Chapter 75: Becoming the World's Largest Landlord! (5k)

Chapter 75: Becoming the World's Largest Landlord! (5k)



The moon and stars shine upon the vast oceans, illuminating some areas while leaving others in darkness.

However, this has nothing to do with the East Sea, or at least not a particular region within it.

In a distant sea far from Rogue Town, the moon and stars shine brightly, and the sky is clear. But at the center of this tranquility, there lies a tempest of thunder and lightning, with dark clouds gathering.

Boom!

Lightning shatters the darkness, illuminating the sky and striking the sea, causing a layer of electrical sparks to dance on the waves.

Near these sparks, a black ship emerges on the surface. This vessel seems unusual, as despite the raging winds and waves, it sails calmly through the turbulence, with only the slightest imperceptible swaying.

The Death Omen.

First Floor: Banquet Hall.

Pirates, clad in a variety of attire, excitedly sort through piles of glittering jewels and gold in the grand banquet hall.

A pirate picks up a gem-encrusted golden crown and places it on his head, laughing boisterously as he shows it off to his companions. Others join in, with one donning a golden bracelet on his wrist and calling out to the crowd, while another grabs a sharp knife and laughs heartily.

Their enthusiasm fills the hall with a lively atmosphere.

At the head of the hall, on a raised dais, Sag sits on a throne overlooking this rowdy crew. His body is wrapped in bandages, especially his arms, which are bound tightly with layer after layer, and his hands are encased in plaster, resting on the armrests. He exudes an aura of power and dominance.

In front of him, there lies a massive dining table laden with food. There's roasted pork, beef, and lamb, stew pots filled with meat and seafood, breaded and deep-fried meats and vegetables, steamed shrimp and crab glowing with a reddish hue, and cutlets with bones still attached. The table is overflowing with delicacies.

The ingredients procured from Rogue Town are now being put to good use.

By the table, the gentle and amiable Maryka ladles a bowl of meat soup and feeds it to Sag, who gulps it down. The bowl is quickly emptied.

In the next moment, the freckled, pink-haired little girl, Reneetia, picks up a piece of cooked meat with bone and feeds it to Sag, who devours it in an instant, even chewing up the bone and swallowing it down.

As he finishes one mouthful, the golden-haired, wavy-locked Knight Princess Lily swiftly peels a gigantic steamed lobster and stuffs it into Sag's mouth.

One after another, they take turns feeding him, and the food on the table visibly diminishes. Maryka's chosen twenty-person kitchen crew then replenishes the table with freshly prepared dishes, continuing the feeding frenzy.

"So much treasure! We've struck it rich!"

Paul scoops up a handful of gold coins, letting them spill through his fingers and creating a jingling sound. His eyes sparkle with dollar signs, and he turns to look at Sag, who sits atop the throne.

"Captain Sag, you are truly amazing. Please allow me, humble Paul, to join the ranks of those attending to your meal!"

With that, he rushes over to the table.

Sag, who had just swallowed some fried chicken fed to him by Lily, glances at Paul and says, "Lily..."

Lily nods and replies, "Paul."

"Eh?" Paul queries, tilting his head in confusion.

"Use the iron block," Lily instructs, her tone leaving no room for argument.

Bang!

As soon as the words leave her mouth, Lily lashes out with a whip-like kick, her leg extending like a coiled spring and viciously striking Paul's body. He is sent flying across the room, crashing into a pile of golden treasures and sending gold coins scattering in all directions like a rain of gold.

The pirates, initially startled, burst into raucous laughter at the sight.

"When it comes to feeding me, only beauties are allowed to approach! Stay away, Paul!" Sag admonishes harshly.

Upon boarding the ship, Sag had ordered the preparation of food, and he didn't even need Maryka to personally oversee it. At this moment, he craved quantity above all else, and if it weren't for the presence of the chefs, he might have considered devouring the food raw.

After all, his battle with Zefa had left him severely injured.

Even with the protection of his Haki, his arms had suffered crushing fractures from Zefa's powerful hand strike infused with Haki. His internal organs had shifted out of place, and his limbs and bones had shattered due to the destructive Haki.

