Leonel had to function with the assumption that if he could accomplish something, although he was ahead now, that didn't mean others couldn't accomplish it in the future. In fact, there were probably multiple paths to accomplish the same thing, that meant in the future there would likely be others claiming seas and Leonel knew that he had to be one of them. More importantly, he had to be the first among them.
Right now, the only advantage he had outside of his own combat strength was that he was the first to form a Gold-Grade territory. But if he was complacent, soon, others would begin to catch up. If he idled any longer, his advantage would be swallowed up. This was why he had taken the risk to march on the day side continent in the first place.