The numerous Super Rookies gathered on the Shampodi Islands mostly kept to their own paths. Occasional conflicts arose merely from mutual dissatisfaction, leading to brief skirmishes.
In essence, they all understood their purpose. As pirates who hadn't yet entered the New World, they had no real reason to clash.
Their goal should be to focus on the strong in the New World.
Even someone like Sage, who appeared without warning, should understand the unspoken rules of Shampodi.
But what is this?
Are they trying to rob us?
Crack, crack...
The weapons in the hands of various Super Rookie followers shook violently, even Lily's sword at her waist was not spared. She frowned slightly and pressed down on the hilt with her left hand, forcing the sword at her waist to remain still.
"Hmm?"
Hawkins tightly gripped his long sword, looking around with a slight frown.
"My hammer!"
Renedia tightly held her tool hammer, electricity sparking from her fingertips, causing the extended hammer to shrink to a size she could hold with one hand, preventing it from trembling.
"Eh? Eh? No, that's my shield!"
Pearl, however, couldn't suppress his, and the Iron Shield on his body disengaged as if someone had stripped it from him from a distance. Like the weapons of those Super Rookie followers, it all gathered on Kid's outstretched left hand.
Within nearby buildings, iron nails that held structures together, iron pots and kitchen knives, and household owners' collected blades—all metallic objects flew out, gradually forming and solidifying into a giant arm made entirely of metal in the ever-growing metal cluster.
Pearl's Iron Shield even became the palm's center.
"I am a Magnetic Person who ate the Magnet-Magnet Fruit!"
Kid lifted his head slightly, eyes bloodshot, "You dare to rob me? Go to hell!"
The massive mechanical arm, like a giant's hand, swung fiercely towards Sage, its palm encompassing not only Sage but also the people and buildings around him, with Kid uncaring of any collateral damage.
Navy or not, he is Kid!
"Such power..."
Drake looked deeply at Kid.
Ranked second in bounty, it wasn't assigned arbitrarily and indeed posed a threat.
Coincidentally, it could allow a clearer view of just how powerful that person with the six-billion bounty really was.
Boom!
Just as that thought arose, the massive mechanical arm shattered with a blast, as if something had pierced through it from the center, quickly destroying the entire arm. Immediately following, Kid's head was violently struck, slamming him to the ground.
At that moment, the metallic objects in the air rained down, obscuring everyone's vision.
Among the falling metal, everyone saw that the white-haired figure had already reached the fallen Kid, with one foot stepping on Kid's head.
"Magnetic power? Even if I were illiterate, I'd know that's not how you use magnetism. You might as well call yourself the Iron Person. No matter how those weak external objects are combined, they don't change their essence."
Sage looked down at him, shaking his head, "You seem more illiterate than I am... How much is the bounty, again?"
Saying this, he turned to Lily.
"Three hundred and fifteen million," Lily understood instantly upon receiving Sage's gaze.
"In pirate law, the victor is king; I won, so I am in the right. But I am fair; I won't rob excessively. I'll rob according to your bounty, no problem? Whether you sell scrap metal or whatever, you owe me three hundred and fifteen million."
Sage looked at Kid beneath his foot and said, "But considering we're both pirates, I'll let you owe me the money. However, since this is a robbery, the period is just one day. Beyond that, it's 50% interest; pay within three months for 100%, six months for 200%, and one year for 300%. Should you not pay after a year, then forget about your flag. Without a flag in the New World, you can't be called pirates."
Killing?
No need, he's merely robbing.
Ransom is only valid when money is seen. Pure slaughter is meaningless.
Whether pirate or navy, unless necessary, he rarely strikes, especially when such pirates can evidently earn him wealth...
He knows well the profits of piracy; any gain is a windfall.
Why is Sage so generous that he shares 50% of the spoils with his underlings? Because there's no cost in it; whatever is earned is merely a bonus, aside from the initial hardships of establishing, requiring Sage's hands-on approach. Up to this point, he rarely takes action; his underlings usually handle it.
Arriving at a town, indulging in delicacies and drinking wine, within hours they can earn tens of millions or even billions, paid only by the hardworking sweat of his subordinates running around.
If this industry isn't profitable, then which is?
He's only ever seen one pirates' crew that became paupers, and he hasn't encountered them. Even if he did, he'd be too lazy to rob them.
Sage doesn't rob paupers.
Especially since he's already been charitable.
But other pirates... they can't all be paupers, can they?
This guy appears so flamboyant; he must have some capital.
He's also not worried about them running away. Gathering here means they intend to head to the New World. As pirates, they can't scuttle around like sewer rats avoiding the seas, right?
A desire for fame will inevitably reveal their whereabouts, and the longer it drags, the more Sage can steal.