If it weren't for his Life Return ability, he feared he might have perished from these grievous wounds.

That old man, despite his asthma and advanced age, was still a monstrously strong opponent. If it weren't for those two factors, along with the loss of one of his arms, Sag suspected he might have met his end at Zefa's hands.

Unlike the carefree Captain Karp, Zefa merely refrained from killing; he showed no leniency toward pirates.

With no personal connection to Sag, why would he show mercy? Sag sometimes struggled to understand the thought processes of Captain Karp.

However, Sag acknowledged and appreciated the debt of gratitude he owed to Captain Karp.

"Sag," Lily said as she continued to feed him, "why didn't we kill that Black Arm? He's nearly finished anyway. Wouldn't that have secured our victory?"

"What value would such a victory hold?" Sag replied. "We are pirates, not battle maniacs. Lily, I admire your dedication, but I disagree with your methods. Our goal is to plunder, not seek revenge. That old man holds no grudge against me. He's a marine, and I'm a pirate. Our paths crossed, and a battle ensued. It's as simple as that. Nonetheless, thank you all."

He wasn't thanking them for their assistance in the fight, but rather for intervening at the crucial moment and preventing the battle from continuing.

At that time, Sag had already set aside all reservations, and if it weren't for these three individuals, especially Lily's final intervention, he feared his clash with Zefa might have ended in a mortal duel.

More likely than not, it would have been Zefa standing alive and Sag perishing.

Lily nodded thoughtfully, as if understanding something that had eluded her until now.

"But it was so dangerous," Maryka chimed in as she continued to feed Sag. "That Black Arm is incredibly strong. This time, we came dangerously close to the dissolution of the Heavenly Disaster Pirate Crew. Next time, please consider our well-being a little more."

"I'm still alive and well, aren't I?" Sag grinned, baring his teeth. "And my plan proceeded without a hitch. Of course, there were dangers, but what profession doesn't have its risks?"

Reneetia poured a large cup of thick sauce over a roasted whole lamb and tore off a large chunk of lamb leg, feeding it to Sag as she said, "You're the overlord, Sag. You're the man who will conquer the pinnacle of the Great Sea. That disabled, wheezing old man will die sooner or later!"

Sag rolled his eyes. "That disabled, wheezing old man nearly killed me. And even if I don't reach the pinnacle, Zefa will still die—he'll die of old age!"

In another thirty years, Zefa might turn to ash, but he'd still be lively and kicking.

The kitchen crew's serving speed wasn't slow. It was mostly simple cooking, and Sag didn't even pay much attention to the taste; as long as the food was cooked, it was fine. However, this kitchen crew that Maryka had recruited clearly had some talent, as the dishes they served were quite tasty. With these three women rapidly feeding him, ten tables full of sumptuous food were quickly devoured.

At this point, Sag suddenly extended his arm, which was encased in a plaster cast, signaling for the chefs to stop serving.

The several hundred pirates in the banquet hall all turned to look at Sag, who could now move his arms.

He extended his right hand, picked up the wooden cup on the table, and, with a gulp, drained the rum inside.

Bang!

He slammed the cup back down on the table. At the same time, the bandages wrapped around his body tore, and the ones on his hands disintegrated along with them.

White vaporous energy erupted from his body, rapidly healing the minute injuries on his surface as if he had never been wounded at all.

"All better?" Lily asked.

"Not quite, but I can move now. A few more meals, and I'll be fine."

Sag stretched his body, a soothing sound escaping his throat.

The massive feast, enough to feed a hundred people, had healed more than half of his severe injuries. This time, he had truly been hurt badly.

But it didn't matter; his Life Return ability had no such limitations. As long as he kept eating, he was confident he could recover to his original state and even become stronger!

He sat back on his throne, propping one leg up on the armrest and resting his chin on one hand as he addressed the pirates below. "Ajin."

"Captain Sag."

Ajin, having already finished the calculations, arrived at the bottom of the steps and reported, "I've tallied everything. Aside from the gold bars here, we robbed two hundred and fifty million beri in cash from Rogue Town, along with ten billion worth of goods. And the low-purity gold in your treasure vault will also be counted as part of the goods."

