Chapter 260: You Can't Escape My Cape of Command
Chapter 260: You Can't Escape My Cape of Command
The green object turned out to be a tiny man, dressed in green attire, with a crown-shaped green hat and protective goggles on his head. At his waist hung two needles as tall as he was, and behind him was a fluffy tail resembling that of a squirrel.
With the appearance of this little man, the surrounding plants also came to life as countless palm-sized creatures appeared, all with fluffy tails like squirrels.
An entire tribe of tiny people.
The green-clad little man drew out one of the long needles from his waist and pointed it at Sag, demanding, "Hey, big human in white. Answer me, what are you doing looking for our chieftain? Also, are you good people or bad people?"
Seeing the tiny creature trying to put on a resolute front, a rare glimmer appeared in Lily's eyes as she exclaimed, "So cute!"
"Cute?" Sag chuckled. "These little people have several times the strength of humans and possess incredible speed. In essence, they have great potential for combat."
He turned to the green-clad little man and introduced himself, "My name is Sag. I'm looking for your chieftain because I want to see if there are any of your tribe willing to set sail with me as pirates. As for whether pirates are good or bad, well, that's not something easily defined even by searching the vast seas."
"Some see me as a good person, while others view me as a villain. But one thing is certain—I sincerely invite you to join me, and I promise not to harm you."
"What? If you won't harm us, then you're a good person!" exclaimed the little man, who introduced himself as Leo, the battalion commander of the Dongtata Tribe.
Leo wore an innocent smile as he leaped down from the tree trunk with incredible speed and landed at Sag's feet, looking up at him. "White-haired human, if you're a good person, please give me your weapon."
The other little people descended as well, surrounding Sag's crew and reaching out their hands with smiles on their faces.
"Our weapons?" Lily frowned slightly, looking down at one of the tiny people. "Why?"
"It's proof!" the little man explained. "To prove that you're good people, either give us your weapons or your clothes."
"I don't have any weapons, and I'm not giving you my clothes either," Sag replied. He then pulled out a gold ring with intricate ancient patterns carved into it from his little finger and tossed it to Leo.
Leo caught the ring, which was bigger than his head, and looked at it with confusion. "Gold? I don't want this. I only want your proof of being a good person."
"This is our proof," Sag explained. "To us, gold is a precious treasure valued by most humans. By giving you this treasure, I'm showing my sincerity. As for the rest of them..." He gestured to his crew, "...they can give you their weapons, except for that woman. She needs to keep her sword."
As he finished speaking, Sag's crew members began tossing their weapons to the little people.
"So, you're giving us this precious treasure? You truly are good people! Great, kind people!" Leo exclaimed happily, his eyes shining with delight.
The other little people also received weapons and began cheering, their attitudes softening considerably.
Only the little man at Lily's feet remained, looking up at her with a mix of longing and wariness in his eyes—an adorable expression.
Lily's heart softened, and she knelt down to remove a golden bracelet from her wrist and offer it to him. "I'm sorry, but this sword is very important to me, so I can't give it to you. I hope you understand."
"The white-haired human is giving me this precious thing too! You've proven that you're a good person!" the little man exclaimed, hugging the bracelet tightly.
"You're giving away such precious treasures... You must be a great hero! Only heroes would give away their treasures!" Leo added, his eyes sparkling with admiration.
"Hahaha! I'm a great pirate, that's for sure," Sag laughed heartily. "Now, take me to your chieftain. I want to recruit your tribe to be my pirates and help me conquer new territories in the future."
At the mention of 'pirates', Leo's expression darkened for a moment, but he quickly shook his head and said, "Our chieftain will definitely refuse, but we'd be happy to take you to our home. Follow me!"
"I want your chieftain to come and see me, not the other way around," Sag insisted, baring his teeth in a fierce grin. "Surely you can manage that for me, right?"
The entrance to the little people's domain...
It probably wasn't very big; perhaps it was in a giant tree or a cave somewhere. Sag had no interest in crawling through tree holes or entering underground caverns, so those options were out of the question.
He'd just wait here.
As for whether the little people would agree or find his demand insulting...
