"What condition?" Rosen was a little surprised, but curious to hear Xia's request.
As Xia had guessed, Rosen didn't care who played the role of "Princess." If none could be found, he could simply pick someone from the Lantis warriors.
Still, if Xia became the Princess, it would be far easier to work with—she was already a well-known figure in the Andia Kingdom and frequently visited the royal court.
But if her condition was too excessive, Rosen wouldn't agree.
"Let me become one of your crew." Xia's words were carefully considered. It was her way of showing commitment while also deepening their trust.
If she was going to take such a risk, then binding herself tightly to Rosen was the best choice. He valued his crew and would never easily abandon them. She also wanted the security of being under his protection.
"You're very clever. For now, no one else can know. I'll choose the right time to inform my crew. Welcome to the Dawn Pirates." Rosen hadn't expected this, but her choice reassured him—it was a win-win situation.
"Welcome," Nico Robin added with a smile, extending her hand to Xia.
"So, what should we do now? Should we leave and approach another noble?" Xia asked, looking at Rosen. Her mind was working quickly—she didn't want to be someone ignorant of the plan.
"No need. The script is already written. Here's the story: Duke Valos is slaughtered along with his entire family by assassins sent by the kingdom. The sole survivor, Princess Xia, rallies the common people into an army to avenge her grandfather and declares war on the King! How's that?" Rosen outlined the tale of a tragic princess with just a few words.
"Brilliant." Robin nodded. Since the boss already had it figured out, there was no need for her input.
"It sounds like something out of a biography. Will it really work?" Xia was uncertain.
"You must understand—reality is often far more absurd than a biography." As Rosen spoke, sand lifted around him, swirling into the air.
"Duke Valos, it's unfortunate. Your arrogance has made you reject a once-in-a-lifetime chance. Now, it's time for you to die. As for the rest—I'll leave one or two of the Duke's closest aides alive. You may not dare speak now, but once I take your Duke's head, it won't be too late to choose a side. I don't despise those who know when to yield." Rosen's voice carried through the air, plunging the entire castle into a deathly silence.
This pirate—was he truly threatening to kill Duke Valos? With just one man? His audacity was staggering, but surely insane.
"Hahaha! You must be mad. I'm right here—if you have the skill, then kill me! Do you think my polite words meant I feared you? Fire! Blast these insolent fools into dust—leave no one alive!" Valos raged, both furious and insulted. Never in his years of power had he been so underestimated.
Boom!
Cannons roared, rifles thundered, and massive crossbows armed with Seastone-tipped bolts fired from the walls—legendary weapons said to have once slain dragons. The fortress had only three such great engines.
"Hellstorm Tempest!" Ten sand-laden whirlwinds erupted into the sky. With a push of Rosen's hand, they surged forward like true hurricanes, tearing toward the fortress.
Boom!
Explosions filled the air as cannonballs and bullets were sucked into the storms. Only one dragon-slaying bolt pierced through, whistling straight at Rosen.
Covering his hand in Armament Haki, Rosen caught the massive bolt barehanded, its force enough to smash a small mountain—yet he did not retreat a single step.
"Ahhh!" Soldiers on the wall screamed as the storms swept against the ramparts, pulling those too close into the maelstrom and shredding them into a rain of blood.
Whoosh!
Rosen hurled the captured bolt back, aiming it at Duke Valos. Its shrill whistle split the air. Valos's face twisted with rage as he drew a giant double-bladed axe and swung hard.
Clang!
Sparks exploded as steel struck steel. Valos managed to deflect the missile, but the recoil left his hands trembling uncontrollably.
His expression grew grave. This pirate was far stronger than he had imagined. To throw such a massive bolt at that speed without even a siege engine—impossible!
Yet, despite his shock, Valos did not panic. As long as the enemy could not breach the castle walls, his troops would prevail.
The fortress garrison numbered only 1,500, but every man was an elite capable of fighting ten opponents at once. These were Valos's handpicked soldiers, his strongest force.
The fortress itself was colossal. No fighter could leap across its height, and anyone foolish enough to attack from the air would become a target for every weapon. Even if a few powerful enemies slipped inside, they would be overwhelmed and slain.
Thus, Valos remained confident.
The sandstorms raged on, scraping the iron-coated walls with shrill metallic screeches.
"These walls are indeed solid. The outer layer is sealed with molten iron—metal. My ability won't turn them into sand. Looks like I'll need time to bury this entire castle underground." Rosen's plan was dangerous.
If he couldn't break through directly and knew little about the fortress's interior, then the simplest approach was to attack the ground itself.
Rosen intended to sink the fortress. He was certain its foundations weren't reinforced with molten iron all the way down. Even if some were, there had to be a limit.
Once he reached beneath that layer, the so-called impregnable fortress would be nothing but a toy in his hands.
"Futile! Destroying Ironclad Fortress with your strength alone is impossible. Accept death quietly—even a Logia won't save you!" Valos scoffed, misreading Rosen's pause as hesitation.
The fortress had stood as the Duke's seat for generations. Of course it was exceptional, backed by legends of its indestructibility.
The generals and stewards nearby sneered openly, mocking Rosen's overconfidence.
Seeing this, Rosen adjusted his strategy. He didn't intend to kill everyone—at least one of Valos's inner circle had to survive, as he'd said earlier.
Since they placed such faith in their fortress, then his first task was to shatter that confidence.
"Those who want to live, step back five hundred meters." His voice echoed as the ground began to rumble, shaking as though an earthquake had struck. The entire high city trembled, startling even Valos and his soldiers.
Crack! Crumble!
The earth split, rocks shattering like hidden mines exploding. The whole city shook violently, sending terrified civilians running into the streets.
An earthquake—one of nature's most dreaded disasters.
"Enough bluffing! Continue the bombardment! Dragon-slayers, fire in volleys! Kill him!" Valos bellowed. Though powerful himself, he excelled in using his army's strength to its fullest.
Gunfire and arrows rained down on Rosen.
But he conjured a swirling sandstorm around himself, shielding his body from every attack. Even the dragon-slayer bolts could not pierce the golden barrier of compressed sand.
Meanwhile, shattered earth gathered into sand, rushing toward him in torrents. Before their stunned eyes, a towering sand giant over a hundred meters tall began to take shape.
And still the sand poured in, compressing and grinding until the loose grains hardened like forged steel.
The sight left the defenders frozen in shock.
(To be continued)