The gold and jewels in Sag's treasure vault were still worth something; it was just that after he had robbed such a massive haul, he looked down on his previous collection and decided to use it as part of the goods instead, to make up for any shortfall in reaching ten billion beri.

He intended to keep his promise seriously. He had said ten billion, and ten billion it would be. As for the appraisal and valuation, there were plenty of black market merchants who could handle that.

In addition to these, there were also the weapons, medicine, food, and other supplies that filled their warehouse, as well as the clothes and weapons these pirates had looted on their own from Rogue Town. These were not included in the current calculation.

What they were tallying now was the cash, gold, and jewels in the banquet hall.

"Excellent!"

Sag glanced at the gold and jewels in the banquet hall and said, "Dump out all the money."

The pirates opened the ten large leather trunks and dumped out the stacks of beri inside, mixing them with the loot from Rogue Town, creating a small hill of cash.

A pile of ten billion beri was quite a sight.

Three hundred million beri could cover Sag's entire dining table. If it were a smaller reception table, the money would probably pile up even higher. And this mound of cash on the floor was naturally quite impressive.

"I'll give you the fifty million in change," Sag declared. "Put six hundred million into my treasure vault. As for the gold and jewels, pick out half for me and put them in my room on the second floor. Reneetia, set up a display room for me on the second floor; I want to start a collection. Put the rest in the treasure vault, and as for the remainder..."

Sag swept his gaze across the pirates in the room, his mouth curling into a grin as he bared his gleaming white teeth. "It's all yours!!!"

"Oh!!!!"

The banquet hall erupted in a thunderous cheer. The hundreds of pirates shouted in unison, their voices drowning out the raging storm outside the Black Ship.

Even Lily wore a slight smile, although she didn't care much for money. But under Sag's influence, this division of spoils was quite enjoyable.

With a 5% share, she would receive over three hundred million out of the remaining six billion five hundred million, which was even higher than her bounty.

As for the rest of the pirates, after the officers took their share, there would be about five hundred million left to divide among the six hundred of them. Each person would get around eight hundred thousand, which wasn't a small amount.

It couldn't compare to the officers' shares, but it was still a substantial sum, and with their numbers, they had faced no risk in robbing Rogue Town.

Adding in the value of the gold and the items they had personally looted from the town, each pirate would come away with at least two million! All this for just half a day's work—they had truly struck it rich, and naturally, they were elated.

Sag stood up, threw his arms wide, and laughed loudly, "Maryka, let's liven things up! Kitchen crew, prepare the feast! Whoo-ha-ha-ha! My crew, let's begin the banquet!!!"

"Long live the Captain!!!" the pirates cheered.

"It's a wonderful feeling to cook for a captain with such a hearty appetite."

Maryka smiled gently and led the kitchen crew toward the kitchen, while the pirates began dividing the spoils. They carried and hauled, and before long, the banquet hall was cleared of the loot, and Maryka and her crew returned with food and drink, filling the hall with merriment.

Amidst the dim storm, the lights and revelry aboard the Death Omen continued unabated, the howling wind and driving rain unable to extinguish their fervor. The thunder and lightning cracking over the ocean wove together with the tempestuous waves, forming a symphony of the sea as the ship sailed on, the crescendo building with their journey.

It wasn't until four hours later that the revelry in the banquet hall gradually came to a close.

"Tsk, a bunch of drunkards, whoo-ha-ha-ha!"

Having drained his cup, Sag stretched out his arm and declared, "Lily, pour me another!"

Lily picked up an intricately decorated bottle and filled Sag's cup with a fragrant liquor. She glanced out the window and remarked, "Sag, we're almost there."

Through that window, they could see a massive island, and on a cliff stood a lighthouse, its beam shining in a particular direction.

"The guiding light," Lily said. "Follow that beam, and we'll reach the entrance to the Grand Line. Sag, shall we enter the Grand Line now?"

Maryka, slowly savoring a meat cutlet, and Reneetia, greedily gobbling down her food with greasy hands, both looked up at Sag.

