Chapter 271: The Strong
Chapter 271: The Strong
Including the new recruits, Sag had gathered a total of over five thousand people. However, this number was definitely not enough for such a massive city. Just the private armies of the nobles within could easily outnumber the pirates if they joined forces.
Furthermore, as pirates, they were naturally disliked by the local residents, and their presence would likely incite even stronger resistance.
But that didn't matter; Sag didn't give them a chance to unite.
The massive Augustusburg also had canals running through it, similar to the layout of the City of Seven Waters, although it didn't have quite as much water.
According to the division of the buildings, the entire city was split into four districts. Each district was further separated by small walls that divided the rich and poor areas. This conveniently saved Sag the trouble of having to select his targets.
The buildings inside the small walls were on a completely different scale from those outside. Outside were mostly two- or three-story buildings, and there were even some single-story cottages, obviously all belonging to civilians. In contrast, within the walls were all large mansions and estates. There was no need to look further; they just had to rush in that direction.
The five thousand people were divided into four teams, led by Lily, Moria, Hawkins, and Sag himself, each heading towards one of the four districts.
It was understandable for Lily and Moria to take the lead; one possessed the Conquering King's Haki, and the other had remarkable strength. Along with some old pirates and the newly joined members, they directly headed towards the west and south districts.
Hawkins, on the other hand, coordinated with Urki and led most of the lower-ranking officers towards the east district.
Sag himself brought three hundred members of the Demon Race and headed directly for the north district.
That area was where the royal palace was located, and it was protected by two layers of walls. Outside the first wall were numerous mansions and estates, and within the inner wall stood the massive royal palace.
However, the sudden explosion that had opened the city gates had already raised the alarm for the nobles. When Sag arrived at the outer wall, the gate was tightly closed, and the wall was guarded by numerous defenders and soldiers. Even in the pouring rain, they were all armed with bows and arrows, and Sag could even spot crossbows mounted on the wall.
The Garles Kingdom, renowned for its strength, naturally possessed the capability to fight in such rainy conditions, and it wasn't solely reliant on firearms.
"Despicable pirates, you will never succeed!"
On the wall, a noble, sheltered by an umbrella, gritted his teeth and shouted, "Augustusburg is a formidable fortress. Do you think that blasting open the gate means you have conquered this place?"
"What the hell is your status to have an umbrella like mine?"
Sag drew his gun and immediately shot that noble. He then addressed the people on the wall, "Open the gate. I only want the lives of the nobles. I won't touch a single penny of the common people's property, and I even welcome you to join me. Think about it. How much do you earn in a month here, risking your lives? These nobles above you reap fortunes that you will never attain. They send you to your deaths, and they profit. What do you get besides a filled stomach?"
Sag spread his hands, "But it's different if you join me. I will distribute the spoils of war. The earlier you join, the earlier you reap the benefits. When we seize riches, I will share them with you. Moreover, there are too many people above you in the hierarchy, skimming profits along the way and leaving you with only a fraction."
"But from now on, there will only be me above you. I will be your only leader, and your loyalty will be solely to me. Only I will squeeze and exploit you."
"By making this comparison, you will realize that no matter if it's your income or treatment, it will be better than what you have now."
"Most importantly, I have little interest in you weaklings. As long as you don't resist, I won't harm you. So, open the gate."
"Hah!"
The remaining nobles on the wall scoffed, "A mere pirate, and you already think you own this place? We can defend this wall until we die of old age!"
The city gate had been blasted open by cannons, and regardless of whatever technology they possessed to ignite gunpowder in the rain, they were now within the city, where cannons were useless. Furthermore, these people didn't have any weapons on hand, so they couldn't break down the wall.
They had sufficient food to hold out here, and once the rain stopped, they could even counter-attack.
Moreover, these pirates couldn't stay here for long. Once Tihana or William reacted and led their troops to strike, the pirates would have to retreat or perish.
They definitely wouldn't be able to occupy this place.
"Leti."
Sag didn't even glance at the noble; he merely swept his eyes over the expressionless soldiers on the wall and said, "Blast it open."
"OK!"
Letitia stepped out from the crowd, gave an okay sign, and took out a backpack-like slung mechanical hammer. It swiftly extended and enlarged into a ram's head hammer. However, the face of the hammer suddenly retracted, creating a cavity.
With the technology obtained from Pluto and the addition of mother steel, Letitia's hammer had been enhanced.
Previously, it had been an air cannon, but now...
