Though the discrepancies between history and reality made Michael somewhat uncomfortable, these matters ultimately weren't that important.
As long as the major historical turning points remained unchanged, his mission here wouldn't be in vain.
As for the rest... he'd leave it to history's ability to heal itself.
After all, there would be over eight hundred years of separation, and with the Great Kingdom's sinking causing sea levels to rise dramatically, many traces would likely disappear.
So...
"Once Imu arrives, we'll begin selecting owners for the Devil Fruits."
Toki and Lily nodded, then stood beside Michael, gazing up at the fluttering flag together.
"You've been waiting for this day a long time, haven't you, Lily?"
"You mean our revenge against the Great Kingdom?" Lily arched an eyebrow.
"Of course... For vengeance, I even earned myself the title of 'Tyrant' throughout Alabasta."
"I told you from the start, you're too impatient." Michael sighed. "I know you didn't just make the common people suffer—you also made the wealthy classes in Alabasta contribute the majority of resources... But for the ordinary folk, this is only slightly better than the Great Kingdom... So when forced to choose between two evils, they'd rather support a tyrant like you."
Though he regarded Lily as his own daughter, that didn't mean he could control her.
And most importantly...
Everything, in the end, was a matter of personal choice.
This might very well be the reason why, after the Twenty Kings decided to take over Mariejois, Lily refused and left—yet never returned to Alabasta.
Too ashamed to face her people, or something like that...
Excuses.
All damn excuses.
Michael sighed and reached out to pat Lily's head.
"...Marriage..."
"Ahem, Father, I suggest you be cautious about physical contact with Lily..." Toki said expressionlessly, glancing at Lily.
"She's currently at the stage where any touch from you turns into delusional wedding fantasies."
"Shut up! As your daughter, I'm destined to marry you!"
"Wow, that sounds utterly deranged... You father-obsessed rebel."
"Don't tell me you never said things like 'I want to marry Father when I grow up' as a child!?"
"You do realize that was childhood, right!?"
Watching his two daughters bicker, Michael exhaled deeply.
At the very least... this was slightly better than their previous state of irreconcilable differences.
After some time, Michael's Observation Haki immediately detected a large group approaching the military camp.
It was the coalition of kings led by Imu.
Upon hearing that Michael had secured a massive haul of Devil Fruits, they had rushed to Alabasta without rest, too excited to even eat or sleep—just like Imu.
Several other kings were reportedly still on their way.
"Michael!"
Though a queen, Imu's attire was far from extravagant—just a simple white robe. Yet somehow...
It looked strikingly similar to the one Michael was wearing.
"Ahem, why are you looking at me like that?"
"We're wearing matching outfits."
"Matching outfits!? Haven't I been the one handling all your clothing and necessities all these years!? I just liked your style and had something similar made, that's all!"
Imu's explanation sounded reasonable.
But the other kings in the rebel alliance were all cunning old foxes. Instantly, their gazes toward Imu and Michael turned suggestive.
Only someone like Doflamingo would genuinely believe Imu's "coincidence."
Fortunately, Michael had thick skin.
Unfazed by the kings' teasing looks, he calmly walked up to Imu.
"This round of personnel selection must be taken seriously!"
"The essence of governance lies foremost in selecting the right personnel! Strictly controlling the selection and appointment of Devil Fruit Users is not only an inherent requirement for the Revolutionary Army's work but also the focal point in building this Devil Fruit User force! Moreover, it serves as the prerequisite for advancing the cause of the revolutionary war!"
"This unit will be the 'leading goose' and 'vanguard' of the Revolutionary Army!"
"Therefore, we must adhere to a personnel selection principle that prioritizes both virtue and talent, with virtue coming first!"
"We must uphold strict political standards and tighten the 'master switch' of selection and appointment!"
"Most importantly... we must maintain a fair and just personnel selection policy!"
Michael's bureaucratic rhetoric instantly pumped up the kings present.
Eagerly, they rushed to the training grounds, hoping to select a group of reliable talents for the Revolutionary Army and the future new government to safeguard their homeland.
"Honestly, how long did you spend preparing these fancy words?" Imu quietly nudged Michael in the ribs.
"Though they sound impressive, when you think about it, it all boils down to one sentence—'Don't pick traitors.'"
"Shh, these aren't just fancy words—this is the art of language, the power of discourse," Michael chuckled softly in response.
"Based on my research, most kings or nobles light up when they hear this kind of talk."
"Tch, true enough."
...
Selecting individuals capable of bearing the power of Devil Fruits wasn't particularly difficult.
The primary consideration was, without question, loyalty.
Physical prowess and combat ability were secondary concerns.
As for those who already possessed formidable fighting strength, most had already been pre-selected.
After all, Michael wasn't here for fairness—he was here to win.
This selection process was mainly aimed at finding hosts for the remaining one-third of Devil Fruits, which were relatively weaker or hadn't shown outstanding performance.
Even so, each Fruit could instantly turn an ordinary soldier into a minor powerhouse.
After all, Michael couldn't expect everyone to be a genius in developing Fruit abilities.
Of course, the most crucial point was that the current number of Devil Fruits was already sufficient to trigger a qualitative change through quantitative accumulation.
Thus, the selection proceeded swiftly. In fact, with the standards Michael had set, the process went smoothly without a hitch.
Moreover, every selected soldier consumed their Devil Fruit on the spot.
Without exception, they were all left utterly devastated by the indescribably horrific taste—but upon witnessing the miraculous power they immediately gained, their spirits soared.
However, when Michael informed them that consuming a Devil Fruit would earn the sea's hatred, turning them into helpless landlubbers, hardly any of them showed regret—except for a scant few.
Michael paused, then understood.
This was, after all, over 800 years ago—here, the sea wasn't yet the dominant theme.