Sage had done many jobs, including being a local thug, which was somewhat connected to those black market merchants.
The loot that Pirates plunder was basically collected by these people, and as for the price... it certainly wasn't as high as through official channels.
But similarly, the looted goods don't require capital, and the profits are more than those of legitimate merchants.
Everyone makes a profit, so it's a win-win.
After counting the spoils, the Pirates rested or stood guard as needed. This stormy weather still required people to be on watch - some should go to the top floor structures of the deck for lookout, while others should observe the surroundings and ship facilities from the deck.
The latter could rotate shifts quickly, as they had many people, changing every half hour was enough.
"Sage, the current subordinates aren't yet capable of becoming combat power, the weapons we seized are completely insufficient."
Lily continued speaking: "When we reach the next place, shouldn't we let them resupply?"
Raiding merchant ships naturally couldn't involve the whole crew, only Gin led thirty or so old Pirates, while the rest newly joined Pirates... were still wearing prison uniforms, without even weapons, making the raiding obviously cumbersome.
There were some guards on that ship too, but only about a dozen of them, and the weapons seized were only a few guns and muskets, not even enough to fill the gaps between teeth.
"Of course, we need to resupply, can't rely on fists to rob." Sage took a sip of wine, leaned back on the throne.
"Then the money for this part..." Lily asked.
The new six hundred or so Pirates definitely didn't have any money, and if they were to be fully equipped, it would certainly require money.
Even if each had a lousy knife, for over six hundred people, it'd cost three to four million Belly, that's a big number.
"No need..."
Sage comfortably shifted his posture, swirled the Gemstone Wine Glass, then smirked: "Once we reach Logue Town, we'll rob."
The island Lily was referring to on the Sea Map was the closest island to Inverted Mountain, and on the island was a large town known as the 'Town of Beginning and End'...
Logue Town.
...
Being the island near the entrance to the Grand Line, Logue Town occupies one-third of the island's area, an exceptionally prosperous large town, but at the same time, it was a hub for Pirates who aspired to enter the Grand Line, often leading to conflicts between the Navy and Pirates.
Ever since Navy Captain Smoker took charge here, no pirate who entered the place managed to escape.
However, since Smoker left recently, Logue Town lacking powerful suppression eventually lost its uniqueness.
Logue Town, completely fell into chaos.
Bam Bam Bam!
Bang Bang!
Boom!
The sound of gunfire and weapon clashes echoed throughout the town.
At the port docked were more than ten Pirate Ships flying Pirate Flags, and the Pirates below were engaged in battle with the Navy, while the town's buildings were set ablaze, with flames nearly reaching the sky, dyeing the nearby port street a crimson red.
"Commander! Pirates have broken in from the port!"
A branch lieutenant jogged over to the Navy defense line, saluting a Navy officer wearing a military cap and a double-breasted coat.
He was a branch commander, not yet at the level to don the justice coat, but at his rank, he was free to choose his attire.
"Send the troops over for support, don't let the Pirates break the port line!" The branch commander, face solemn, issued the order.
"Yes!"
The lieutenant took a group of Navy members to a street to engage the intruding Pirates.
"Damn!"
The branch commander had a sullen face, gritting his teeth: "Everyone, don't let the Pirates break through, we must protect the civilians!"
Since Captain Smoker left, everything went chaotic.
In fact, even before Captain Smoker came, there weren't as many Pirates daring to invade Logue Town, after all, the Navy Base here was quite substantial, ordinary Pirates wouldn't come plundering, if they did, they could suppress it.
In terms of numbers or force, they were more powerful than Pirates with only one ship.
Normally, one ship with a hundred or so people was impressive enough, like Krieg's fleet claiming to have five thousand people was rare, but his bounty in the East Sea was top-notch.
East Sea Pirates with an average bounty of three million Belly wouldn't proactively provoke the Navy. Pirates coming here with bounties would deliberately disguise to enter the town.
The Navy wasn't that stupid either; towards Pirates not causing trouble, they turned a blind eye, as long as they're not causing chaos openly, they wouldn't actively search.
The previous Logue Town always maintained such a balance.
