Chapter 246: I Can Take His Place!
Chapter 246: I Can Take His Place!
Sarge approached the steps with his men, gazing at the imposing Yellow Monkey and Blue Pheasant standing guard like gatekeepers. He chuckled, "You two seem to be enjoying yourselves. Aren't you going to clean up the mess?"
"Oh, I'm here to take care of things, considering you've made quite a mess yourself," the Yellow Monkey replied with a hearty laugh. "It's only natural to be nervous, Sarge, after what you've done to the three great organizations. Quite terrifying, I must say."
"Now, don't put words in my mouth," Sarge countered. "I seek fame, but not false acclaim."
"I didn't do much damage to Impel Down," Sarge clarified. "I had nothing to do with Justice Island, and I only destroyed one of the levels in Impel Down. Let's be clear about the facts."
Hearing this, Blue Pheasant gave Sarge a piercing look and remarked, "The world might be a simpler place if everyone were like you."
"Hahaha! It would probably be even more chaotic!" Sarge laughed heartily, waving his hand dismissively. "Now, stop loitering. I find your presence annoying, and I'm sure you feel the same about me. Let's get this over with."
As he spoke, he took out a box of cigars from his cloak, offering one each to the Yellow Monkey and Blue Pheasant.
"It's been a while since I've had a smoke, and I prefer cigarettes anyway," the Yellow Monkey smiled, declining the offer.
"I'm not interested," Blue Pheasant added nonchalantly.
Sarge shrugged, placing the cigar between his teeth. Just then, Miote seized the opportunity to snatch the lighter from Paul, rushing forward to light Sarge's cigar.
Sarge exhaled a puff of smoke and strode forward until he reached the massive gate. Beyond it lay a spacious corridor, and to the right stood rows of tall, opulent buildings. Although they appeared distant and heavily guarded, Sarge's eyes gleamed with desire. "They're just asking to be looted."
Baring his teeth, Sarge wondered, "I wonder how much we can get away with."
"Are you feeling lucky?" The Yellow Monkey pouted, his expression turning lewd as he exclaimed, "Now that's truly terrifying, Sarge!"
"Cut the crap," Sarge rolled his eyes. Cigar clenched between his teeth, he strode towards the gate, only to be blocked by two guards who crossed their spears, barring his way.
"Put it out," one of the guards, clad in a beetle-like armor, ordered. "Marijoa is a sacred place. No unclean things are allowed to enter."
"Hmm?" Sarge raised an eyebrow, but before he could respond, Bellamy pushed forward angrily. "Get out of our way! Are you looking to die?"
Unfazed, the guard retorted, "This is holy ground, you ruffians!"
Bellamy clenched his fists in fury, but Sarge waved him off. "That's enough. Back off."
Sarge glanced at the Yellow Monkey and Blue Pheasant, noting their intrigued expressions. He removed the cigar from his mouth and pressed it against the guard's armor, leaving a black mark on the sleek surface.
Before the guard could react, Sarge produced another cigar, placing it between his lips. Once again, Paul seized the moment, stepping forward to light it.
"Ah!"
Sarge blew a thick cloud of smoke into the guard's helmet, causing him to cough uncontrollably.
"Kid, mind your own business," Sarge said, slapping the soldier's armor with a dull thud. The armor crumbled under his palm, and with a swift motion, he pressed down on the soldier's shoulder, forcing him to his knees.
"Ambition is admirable, but you must choose your targets wisely," Sarge continued. "Understand the fundamental rule of this world. Power? Wealth? No, the most basic rule is strength! Without it, all your efforts will only lead to a quicker demise. Like this..."
Sarge glanced sideways and shook his head. "Never mind, I won't bother with you. Let's go, boys."
With that, he strode through the gate unimpeded. Lily followed closely behind, her grip on her sword relaxing as she shot a cold glance at the guards.
"Oh, I thought you'd teach them a lesson for defying you," the Yellow Monkey remarked, sounding surprised.
"I'm not a bloodthirsty man," Sarge replied. "I only display my power to ensure my plans proceed unhindered."
