user. It can be said that, compared to the anti-magic stone, Seastone is more durable, but it is precisely because of this excessive durability that Seastone is completely incomparable to the anti-magic stone in terms of usability.

Each of the three books has its own value—Jayce's notes deepen scholars' understanding of Hextech. Heimerdinger's manual allows for the rapid construction of the first Hextech weapons. Garen's Shieldbearer Manual helps train lower-ranking employees on Antwerp into true soldiers, and Master Durand's notes are even more valuable. Beyond armor and other weaponry, they even include the forging methods for anti-magic statues—or, to put it another way, even Galio's forging methods.

Imagine a battle raging on the sea. The situation is tense, and suddenly a voice booms from the sky, "Hi, everyone!" Immediately afterward, a colossal giant descends from the heavens, its aura instantly wiping out those with abilities. Combined with Galio's own destructive power, the mere thought of such a scene is enough to induce despair…

However, the cost is enormous. As mentioned above, a single anti-magic statue requires at least twenty units of anti-magic stones. And a large one like Galio would require nearly sixty units... Counting from the founding of Demacia, activating it would take a very long time.

Fortunately, before awakening consciousness, a statue of Galio's caliber can generate a larger-scale collective magic suppression effect; otherwise, the initial investment would be truly unbearable.

While reading, they boarded a ship—indeed, they stumbled upon it by chance on the road. Luckily, riding the ocean currents, they covered what would normally be a two-month sea voyage and returned to Antuo Island in just one month.

But then again... the name Antuo Island seems a bit too boring?

Looking at their own territory, they saw that thanks to the powerful top-level authority, Sett, the residents of Antuo Island, if they wanted to live a good life, would almost certainly not become beggars—indeed, Antuo Island has a gambling industry, but such things are inherently impossible to eradicate. Gambling is strictly prohibited, especially for the island's own residents.

Antuo Island is located at a major maritime transportation hub in the West Sea, resulting in a massive flow of passengers. Before Seti arrived, Antuo Island already had two large casinos and countless smaller ones. Although it has now been unified by Seti, due to historical reasons, the gambling industry remains the largest source of income at present.

Sett knew very well that he could never become a revolutionary... that position was too high, and because of his education in his previous life, the word "revolution" carried a particularly heavy weight in Sett's mind. More importantly, Sett had absolutely no interest in becoming a leader, and he knew he lacked the ability and energy for it.

In this situation, although the West Blue is Sett's territory, apart from Antwerp Island, the other islands remain under the control of the World Government. However, because of Sett, exorbitant taxes like those levied on celestial treasures do not exist. Antwerp Island, where Sett rose to power, has become a place similar to "Macau."

In this context, gambling is strictly prohibited by the locals of Antuo Island… Of course, playful banter among friends is fine. In fact, even without official prohibition, the locals of Antuo Island would voluntarily avoid it. After all, in this place, every day one sees people ruined and destroyed because they couldn't control their greed. Such shocking sights naturally reduce the number of gamblers… Of course, if they could join Sett's Casino, they would definitely join. After all, joining means working under Sett, guaranteeing not only personal safety but also a proper income.

After all, Sett was known for his leniency towards his subordinates—Robin was practically the boss now. Basically, if Robin agreed to something, there wasn't much of a problem, and Sett didn't bother with management matters.

The reason, as I said before, is that the individual combat power in this world is simply too terrifying.

Thinking this, Sett turned to Robin, who was working nearby, and asked, "How about giving Antuo Island a new name?"

Upon hearing Sett's question, Robin tilted her head and thought for a moment, then nodded and said, "I've thought about that too, because our real competitive advantage lies not in the name of Antuo Island, but in your very existence, Sett... Any thoughts?"

Upon hearing this, Sett shook his head and simply pursed his lips, saying, "Antuo Island is such a tacky name, it doesn't sound interesting at all."

Seeing Sett's expression, Robin nodded understandingly—she was quite relaxed around Sett. Because Robin knew Sett well; in this situation, Sett was basically just bored with his name and could easily change it. Unlike other bosses and superiors who insist on getting involved in office politics and trying to understand some nonsensical, pointless deeper meaning.