Akin, who had passed out drunk on the floor, slowly climbed to his feet. Though his face still bore the flush of intoxication, his eyes were clear and resolute, filled with anticipation.

"Hmph, if we don't go now, are we waiting for the headquarters to send someone to the East Blue to catch me? Rogue Town isn't a small town; it's easy to attract attention here, and who knows who might show up next!" Sag said with a sinister grin. "Akin, get these drunkards on their feet. Hoist the sails, fire up the engines, we set sail for the Grand Line!"

"Yes, Captain Sag!"

Akin's eyes widened as he clenched his fists. "This time, we will conquer this sea route!"

The last time, when they were with the Kreig Pirates, they had failed.

But this time would be different; they would enter the Grand Line and sail on!

"Looking forward to it," Sag said with a laugh. "Whoo-ha-ha-ha!"

Sag stood up and strode out of the banquet hall, making his way to the deck.

The storm showed no signs of abating, the rain pelting his body and the howling wind ruffling his fur cloak.

The three women followed him out, joining him at the front deck as they gazed upon the ship's journey across the turbulent seas.

The crew sprang into action, some unfurling the sails while others made their way to the engine room to control the ship's propulsion. The vessel picked up speed, and soon, they laid eyes upon a massive continent that seemed to stretch endlessly into the sky.

At the ship's bow, a towering gateway stood amidst turbulent currents that formed whirlpools, made all the more ferocious by the raging storm. The gateway reached high into the sky, where the violent currents converged and flowed upward.

"Oh my, it's quite dangerous," Maryka remarked, gently caressing her cheek. "Is this the Reverse Mountain?"

"Be careful," Lily warned. "If our course deviates even slightly, we'll be swept up by the currents and crash into the Red Line continent. No ship, not even one built by Reneetia, could withstand that force."

"Rest assured!" Reneetia boasted, patting her small chest. "My ships are designed to withstand even the most formidable currents and waves! No tempest can capsize my creations!"

As she spoke, she gazed at the approaching gateway, took a deep breath, and shouted, "I will build ships that can safely navigate these seas for people all around the world!"

Lily furrowed her brow in confusion. "What are you doing?"

"Huh? Don't you know? It's tradition," Reneetia explained matter-of-factly. "My master told me that everyone entering the Grand Line must proclaim their dreams aloud because the route is grand, and so the dreams proclaimed here must also be grand!"

"Ah, that's wonderful," Maryka said with a gentle smile. She, too, faced the gateway and, though her smile remained unchanged, her voice carried a firmness that pierced through the howling storm. "I will create the ultimate cuisine that will feed people all over the world!"

Lily tightened her grip on the hilt of her jewel-encrusted sword and closed her eyes momentarily.

Her mind wandered back to the Kingdom of Oykot, where people became outlaws because they couldn't afford to pay their taxes. She recalled the town that had been raided, where the wealthy mayor continued to live in luxury while the people suffered. She thought of their landing in the Kingdom of Ennio, where they had overthrown the oppressive ruler, leading to an exodus of the oppressed from the kingdom. And she remembered their journey into the Deep Forest Kingdom, where the residents had both avoided them and harbored a glimmer of hope.

Lily opened her eyes and, with utmost solemnity, shouted towards the gateway, "I will ensure that no one in this world will ever be oppressed again!"

"And if there must be someone in that role, Sag, I hope it's you! You don't rob the poor, do you, Sag?" Lily looked at him expectantly.

"Captain," Maryka said with a smile.

"Captain?" Reneetia tilted her head in confusion.

With his back turned to them, they could only see Sag's erect posture and his fur cloak billowing in the wind as he tugged at the corner of his mouth.

Why do you all keep talking about the whole world? It makes me sound so dull and boring. Don't you have any plans to go with your grand dreams? The first thing he wants to accomplish is to become a landlord, and he needs a plan for what comes after as well.

A pirate's dream, huh?

Sag extended his hand, and the rain that had fallen into his palm was crushed by his tight grip.

"Then I shall become the world's largest landlord!"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end