Without Crocodile overseeing it, and even without anyone from the Baroque Workshop stopping them, this gambling city, in Sage's eyes, was like money piled on the ground, waiting for him to pick it up.
It was like a skinned, roasted lamb, waiting for him to take a bite.
Most of his subordinates rushed into the Rain Banquet, directly robbing both the cash on the gamblers inside and the money and treasures that belonged to the casino itself.
The remaining part did not give up on other casinos in Rain Land or the gamblers wandering outside, picking casinos.
No matter how much money these people had in their hands, it was meant to be lost anyway, so why not take it?
"Stop it!"
However, the chaos only lasted a short while before the deputy manager of the Rain Banquet rushed out, shouting, "This is the property of Alabasta's hero, Crocodile of the Seven Warlords of the Sea! Aren't you afraid of death?"
"We are under the Calamity's command!"
One of the pirates sneered, "Who cares about the Seven Warlords, hand over the money!"
"C-C-Calamity?"
The deputy manager was taken aback, then saw Sage entering with Renedia through the main entrance.
"Master Sage?!"
The deputy manager's eyes widened, "Why is it you..."
He knew Sage, first from the name on the wanted order, and because back then, the manager had invited Sage inside. Their relationship seemed quite good, even allowing him to provide some transportation tools and the Log Pose for him.
"In one day's time, hasn't the news reached you yet?"
Sage walked to a bar counter in the casino, casually picked up a bottle of wine, flicked the cork off with his thumb, took a few gulps, and then said,
"The croc lost, and couldn't care less now, so our cooperation naturally ended. This place no longer belongs to Crocodile, so hand over the money. If you don't hand it to me, Alabasta will shut it down in a few days anyway, the outcome will be the same for you."
"L-Lost?"
The deputy manager didn't understand the situation, but he understood Sage's words.
This store was no longer being protected by anyone.
"Master Sage, there's no need to rob, if you take over..."
The Rain Banquet was his passion. Although the boss and the manager guarded it, all the casino business was handled by him, the deputy manager. No matter what, he wouldn't give it up easily.
If Crocodile was no good, but with such a Great Pirate backing...
"I'm a pirate with a bounty, I can't do that, I do want the business, but not in the first half."
Sage chuckled, but also formally addressed the deputy manager, "You're quite thoughtful and determined. How about this, when I establish myself and if you can reach the New World, if you still have the same spirit, come find me."
He waved the bottle, gesturing to his subordinates, "For now, don't delay my robbery!"
Upon hearing this, the subordinates continued the looting. These ferocious men with weapons, a few dozen could intimidate thousands in the casino, and no one dared speak up, letting them continue their plundering.
The deputy manager, being sensible, realized the situation was irreversible and could only lead a few pirates to the casino's cash vault.
"My money, that's my money!"
Things were going smoothly until a pirate wielding a knife demanded a gambler to hand over the money, when the gambler exclaimed in despair,
"This is my last stake, I can't give it to you, I need to win back my losses! I'll have nothing if I give it to you! This is money my family gathered together, they're waiting for me to win it back to buy food!"
Sage walked over to find this person sitting at a blackjack table, looking extremely pale, tightly clutching a few banknotes in his hand.
On his table, there wasn't a single chip left.
"I remember you."
Sage glanced at him, saying, "Two days ago, when I was playing here, you were at the next table. Two days and you haven't left... Money gathered by your family used for gambling here?"
He kicked the gambler over, causing the few notes and coins to scatter across the floor, with only two ten-thousand Belly notes, the rest being small change, less than thirty thousand Belly in total.
"Let me teach you a lesson, gambling in a casino and being robbed by me, there's no difference."
Sage bent down, picked up the money scattered on the ground, handed it to a subordinate nearby, and scoffed, "If you truly care about your family, you should work hard, not fantasize about getting rich here!"
Getting rich by gambling...
Only the casino itself can do that.
This kind of person isn't even worth considering as small fry.
He's poor, but this kind of poverty, Sage is willing to rob.
This isn't some 'poor but honest' thing. If the casino can take it, why can't a pirate?
The robbery continued, with some people, like this gambler, unwilling to hand over their money. But under the threat of weapons, their lives mattered more.
They experienced another kind of helplessness.
Being penniless after losing in a casino is one kind of helplessness.
Being robbed to the point of pennilessness is another.
The final result is no different.
Some people were terrified, some were crying and wailing on the ground, but others... experienced a sudden enlightenment.
A skeletal man watched blankly as his money was taken, staring at his once strong, forceful hand that now looked nothing like before, lost in a trance.
How long had it been since he'd had a decent meal? To save enough money for gambling in Rain Land, he'd been scrimping and saving.
But long ago, he was a vibrant person, and although life in the desert was tough, the money he earned was enough to live on, enjoying happy times with his family. However, once he came to Rain Land, he never returned.
The money he earned, year after year, was spent in this casino. Each time, he told himself that as long as he won back what he'd lost, he would quit gambling, but each time, he lost everything.
It wasn't like he never won back, but a bigger greed occupied his heart, always believing that if he was lucky, he could win more, and then... he'd lose it all again.
So the money expenditure increased, but he became more and more addicted, always muttering 'win back the money', falling into an endless abyss.
This money was taken from his family, the last bit they had for buying water, he had fooled his family's trust countless times, bringing it to the casino.
If he had lost, he probably would have continued his obsession.
But suddenly being robbed, he suddenly realized.
These guys' methods...
They are like the embodiment of the casino!
Both are just as helpless!
"What's the point then..."
This gambler covered his face with his hands, tears suddenly filling the eyes that had remained unfeeling despite his family's pleading.
Clearly, there were better pursuits, more responsibilities waiting for him to fulfill.
But what had he been doing all these years!
Slap!
He suddenly slapped himself hard, and without looking back, walked out of the Rain Banquet.