Thinking this through, Robin said frankly, "When I was discussing cooperation with the boys before, I thought about changing the name. They looked blank when I mentioned Antuo Island, and they only realized it when I mentioned the Armor Casino... Charlotte Linlin, the sea tyrant of the New World, named her territory 'Wanguo' (meaning 'All Nations'), meaning that she hoped all races could live in harmony... Perhaps we could try changing the name from that perspective."

As Robin said this, a hint of helplessness appeared in her eyes, and then, already knowing the answer, she asked, "So what about you, Sett? What are your dreams?"

"Is there even a question? We'll definitely bring everyone here for a bloody battle!"

Upon hearing Sett's answer, Robin nodded matter-of-factly—just as she had said before, she already knew the answer. Asking again was merely a formality.

"Let's call it 'Arm City' then...what do you think?"

"The City of the Armored Ones?" Upon hearing the name, Sett stroked his chin, then nodded in satisfaction and said, "Alright! From now on, it'll be called the City of the Armored Ones!"

Compared to other flashy names, Sett was quite satisfied with "City of the Arms." At least it sounded crisp and clean.

Standing up, Sett stretched and said, "It's settled then! Perfect, I've been feeling a bit bored lately. Send someone to find those Sea Emperors and tell them I want to hold a competition to see whose captain is the strongest!"

"Should we participate? And... do you want to participate?" Robin wasn't surprised by Sett's idea; she was just curious whether Sett would participate.

"Me? No way. As for us... of course we have to participate, otherwise Enel and those guys will definitely come after me and start cursing, hahaha~~"

Saying this, Sett didn't feel the slightest bit angry—Enel and the others were arrogant? No problem, that wasn't a problem in Sett's eyes. Rather, how could one become a true strongman without some personality? As for Sett himself, he had no interest in personally fighting a group of pirate officers. After all, their statuses were different. It would be too beneath him to personally deal with such minor characters.

"You're not participating?" Upon hearing this, Robin's eyes showed a hint of surprise, and then she said, "If you're not participating... then what's the point of you organizing this?"

"Let's see which one is stronger," Sett said matter-of-factly. "If the officers are strong, the boss must be even stronger. Let's see whose officers are the strongest, and after we're done fighting, we'll go and cause that guy some trouble."

Hearing this, Robin was somewhat speechless, but considering that the person in front of her was Sett, she wasn't too surprised.

"We can give it a try... If we can successfully host it, we can also quietly expand the influence of Antuo... Armor City. However, there is one thing: the Whitebeard Pirates have been caught up in some public opinion recently, so extending an invitation might lead to unexpected developments."

As she spoke, Robin handed over the prepared documents—yes, it was all because of Whitebeard Jr.'s sudden death. Along with the release of footage from Impel Down, the image of Sett beheading Whitebeard Jr. also circulated. Especially noteworthy was the scene at Marine Headquarters, where a reporter happened to capture Sett instructing Kizaru to hand over the head to Zephyr.

Although Whitebeard never acknowledged that Whitebeard Jr. was his son, even if Whitebeard Jr. had simply claimed to be Whitebeard's son, the negative impact would have been extremely severe... At the very least, the Whitebeard Pirates' attitude towards Sett has now shifted from friendly to indifferent.

Of course, Sett didn't care about any of that—in fact, he was somewhat looking forward to Whitebeard coming and fighting. After all, if they delayed any longer, Whitebeard might get too old…

Just then, accompanied by the clatter of high heels, Tina, with a lollipop in her mouth, said, "The World Government has arrived."

258. Pacifists

"The World Government has arrived?"

Hearing Tina's words, Sett raised an eyebrow with a hint of amusement, his eyes showing a touch of curiosity.

Because of her profession, although Tina is now a resident of Armor City, her responsibilities remain those of a Navy captain—simply put, she's the police chief of Armor City. Occasionally, she also acts as a diplomat, handling liaison with the World Government.

Despite his independence, Sett did not sever ties with the World Government or similar bodies—this world is driven by self-interest, especially for someone as powerful as Sett. He can reap enormous benefits simply by virtue of his strength, without even having to pay a price.

It's foolish not to make money when it's free, especially when it's just free money.

Seeing Sett's question, Tina nodded and said, "It seems like they're here to test something."

"test?"

Upon hearing Tina's words, Sett's curiosity intensified. Tina, somewhat exasperated by Sett's curiosity, rubbed her temples and finally said simply, "Never mind, it's too much trouble to explain. Just see for yourself."

