https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-22-Old-Gentlemen-Are-Really-Difficult-to-Keep-They-re-Easy-to-Accidentally-Kill/12608075/
Chapter 21: The Treasure of Nadia?
Chapter 21: The Treasure of Nadia?
Boom!
The black-sailed warship mercilessly fired its cannons at the black sailboat, the projectiles splashing into the nearby water and sending towering fountains into the air. After the broadside, the warship immediately changed course, charging toward the sailboat while its forward deck guns continued to fire.
The distance between the two vessels wasn't close, and at the warship's speed, it would be difficult to catch the faster sailboat. Their only option was to try and sink it with cannon fire.
However, at this distance, hitting the target would be incredibly challenging.
"I'll take care of this!"
Seeing that the cannons had missed, Sagely stepped forward and, with a gentle push-off, leaped into the air, using the Moon-step to cover half the distance to the sailboat. He then pushed off again, soaring into the sky with his right leg raised high above his head.
"Rasen!"
Sagely's eyes narrowed as he focused on the sailboat, and with a powerful stomp of his leg, he brought it down in a fierce slash.
"Daibakufu!"
Swish!
A gigantic, pale blue slash tore through the air, its tail end slicing through the water's surface and creating a massive inverted V-shaped wake. With unimaginable speed, it caught up to the sailboat, effortlessly slicing through it from stern to bow as if it were made of butter. Even the mast was split in two, giving the once proud vessel a forked appearance.
Sagely stomped his feet a few times in the air before descending onto the sailboat's stern. With a vicious grin, he taunted, "Run! Keep running! Let's see where you'll escape to now!"
After bearing the blame for days, they had finally found the real culprits!
The pirates on the boat stood frozen in fear, their faces reflecting the shock of seeing their vessel cleaved in two.
Sagely scanned the group and, finding them to be ordinary pirates, asked, "Where's the one in the black robe?"
"What… what black-robed person?" one of the pirates stammered.
"Where's your leader?" Sagely demanded as he grabbed the nearest pirate by the collar and glared at him. "Wasn't it you who raided Campas Town? But the warship has been chasing after me every day! Where's your hideout, and where are you keeping the treasure?"
"I… I don't know anything!" the pirate shouted frantically. "We just raided that town; we don't know anything else!"
Facing someone who could slice a ship in two with a single strike, they had indeed lost their courage to fight back.
"Fine, don't tell me then," Sagely said, and with a flick of his hand, he pressed a pressure point on the pirate's forehead. The pirate went rigid, his eyes the only things moving as they darted about in panic.
Sagely turned to the others and explained, "I've pressed his pressure point, and he won't be able to move for half a day. Now…"
Whoosh!
With a swift kick, Sagely sent the pirate tumbling into the sea.
"Pirates usually have good swimming abilities, but I wonder if they can still showcase those abilities when they can't move in the water," Sagely said with a cold smile. "Wouldn't it be a shame to be drowned by the very ocean you love so much?"
"Don't… don't be afraid!"
A pirate who seemed to be their leader tightened his grip on his blade and stuttered, "He's just one man. We… we're proud pirates! Men, take him down!"
"Is that so?" Sagely took a step forward, his eyes locked on the leader.
That single step was enough to make the leader drop his blade and fall to his knees, pleading, "Smirkace! We're pirates from the Kingdom of Nadia! Forgive us for any offense we've caused you!"
The pirate who had been kicked into the sea had already sunk, and there was no sign of him resurfacing.
He didn't want to be the second one to suffer that fate.
"Pfft, proud," Sagely scoffed, turning to glance at the black-sailed warship that was drawing closer. He fell silent, waiting for his men to join him.
There were only about twenty pirates on the sailboat, and faced with Sagely's intimidating presence, they didn't dare to resist. Soon, they were all tied up and brought onto the warship, along with their ill-gotten gains.
The two dozen or so captured pirates knelt on the deck, bound by ropes, surrounded by a group of grinning, sword-wielding pirates.
Lily brought a chair and placed it on the deck for Sagely to sit on. He held a stack of Belly in his hand, tapping it against his palm as he eyed the captives. "So, this Kingdom of Nadia…"
"It's Nadia, not 'Kingdom of Nadia,'" Lily corrected.
"What's the difference?" Sagely asked, looking at her.
