Chapter 1197 - 701: Letter of Marque

The words fell, and all was silent.

Everyone looked at each other, saying nothing.

"Hehehe..."

The pirate picking his nails chuckled after a while, "A calamity leading us to fortune? Don’t you want to take everything? If it’s just wealth, we won’t be recruited."

Sage glanced over but remained silent, just sitting there, his calm demeanor making everyone unconsciously swallow.

What’s the situation?

Did the words offend the calamity?

In that instant, even the people at the table with a bounty over one billion were all silent, daring not to speak.

A bounty of a billion signifies they are regional overlords, but in front of the calamity who defeated three of the Four Emperors and was involved in the fall of one, they are nothing.

The difference was palpable.

After all, each person entered the New World with fervor, aiming for the throne of the Four Emperors, earning the title of silver medalists. Every one of them has faced a Four Emperor, if not, some have contended with the emperor’s deputies.

They know the terror of the Four Emperors, and thus, even more so understand the horror of the Pirate Emperor now.

Even the man who spoke and was picking his nails lowered his head, cold sweat dripping.

Until Lily appeared.

"’Flying Armor’ Aredin, with a bounty of 1.16 billion, occupies the second half of the New World’s Toronto Islands, where a lot of timber is produced, and food production is also good, enslaving the locals to grow food for them."

Lily walked in front of Sage, glanced at Aredin picking his nails, "He’s an Ability User, said to be able to make his fingernails fly and control them, with past feats of sinking a battleship with them."

A seemingly ordinary ability but with impressive feats.

To reach this level, although a simple ability can achieve it, clearly, it’s not just the ability; mastery over Haki naturally, and a not insignificant prowess in it as well.

"Oh..."

Sage nodded upon hearing this, continuing to wait for Lily to speak.

Lily glanced at the people at the two tables, then looked at the guy wearing a military cap.

"’Captain of Soldiers’ Sphinx, bounty 1.073 billion, has a large fleet and holds a considerable territory in the New World, recently seems to be imitating our approach, but not very successfully."

The pirate named Sphinx with the military cap exhaled heavily, eyes filled with defiance.

It wasn’t just unsuccessful; it was entirely impossible to imitate.

His own strength is fairly average; the bounty comes from a large fleet, significant territory, posing a threat to the World Government.

When Sage became one of the Four Emperors, he noticed and thought he could learn to control territories like that guy. But every emulation ended in failure; not only did it not enhance his strength, he even lost a lot of money due to overinvestment.

Angrily, he eliminated many people who took money but didn’t work.

He couldn’t understand.

Following Sage’s rule exactly, why is it completely different? He also makes the ruled plant crops and sell products, even pays them according to Sage’s prices.

But when he did the accounting, he had to stop loss by launching the fleet; if delayed, he wouldn’t even be able to operate the fleet.

Even though it’s the same method, the price he sold at was just not feasible, either very cheap with buyers or no merchants at higher prices.

This has troubled him for a long time.

Clearly, it’s the same route...

"’Red Scorpion’ Isabella, bounty 1.135 billion, a female pirate who roams the seas with just one ship, not confined to territories."

The red-haired, brown-skinned female captain with a beauty mole at the corner of her mouth smiled, raised her hand to her chest, and slightly bowed towards Sage.

Listening till now, they almost understood this was introducing them to the calamity.

It wasn’t about them being unhappy, just completely not caring about them.

Though it sounded displeasing, realizing it was the calamity... they let it go.

Their presence here, to some extent, was out of fear or a need for O’hara.

At least everyone here owned a battleship purchased from O’hara.

"’Pirate Merchant’ Dorok, bounty 1.528 billion Belly."

The rotund man with a benevolent face nodded and smiled.

"’Water Man’ Akfa, bounty 1.26 billion Belly."

The sinister man remained expressionless.

Sixteen great pirates with bounties over one billion across two tables were introduced one by one by Lily, then Sage nodded, looking at the nail-picking man who spoke first.

"I’m not very interested in you. I didn’t want the second half because I’m not interested for now. Business, however, could be done together."

Sage smiled, "Or do you need a delineation now to see if I have the measure to do business?"

The moment the words ended, black and red spiral Haki emanated out, swirling around him. In everyone’s eyes, the twisted Haki, mixed with an intimidating Supreme King presence, flashed with black and red lightning, subtly forming knots.

Conqueror’s Haki!

Masters among masters!

The Four Emperors having Conqueror’s Haki is a given.

They merely have Supreme King Haki, but are still a step away from Conqueror’s Haki, which requires top-tier talent.

And for some pirates who’ve faced characters with Conqueror’s Haki, their pupils contracted, and they silently bowed their heads.