"Okay!" Leo agreed readily and led a group of his tribespeople, clutching the newly acquired weapons, into the jungle. Sag could see them disappearing into a hole at the base of a giant tree.
"So, these are the little people?"
"That's odd," Lily remarked, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.
"It's a sign of simplicity. It's easy for me to communicate my desires directly. It's also a flaw, because it's so easy for others to deceive them. That's why it's necessary to be direct and hide nothing."
Sag was the kind of person who didn't like to beat around the bush.
"I've given you face, and a lot more. It's a shame you won't agree to my desires. It's not easy to be so ungrateful."
As he spoke, a white-bearded little man emerged from the tree hole, surrounded by more of his kind. Aside from their uniform fluffy tails, the little people also varied in appearance, with some resembling beetles, others like bees, and still others like Leo, retaining a humanoid form.
"Greetings, white-haired human. I am Ganchio, chieftain of the Dongtata Tribe. Leo here has told me all about you, and you are indeed the first good human we've encountered," the chieftain introduced himself. "Your intentions, as I've heard, are clear, but I must decline. Our Dongtata Tribe has a grudge against the Donquixote Family that dates back nine hundred years. Our primary goal is to overthrow the current king, who is a member of that family.
"Additionally, we aim to rescue Mansherry, our princess, and five hundred of our tribespeople who are being held captive!" Leo asserted vehemently.
"That has nothing to do with me," Sag replied bluntly.
"My sole purpose is to recruit a group of people to join me on my territory. Don't you want to venture out to sea and see new places? I've shown you my sincerity, and now I expect the same from you," Sag stated, his eyes sweeping over the multitude of little people. "Make no mistake, under my rule, I guarantee that none of you will ever be deceived again, nor will anyone dare to capture your kin.
"Come to my territory, and you are free to cultivate any crop you desire. I will share with you all the wealth and glory I possess, ensuring that you live better and safer than anyone else!"
Sag spread his arms wide, his voice resonating with conviction. "Not only you, but giants, fish-people, and all manner of long-armed, long-legged, and long-necked beings—whoever wishes to join me will be treated equally and fairly. I promise you freedom to roam, instead of being confined to the underground, regarded as mere legends by humans!"
"Well, we are indeed living quite comfortably, and if it's just about cultivation, we are willing to help," Ganchio replied.
"I seek rule, not mere assistance," Sag clarified, a hint of impatience creeping into his voice. He paused, considering, then sighed as he resigned himself to a more forceful approach. It was clear that this tribe was stubbornly set on opposing Donquixote and aiding Mansherry, and further persuasion would be futile. "Fine, if soft words won't work, then it's time for a harder approach. I don't like to deceive people, but I suppose I must resort to it this time.
"You've been given face, and I've been more than generous. It's disappointing that you refuse my offer and fail to reciprocate. It's truly a shame..." Sag trailed off, a sinister glint entering his eyes.
The Dongtata Tribe, a subset of the Little People, was renowned for their exceptional farming techniques, capable of cultivating anything imaginable. Sag considered it a waste to not bring their unique skills to his lands.
"In that case, we shall take them by force!"
A pirate's forte was not deception, but plunder!
A crimson aura erupted from Sag's eyes, and a black-red torrent of energy rippled through the air, affecting the little people.
"Run!" Leo shouted, his body reacting instinctively as he pulled out his long needle. However, the sudden onset of the Overbearing Presence caused his body to go limp, and he could only flee to the side, his resolve crumbling.
Those among the little people who could withstand the Overbearing Presence also fled, their wills unable to resist its compulsion.
Yet, a good number of them crumpled to the ground, unconscious under the pressure of Sag's aura.
A malicious grin stretched across Sag's face, his eyes fixed on the unconscious little people. "Try as you might, you cannot escape my Cape of Command!"
The fluffy cloak on his shoulders expanded severalfold in size, enveloping the fallen little people. With a swift motion, Sag pulled the cloak tight, bundling the small beings into a compact package.
"Done!" Sag exclaimed, a triumphant laugh escaping his lips as he hoisted the bundled cloak over his shoulder. "Let's be off, my crew!"
(End of Chapter)
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