Chapter 45: Seeking Follow-up Reads! The World Government's Annual Report!
Inside the Room of Authority, Im was reading the Annual Report that the Five Elders had just delivered, the full title being the 'World Government Marine Calendar 1497 Annual Work Report'.
To be honest, his former self wouldn't have even looked at this kind of thing, because to him, both the World Government and the Celestial Dragons were merely tools to control the entire World.
He firmly believed that relying on his own Strength and the 'National Treasure' in his hands was enough to suppress the entire Great Sea.
The key is that this new Im is not like that. As a Transmigrator, he is very clear about the importance of tools. His own Strength is important, but making the tools easier to use doesn't conflict with the former, does it?
Therefore, the purpose of this Report was to first understand the specific Situation of the tools in his hands.
The Report contained a lot of content. Im counted a full fifty or sixty pages. Even so, he could only patiently read through them page by page.
The entire process took over three hours, because while reading, he was also thinking, occasionally stopping to reread several times.
To be honest, it was quite dry, but with his work experience from his Previous Life, it wasn't difficult. Coupled with the constant reminder in his Heart that these were all his own Influence/Power and Industries, he was full of Excitement.
"Hoo—"
Finally, Im finished reading the last page of the Report. While placing it on the Coffee Table, he let out a long breath.
It wasn't that his Body was particularly tired; after all, with his Strength, this amount of work was insignificant. It was just that the Information Volume received was quite large.
As mentioned before, his former self didn't look at these things at all, so the content written in the Report was basically unfamiliar information to him. Moreover, the sheer scale of the World Government was far beyond what his previous small company could compare to.
Overall, the few areas he was most concerned about were now clear, giving him a relatively concrete understanding of the World Government.
First, regarding finances, the total income last year was 784.3 billion Berry. The main income came from the Heavenly Tribute paid by Affiliated Countries, with some secondary channels adding up to about 300 billion Berry.
Currently, the World Government has over 170 Affiliated Countries under its banner. According to regulations, each Nation must submit 3 billion Berry.
This means that, including the income from secondary channels, there should be 810 billion Berry annually!
But only 784.3 billion Berry was received.
This indicates that some Nations did not submit the Heavenly Tribute or submitted only a portion of it, resulting in a deficit of nearly 25.7 billion Berry.
According to previous years' practices, the World Government would rebuke the Nations that paid less and demand that the deficit be made up next year. Nations that didn't pay would be given a one-year deadline.
If they still don't submit the Heavenly Tribute the following year, the Army would be dispatched to escort all Citizens of that Nation, including the Royalty and Nobility, to 'Tequila Wolf' in the East Blue, also known as the Laborer's Country or the Bridge on the Sea, to build the Great Bridge for a lifetime.
As for the Nations that paid less earlier, if they don't make up the deficit in the second year, the Royalty would have to be replaced!
"This won't do, it can't continue like this."
Im pondered while leaning on the soft Sofa. In his opinion, this issue was very important, and its importance was not much less than the Slave Trade.
3 billion Berry annually per Affiliated Country is nothing significant for large, wealthy Nations like Alabasta, Fish-Man Island, Dressrosa, and Gothic Kingdom. Even Drum Kingdom can submit the full amount due to its reputation as a Great Medical Nation. But for small, poor Nations like Sorbet Kingdom, the pressure is too great, even enough to be fatal.
What kind of concept is 3 billion Berry?
A Headquarters-level Medium Warship costs 300 million Berry to build. A future Pacifista costs 100 million Berry to build.
This means that an Affiliated Country has to submit wealth equivalent to ten Headquarters-level Medium Warships or thirty Pacifista annually!
Now look at the expenditure side.
Last year, the Marines' Military Budget was nearly 100 billion Berry. From the salaries, benefits, and Food of all Marines to the Firearms, Cannon, Warships, and even Bounty payments, all come from here.
However, this is not fixed; sometimes it's less, sometimes it's more, purely determined by the situation at sea.
As for the Army, it also requires a fixed 70 billion Berry annually.
In addition, Cipher Pol, responsible for Intelligence work in all Sea Areas, all Affiliated Countries, and even non-affiliated Nations, also needs 100 billion Berry, showing how large its scale is.
Then there are the salaries, Food, and maintenance costs for Impel Down, nearly 80 billion Berry.
Finally, the World Government's civilian staff and the Enies Lobby side add up to less than 50 billion Berry.
