After a hearty meal and enough revelry, the crew members lay down on the ground and fell into a deep sleep.
As for Sage, he had the night watchmen move tents out from the Black Ship.
The supplies seized from the Royal Palace and various Warships included camping equipment. Although they were just simple tents, the items inside were quite luxurious.
The Deep Forest Kingdom may not have much money, but they managed to acquire some decent furs, which were perfect for making beds inside the tents.
Sage, after all, was going to be the local lord; how could he sleep like his subordinates? Even while camping, he had to be treated differently!
So, after setting up a large tent, three smaller tents were erected nearby. As the crew members slept on the ground, they rotated with the starry sky above, transitioning from night to dawn.
Sage was awakened by a delightful aroma.
This time, he slept more soundly than usual. Using 'Life Return' indeed consumed energy, which could not be replenished by eating alone; rest was necessary for recovery.
After a refreshing sleep, he fully recovered. He lifted the tent flap and saw Marika already preparing food.
In a huge pot, there was a stew made from the animals hunted the night before, enriched with apples and some honey dates, its rich aroma whetting the appetite.
"Ah, Captain, are you awake? I was going to have someone call for you. Please wait a moment; breakfast will be ready soon," Marika smiled.
"Where did this big pot come from?" Sage asked. "Did Letty make it?"
"Yes, since we have to feed hundreds of people, I thought a large pot was quite necessary," Marika replied with a smile.
They didn't waste the Shackles; Renetia melted them down. At least it was iron, and they didn't want to waste it. Since Marika needed a pot, they made a large iron pot, saving the remaining materials for future repairs when iron was needed.
"Let me assign some people to help you. Even if you enjoy this alone, when hosting a banquet, we shouldn't keep people waiting too long. It's also a good opportunity to train some cooks," Sage said.
With around six hundred people, although their resolve was strong, not everyone liked to fight. Being able to fight and wanting to fight were two different things; some might prefer to be cooks. Of course, those who wanted to fight could also take on that role.
Those with special status on the ship could receive a bit more loot than ordinary fighters.
"Ah, then I'll start selecting people shortly," Marika nodded with a smile.
While waiting for the stew to finish cooking, a group enjoyed breakfast on the Island, filling wooden barrels with enough fresh water before returning to the ship.
Upon arriving at an Island, they naturally had to search carefully for anything useful.
In addition to fresh water and leftover meat, they also cut down enough wood on the Island for future use, especially regarding food. On average, ten Pirates managed to kill a wild beast; although their size was normal, it still provided some meat.
After all, with hundreds of people to feed, relying solely on stored supplies could lead to trouble if they encountered any mishaps at sea and couldn't reach the next town.
Thus, upon reaching an Island, they had to gather some supplies.
Being a Pirate meant weathering storms and hardships; until they had their own territory, they were all struggling.
With their current size, robbing ordinary towns was no longer viable. Traditionally, they would select a location as a temporary base and send Pirates out in batches to look for merchant ships to rob.
But Sage couldn't do that now. Having just defeated the Bridge Kingdom and encountered Garp, this matter was bound to attract attention. In the East Sea, they would eventually be hunted down; it was better to push into the Grand Line.
After all, that place was filled with Pirates, and diving in headfirst was just the way of things; the Navy wouldn't go all out against him. But in the East Sea, he stood out, drawing the attention of the headquarters and the entire East Sea.
In simple terms, the East Sea wouldn't allow someone as formidable as him to exist!
The longer he stayed, the more troublesome it would become.
Sage headed towards the Death Star Ship, and at that moment, Renetia, covered in paint, appeared at the ship's railing, waving at him.
The black canvas had transformed dramatically, its blackness resembling a night sky, adorned with numerous star patterns, like a starry sky.
Beneath the starry sky, a faint skull pattern loomed, occupying the entire expanse, as if the skull was overshadowing the stars.
"A flag?" Sage was taken aback.
"Hehe! I designed the Pirate Flag! Isn't it great? Since it's a Natural Disaster, it must be related to the sky. The skull hidden among the stars signifies disaster!"
Renetia proudly lifted her little head and said, "This is the Pirate Crew flag I designed!"
Her expression seemed to be waiting for Sage to compliment her.
Lily, who was nearby, whispered, "She woke up early to design the flag. I suggested using the starry sky as the theme since you often look at the stars."
Pointing at the sky, she mentioned that the Death Star was shining, which fit perfectly.
A Pirate Crew couldn't be without a Pirate Flag. Now that they had enough members and a name for the crew, it was time to have a corresponding Pirate Flag.
"Not bad."
Sage glanced at the flag hanging from the mast and nodded in satisfaction as he boarded the ship.
These were good subordinates.
The essence of being a lord is to let the subordinates handle the affairs below while he enjoys the benefits.
Although they hadn't yet successfully established a stable territory, they were almost there!
Being a Pirate was indeed the right choice!
"Set sail!"
Standing on the deck, Sage waved grandly, "Let's head straight to the Grand Line and aim for the New World!"
"Oh!!"
On the deck, the prepared Pirates cheered, and under Lily's command, they hoisted the sails and set off from the Island, heading towards the Upside Down Mountain according to the sea chart.
With around six hundred people, some had been Pirates before, but the number was small. However, this wasn't a big issue; operating a ship wasn't that complicated. With old hands teaching the newcomers and plenty of practical experience, everyone quickly learned how to operate the ship, eliminating the need for Renetia to use her abilities to drive the ship constantly.
In addition to relying on the sails, they had an extra power system that combined steam and manpower. Generally, it required either boiling water or manual pedaling. Renetia could forcibly use her abilities, but it consumed a lot of stamina.
When they escaped from the Bridge Kingdom, Renetia had already exhausted quite a bit of energy, as driving such a large ship solely with her abilities was no simple task.
Fortunately, the Doghead Warship didn't pursue them; otherwise, they wouldn't have known how to escape.
Now, half the crew was capable of operating the ship.
The remaining subordinates could be recruited gradually.
"Sage, if we're going to the Upside Down Mountain, should we make some repairs nearby?"
In the third-floor meeting room, Lily pointed at a sea chart, indicating the location of the Upside Down Mountain and a nearby Island. "According to the chart, there's a town here."