Chapter 31: I Have a Plan!
Chapter 31: I Have a Plan!
Sarge didn't possess Armament or Observation Haki; these abilities were cultivated through post-natal training, and he had not yet mastered the will to activate them.
However, he did possess Conqueror's Haki, a gift that only one in millions might possess, an innate talent.
Sarge had this talent since he was a child.
Haki itself had nothing to do with one's physique; it was the power of will, and this was especially true for Conqueror's Haki. Regardless of how powerful Sarge's physical techniques were, mastering this Haki was indeed troublesome.
Up to this point, his Conqueror's Haki couldn't be released precisely towards multiple people; he could only release it in one direction, and even those standing too close to him would be affected. Forget about precision; he couldn't even target a single person with it.
"What...what is this?"
Lily stared blankly at the soldiers who had collapsed all over the mountain, dumbfounded.
It was incomprehensible. Had these soldiers all turned weak-kneed? No, that wasn't it. She could sense the soldiers' excitement just a moment ago, but after Sarge took a glance at them, they fainted as if they had received a tremendous mental shock.
Not only her, but the other pirates were equally baffled, their mouths agape as cold sweat dripped down their faces.
The captain was undoubtedly strong, but they had witnessed similar strength in other people before. It was just a matter of being stronger. No matter how much stronger he became, they could accept it and marvel at their captain's power.
However, this unprecedented scene didn't inspire awe and admiration in them; instead, they felt fear.
Was this man truly human?
"A Conqueror!" Renetia's words caught everyone's attention. "You're a Conqueror?" She exclaimed in astonishment.
"Captain Sarge defeated Creek. He's the new East Blue Conqueror," Jin replied.
"It's not some weird thing, monkey. Don't talk nonsense if you don't understand," Renetia shot back, rolling her eyes at Jin. "My master once mentioned that among millions, there exists a born ruler of the seas, a king among men, with a formidable presence that can intimidate enemies. Your captain is a Conqueror among pirates!"
"What is a pirate Conqueror?" Jin asked, his eyes gleaming with excitement and anticipation.
"Yes," Renetia nodded solemnly, emphasizing her words. "He's still a pirate!"
The crew: "..."
"Stop gawking and start looting!" Sarge shouted at the soldiers before turning around and laughing heartily. "Hahaha! Nothing can stop me now! Everything in this castle is mine! Paru, move that throne! I want to see it in my new captain's room!"
"Yes, Captain!" Paru jumped to attention and hurried to move the throne that had been blown into a corner of the wall.
The rest of the crew began looting the castle, and as expected of a king's treasury, there were far more treasures here than what they had taken from the mayor. Especially since these Black-Flag pirates had raided several towns, their haul was substantial.
Aside from the materials Renetia needed, the destruction of the town was primarily due to the theft of its finances, which were now safely stored in the treasury.
And now, it all belonged to Sarge.
Piles of gold coins, ornaments made of pure gold, exquisite jewelry, and precious corals formed small hills, their combined radiance making Sarge's eyes shine.
He clutched a handful of gold coins, his right hand holding a flintlock pistol adorned with jewels. Stepping out of the castle, he gazed at the starry night sky and laughed out loud.
"Hahaha! Hahahaha!"
"Sarge, are you happy? We should get back to the ship," Lily said as she approached.
"Of course! Lily, all of this is mine! Mine!" Sarge let a few coins slip through his fingers, landing on the ground. He loved wealth, but he wasn't greedy. On the contrary, he was quite generous.
With so much treasure, letting a few coins fall only emphasized his abundance.
After laughing for a while, he turned to Lily and said, "I have a plan!"
From the peak of the tallest island, he looked down the slope, where numerous buildings could be seen. Villages were connected to each other, and several large towns could be spotted as well.
"The wealth of a kingdom lies in two places: in the hands of its citizens and in the hands of its king."
"It's tedious and time-consuming to rob every single civilian. It's much simpler to just take out the king." Sage laughed. "My plan is to rob every king along the way all the way to the New World!"
