17. Roya Kingdom
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The guards were doing their duties, and the Tru Kingdom now resembled a real pirate stronghold.
As for Anos, after leaving the execution platform in Central Square, he began touring all of Logue town.
It was indeed a prosperous place. Compared to his own Kingdom, even the Royal City was not as thriving.
The advantages were obvious, but so were the drawbacks. After all, Logue town was quite small and didn't offer much to explore.
As Anos wandered, he suddenly remembered that the original protagonist had been in the East Blue. If he went to see him now, it should be fine.
Since they had already come this far, it wouldn't take much effort to get there.
But how could things go so smoothly?
They had only been away from their Kingdom for seven days.
Just as Anos considered visiting the protagonist, the sound of a "purururu…" came from his coat.
When he reached into his pocket, he pulled out something resembling a snail with a crown on its head.
This was Anos's personal Den Den Mushi. Cultivated alongside him from birth, the snail-like creature could communicate over long distances, functioning much like a mobile phone.
Anos pressed a small bump on the snail's shell, and with a "hiccup," a voice came through the line.
"Your Majesty? Is that you, Your Majesty? It's me, Daiki, the captain of the Royal guards…"
Daiki's voice sounded worried, and the Den Den Mushi imitated his concerned expression.
Anos, still calm, responded, "It's me, Daiki. What's going on?"
"Your Majesty, I have urgent news to report…"
"Calm down," Anos replied with a frown. "You're the captain of the Royal Guard. Can you not panic every time something happens?"
Though he tried to maintain his calm tone, Anos had already sensed that something serious had occurred in the kingdom, though he wasn't sure what.
Daiki took a deep breath, and the Den Den Mushi mimicked the action.
"Your Majesty, the Roya Kingdom has launched an attack on the Tru Kingdom, and they've enlisted the help of pirates. We're struggling to defend ourselves."
"Have you investigated why the Roya Kingdom attacked?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. Our kingdom's rapid growth over the past two years has caused tension, and now the Roya Kingdom seeks to suppress us. Moreover, the pirates they've hired include several Devil Fruit users. They've begun attacking indiscriminately across our land."
Daiki was trying to stay composed, but his voice betrayed his anxiety.
"How far have they advanced?"
"The Roya Kingdom is still being held at the border by our army, but the pirates are different. They've already caused significant damage in multiple areas."
Anos listened carefully and then, with forced composure, said, "Delay them for a few more days."
"Understood, Your Majesty."
After hanging up, Anos's eyes filled with anger, his calm façade completely gone.
He stood there, his entire body shaking with rage.
He pulled out another Den Den Mushi, and when the line connected, he said coldly, "Get everyone on the ship. We're leaving immediately."
Without waiting for a response, he ended the call and turned toward the port.
By now, the guards had already started escorting captured pirates to the naval base. Upon receiving Anos's orders, they realized something was wrong, leaving the prisoners and heading straight for the ship.
When Anos arrived at the port, a large crowd had gathered. Pirates were mingling with the locals of Logue town, all there to witness the spectacle.
Without delay, Anos boarded the ship. The crew, including Suzu, hurriedly followed suit.
Though they didn't know what had happened, the urgency in Anos's actions told them something serious was unfolding.
"What's going on, Your Majesty?" Suzu asked anxiously.
"The Kingdom of Tru was attacked just two days after I left!" Anos responded, his voice filled with fury.
His hands gripped the railing so tightly that the wood splintered beneath his fingers.
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Suzu immediately rushed to Barlow and shouted, "Barlow! Set sail now!"
The crew, though confused, followed orders. They didn't know if they were fleeing from a greater pirate threat or something else entirely, but there was no time for hesitation.
They hadn't even had a chance to explore Logue town properly before they were forced to leave in such a rush.
If they had known, perhaps they wouldn't have come this way at all.
As the sails unfurled, the Tempest began to pull away from the port, disappearing into the horizon as onlookers watched in confusion.
The pirates they had captured earlier were handed over to the naval base, and none escaped.
What was meant to be a smooth visit to Logue town had turned into a chaotic departure.
Anos, preoccupied with the crisis at hand, ordered the ship to speed up and head for Reverse Mountain.
It had taken them two days to reach Logue town from Reverse Mountain, but now they would need less than a day to return, as Logue town was one of the closest stops to the mountain.