"Is that so?" The Yellow Monkey paused, his eyes hidden behind tinted glasses as they shifted thoughtfully. It was Blue Pheasant who spoke next. "That makes you even more dangerous, Sarge. You pose a significant threat."
"A pirate of another order will always be a threat to the World Government of a different order," Sarge said with a laugh. "And I'm not the only one."
"Sarge chuckled, then suddenly stopped and looked at the center of the wide road, where a different material was paved and constantly rolling forward. He narrowed his eyes.
'Autonomous walkway,' he mused.
Yellow Monkey and Blue Pheasant walked side by side on either side of the road, neither of them stepping forward, Yellow Monkey puckering his mouth in a lewd display as his eyes, hidden behind tinted glasses, sparkled with deep meaning.
Sarge blew a puff of smoke, and a burst of scarlet light exploded in his eyes as he stared straight at the rolling autonomous walkway. Suddenly, it came to a halt, as if it had malfunctioned and jammed.
He burst into loud laughter, "I'm not like those who seek to rule. If I were to rule, I'd want people to submit willingly! That's the best way!"
Speaking, he strode onto the stationary autonomous walkway and headed forward.
This caused both Yellow Monkey and Blue Pheasant to pause.
Yellow Monkey lowered his head slightly, deep in thought, while Blue Pheasant softly murmured, "I didn't realize there was another option."
He thought Sarge would either choose to directly step onto it and accept the 'automatic walkway's' convenience playfully or walk away like they did.
But this guy had stepped onto it, and yet the walkway had stopped. Was this a wholly different attitude? Blue Pheasant gazed at the stationary autonomous walkway, his eyes seeming to peer through it and into the distant beyond.
A group of slaves responsible for operating the walkway's mechanism and the overseers were all knocked unconscious, lying on the ground.
"You're quite a troublesome fellow," Blue Pheasant scratched his head and sighed, joining Sarge on his walk.
After walking for a while, Sarge suddenly looked to his left, where, in the distance, a massive castle could be seen.
Just one glance, and his eyes burst into a scarlet radiance, his Appraisal Sight, skilled at identifying historical information and valuable items, stirred with deep interest. The massive castle, in his eyes, took on an ancient and majestic aura.
The castle's main structure was composed of huge stones and intricate carvings. Its towering spires pierced the clouds, surrounded by spacious gardens and courtyards filled with lush flora.
As they drew closer, the castle's grand entrance came into view, its heavy doors secured by thick chains, intricate patterns, and ancient inscriptions exuding a sense of nobility and antiquity.
"It's quite a valuable collection!"
Sarge's gaze fixed on the uppermost floor, where a bay window caught his attention, and his lips curled into a smirk as he pointed directly at the entire Mariejois Castle.
"It's such a waste to leave it here. It should be mine!"
He could sense the historical weight and luxurious decorations, every piece screaming of its immense value.
Such a castle would be a fitting residence for him.
"I could take his place! Hahahahahahahaha!"
Sergeant's laughter echoed through the air, bursting with arrogance, indifferent to the reactions of the two admirals accompanying him. He kept walking forward.
"How dare you!"
From the bay window, Saten, leaning on his cane, looked down at Sarge, who was leading a large group of people. He furrowed his brow, "To gaze upon us without fear. The New World promises to be intriguing."
Behind him, Petey stood with his hands in his pockets, nonchalantly commenting, "Pirates these days, they know not the meaning of reverence. Even as they behold Mariejois, their perspective remains shallow."
"Pay no heed to him. Let's focus on the present issue. Sengoku has officially tendered his resignation, and the Navy has put forward their preferred candidate for the position of Fleet Admiral: Blue Pheasant." Nasshugoro, blade in hand, stood with a poised stance.
"However, within the World Government, there are those who favor Akainu," Mazan interjected.
"Let's wait and see. The next Fleet Admiral must be chosen carefully. We must not make hasty decisions before a new equilibrium is established," Wohuli, with his arms crossed, rasped in a hoarse tone.
Sarge's gaze, in their eyes, was but a fleeting speck of dust, unworthy of their attention.
For eight hundred years, the World Government had encountered countless such defiant gazes, yet without exception, they had all vanished into the annals of history, reduced to mere dust.
