Whether it's bold words or crazy talk, no pirate who came to rob would say they want to sell off an entire town.
The town represents the island. In some places, an island only has one town, and a kingdom might have only that one island.
What Sage meant by selling a town and selling a kingdom... there's essentially no difference.
If it were someone else, the old man would think they were talking nonsense, but Sage is different. Not only is he currently the highest-bounty great pirate in the East Sea, but the things he's done are also different from other pirates.
This guy has destroyed countries and killed kings!
When someone like that speaks, there's no need to consider if they're crazy or not.
In any case, the old man called over the black market merchant.
On the sea, besides the hot pirate and navy topics, there's also a gray area. It's not the kind of unmentionable area you're thinking of, but a dark world connected to smuggling and shady dealings, covering all industries like finance, news, transportation, assassination, warehousing, and entertainment.
Most of the goods looted by pirates are digested by them. After all, rarely does anyone obediently go search for treasure, risking life and limb for a pile of gold, and then exchange it for three hundred million Belly at a gold exchange. It's mostly exchanged with the black market to trade for needed resources and money.
Otherwise, even if it's black eating black, the 'black' that's eaten has to have something, right?
If you don't rob, neither does someone else, what's left for black eating black? Air?
Things don't just appear out of thin air. They've been exchanged a few times, turning into black eating black. Does that make it high-end?
Isn't that just taking off your pants to fart?
When Sage farts, he doesn't take off his pants. No need.
As a pirate, he's still pretty dedicated to his work.
The old man at the tavern used to double as this kind of contact a long time ago, only suppressed after Smoker came, but the connections still exist. Although this tavern doesn't have many customers, he still knows where to find people.
When called by the old man, the chubby man wearing a round hat and a suit was the local black market merchant.
In Logue Town, even if the pirate business is gone, there are still things the navy can't manage, so they can still survive.
"I originally didn't want to come. What can a pirate do in Logue Town? But when I heard it was you, I came over. It's been a long time since I've dealt with pirate business in Logue Town. It's quite exciting."
The chubby man, with two bodyguards in black, sat opposite Sage, biting a cigar and chuckling, "I'm Link, a black market merchant from Logue Town. Norton Sage, what goods do you need to handle?"
"Oh? Didn't they tell you?"
Sage took the newly mixed drink brought by the old man, took a sip, and said, "I mentioned, I want to sell all of Logue Town."
"I'm not here to listen to jokes, Sage."
Link puffed out a cloud of smoke, unafraid of this pirate with a seventy million bounty, "I heard you destroyed several kingdoms. You should have quite a few good items, right? I can buy them at a high price."
Sage indeed had some.
Especially treasures from the Nadia Kingdom, besides a whole throne, there were also many good collectibles, but those items were not for sale.
The treasure vault on his ship needed to house some collectible treasures to showcase his wealth.
"I can sell some gold to you, but that's not the main point. What I'm talking about in Logue Town is not a joke."
Sage smiled and said, "My men are causing a commotion in Logue Town. You people should have received the intel, right?"
Being so blatant, unless you're blind, you would surely know.
"Of course, I know. That's why I came, but the situation is too sensitive. I can only offer half the cost price for things taken from Logue Town. Three days later, we'll pick a place on the sea to trade," Link said.
The market selling price is the retail price. It's impossible to buy at that price. It's generally based on the cost price with discounts added for purchase pricing.
"Half? Do you take me for a beggar on the street?" Sage raised an eyebrow.
"Half is already very fair. We are taking huge risks too. You're causing such a big scene in Logue Town, it will surely draw attention, and we have to handle your goods and convert them into cashable assets. The energy spent on that is significant."
Link said sternly, "Unlike you pirates, who don't have to consider costs when robbing things."
"The price is too low..."
Sage took another sip of his drink, falling into a brief silence.
Link, hearing this, was ready to raise the price.
In business, there is always give and take. If the price is low, you raise it. If it's too high, you lower it. Eventually, an agreeable price is reached for everyone.
As long as it doesn't go beyond the cost price, it's all profit.
"But it's not impossible..."
Just as Link was about to speak, Sage interjected, "Fine, fifty percent. What price are you willing to offer for Logue Town? How about fifty billion Belly?"
The cigar almost fell from Link's mouth. He bit his teeth and said, "I told you, I'm not joking with you!"
"I'm not joking either. I told you, I'm selling the whole of Logue Town. But you keep refuting my words. Why? Do you lack a certain degree of respect for me?"
Sage swirled the glass, glancing at him from the side.
Just one glance, and Link's body trembled. His hand, just about to slam the table, froze mid-air, sweat forming on his forehead.
This guy...
He's terrifying!
"You still don't quite understand what I mean by selling Logue Town. I have over six hundred men robbing in Logue Town. How much we can rob doesn't depend on the size of my ship. No, no, it depends on you!"
Sage bared his teeth, looking ferocious, "Why must we trade at sea? Can't we trade right here? Naval reinforcements? That takes time too. I have sea maps obtained from the navy, showing where their branches are."
"According to estimates, even the nearest reinforcements take half a day to arrive. Which means, in the half-day I enter Logue Town, everything here..."
Sage opened his arms, laughing heartily, "Belongs to me, Sage! As long as you have money, I can clean out all the nobles, the wealthy, and the merchants in Logue Town! Wahahaha!"
Piling pirate ships full of loot and finding a place to trade with a black market merchant, letting them pick and choose and haggle?
That's the routine when robbing merchant ships.
But now he's in town, still playing like this?
That's not something Sage would do!
How much can one ship's worth of goods be compared to an entire town's?
He wanted direct liquidation!
How convenient, also avoiding any bad luck causing unexpected incidents. After all, no one knows what troublesome events might occur if trading at sea. Direct trading is better.
Sage's words left Link unable to maintain his composure from before. He instinctively wiped the sweat from his forehead, looking at Sage as if he were some monstrous creature.
A guy worthy of the title 'Calamity' really is a crazy character!
"The risk is too great..." Link trembled, saying.
"But the profit is also huge!"
Sitting up halfway, Sage leaned towards Link, grinning fiercely, "Accept my proposal, and everyone profits more. As for risk avoidance, as a black market merchant, you surely have ways."
"I know you have many channels to liquidate all goods, but instead of passively choosing goods, why not be proactive? There are many benefits in dealing with me. The main point is, if you want something, order on the spot. As long as it's in Logue Town, I can get it!"
Nonsense!
If you're going to rob the whole town, how could it not be available?
Link could only feel the sweat on his forehead getting heavier the more he wiped it. He didn't dare look directly into Sage's eyes, subtly tilting his head aside, saying weakly, "I don't, I don't have that much money."
Fifty billion?!
Even if he sold everything, he couldn't have that!
Sage sat back in his chair, his tone calm, "I'll deliver as much goods as you have money. This kind of golden opportunity won't wait. After all, such opportunities like me are quite rare."
He's not wrong. Dealing with a pirate is about what the pirate robbed, and the pirate's loot depends on the merchant ship's cargo. Though profits can be made, such opportunities are extremely rare.
The pirates on the sea don't act like Sage.
It's too unconventional.
Everyone robs and then leaves, but Sage doesn't seem like a pirate. He seems more like a nouveau riche selling off family assets...
But it's not to be missed!
If you take the chance, there's enormous profit!
Link took a deep breath, making up his mind, "I will gather other merchants, pool the money together! We definitely can't manage fifty billion Belly, but we will do our utmost!"
"Additionally..."
He thought for a moment and said, "I can place an order on the spot, right? There's something I very much want."
Sage grinned, "No problem."