Chapter 273: No Matter the Path, I Shall Forge My Own
Chapter 273: No Matter the Path, I Shall Forge My Own
Taking out the nobles was one thing, but allowing Sag to gain control of the region was out of the question, especially since they hadn't emerged victorious yet.
However, with the abundance of supplies stockpiled by the nobles now replenishing the city, along with the soldiers' initiative to patrol voluntarily, chaos was unlikely to erupt within the walls for the time being.
"There's no need to expend too much energy on this. Once we emerge victorious, we'll be able to march right in. Hehehe."
The royal palace of Augustinburgh remained an imposing structure. Ancient patterns were etched into the stones that formed the massive castle, and the interior exuded opulence. The entire grand hall seemed to glow with a golden hue, whether due to the lighting or the unique material used in its construction.
Sag, for his part, didn't spot any gold lacquer. The surrounding walls were adorned with murals, statues, and intricate carvings, and the throne at the highest point seemed fit for a giant—its size would dwarf any mere mortal who dared to sit upon it.
A lavish, fur blanket draped over the throne, and the upper half of the throne's backrest was carved into a golden crown adorned with gems, exuding an air of nobility and grandeur.
Sag ran his hand over the crown-adorned throne, a satisfied smile playing at the corners of his mouth. With his observational haki, he could sense the rich history imbued within this seat of power—it would make a fine addition to his collection.
He turned and seated himself, fixing his gaze on Moria, who had been speaking. "It's a different matter altogether. I could let things descend into chaos and then step in to restore order, and people would still thank me for it. But I'm not interested in such scheming and plotting. Pirates also have their code of honor. If there's a way to accomplish something in one fell swoop, there's no need to drag it out into two steps."
"As long as we win."
Lili produced a stack of parchment made from sheepskin. "We took these from the nobles. They contain maps of Garess Kingdom's main and secondary islands, as well as their subsequent plans."
Within the royal palace, the high-ranking members of the crew had gathered, and Lili addressed them, her eyes finally settling on Sag.
"That grand noble, Tehanna, has indeed assembled an army of one hundred thousand, and they are divided into eighteen squads under different leaders."
She produced a blackboard from somewhere and began posting the sheets of parchment on it. In the center, she placed two maps: Garess on the left and Timarton, its secondary island, on the right.
Lili beckoned, and a female pirate promptly scurried over, placing a pen in her hand.
"The eighteen squads will set out from different directions, eventually converging beneath Augustinburgh. And the soldiers they bring are not your average fighters; according to our intelligence, each one of them is a highly trained, expensive asset."
Lili drew lines and arrows on the map, radiating from various directions but all converging on Augustinburgh.
"The nobles of Augustinburgh favor Tehanna, so they will open the city gates to let her troops in for rest and recovery. Then they will open the port so that they can set sail from here to attack Timarton."
She paused briefly before continuing, "At the same time, William of Timarton has also received this intelligence, leaked by the nobles here. These people have connections on both sides. According to our information, the 'Young Lion' William will also muster an army of fifty thousand and cross the ocean to reach Augustinburgh. They plan to avoid naval battles and seek a decisive land engagement."
"This is all part of the nobles' scheme. The nobles within this city have orchestrated this situation, intending to incite a war that will drive a large number of civilians out of the city, allowing them to consolidate their hold on the real estate within Augustinburgh. That way, no matter who ends up ruling this place, they will control a significant portion of the city's industries."
"Of course, now there's also you to consider."
Lili turned to Sag. "After witnessing the execution in front of the Den Den Mushi, they will accelerate their plans. Now that the obstructing nobles have been removed, each of them will set their sights on Augustinburgh. In terms of proximity, Tehanna will make the first move, followed by William. A total of one hundred and fifty thousand troops will arrive at Augustinburgh at the same time."
This statement sent a chill through the crowd.
Among those present were some who had experienced the Alabasta incident, witnessing a war on a scale of millions.
But this situation was different. Firstly, the million-strong army in Alabasta had not all converged on the royal capital, and many had failed to arrive in time, with a portion still stranded in the desert outside the city. The actual number of troops within the walls had been far fewer.
This time, however, they were facing a solid one hundred and fifty thousand elite fighters, no pushovers by any means.
As a powerful nation, such a force could sweep aside many adversaries. This didn't even include the various local garrisons and those soldiers who chose not to participate in the civil war.
Even someone as formidable as Whitebeard, one of the 'Four Emperors,' had only mustered a force of fifty thousand during the Summit War.
This was why pirates tended to avoid targeting such formidable nations—it was simply too challenging.
"The best course of action, Sag, would be to deal with one side first. While William is crossing the sea, you can use your ability to annihilate them, after which we can swiftly occupy Augustinburgh. We'll use the city gates to our advantage in our battle against Tehanna, and with your ability, we can ensure victory, even if it means destroying Augustinburgh in the process."
With two Conquerors' Haki users and Sag's unique abilities, they could take on an army of one hundred thousand.
This was the strategy Lili had devised after consolidating the available intelligence.
"Excellent!"
Sag's laughter filled the room. "But there's no need for such complications, Lili. Judging from the routes you've drawn, there's a simpler plan. I have a proposal for you all to consider."
He eyed the map of Garess, with its intricate network of lines. Clenching his fist, he said, "Garess Mountain Range—if they plan to travel through this area, they won't be able to assemble their forces until they reach the flatlands near Augustinburgh. That's where we come in!"
Dividing a hundred thousand troops into eighteen squads?
Fortunately, the terrain dictated this strategy to some extent, or Sag would have laughed those so-called geniuses to scorn.