This shows how much the previous Im and the Five Elders disregarded Government Officials and Legal Personnel.
These actual expenditures needed total around 600 billion Berry. What about the remaining Treasure worth over 180 billion Berry?
It's all put into the Treasury in Mary Geoise, used by the Celestial Dragons for arbitrary squandering and enjoyment!
"The Heavenly Tribute collected completely exceeds the actual needs," Im murmured softly.
If it's just to ensure the Celestial Dragons' quality of life, where is there a need for so much wealth? Wouldn't 20 billion Berry annually be enough to enjoy things of the highest standard?
"Reduce, the amount of Heavenly Tribute must be reduced. Ideally, it should be charged flexibly based on each Nation's situation and proportion!"
But he also knew this couldn't be rushed. Currently, this year's Reverie is about to be held. If everything is put on the table all at once, it will definitely cause great chaos.
"First, have Cipher Pol investigate which Affiliated Countries are suffering from destitution due to excessive Heavenly Tribute, and then clarify whether it's truly unbearable for the entire Nation, or because the Nation's Royalty is apportioning it to the Citizens!"
"For those that are truly unbearable for the entire Nation, like Kuma's Sorbet Kingdom, the amount of Heavenly Tribute can be appropriately lowered. First ensure they can basically survive."
Im had already decided on the Agenda Item for the next Reverie in his Heart.
Immediately after, he picked up another Report. The content on this one is mainly Data/Files on the Three Forces. The so-called Three Forces are the Marines, the Army, and the Holy Land Garrison.
The Army is responsible for guarding the World Government's important facilities and the entire Red Line. According to the current World Government Law, Civilians are prohibited from coming up without permission, but some people just want to come up, so they need to be cleared out.
The Holy Land Garrison, as the name suggests, their main job is to be the guards of Mary Geoise. If the Celestial Dragons want to 'descend' to play, they also need people to accompany them.
Regarding these two Troops, Im is not concerned at the moment. Perhaps there will be major actions in the future.
The Marines.
According to the Report, the total Military Strength of the Marines is currently around 500,000. The Marine Headquarters and all G-Branches and Branches in the Grand Line add up to around 50,000. The other Four Seas share a total of 450,000, but it's not an average distribution; for example, the East Blue, being the most peaceful, has relatively fewer.
In fact, Affiliated Countries themselves have their own Army, and the Marines only need to be responsible for Order at sea, so there aren't excessive demands for Military Strength.
Their main need is Warships!
As of now, the Marines have 70 War Beast-class Large Warships used for Buster Call, one thousand Headquarters-level Medium Warships (fifty of which are permanently stationed at Marine Headquarters, the remaining nine hundred are dispersed among the various G-Branches and Branches), and over four thousand Small Warships are in the roughly two hundred Branch Bases in the Four Seas.
It's the same.
Not evenly distributed. Relatively speaking, the G-Branch Bases in the 'New World' definitely need more Warships, after all, they are facing the most ferocious and Strong Pirate Force.
"No wonder the Five Elders have been suppressing the Marines' development, both in Military Power and authority, it is indeed a bit too much," Im muttered softly in thought.
"At this stage, the Marines definitely cannot be touched, but in the future, a way to balance things out is indeed needed."
Thank you very much for the 100 Tip from [Reader Name - seems like garbled text]! This is the first Tip for this Book, I'm very excited. Thank you again for your tipping action, it has provided me with considerable motivation!
"Regarding the Basis for the Total Military Strength of the Marines"
1. It is known that the permanent Military Strength of the G-8 Branch is 1,000 people, so the eight G-Branches total 8,000 people.
2. Marine Headquarters should have more permanent Military Strength than the G-Branches, let's say it has 10,000 people.
3. The Marines set up a Marine Branch near each Affiliated Country. There are naturally some in the Grand Line as well, but the Military Strength of each Branch cannot be more than a G-Branch, and the Military Strength of the Four Seas Branches is even less.
4. It is known that there are over 170 Affiliated Countries.
Therefore, adding the Grand Line and the Four Seas, the total Military Strength of the Marines is really not much, possibly less than 400,000 people. I know everyone finds this quite unbelievable.
But this is the result given by Oda in the manga.
Fortunately, this Book has a Transmigrator Im as the protagonist, so the subsequent content will involve expanding the military, bringing the Military Strength of the Three Forces to a reasonable scale.
(End of Chapter)