"Hmm~"

Upon hearing Tina's words, Sett nodded and followed Tina outside.

Inside the area, besides the World Government staff at the head, there was a group of burly men, each about four meters tall, completely shrouded in black robes. Although they were covered in black robes, Sett could sense a similar aura and vigorous life force. Sett wasn't alone. Or perhaps the World Government's visit was somewhat special, and for security reasons, Tina had summoned Fujitora, Enel, and others to guard the area.

Looking over, the CP0 agent in the lead, wearing a peculiar mask, said, "Hello, Mr. Sett. I greet you on behalf of Lord Im."

Upon hearing the agent's words, not only Sett, but everyone present showed a strange glint in their eyes. Even Enel, a proud and arrogant man, couldn't help but narrow his eyes after hearing Im's name—Sett wasn't the only one renowned in the Holy Land of Mary Geoise. Im, who made his final appearance, blocked Sett's finishing move, and nearly killed him, also became the center of discussion among the great pirates.

Of course, this only applies to the great pirates—if Sett is discussed by everyone from top to bottom, then only the upper echelons would notice the name Im.

This is understandable; after all, Sett, as the absolute protagonist of the Mary Geoise massacre, naturally attracts attention. Im, however, is different—before this, people largely believed that the Five Elders were the decision-makers for the World Government. Now, Im's existence has undoubtedly shattered the perceptions of pirates, rebels, and even some member states of the World Government.

It's important to know that the live broadcast was conducted worldwide. Although not everyone saw it at the same time due to the speed, everyone who watched it remembered the image of the Five Elders guarding the throne.

No one is allowed to ascend the World Government's throne. It is where the weapons of the Twenty Kings stand, representing absolute equality. And there is no doubt that Im sat upon that throne. Even the final attack unleashed terrifying power—if it weren't for the asymmetry of intelligence and information, Sett would likely already be beheaded, becoming Vegapunk's experimental subject.

Sett's appearance signifies the emergence of another independent "overlord" on the seas, alongside the World Government and the Emperors. However, Im's appearance suggests that the World Government may be hiding an even greater secret... Indeed, Sett is very strong. This is universally acknowledged on the seas. Even the World Government admits Sett's power, and thus swallows its pride. But let's not forget, the World Government has ultimately ruled this world for a century.

The accumulated power and influence in people's hearts are not something that one or two people can compare to... With hundreds of years of treasures, no one knows what else the World Government is hiding.

Although there had been contact with the World Government before, Tina had always handled those matters. This was Sett's first direct conversation with a World Government envoy since the Mary Geoise massacre—not counting Spandam.

“Im…”

Upon hearing this name, Sett stroked his chin—he acknowledged Im's power. Im's deliberate punch had already reached over 3600% of its power level. Even the impact of just the splash damage would be at least 500%.

Before this, Sett's strongest punch was only about 150% of its destructive power when he clashed with Shanks—of course, this also takes into account that Sett hadn't yet mastered Conqueror's Haki at that time, as well as his skeletal weaknesses.

Even disregarding all these factors, Sett must say that Im truly deserves to be the World Government's hidden ultimate boss—according to Sett's estimation, even after mastering Conqueror's Haki Entanglement, Sett would need at least 400% of his Grit to potentially use it as a finishing move to kill Im with a single punch.

This alone demonstrates Im's immense power.

"He's a worthy opponent." Sett waved his hand, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "And please tell him that the next battle won't end so abruptly—hopefully~"

"..." Upon hearing Sett's words, the agent beside him nodded quietly after a moment of silence and said, "Okay."

Clearly, the agents had received instructions beforehand, such as not to clash with Sett—just like Rob Lucci.

Rob Lucci stood silently beside Enel and the others, observing from a distance.

Although they were agents of the World Government, Sett didn't care about their origins. The same went for Robin—in Robin's eyes, whether they were agents or not was unimportant; what mattered was people's curiosity about CP9. This meant that former CP9 agents like Rob Lucci naturally possessed extraordinary popularity—with Sett's return, a series of expansion plans for Sett's Casino were put on the agenda. Furthermore, CP9's training methods could quickly inject new life into Sett's Casino.

"Is that a junior member of CP9? They disappeared after Impel Down, I didn't expect them to come here too."

Seemingly realizing that Sett's personality wasn't as bad as the rumors suggested, the agent's words became more lively.