Upon their return, they were surprised to find that Camolong and his crew were still lingering around, dragging something massive between their ships.
Several pirate vessels were on guard, keeping a close watch on the surroundings, ready to fend off any interference.
Anos had no desire to fight, but it wasn't up to him now. The Devil Pirates weren't going to let them pass without a challenge.
As the Tempest approached, the Devil Pirates attacked with their cannons thundering toward the ship.
Anos guards scrambled to defend the ship, either intercepting cannonballs mid-air or kicking them away.
As they drew closer, Anos saw Camolong standing on his ship. His eyes gleamed with anger as he shouted, "Camolong, I'm not in the mood for games today. I don't care what you're doing, but I need to cross Reverse Mountain now. If you try to stop me, I won't hold back!"
"Hah, hah, hah… I didn't expect you to show up here. Now that we've got what we came for, do you think we'll just let you go?" Camolong sneered.
Before he could finish, Anos, already in a foul mood, unsheathed the demon sword Muramasa, its dark energy pulsing with malevolent power.
Even Camolong, though experienced, was taken aback by the intensity of the sword's aura. For a boy of fifteen or sixteen to wield such power was truly remarkable.
"I see you've got quite the sword there. It's almost a shame to take it from you," Camolong said with a sinister smile.
With unwavering determination, Anos activated his Armament Haki, his body transforming into what looked like black steel. Camolong, now truly fearful, braced himself for the fight.
Anos leapt onto Camolong's ship, and in an instant, most of the Devil Pirates collapsed, overwhelmed by his Conqueror's Haki.
"Conqueror's Haki!" Camolong gasped, now filled with regret for challenging Anos.
If a person can use their Haki to such an extent, what can a pirate like him do in this situation?
Camolong already had some regrets, but now he could only fight for his life.
It's unclear how many members remain in the Demon Pirates, but now only about a dozen can still stand or move.
However, when these dozen faced the King's guards, almost all were powerless to resist.
"Camolong, you hurt me due to my carelessness before. Now I want to see, what else can you do?" Anos asked coldly.
On the vast blue sea, although there was no wind, Camolong felt as though he had fallen into an ice cellar.
"Don't think that just having Haki makes you invincible. What matters is your ability!" Camolong retorted.
"Then watch closely. Since our previous battle isn't finished, I don't mind wasting more time to give you a proper lesson!" Anos said, his eyes turning red, resembling those of a demon.
Meanwhile, aboard the Tempest, Suzu urgently gave orders: "What are you standing around for? His Majesty the King is fighting personally! Bring up the fruits prepared in the cabin!"
There were no guards on the ship at that moment. They didn't understand why it was so difficult to simply bring out the fruits for the offering.
Suzu didn't explain much, but since the order had been given, someone would surely follow through.
This time, Anos showed no mercy, continuously using his Observation Haki to track Camolong's every move.
Camolong intended to use his long sword to mask his Devil Fruit powers, hoping to land a fatal strike like before.
But this time, things would not go as planned.
As Anos approached, he held Muramasa across his chest. Gathering his strength, he softly commanded, "Zero Edge"
As soon as the words left his mouth, a horizontal slash cut through the air. Despite Camolong's caution, a large portion of his hat's brim was sliced off.
"Thousand Pine Needles!"
In an instant, Camolong unleashed his Devil Fruit ability. Thousands of silver needles shot from his palm, each piercing through the hull with incredible force.
But despite this, Anos effortlessly dodged every single attack.
"We don't need to keep watching. His Majesty's strength is beyond imagination, Camolong is indeed powerful and terrifying, mastering his Devil Fruit so well. But for now, focus on your duties."
"The Devil Pirates have been here for days, so they must have collected significant treasure. His Majesty wants to finish quickly and transport everything to the Tempest. We'll deal with the rest once we return…"
No one on the pirate ships was conscious; all had been knocked out. Since the Captain couldn't join the King's battle, he decided it was better to use the time to plunder everything they could.
There were over a dozen pirate ships to search, which would take time. But when the first pirate ship was searched, someone shouted in surprise.
"Captain Haruya! There's a ton of treasure here!" a guard yelled excitedly.
Haruya quickly rushed down with a few men, and the sight before them left them speechless.
Piles of gold and silver filled the cabin, and their eyes gleamed with excitement.
There was at least a billion beris worth of treasure on the ship. More than a dozen men eagerly began packing it up.
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