After Pablo finished with the newspapers and unified them under his control, he moved to the next matter.
The Fleet.
He now had nearly one hundred and ninety-six ships. So were from the nobles who fled Sorbet, leaving their wealth behind. So were from the ships taken from gangs in Naraka. And so were from the spoils seized from the pirates of Skull Island and several other places.
Not all were warships. So were rchant vessels. So were small. But all of them were under his command.
Pablo decided to transform this diverse fleet into a unified force. Not only in terms of missions, but also in appearance. To show the identity of who was in control here.
He summoned Darin.
"Darin, I want all ships painted in a single color."
"What color?"
"Black. And I want black sails, with the family na written in white."
Darin took notes.
"Also, I will send you a design for the family emblem. It will be painted on every sail. On every known building in the nine islands. On the ports. On the warehouses. Everywhere."
"It will be done."
Pablo took a pen and paper. He began to draw.
He rembered from his previous world the Soviet Union. It had a distinctive flag. A crossed hamr and sickle. A symbol of workers and peasants.
Here, it was different.
He drew a sword crossed with a hand offering coins.
The sword symbolized power. Combat. That the Pablo Family did not hesitate to use violence when needed.
The hand offering coins symbolized money. Business. That the family also knew how to make people rich, how to improve their lives, how to pay them high salaries.
The sword and money. Power and prosperity. That was the emblem of the Pablo Family.
He looked at the drawing. He liked it. He called Darin again.
"This is the emblem. A sword and a hand offering coins, crossed. I want this on every sail. On every building. On every port. Everywhere."
Darin took the drawing. He looked at it. He nodded.
"I will begin imdiately."
---
The workshops at Sorbet Port began their work. The workers labored day and night. They sanded the wood, painted it with shiny black paint. They replaced the old sails with new black ones, bearing the na "Pablo" in white, along with the new emblem: the crossed sword and hand.
The ships were lined up at the port, waiting their turn. Warships, rchant ships, small ships. One by one, they all turned black, as if donning the family's uniform.
The sailors watched the ships transform. So were proud. So were afraid.
---
anwhile, Pablo's n moved through every island in the Eastern Coral Region.
Sorbet
In the capital, on the wall of the old royal palace (now the headquarters of the Pablo Family), workers painted a huge version of the family emblem. A crossed sword and hand, painted in white on a black background. The emblem was huge, visible from afar.
People stopped to watch. So asked: "What is that?" Another answered: "The emblem of the Pablo Family." The first asked: "Who are the Pablo Family?" The other looked at him with disdain. "Don't you know?"
First Port Island
On the facade of the main administrative building, workers painted the sa emblem. The local residents stopped to watch. They were less afraid than in Sorbet. They knew that the Pablo Family was the one that brought stability to their port after years of chaos. One said: "This emblem frightens ." Another replied: "Perhaps. But our salaries increased because of it."
Skull Island
On the forr pirate island, the scene was different. The residents were still afraid. The pirates had been killed only weeks ago. The wounds had not yet healed. When they saw the workers painting the Pablo Family emblem on the port wall, so stepped back. They wanted nothing to do with the new authority. But others approached. They were curious.
Coral Island
The pearl rchants gathered in front of the administrative building. They looked at the new emblem with neutral eyes. They had cooperated with Shigo after he killed half of them. They were not happy. The emblem was just a reminder that they were under new rule. One rchant said: "A sword and a hand offering money. It seems they know what they want." Another smiled a cold smile: "Yes. They want everything."
Shadow Island
Here, the scene was more complicated. Kuro had escaped, but his traces remained. The residents were afraid of the gang's return. When they saw the workers painting the Pablo Family emblem, so felt safe for the first ti. "This ans the gang won't return," one said. "We hope so," another replied.
Shell Island
In the region's breadbasket, the farrs looked at the new emblem with curiosity. They had seen Pablo in person when he visited the island. They had heard his promises to raise salaries. So had already begun receiving eight thousand Beli. The emblem did not frighten them. It reminded them that their lives had improved. An old man said: "A sword and a hand. Power and money. That's what we need." He smiled.
Breeze Island
On the island that had resisted fiercely, where Morris died at Arthur's hands, the residents were more cautious. They looked at the new emblem with questioning eyes.
Last Port Island
On the small port building, workers painted the emblem. The local residents were few, and they knew they had no choice. They looked at the emblem in silence. Then they returned to their work.
Another Island (a small island between Shadow and Breeze)
It was the last island to receive the emblem. The residents were curious. One asked the workers: "What is that?" The worker answered: "The emblem of the Pablo Family. They rule the region now." The man asked: "Are they good?" The worker smiled: "They doubled the farrs' salaries. Judge for yourself."
---
Three Weeks Later
After nearly three weeks of continuous work, the mission was complete.
All the ships were black. Their sails were black, bearing the na "Pablo" in white and the family emblem: the crossed sword and hand.
All nine islands of the Eastern Coral Region bore the Pablo Family emblem in their vital locations: on prominent buildings, on ports, on warehouses, at the entrances of towns.
Pablo stood on the balcony of his palace in Sorbet. He looked at the port. He saw the black fleet bobbing on the water. He saw the black sails fluttering in the wind. He saw his na and his emblem dominating the horizon.
He smiled.
The ships were not just wood and iron. They were a symbol. A symbol that this region had beco his. A ssage to everyone who saw them: These are the waters of the Pablo Family. These are the islands of the Pablo Family. This sea is ours.
He turned to Darin.
"Good work. Now, tell the captains to prepare. The fleet will begin its missions soon."
The fleet was ready. The emblem was everywhere. And the region was under his control.
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