"It doesn't feel right," Lily shook her head. "It just feels odd. I think we should call it by its proper name."
She didn't know where this feeling came from, but something about the name 'Nadia' didn't sit well with her.
"Fine, Nadia it is," Sagely said. "So, this Nadia sends you pirates out to plunder and pillage?"
This group of black-sailed pirates originated from the nearby Kingdom of Nadia, and all their raiding activities were directed by the kingdom.
"It seems that the robberies of the three major economic towns recently were all done by them."
"All they had to do was hang a black sail and escape quickly, and no one would be able to tell who did it."
"They were originally supposed to lie low after the heist, but then they heard a rumor that somewhere else, another group of black-sailed pirates had appeared and even robbed a naval ship. They're being pursued by the Navy as we speak."
"Only after confirming that it wasn't their doing did some of the pirates get ideas."
"Someone else is distracting the Navy, so why not take advantage and plunder some more?" So, they formed their own pirate crew and went to rob another town. But not long after their success, they were discovered by Sagely."
"Are you privateers assembled by your king?" Sagely frowned.
None of the pirates answered; they all lowered their heads and remained silent.
Sagely didn't press further; such a thing was unlikely to be admitted, and even if it were true, it wouldn't be publicly acknowledged.
There was a vast difference between being the king who ruled a country and being a notorious pirate.
"Alright, we've found the culprits, but I have one more question."
Sagely shook the bag of Belly in his hand and asked, "There seemed to be a large building in that town. Why didn't you rob that and only took from ordinary people?"
The loot from this ship included several pieces of gold and silver jewelry and one million Belly.
This was quite a substantial haul. Even if it didn't amount to much after dividing it among the pirates, it was still a decent sum.
An ordinary person's monthly salary was around one hundred thousand Belly, so this take was equivalent to half a month's or even a full month's wages.
Being a pirate certainly led to quick riches.
"That wealthy man had strong defenses, and we didn't dare approach. We were also afraid of attracting the Navy, so we just took some money and left," the pirate answered honestly.
"That's it? Then what's the point of being a pirate?"
Sagely scoffed and waved his hand dismissively. "Throw them overboard."
His men tossed the bound pirates one by one into the sea; whether they lived or died was up to fate.
The sea itself was cruel and unforgiving.
Being a pirate meant putting your life on the line.
Sagely had been prepared for this from the very beginning of his pirate career.
"Sagely, are we heading to Natia now?" Lily asked.
"No rush."
Sagely shook his head and looked at the town, which was dimly lit in the front half and brightly lit in the back half. "Since we're already taking the blame, let's go all the way. We're all black-sailed pirates, so let's finish what they started! Men, move closer to the town and continue the raid!"
"Ohh!"
The pirates brandished their blades and cheered as they changed course and sailed toward the town.
Before long, the black-sailed warship drew near.
Sagely jumped down from the ship's side, holding a sack, followed by Lily and Ajin, and then a group of pirates led by Palu, heading straight for the town.
The people here were still putting out fires. The previous black-sailed pirates had fired a few shots at the town, causing chaos.
As they finished putting out the fires, some of the robbed civilians were kneeling and sobbing in front of their houses, while others clung tightly to their injured neighbors, comforting each other.
And then they saw the black-sailed pirates returning.
"Everyone, we can't let them rob us again!"
A civilian who had fought the pirates before and still had a wound on his abdomen gritted his teeth and stood up. "We don't have any more money. If they take what little we have left, we won't be able to survive. We must drive them away!"
A group of civilians quickly gathered, armed with wooden sticks and pitchforks, their eyes filled with hatred as they faced the approaching pirates.
If the pirates robbed them again, they wouldn't be able to pay their taxes!
And if they couldn't pay their taxes, the consequences would be far worse than just being robbed.
Boom!
Sagely threw the bag toward the group of civilians. The mouth of the bag opened, spilling out Belly and gold and silver jewelry.
This scene left the civilians stunned.
That seemed to be their property.
"Make way! I'm going after the wealthy man at the top!" Sagely shouted.
"Aye!"
The civilians who had been filled with hatred a moment ago quickly parted, letting Sagely and his crew pass.
Wealthy man?
Oh, he must mean the mayor.
Then there's nothing to worry about.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