The concept of achieving victory with inferior numbers was not lost on Sag. It entailed committing your entire force to exploit the enemy's weaknesses, gradually eroding their strength until you could devour them whole.
Now was a golden opportunity!
Sag stood up and strode towards the blackboard, his finger landing on one of the lines amidst the attentive gazes of his crew.
"I'll take on all comers, no matter where they come from or how many there are! I don't care about their numbers or their geographical advantage. All I know is that these nobles have divided themselves into eighteen squads, and I want you to devour them all. Any objections?"
With so many officers, including a strategist, a chief of staff, and a commander, as well as two Conqueror's Haki users and the former Shichibukai, along with the might of the Demon Clan, they had a force of five thousand. Could they really take on eighteen squads?
If they couldn't, then Sag might as well find some unclaimed land and develop it slowly and quietly.
The three people responsible for refining the plan exchanged glances, their eyes lighting up. Moria stroked his chin and chuckled, "Seems like a great idea to me."
"Feasible," Hawkins commented dryly.
"Let's do it!" Lili took a deep breath, doing her best to hide her excitement.
Sag's suggestion presented a new approach.
Indeed, they could take advantage of the enemies' lack of concentration and defeat them piecemeal. This way, not only would they avoid damaging Augustinburgh, but for Lili, it would be a worthwhile battle to command.
With their force of five thousand against the enemy's ten thousand, if they could annihilate them...
For Sag, it would be a massive boost to his reputation!
He would solidly establish himself as one of the Four Emperors!
"But what about William?"
"Leave him to me."
Sag clenched his fist confidently. "I'll hold down the fort in Augustinburgh. If he dares to cross the sea, I'll wipe him out!"
A single blast would be enough.
While the power of his ability might fall slightly short against stronger opponents, it was more than sufficient against these weaklings. As for William, the so-called strongest warrior of the kingdom, Sag was eager to meet him in battle.
"Understood. Let's set off now."
Lili nodded, took down the maps, rolled them up, and led the group out of the royal palace.
Now was not the time to linger. Their opponents were already in motion, so they had to make haste.
Lili commanded the force of over five thousand as they set out, well-supplied, toward the western gate of Augustinburgh, heading for the mountainous area.
With the detailed intelligence obtained from the nobles and the information provided by Captain Zack about the kingdom's strong warriors, it was a simple matter to devise an even more comprehensive plan.
It all came down to the order of engagement.
A day later...
An army of over five thousand marched along a mountain path on the main island of Garess. The soldiers wore different armor and uniforms, and their weapons varied as well.
The Garess Kingdom practiced a typical feudal system, with large and small nobles holding their own territories. To raise an army, these nobles had to contribute troops, which would then be assembled into a unified force under the command of their leaders.
Hence, the soldiers' diverse appearances.
However, they were all elites drawn from the nobles' private forces, not mediocre warriors.
As for their leaders...
"General Misty, let's take a break. The weather has been too dull lately, and I'm sweating buckets. This mountain path is nice and cool, so let's find a spot for a little picnic. I've brought some fine wine from my private collection."
A nobly dressed man strolled to the front of the group and addressed the fair-skinned, brown-haired female general with a pure and innocent appearance.
When private armies of nobles gathered, the nobles themselves would tag along, each leading their own contingent under the overall command of a designated leader.
The commander of this particular group was none other than the former Hunting Captain of the Garess Kingdom, known as 'Windchaser General' Misty. She had served directly under the late king.
"We need to reach Augustinburgh as soon as possible to join up with Tehanna," Misty said expressionlessly.
Her position had been granted by the previous king, and after his death, she had withdrawn from Augustinburgh back to her hometown.
If it weren't for her close friendship with Tehanna, she wouldn't have answered this call to arms.
Above all, the kingdom couldn't afford another war. The people in her hometown were already suffering from the impact of rising prices, and if the conflict dragged on, they might not even be able to afford their next meal.
So, she had chosen to side with Tehanna, believing that only she could bring an end to the war. As for William, while he was strong, he lacked the support of the people, and even if he managed to seize the kingdom, he wouldn't be able to bring stability.
The noble smiled and said, "There's no rush. Tehanna set out the latest, so even if we take a break, we won't fall behind schedule. Look, everyone is tired, and if we push on, they won't be able to perform at their best. It's better to rest and ensure we have the energy to fight if we encounter a surprise attack."
Misty opened her mouth as if to say something, but upon seeing the eager looks on the faces of some of the nobles, she fell silent.
She had seen the execution in Augustinburgh via Den Den Mushi, but these nobles seemed unconcerned and were still in a leisurely mood.
The citizens of Augustinburgh must have suffered at the hands of the pirates, and the sooner they arrived, the sooner they could drive the pirates out. Yet, these people seemed more interested in a leisurely picnic.
Misty's eyes flashed with impatience, and she began to speak, "I..."
But before she could finish, her pupils suddenly flashed with a red light, and she stepped back, moving with the agility of the wind to dodge something.
Bang, bang, bang!
In that instant, a hail of gunfire erupted from the surrounding area, and the soldiers were struck by bullets, blood blossoming from their wounds.
"Ambush!"
Misty dodged to the side and shouted a warning, swiftly drawing the longbow from her back. With incredible speed, she nocked an arrow and drew the string, not even bothering to aim as she released the shot.
Whiz!
Suddenly, her body trembled, and a look of disbelief crossed her face. She loosened the bowstring, her eyes fixed straight ahead.
"Conqueror's Haki?!"
(End of Chapter)
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