"Robin, Reiju, during the war, you will serve as the commander-in-chief of the Third Army."
Lynch knew that commanding 100,000 troops was no easy task, and while both Robin and Reiju had exceptional leadership abilities, even he felt some concern.
So, instead of choosing just one, he paired them together.
"We understand, husband." Robin and Reiju responded solemnly.
Reiju, in particular, was determined to prove herself not just as a leader, but as a way to atone for her father's disappearance without a word.
"Kakashi, Uchiha Mikoto, Garrett, you will lead the Fourth Army."
"Yakushi Kabuto, Chōji, Ino you will command the Fifth Legion."
Lynch scanned the crowd, casually ignoring the three great emperors brimming with enthusiasm.
Relying on those three troublemakers Tom, Jerry, and Spike to lead an army?
That would be a disaster waiting to happen.
Some people were simply not meant to be leaders.
Take Kuina, for example. She was a martial arts prodigy, a genius with a blade but expecting her to command an army? That would be nothing short of cruel.
Lynch took a brief pause before continuing.
"Doflamingo, you will be the commander of the Sixth Army."
"As ordered!" The response was unified and firm.
Even Doflamingo, usually smug and carefree, carried a rare look of seriousness.
Lynch had considered whether it was wise to use Doflamingo.
If the man defected mid-battle, it would be a disaster. But in the end, Lynch chose to trust his own judgment.
"Sister Gion, I'm entrusting you with the position of deputy commander-in-chief. While I'm away, I need you to oversee everything."
The highest authority had to go to the person he trusted the most.
Gion responded with just two calm words: "Don't worry."
"Shikamaru, you'll serve as the general staff officer."
"Yes, sir!" Shikamaru accepted the order with respect.
If Lynch wanted to, he could expand his army to two million in minutes. But in real war, numbers weren't everything.
Better to have fewer soldiers than too many.
"Alright, I've said everything I needed to on time. Dismissed, go make your preparations."
With that, the preliminary war meeting ended. Everyone moved quickly.
Some rushed off to draft battle plans, others went straight to their troops to get familiar with their men.
As for Kuina? She simply went back to practicing her swordsmanship.
Even Robin and his wives couldn't stay with Lynch—they had their own tasks to handle.
Everyone was busy.
Before long, only Lynch and the three Great Emperors remained in the hall.
Tom, Jerry, Spike.
"Damn it, you three aren't leaving me alone?"
With one in each hand, Lynch grabbed the three troublemakers and tossed them into the lab to serve as assistants.
He wasn't idle either. As always, before facing a powerful enemy, he spent all the points he had saved.
The last time he used faith points was over half a year ago. Since then, he had accumulated an astonishing seven million points.
He opened the [God's Kingdom] interface.
The familiar three branches appeared: [Technology], [Combat], [People's Livelihood].
Each branch had icons representing advancements, and only by unlocking the previous icon could he access the next.
Under [Technology], two icons were already lit: [Brass Technology] and [Steam Age].
Beyond [Steam Age] was a new, unlit icon—[Weather Technology].
[Weather Technology : Unlocking this will introduce advanced weather technology in the West Blue, leading to the emergence of numerous weather experts. The effects will last for approximately six months to a year. Cost: Six million faith points.]
Lynch's eyelid twitched violently at the price.
This was exactly why he had only unlocked one upgrade since gaining access to [God's Kingdom].
It was insanely expensive!
No doubt, the system was incredibly effective—West Blue's rapid development was proof of that. In just a few years, it had caught up with and even surpassed 800 years of the World Government's progress in many areas.
The value was undeniable. The potential was limitless.
A single purchase could change the world forever.
And yet, Lynch still couldn't wrap his head around the final stages of [God's Kingdom].
Would it really become a true Kingdom of God?
It was powerful. It was worth it. But it was also painfully expensive.
His heart clenched every time he saw the price.
[Brass Technology] had cost 2 million faith points.
[Steam Age] had jumped to 4 million.
Now, [Weather Technology] demanded 6 million.
The system always maintained a value-for-money standard, and Lynch had no doubt this upgrade was worth the cost.
But that didn't change one simple fact—he was broke.
It wasn't the system's fault for being expensive.
It was just so expensive that he couldn't afford it.
Buying it would leave him with only one million points.
The real issue was that [Weather Technology] would take six months to a year to fully take effect.
Kaido and Big Mom would arrive in just a few months. There was no time to waste on something that wouldn't help immediately.
Lynch decisively put it on hold.
He would wait until he conquered North Blue and had more faith points to spare.
Instead, he turned his attention to [Battle].
The [Strong as an Ox] upgrade was already unlocked. But right behind it was something even better—[Imperial Warrior].
[Imperial Warrior : Your soldiers will see you as their guiding sun. Their perseverance will greatly increase, and the more injured they are, the fiercer they will fight. At maximum, they can unleash 150% of their strength. Cost: 2 million faith points.]
With a war involving millions on the horizon, this upgrade was too good to ignore.
It would boost morale, resilience, and combat effectiveness—all while making soldiers fight harder even when wounded.
Lynch didn't hesitate.
"Buy! Must buy!"
For once, he didn't feel the sting of spending.
If it meant fewer casualties and stronger troops, then two million faith points were a small price to pay.
With a wave of his hand, faith point were gone.
The moment [Imperial Warrior] was activated, a chain reaction swept across West Blue.
At that exact instant, everyone felt something awaken deep within them—an unfamiliar surge of strength and willpower. It was as if a prehistoric force had stirred inside their bodies and minds.
But no one could quite explain it.
Then, chaos erupted.
Hospitals were suddenly overwhelmed as soldiers and civilians alike rushed in, confused and shaken by the strange sensation.
Robin, caught off guard by the mass influx of patients, immediately assumed the worst—a large-scale poisoning.
It was too widespread, too sudden. An entire population poisoned at once? Unbelievable.
She didn't even have time to put on her stockings. Bare-legged, shoes hastily thrown on, she rushed straight to find Lynch.
Meanwhile, Luffy arrived as well, using his Fruit's ability to vault over rooftops. Sweat dampened his forehead as he landed.
Lynch, realizing what had happened, touched his nose awkwardly.
"Uh… yeah. That was me."
Robin, still catching her breath, froze.
A second later, a delicate hand suddenly sprouted from the floor.
"Hiss—! That hurts!" Lynch sucked in a sharp breath.
Robin, using her Flower-Flower Fruit, rolled her eyes at him, clearly exasperated.
Her voice was sweet yet scolding as she pouted:
"Next time, can you warn me first? The entire hospital is in chaos!"
Lynch, rubbing his sore arm, chuckled sheepishly.
"Yeah, yeah, sory my bad."
After Lynch apologized, Robin snorted and withdrew her Flower-Flower Fruit ability.
With her stepping in to explain, the chaos quickly settled.
Meanwhile, as [Imperial Warrior] lit up, a new upgrade became available—[Weapon Master].
.
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TO BE CONTINUED
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