After all, the Marines had already pinned the blame on him, so he might as well make the most of it. Instead of wasting time on merchant ships, he would go straight for the kings' treasures. With the resources he gained, he could build stronger ships, amass a fortune, and the World Government wouldn't be able to touch him. This was the perfect way to accumulate the capital he needed to become a feudal lord!
"All we have to do is rob every king along the way, and I'll have the funds I need to establish my dominion in the New World, beyond the reach of the World Government!"
This was a brilliant strategy! It promised a higher yield than preying on merchant ships, and Sage wasn't deterred by the risks involved. His greatest fear was failing to achieve his goals.
However, this plan would have to wait until he had sufficient strength. Some things were simply not feasible at the moment.
Sage was well aware that plans didn't always unfold as expected and that success often came in gradual steps rather than all at once.
"Today, we seized a hoard of treasure. Tomorrow, the world's treasures will be within our grasp! Today, we robbed a king. Tomorrow, we'll be the Pirate King!"
As he continued on his path, mastering his Haki and venturing into the New World, he would seize dominion over vast territories and rise to the pinnacle of the pirate world!
He would emulate 'Hundred Beasts' and 'Big Mom,' ruling over their own nations and commanding countless underlings.
"Isn't this the path that all pirates strive for?"
Of course! Sage was a pirate, and if he wanted to fulfill his dreams, this was the only viable path.
The traditional route of a pirate was far more reliable than the uncertain path of a treasure-seeking adventurer or the grueling quest for higher bounties through countless battles. As for relying on luck to stumble upon hidden treasures, Sage had been a treasure hunter before, and he hadn't even found so much as a treasure chest, let alone a fortune.
No, the traditional path of a pirate was the best option for him.
Tradition meant a proven track record, and what Sage sought above all else was certainty.
"Sage, we've got company."
As Sage indulged in his laughter, Lily gazed down the slope at the sea below. Under the starry sky, the dark waters reflected the twinkling stars, and within this darkness, the silhouettes of illuminated ships were approaching.
Marine warships!
Looting a castle took time, especially since Sage was meticulous in his plunder. The thirty or so pirates had scoured every inch of the castle, nearly stripping the gold foil from the lamp fixtures.
The surrounding fires and the earlier cannon blasts had undoubtedly drawn attention, and it was only a matter of time before the Marines were notified.
"Let's go."
Clutching his gold coins, Sage strode out of the castle with Lily by his side. There, on the ground, stood an enormous black ship.
Calling it a "black ship" didn't quite do it justice. On this moonless night, the ship's surface reflected the stars above, as if the vessel were sinking into the starry sky itself.
It was a three-masted behemoth, so vast that the presence of thirty pirates on board seemed insignificant. The warships of the East Blue couldn't hold a candle to this ship's size and scale.
"Here they come!" Renetia stood beside the ship, waving at them. "Hurry up and get on board! Don't worry about getting it down; we'll just slide it out from this slope and into the sea! Those Marine ships won't be able to catch up! I've installed a propulsion system on this ship that even ordinary people can operate. It'll leave them in the dust!"
"Excellent!"
Sage laughed heartily and ruffled Renetia's hair affectionately before climbing the stairs to the deck.
"We haven't put a mark on the bow yet. We'll change that later and give it a symbol of my own."
He stood at the ship's prow, gazing forward for a moment before raising his hand and shouting, "Set sail!"
"Aye, aye!"
Renetia grinned, her dimples showing, and slammed her hand on the deck. "Propulsion Impact!"
Boom!
Without any apparent propulsion, the ship began to slide across the ground, moving down the slope until it reached the sea. The sturdy ironwood hull effortlessly glided over the bumps and dips in the terrain and then surged forward, speeding through the port at the base of the slope and leaping into the air.
The stars reflected in the water beneath the ship merged with the stars in the sky, and the vessel seemed to become one with the night sky. It shot past the Marine warships that were rapidly approaching the port, leaving them far behind and plunging into the sea with a massive splash.
As the ship emerged from the spray, it was already far from the pursuing warships, leaving them with no chance to turn back and give chase.
(End of Chapter)
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