"Leader, where did you run off to? Everyone's been looking for you for ages." A bald, burly man threw an arm around Samge, his attitude affectionate.
"Give me a break, I just can't hold my liquor, so I found a place to rest."
Samge joked about himself without changing his expression, showing no sign that he had been planning to escape earlier.
"Filthy, low-class scum! If it weren't for the fact that you're a rare Devil Fruit user, do you think you're worthy of touching me?"
"Mr. Samge, this banquet was held for you. How can the guest of honor leave early?"
"At least you have some self-awareness. That's right, without me, you wouldn't be where you are today. Now, work hard for my happy life!"
"This is everyone's banquet, not just mine," Samge said with a warm smile, humbly emphasizing his point.
Thump, thump, thump, crash!
The tavern door was pushed open from the outside, and a person ran in, looking anxious: "N-no good! Soldiers have been spotted on the island! We're surrounded! All Nicuss's soldiers!"
"What? Why so fast this time?"
"Didn't Livord just die?"
"I feel like it's different from before!"
The tavern became noisy, but their expressions weren't panicked. This wasn't the first time such a situation had occurred, not to mention their old rival, Livord, had passed away.
Some people were still uneasy about the excessive military force, but there was nothing else they could do in this situation.
Samge calmly tapped the table, and the tavern instantly quieted down. He spoke to the tavern owner: "Boss, I might have to trouble you again this time."
The owner waved his fat hand: "What's the trouble? You're fighting for us common folk, so we naturally can't let you down."
The owner wasn't part of the Revolutionary Army; he was just a civilian. His role was to organize civilians to resist when the army cornered them, making it difficult for the soldiers to act.
Organizers like him were everywhere in the slum, with one every four or five houses.
Samge promised these people future positions such as army squad leaders, and this was one of the key reasons why the Revolutionary Army could thrive.
"I'm really sorry to always trouble you all!" Samge said, feigning an apologetic tone: "Everyone, prepare to break through. Let's hide in the back mountain to get through this crisis."
"Understood!"
"Give the order, Mr. Samge!"
"No matter where we go, we will follow you!"
"Everyone's used to it!"
The others also showed knowing smiles. They had been through this situation countless times, and they weren't afraid of something that sounded worse than it was!
"Then let's begin!" Samge laughed heartily, secretly praying that he was overthinking things and that this time would be just like the usual.
Civilians and Revolutionary Army members mixed together, pouring out from all directions of the village, but something strange happened.
Normally, as soon as the army was discovered, there would already be many ambushes laid out in the surroundings. Although they always successfully broke through, there would inevitably be some casualties.
But today was different. Everyone rushed out in a panic, yet not a single soldier was seen.
If Samge hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he would have doubted the truth of the matter.
The unease in his heart grew more apparent. He gritted his teeth and ordered: "Everyone proceed according to the original plan."
After hiding in the back mountain, he would send people out to scout, Samge thought to himself.
He had no sense of security at all now. This abnormal situation filled his heart with endless irritation, but years of superb acting skills allowed him to suppress all negative emotions.
He didn't run to the very front or walk at the very back, but instead pulled down his hat and blended into the middle-to-back section of the large group.
This distance would give him ample reaction time for any sudden developments.
'Damn it, where did those soldiers go? Could it be that they've already set up an ambush in the mountains? But how could such a large number of people move from the coast to the back mountain without any commotion?'
'Wait, could it be that those soldiers haven't moved at all and are still waiting on the coastline? They just surrounded us, but why?'
Samge ran and thought, his brain working at high speed.
'Think fast! There must be something I've overlooked.'
'That's right, the messenger, his feet were covered in mud. So where did he spot the army? The forest or the back mountain? Not the back mountain, otherwise we wouldn't be running to the back mountain now.'
'Then he, like me, saw the army on the coastline from the forest. Their purpose is...'
Realizing a certain possibility, Samge instantly broke out in a cold sweat.
Those soldiers weren't there to capture them, but rather... to prevent anyone from escaping.
But how did they differentiate between Revolutionary Army members and civilians?
Samge suddenly stopped, trembling like a sieve, his thick clothes soaked with cold sweat.
People running past Samge recognized him, puzzled as to why he, who should have been at the very front, was here.
Some also stopped and pulled him, intending to take him with them.
"Mr. Samge, run!"
The person's hand landed on Samge's arm, only to find that he was trembling violently, his face filled with terror, and his eyes full of despair.
Startled by this gaze, that person also unconsciously stopped, and then more and more people noticed the situation here.
A considerable number of people looked at their leader in confusion, not understanding why he was like this.
"It's hopeless, the b-back mountain is useless, a new route... a new path..."
His thumb bled from being bitten. As Samge attempted to re-plan the route, a massive shadow fell from the sky.
A crimson behemoth descended from the heavens, landing on the peak of the back mountain. Its outstretched wings crushed trees, and its breath turned into scorching wind that swept over everyone.
This was a dragon that only existed in myths—a colossal body, armor-like scales, dragon claws that could easily split mountains and rocks, and a long dragon tail that toppled trees with its sway.
"What is this?"
"A dragon? How is that possible?"
"How can we escape such a monster?"
An atmosphere of despair spread, and the Revolutionary Army members threw their weapons to the ground one after another.
This was an unconscious physical reaction. Faced with an unbeatable enemy, they could only try to show their vulnerable side, hoping to gain a chance to survive.
It's hopeless, this is Nero!
Samge recognized the dragon's true form at a glance: the Rose Beast that destroyed Marineford, Nero Claudius.
Since such a monster had returned to her territory, no wonder the World Government had abandoned him so decisively.
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