Chapter 1181 - 693: Kuzan, Join Me!

"Captain Teach!"

"Fleet Commodore!"

"King!!"

Teach stood motionless like a puppet, while the crowd desperately called out to him.

No matter how much they shouted, they found themselves in despair, as Teach seemed unable to hear or move.

This made the pirates on the battlefield completely abandon their fantasies.

Chaos erupted in its place.

Originally, the battle with the Disaster Pirates, who were fewer in number but slightly stronger, was going back and forth. Their side had more people, but the Disaster Pirates had more strength. Both sides fought fiercely.

Then their leader fell...

Without an anchor, morale naturally plummeted. In such a large battlefield, whichever side’s ’King’ falls first, that side loses.

No king being defeated could bring about a comeback through others. The larger the battlefield, the more people there are, the truer the statement holds.

Not only was their morale shrinking, but the adversary’s ’King’ remained and their morale was soaring, leading to inevitable defeat.

"Run!!"

No one knew who shouted first, but the crowd erupted like a boiling pot, scattering in all directions. The throng amassed around the fortress, resembling an ant colony in distress.

Once at the fortress, they despairingly saw the Sea Kings prowling in the peripheral seas, realizing they couldn’t escape at all.

The ship was right there, but escaping from the Sea Kings meant certain death at sea.

"I surrender, I surrender!"

One pirate shouted loudly, raising his hands and kneeling on the ground.

His words awakened many others.

Indeed, they could surrender!

They’re all pirates; anyway, with their leader dead, being absorbed and surrendering isn’t much different.

That’s what the sea is like, isn’t it!

Bam bam bam!!

However, those who knelt were struck by numerous light beams, smashed into bits.

"Sage said!"

Renedia stood atop Weevil’s shoulder and shouted, "No surrenders this time! Only a few exceptions are acceptable, sorry, but you guys don’t qualify!"

Firstly, most under Teach were incompatible with Sage. Even if they surrendered, sooner or later they would break rules, eventually to be purged or escape as pirates.

There were enough subordinates now. People were needed, not pirates.

Secondly, they needed to establish absolute authority, not like with Red Hair last time. Taking down Teach, who was also recognized as a Four Emperor by the sea, and his remnants could truly establish authority on the seas.

Many believed that only by completely eliminating them could ultimate prestige be established on the ocean, so pirates during Sage’s lifetime would inherently accept his rules, without daring to defy.

This was a proposal devised by his subordinates, and Sage wouldn’t refute it. In fact, he didn’t care; just do it.

"Fight!"

With surrender not an option, some gritted their teeth and fought the pursuing pirates, hoping to carve out a bloody path.

But clearly, it’s a dead end.

Some pirates simply boarded ships at the port, braving the prowling Sea Kings to escape, and once someone tried, many would follow.

Though there were many Sea Kings, as long as there were enough ’sacrifices,’ someone could break through the Sea Kings and escape.

They need not defeat the Sea Kings; they just need to survive longer than others to have hope.

But these people underestimated Sage’s summons as ’bait.’

Those Sea Kings drawn from the deep sea to the shallows by such natural misfortune, though fewer than those in Calm Belt lairs, were more brutal. Any moving object on the sea wouldn’t escape their grasp.

"Damn it!"

Seeing the situation worsen, Devon, beaten by Marika, roared in anger, keeping the Ushioni form and quickly stepped away with her eight legs, retreating from Marika’s range.

As Marika was about to pursue, a shadow flashed by.

"Augur!!"

Devon showed a gleam of joy.

With Van Augur’s Instant Teleportation, they could always escape. There were so many ships on the sea now; teleporting to any ship would serve as a temporary stop. Then, teleporting multiple times would surely find a way to escape.

Once out, with their strength, they could easily take over an island and become pirates again.

As for rescuing Teach...

Didn’t they see Sage guarding there?

Van Augur could teleport in but might not teleport out, better to just abandon it. Teach lost, and it’s better for them to find freedom!

"Let’s go."

Van Augur placed one hand on Devon’s spider leg, and with a flash of movement, Devon, blinking her eyes, felt her spider leg resting on some hard surface.

Like ground; but unlike a deck’s texture...

Had Van Augur found a small island or coral that Sage hadn’t cleared?

Huh? Is Teach here?

They actually rescued him...

Wait, Teach?!

As Devon thought, her face froze as she saw Teach, not far ahead, motionless like a puppet with Sage standing beside him, smirking. Devon turned incredulously to Van Augur.