On the beach.
Dier saw the double-masted sailing ship from Colon Island, along with Brandon, whom he hadn't seen in a long time.
"So you're leading this trip."
"That's right, boss!"
Brandon was dressed in a black suit, wearing sunglasses, and flashed a wide grin with his bright white teeth:
"Almost a month without seeing you—I missed you so much, burp~"
Dier took two steps back, waving away the alcohol fumes with a look of disgust:
"Enough with the flattery. Who else came besides you?"
Brandon face-planted onto the sand.
Dier: "..."
"Sorry, boss, he just had a few drinks."
The blond-haired Geno hurried over, bowing apologetically before turning to bark orders behind him:
"Carry this guy away! Not a single drop of alcohol until we're back on Colon Island!"
Geno was actually the leader of this operation—Brandon was just spouting drunken nonsense.
"Boss, there are fifteen people in the crew this time, ten of whom are ours."
The so-called "ours" naturally referred to those who had undergone hypnosis and could be completely trusted.
Dier nodded. This was his deliberate arrangement—the remaining five would soon become trustworthy as well.
"Then don't wait around. Have the apples delivered to the tribe."
"Right away, boss!"
...
The rest of the crew got busy, while Dier took Geno into a room to get an update.
"The school you mentioned has been built. It mainly teaches basic reading and writing, but not many children are willing to attend."
Geno scratched the back of his head, smiling awkwardly:
"Well, you know how it is. Even though we're now called the Public Safety Department, we used to be a gang. Most parents think enrolling their kids means signing them up as gangster trainees."
"No rush. Losing money in the early stages is fine—make everything free, including food and lodging."
Dier tapped the table rhythmically with one hand while resting his chin on the other.
"With conditions that generous, someone will eventually send their kids. Next item."
"Got it. As for the Town Newspaper, it's just getting started. Mayor Colleen has already sent people to contact printing houses on other islands."
"We haven't found the right person for the comic stories you mentioned. There aren't any suitable talents nearby."
"The rumor-spreading work has been ongoing. Thanks to your earlier... spectacular performance, that part's going smoothly."
Geno pulled out a Wanted Poster from his pocket, puffing his chest with a hint of pride:
"And thanks to the recent wanted posters, our rumor campaign has gotten even easier."
"I'm confident that within three years, you'll become the most terrifying legend on Colon Island—everyone will believe you're omnipotent."
"I don't need to be omnipotent."
Dier waved his hand. "Omnipotence" was too broad a concept.
"I'll give you an Ability Chart later. Guide the rumors in that direction instead."
"Have you found the West Blue branch of the World Economic News Paper?"
If Morgans couldn't be found, even a branch manager would do.
"Well... we did find it, but it's not quite what you expected."
Geno pulled out another photo—this one showing a massive Den Den Mushi.
"All news from the West Blue gets gathered here, then transmitted to the main office via this giant Den Den Mushi."
"The branch doesn't have a manager—just a bunch of clerks filtering out the boring news."
Dier pinched the bridge of his nose and waved his hand dismissively.
"That's all for now. You may leave."
"Right away, boss!"
Geno bowed deeply before exiting the room, leaving Dier alone behind the desk, lost in thought.
Colon Island was his stronghold, and according to his vision, it would become the place most hostile toward Kali Dier.
Schools would teach children about how evil and formidable he was, while also imparting knowledge that would mold them into ideal future employees.
Terrifying legends about him would spread across the island.
Comics and novels casting him as the villain would be distributed worldwide from Colon Island.
Of course, in these stories—whether novels or comics—he would always be defeated by the righteous hero in the end.
All in the spirit of promoting the World Government's ideals.
If the protagonist was on the side of justice, the stories would spread more easily, and the World Government wouldn't ask too many questions.
These novels and comics would depict him with all sorts of fantastical powers, and at the end, a line would be added: "Based on true events." There would always be people who believed it.
Just like how many in the real world still believed Ultraman was real.
Novels required a certain level of literacy, and that demographic was less likely to believe things blindly.
So his main focus was on recruiting comic artists.
He had a dream—to create a hero comic that would take the world by storm, one so simple even children could understand it!
"What are you holed up in here for?"
Robin suddenly peeked in from the doorway and waved at him.
"We're heading out too—to the Forest Village to turn those women back."
"Alright, coming."
Dier lazily stood up, ready to follow Robin to the Forest Village.
Now that the toxin had dissipated, the men who had turned into women naturally needed to be restored.
Most of the patients were too weak to move, so Dier had to go treat them personally.
The treatment wasn't complicated. Women only needed a bite of an apple, while men had an extra step—placing a Green Disc on their foreheads for a minute.
Children also needed to eat apples.
The muscle-dissolving toxin would lie dormant in the body until muscle mass reached a certain threshold before activating.
Children didn't have enough muscle mass yet, but since they would grow, prevention was necessary.
The elderly didn't need it—their muscles would only deteriorate with age, making the toxin practically harmless.
Due to the island's culture, many actual women had tried to turn into men during the treatment process.
Sally assisted by identifying which "women" were actually men, crushing their hopes.
She had already committed a crime against the Forest Follower Tribe by giving away the Favor of the Forest. Offending a few more people didn't matter.
Besides, she had no intention of staying.
"You're leaving?"
Hina looked up in surprise.
"What about the people here?"
Sally was still the chief of the Forest Follower Tribe.
She pursed her lips, glancing at the men who had already been restored, her expression tinged with resignation.
"Now that the men are back, the position of chief will naturally be handed over to one of them."
"If I stayed, it would probably just lead to another split."
The hardliners, led by Gleiber, would try to execute her for giving away the Favor of the Forest.
Meanwhile, those loyal to her—like Sharlene and others—would resist.
The solution to this problem was simple—just beg Dier to kill Gleiber and the others now.
But she couldn't bear to slaughter her own kin, nor did she want to see the Forest Follower Tribe split apart again.
"Rather than that, I might as well just leave. If anyone still wants to kill me, they can come find me at sea!"
She smiled, reaching out to ruffle Hina's hair while pointing out:
"Lord Dier, she's lying to you. She was always a woman."
The woman about to receive the Favor of the Forest looked up with hatred burning in her eyes, glaring fiercely at Sally.
"Hina, do you know why we can't let these people become men?"
Sally completely ignored her gaze, crouching down to speak to Hina:
"Because women who become men will oppress other women twice as hard;
They'll think, 'Since I've become a man, if I don't bully other women, wasn't this transformation wasted?'
There were three women before who decided to let one of them become a man first..."
"Hey hey hey, stop whispering over there,"
Dier waved his hand to interrupt Sally,
"This is the last one—Gleiber. Whether to change him back depends on your choice."
"Change him, of course we'll change him. If possible, let me be the one to do it."
Sally stepped forward, took the Favor of the Forest from Dier's hand, and placed it on Gleiber's forehead, smiling:
"Gleiber, if you want to punish this sinner that is me,
Then lead the tribe out of the forest and march toward the sea."