She first aimed the hammer's mouth at the ground and twisted the handle's mechanism. Under the power of the engine, the cavity on the hammer's face exhibited unparalleled suction, sucking in and pulverizing the ground, creating a large pit where the hammer pressed against the earth.
"Burn the energy, and then..."
Letitia aimed the cannon at the city gate, and her little face twisted into a sinister smile like Sag's as she violently twisted the hammer's handle.
"Power Cannon!"
Boom!
With the accumulated energy, the cannon, which no longer relied on air but on the transmutation of stone, emitted a brilliant beam of light as it struck the city gate, resulting in a deafening blast that parted the raindrops and left a trail of smoke in its wake.
Beneath the smoke, a gaping hole had been blown into the inner city gate, comparable in size to the outer gate. Even the charred remnants of unspent sparks could be spotted along the gate's edge.
"Hmph, the energy provided by stones is insufficient. The transmutation is lacking as well." Letitia pouted, then suddenly brightened as an idea struck her, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Sag, what about using gold as material? It's also quite rare."
"Get lost with your stones!"
Sag glared at her fiercely, "That's money! Money that can buy a lot of things, not meant for you to boost your power!"
As he spoke, he threw a punch towards the city gate, his fist swinging through the air with a thunderous roar, far louder than the previous cannon blast, and completely shattered the remaining sections of the gate.
"Charge in!"
Sag pointed forward, laughing loudly, "Loot everything!"
Without waiting for any resistance from the nobles, he stomped towards the gate, crouching at the edge, and his eyes flashed with a crimson hue, knocking out all the nobles standing there.
Sag gestured towards the guards on the wall, "See, taking your lives is as easy as pie for me, for I am a man with the Conqueror's Haki. Pledge your allegiance to me; it's the same as pledging it to the nobles. I can offer you better lives, and I can guarantee a more prosperous future for your families."
"It's pointless to consider whether it's a pirate or not. For the entire nation will be under my rule, unless you leave this place. Regardless of who you are, you will all be my subjects."
He grinned ferociously at the crowd, "I am about to become the King of Garles!"
A group of soldiers stiffened, their bodies taut with tension, but not a single one among them dared to attack.
After all, those qualified to give orders currently lay unconscious right before their eyes.
As a free city, Augustusburg had attracted all sorts of characters before the war, including those greedy pirates who yearned to occupy this place.
But without exception, all of them had failed, unable even to breach the gates.
This man was different; he had not only entered but also extended an invitation, and his words resonated with them.
"Impossible!"
A captain-like figure grit his teeth, "You're just a pirate; you can never rule this place. While we may not be your match, we value our lives and have families depending on us. You claim to target only the nobles and the wealthy, but if you lay a hand on the people of the outer city, we will fight you to the bitter end!"
"I never go back on my word."
Sag chuckled, turning to face the captain, "But it seems you're certain I won't succeed? Is it because of the armies vying for control over Augustusburg? If that's all it is, they pose no obstacle to me."
Before the Conquering King's Haki, numbers were but a joke. Only those with unwavering determination and bold spirits could stand their ground in his presence.
And even if there were, it wouldn't be too challenging to take them all down.
Just a single cannon blast would suffice.
"It's not about those armies, but the strong individuals within the Garles Kingdom!" The captain exclaimed, "If not for my family here, I would've joined either Lady Tihana or Lord William already!
The Garles Kingdom wasn't solely reliant on its military might; it also boasted several formidable individuals.
There was the renowned 'Moonlight Swordswoman', Lady Tihana, one of the kingdom's most exceptional warriors.
Under her command were several distinguished figures within the Garles Kingdom.
'Archbishop' Faruja.
'Fate Warrior' Sive.
'Wind-Chasing General' Misti.
These individuals were celebrated across the Garles Kingdom and served under Lady Tihana.
As for the deputy island of Timarton, there was only one person of note.
The Garles Kingdom's strongest, 'Young Lion' William.
"Lord William once stood against 'Yonko' Kaido and emerged unscathed! He's so impressive that even Kaido acknowledged his strength!" the captain shouted, "I know you're a force of nature, but you can't win this! The kingdom has too many powerful individuals, and you're just a pirate. You can't rule this place, so no matter how enticing your words are, we won't follow you!"
Were they tempted? Absolutely!
They had long harbored resentment towards the nobles, and now a pirate had shown up, offering better treatment and guaranteeing their safety. Who wouldn't be enticed by that?
But the premise was that this pirate must be able to rule the kingdom.
The resistance was too significant, like that captain; most wouldn't submit so easily.
(End of Chapter)
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