Colonel Smoker has been in command here for several years since coming down from headquarters, capturing all active pirates, leaving Logue Town without a single pirate able to escape. I thought this was a good thing, but once he left, the extreme suppression led to a crazy backlash.
In view of Colonel Smoker's reputation, pirates who dared not come near Logue Town all flocked to Logue Town at once. Initially, it was just one or two pirate crews, and the Navy could still handle it.
But ultimately, it wasn't a crushing level of combat like Colonel Smoker, and their battles with pirates went back and forth, which led pirate crews to believe Logue Town had become 'normal'.
The backlash caused by Colonel Smoker's departure resulted in more and more pirate crews invading, making the Navy increasingly weary and urgent. Clearly, these pirates were not cooperating, each doing their own thing, but the more they fought, the more they found them forming a tacit alliance, ultimately leading to over a dozen pirate crews launching an attack on Logue Town!
A tall pirate, using a great axe to send several navy officers flying, shouted loudly: "Little ones, break through these marines! Plunder this town, make our resupply, let us head to the Grand Line!"
'Great Axe Blade' Pabala, bounty of eleven million!
"Hee hee hee hee, rob them, rob them! Kill them, let us rush in and loot the treasures!" A pirate wielding two blades pierced through several navy bodies, laughing sinisterly.
'Double-bladed Serpent' Moro, bounty of nine million five hundred thousand!
It's not that there are no pirates in the East Sea. The number of pirates in this sea area is considerable, and the captains of the invading pirate crews all have bounties around ten million, all formidable pirates!
"Cannons! Are the cannons ready?"
The branch lieutenant colonel turned back and shouted: "Fire the cannons!"
Cannon after cannon was moved to the tops of buildings, aimed at the invading pirates.
"We use cannons too!"
The pirates were also unwilling to back down, having already set up rows of ship cannons when they landed, aimed at the navy defending the front line.
"Fire..."
Boom!
Just as both sides were about to fire, the sky flashed with a bolt of thunder, followed by wind-swept pea-sized raindrops that engulfed the entire Logue Town.
The sky turned incredibly dark in that instant.
It's pouring rain!
The rain wetted the cannons and guns, rendering these things unusable.
"Some go back to fix the equipment, the remaining navy..."
The lieutenant colonel drew the sword from his waist and shouted: "Fight the pirates with me!"
This stormy weather is helping them. As long as they withstand the pirate's attack, and wait for the navy to secure the guns and cannons for rain protection, they will surely win!
"Go, take them out!"
The pirates also understood this, abandoning the cannons and long guns, drawing weapons, and charged fiercely at the navy.
If they win, the town is theirs to plunder!
Bang!
Just then, a cannon blast echoed from the port behind them, as a pirate ship was struck, hitting the ammunition depot inside the cabin, causing a huge explosion that instantly shattered it into several pieces, floating on the sea.
Who's firing in this storm?!
Both the navy and the pirates were drawn to the sudden cannon shot, turning in unison towards the port.
Swoosh!
From afar, a series of cannonballs flew in again, hitting several pirate ships near the wreckage, blasting them into pieces and gradually sinking into the sea.
At this moment, the storm intensified, and amid the huge curtain of rain, a black silhouette appeared inexplicably from the sea...
The cannonballs seemed to have been fired from that silhouette.
"Reinforcements?"
The pirate captains wore gloomy expressions.
These reinforcements arrived incredibly quickly.
The navy was overjoyed, having sent out requests for support to nearby branches at the first opportunity, but didn't expect it to come so quickly. They're saved.
The branch lieutenant colonel raised his sword excitedly: "Reinforcements have arrived, don't let these pirates escape, capture them all!"
"Lieutenant Colonel..."
The navy officer next to him was also quite excited, but as the silhouette rapidly approached and revealed more signs, his face instantly turned pale.
"It's not reinforcements, that is..."
He swallowed hard, fixing his gaze on the giant ship sailing smoothly in the eye of the storm, trembling as he said: "It's the Black Sail Ship... the Black Sail Ship in the storm. It's 'Calamity'! 'Calamity' has arrived!"