Sage cannot use Armament or Observation, these things are acquired through later training, and he hasn't yet mastered the awakening of his will.
However, he can use Supreme King, a talent perhaps only possessed by one in millions, an innate gift.
This talent, Sage has had since childhood.
Haki itself is unrelated to physique; it is the power of will, and Supreme King is even more so. No matter how formidable Sage's mastery of Body Techniques is, controlling this Supreme King is indeed troublesome.
Until now, he has not been able to precisely apply his Supreme King to multiple people. He can only direct it in one direction, and even close bystanders are affected. Precise individual targeting is out of the question.
"What is this...?"
Lily stared blankly at the soldiers collapsing across the hillside, muttering in confusion.
Can't comprehend why these soldiers are suddenly weak-kneed?
It's not like that. Just a moment ago, she could feel the soldiers' palpable excitement, but Sage had merely taken a glance outside, and they all fainted as if subjected to intense psychic shock.
Not only was she unable to understand, but even other Pirates were baffled, each with their mouths agape, breaking out in cold sweat.
Of course, the Captain is very strong, but they've seen such strength in other figures before, it's nothing more than an intensification. No matter how it strengthens, they can accept to praise the Captain's might.
But encountering such unprecedented scenes, their first reaction wasn't reverence and admiration, but fear...
Could this man... truly be human?
"Overlord!"
Renedia's words drew attention, as she exclaimed in shock: "You're an Overlord?"
Gin said: "Captain Sage defeated Krieg, he is naturally the new East Sea Overlord."
"That's not the kind of strange stuff you are talking about, monkey." Renedia rolled her eyes at Gin and said: "My master mentioned before, there's a type of person on the seas, a king that might appear once in millions. Such a person is an innate Overlord, possessing an unparalleled aura that intimidates enemies solely through it. Your Captain, he's a Pirate Overlord..."
"Pirate Overlord... What kind of existence is that?" Gin swallowed, eyes full of excitement and anticipation.
"Hmm..."
Renedia pondered a moment, then solemnly nodded: "Still a Pirate!"
Everyone: "..."
"Stop staring, go plunder the spoils."
After glaring at the soldiers, Sage turned away and walked over, laughing: "Hahaha, no one can stop me anymore, everything in this castle belongs to me! Pearl, move the throne to the new Captain's chamber, I want to see that thing there!"
"Yes! Captain!" Pearl jumped at the command, rushing to move the throne blown to the corner of the wall.
The rest began to loot the castle's treasures, compared to the mayor they previously robbed, as a King, the treasury indeed has a lot, especially since these Black Sail Pirates pillaged multiple towns.
Aside from materials Renedia needed, the town was destroyed mainly due to stolen valuables, and that money was certainly not in her hands but stored in the treasury.
Now, Sage profits from it.
Piles of Gold Coins, ornaments crafted from Gold, jewelry, precious corals... heaped up almost into a small hill, its golden glow making Sage's eyes shine.
Clutching a handful of coins, his right hand picked up a jewel-encrusted Flintlock Gun, he stepped outside the castle and gazed at the night sky sparkling with stars, grinning broadly.
"Haha, hahahaha!"
"Sage, are you happy? We're about to board." Lily approached, saying.
"Of course! Lily, these are all mine, mine!"
Sage carelessly allowed a few coins to slip from his palm to the ground. Though he loves riches, he's not Grangai, rather, he's quite generous.
With such vast treasures, tossing a few coins away only flaunts his wealth even more.
After laughing for a while, he told Lily: "I have a plan!"
He looked down the highest peak of this island, at the slopes below, where numerous buildings could be seen, villages interconnected; even a few large towns were visible.
"A Kingdom's treasure lies partly with the populace and partly with the King. Robbing the entire populace is time-consuming and labor-intensive; robbing the King... is simple just eliminate him." Sage laughed: "My plan is to plunder all the Kings along the way, all the way to the New World!"
Anyway, the Navy has already pinned the crime on him, and considering the resources were transformed into a ship, the treasure ended up in his hands, might as well continue.
Plundering every King along the way, he could amass vast wealth, then rush to the New World, beyond the World Government's reach. This wealth is his foundation for becoming a major landlord!
This is indeed a good path!
Yields much higher than robbing merchant ships, as for risks... Which occupation is risk-free? Compared to risk, he fears failure more.
But rushing things isn't feasible; without sufficient strength, certain things cannot be done.
Sage knows this well; a plan isn't achieved in a single step, it's done step by step.
If he can plunder heaps of treasure today, tomorrow he can plunder the world's riches. If he can rob a King today, tomorrow he can become Pirate King!
Robbing all the way, mastering Haki, heading to the New World, acquiring vast territories becoming a major landlord, reaching the pinnacle of the pirate industry!
Like 'Hundred Beasts' and 'Big Mom', forming his own nation, gaining vast territories and subordinates.
What?
Aren't pirates like this?
Absolutely!
Sage is a pirate; to fulfill his dreams, there's only this path to take.
This path prevents failure! Sage needs no mistakes now!
"Sage... something's approaching."
Sage was still laughing madly, when Lily noticed the sea below the slope, under the starry sky, the sea had turned black, except within the darkness, illuminated ship outlines were approaching.
Navy warships!
Looting treasures takes time, especially Sage being meticulous had to ransack the castle thoroughly, the thirty-some pirates nearly scraped off every gilded ornament.
The surrounding inferno and earlier cannon blasts must have drawn nearby attention; reporting to the Navy was inevitable.
"Let's go."
Sage tightened his grip on the coins, walking with Lily towards the castle's side, where a massive Black Ship stood on the ground.
By calling it a Black Ship, it seems somewhat inaccurate; in the night, the ship's surface was reflecting starry dots, as if it had submerged into the starry sky.
This was a three-masted sailing ship, so large that thirty pirates could fit inside and still seem like none, the East Sea Navy ships couldn't compare to this ship's scale and size.
"Here it comes, here it comes!"
Renedia was standing by the ship, waving at them, "Hurry up, don't worry about not being able to go down, we'll just slide down the slope and head out to sea! Those warships can't catch this ship; I've installed a power system aboard, it's operable even by ordinary people, further boosts speed, they'll never catch up!"
"Great!"
Sage laughed heartily, patting Renedia's head, climbed up the steps extending from the ship's side to the deck.
"The bow hasn't got any insignia yet, gotta change it, craft a symbol that's mine."
Standing at the ship's bow, he gazed ahead for a while, waving a large hand, shouted: "Set sail!"
"Okay!"
Renedia grinned, revealing little fangs, pressed her hand down on the deck, "Power Shock!"
Bang!
The ship didn't encounter any thrust, yet slid automatically along the ground, sliding all the way to the slope, swiftly descending, sturdy Iron Wood unaffected by bumps, charging towards the seaport slope, lunging high into the air.
The starry sky beneath the Black Ship merged with the starry sky above, seamlessly with the stars, zooming past numerous approaching warships, descending into the sea behind the warships, a massive splash erupted.
Its hull vanished into the cascade, by the time the water settled, it was far from the warships, not even giving them a chance to turn.