A week passed quickly.
After obtaining authorization from the Senate and the citizens, Septimus immediately wrote letters to the various kings and governors located along the Mediterranean coast.
One allied nation's fleet after another docked at the ports of the Campania region, including those of Egypt and Greece, and even civilian ships were requisitioned.
The ports of Naples and Puteoli were packed with warships, and the clone legionaries from 15 legions were practically training in naval combat.
Inside Septimus' villa in Rome, three noblemen gathered and became acquainted with one another.
Julius Caesar and the two brothers of the Purchel family argued heatedly about how to suppress the pirates.
Originally, the three men intended to participate in the war meeting or offer strategic suggestions to their respective legion commanders.
But unfortunately, they discovered that the legion commanders completely ignored them.
The brothers of the Purchel family were utterly irritated by the indifferent attitude of mere servants without noble status.
The 15 clone legion commanders were figures without titles, reputation, or influence in Rome.
They were regarded as Septimus' trusted servants.
The Purchel brothers despised and envied the military authority of the 15 clone commanders.
As a result, during the last few days, Septimus was constantly harassed by the Claudia sisters.
The Purchel family and other prominent noble families had set their sights on the positions of the 15 legion commanders.
Obtaining military power was a secondary matter, and everyone's objective became acquiring military merit.
Everyone understood that Septimus would not easily relinquish control of his army, but an empty title such as commander would not matter to him.
Unfortunately, no matter how many methods Rome's upper class used, Septimus was difficult to persuade.
Septimus had no need to involve himself with a group of Roman nobles and equestrians.
Granting the three men a nominal position did not represent a major problem and would please his women.
On the other hand, Julius Caesar and the brothers of the Purchel family served as entertainment during the long campaign.
The previous ten legions increased in number to 15, making the Senate understand the military potential of Septimus and the Campania region under his control.
To all of Rome, Septimus' military power was comparable to that of Sulla.
The Senate did not have the ability to stop Septimus or confront him.
Even with Pompey's legions, which barely numbered six and were far away advancing toward Hispania.
The Roman Senate did not want to give Septimus any reason to confront Rome.
The previous purges caused by the civil wars were still recent memories for Rome's upper class.
Septimus also took advantage of the time to establish a vast network throughout the entire Mediterranean Sea.
In the original history, Pompey divided the entire Mediterranean Sea into regions, leaving the pirates no room to escape to other places.
The elusive pirates were cornered and suppressed in less than three months.
Putting an end to piracy in the Mediterranean would also accelerate the infiltration of the clones throughout all the surrounding nations in the Mediterranean.
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On a remote island, used by a group of pirates.
Mercios, Lexius, and Galius gathered inside a wooden hut with serious expressions.
"That damned psychopath Septimus won't leave us alone," Galius roared with an angry expression.
Lexius and Mercius also wore grim expressions, suppressing their inner anger and panic.
Lexius was an exiled Roman noble with various contacts in Rome, and he was quickly informed about the arrival of Septimus and his legions.
What surprised the pirate group was Septimus' financial capability and strength to easily assemble 15 legions.
The combat effectiveness of a Roman legion lay in its iron discipline and advanced military formations.
A Roman legion represented a great threat and deterrent to foreign tribes, and Septimus had easily assembled 15 legions all at once.
Worthy of being the most important general under Sulla's banner.
The three men wore angry expressions mixed with slight panic.
Their pirate group had been the first and the only one to attack the Campania region.
Although they had gained nothing, they fully understood the madness of the guards and slaves of the Septimus family.
The men preferred to die rather than surrender.
Even the defenseless peasants fought like savages with all kinds of weapons without showing any fear of death.
"We'll hide and avoid the Roman fleet," Mercios said with a serious expression.
Lexius nodded without showing any opposition.
Originally, the attacks against Septimus had been instigated by Lexius.
Who could have imagined that Septimus would be such a vindictive person and would mobilize a massive army to seek revenge?
Regret would not solve the current situation, and the ideal course of action would be to look for a solution.
Three months passed quickly.
In fact, just as in the original history, this campaign of repression against the pirates was swift and decisive, and the pirates of the western Mediterranean were practically annihilated within three months.
Along the coastlines of the Mediterranean islands, pirates were nailed to crosses. To them, Septimus had practically become synonymous with the devil, to the point that his name could make a child stop crying at night.
After the crucified pirates died, they were beheaded, and their heads were mounted on spears all along the coastline.
This situation astonished everyone. Piracy had been a persistent problem for Rome and the Mediterranean countries, yet it was incredible that Septimus had eradicated it so easily.
After this became known, Septimus' prestige in Rome rose rapidly.
Several countries in the eastern Mediterranean eagerly sent emissaries to Rome, urging the Senate to send Septimus to the eastern Mediterranean as soon as possible to suppress the pirates, since they had caused them severe damage.
Septimus readily accepted the request of the Senate and the envoys from the other nations.
The pirate group that had sunk his merchant fleet and attacked the Campania region was not found in the areas of the Mediterranean that had been pacified.