They, too, had been the victors for eight centuries, and they would not wage war over a mere pirate.
Such an individual was not worthy of an audience with the Five Elders.
Not long after, Sarge had traversed Mariejois, reaching the steps on the other side, where an elevator was also prepared.
Yellow Monkey and Blue Pheasant stood on the steps, no longer moving, merely watching Sarge as he gradually walked away.
"They're just here to make sure nothing unexpected happens to Mariejois. The rest is none of their business."
A group of people took the elevator down and reached the other side of the Red Earth Continent, where the World Government-controlled Red Port was located. Here, there was also a Navy fortress to ensure safe passage for those traveling between the New World and the first half.
At this moment, on the cable car below, a group of Navy soldiers stood in two rows, staring angrily at the departing pirates.
At a glance, there were at least two thousand Navy personnel stationed here.
"Quite a show of force," Sarge commented as he stepped off the elevator, eyes scanning the hostile Navy forces.
"Hey, send a few men to find a small boat to follow us. I don't have time to wait specifically for you. Once we've reached a certain sailing distance, we'll return your people to you!" Sarge called out without waiting for a response from the Navy.
As he spoke, he strode towards the port, where Stansen was already lowering the Death Calamity into the water with a loud splash.
"All hands on deck!"
Lily, standing on the deck, drew her sword, White Thunder, and pointed it towards the sky. "All hands, take your positions! Helmsman, set sail! Ten o'clock position, let's go!"
The massive black ship, powered by the engine room and unfurled sails, cut through the surface of the water, quickly heading in the ten o'clock direction.
They had the Eternal Log Pose of Dressrosa, so there was no need to continue with any record-making here. They could just set sail directly for Dressrosa, and everything would fall into place once they arrived.
However, the deck was a bit more crowded than usual, as the behemoth, Stansen, was currently squatting and taking up a significant amount of space.
"Sarge," Lily said as she walked past Stansen, coming to stand beside Sarge. "There's Akainu on the ship ahead."
After setting sail, she had immediately noticed the pursuing warship and, through her telescope, had been startled to see who stood at its bow.
"I see him," Sarge replied, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "Seems they're giving us quite a bit of attention, aren't they? Are they afraid I'll go back on my word? Or are they worried I'll finish off that base we left behind?"
Lily frowned as she glanced at the trembling Charlos, who was now being guarded by the Navy. "Should we take Charlos with us?"
"No need," Sarge waved off the suggestion. "We're not afraid of him, and they can't keep up anyway."
Sarge shrugged, then turned his gaze forward, locking eyes with the warship where Akainu stood at the prow. Though they were still some distance apart, Sarge could sense his presence.
A malicious grin spread across Sarge's face, and he called out to the distant Akainu. "Twenty years ago, you left me homeless. Twenty years later, I'll leave you without Marineford! As for the rest of our score... we'll settle it one day, Akainu!"
Akainu stood with his arms crossed, his face partially obscured by his hat. From his body, tendrils of lava began to seep, a sign of his growing anger.
"You evil brat!" Akainu's voice boomed.
"Vice Admiral Sakazuki," a Navy Rear Admiral saluted. "Charlos is on that small boat, approaching quickly. Shall we engage the Calamity Pirates and rescue him?"
"No need," Akainu's voice was calm, but molten lava flowed from his body. "They won't catch up. Leave that useless baggage behind."
"Yes, sir!" The Rear Admiral saluted again, clearly relieved.
The destructive power of the Calamity Pirates had been proven, and the Rear Admiral had no desire to engage in battle unnecessarily. If things went wrong, their ship could be destroyed, and even the Red Port behind them might suffer.
Who knew? Perhaps even the World Government ahead would be affected.
Without further ado, Sarge continued walking forward, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon.
"Celebration time, my hearties!" Sarge's voice boomed across the deck. "We've arrived in the New World! Let's feast, my crew!"
"Hurrah!" The pirates cheered.
However, at that moment, Lily's brow furrowed, and she scanned their surroundings before stepping closer to Sarge. "Sarge, Lucci's missing."
(End of Chapter)
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