Chapter 58: Chaotic Loguetown
Sag had worked many jobs, including being a local gangster, a profession that also had connections with black market merchants.
The goods plundered by pirates were mostly bought by these people. As for the price... it certainly wasn't as high as through legitimate channels.
But similarly, stolen goods didn't require capital investment, and the profit margin was higher than for legitimate merchants.
Everyone got a cut; it could be considered a win-win situation.
After tallying the spoils, the pirates either rested or stood watch as needed. In this stormy weather, lookouts were still necessary. One group needed to be stationed at the top lookout post of the deck structure, while another observed the surroundings and the ship's facilities from the deck.
However, the latter group could rotate faster. With their large crew, rotating every half hour was sufficient.
"Sag, the current subordinates aren't sufficiently converted into fighting strength yet. The weapons we looted are completely insufficient," Lily continued. "When we reach the next place, shouldn't we let them resupply?"
Robbing the merchant ship, naturally, didn't involve the entire crew. It was just Gin leading about thirty veteran pirates. The remaining newly joined pirates... were still wearing prison clothes, without even a weapon. Robbing was certainly difficult for them.
There were some guards on that merchant ship, but only about ten or so. The confiscated weapons amounted to just a few pistols and some long muskets – barely enough to fill the gaps between their teeth (idiom for a pitifully small amount).
"Of course, we need to resupply. We can't always rely on fists to rob," Sag said, taking a sip of wine and leaning back on his throne.
"Then, the money for this..." Lily asked.
The newly joined six hundred-plus pirates certainly had no money. Equipping them would definitely cost money.
Even if it was just one crappy sword per person, for over six hundred people, it would cost thirty to forty million Beli. That was a large sum.
"No need..."
Sag shifted comfortably, swirled the jeweled wine glass in his hand, and smiled. "When we get to Loguetown, we'll just rob them."
The island Lily had pointed to on the sea chart earlier was the closest one to Reverse Mountain. And on that island was a large town, known as the 'Town of the Beginning and the End'...
Loguetown.
...
As an island near the entrance to the Grand Line, Loguetown, which occupied a third of the island's area, was an exceptionally bustling large town. But at the same time, it was also a gathering place for pirates who once aimed to enter the Grand Line, frequently witnessing conflicts between Marines and pirates.
Ever since Marine Captain Smoker took charge here, not a single pirate who entered had been able to escape.
But Smoker left some time ago. Lacking a powerful figure to suppress it, Loguetown eventually lost this special status.
Loguetown descended into complete chaos.
*Bang! Bang! Bang!*
*Clang! Clang!*
*Boom!*
The sounds of gunfire, cannons, and clashing weapons echoed throughout every corner of the town.
Docked at the port were about ten pirate ships flying their Jolly Rogers. Below, pirates clashed fiercely with Marines. Buildings in the town were ablaze, flames reaching almost to the heavens, dyeing the streets near the port crimson.
"Lieutenant Commander! The pirates have broken through from the port!"
A Marine Captain from the base jogged up to the Marine defense line, saluting sharply to a Marine wearing a military cap and a double-breasted overcoat.
He was a base Lieutenant Commander, not yet high-ranking enough to wear the "Justice" coat, but at his level, he could choose his attire freely.
"Send troops to reinforce that position! Don't let the pirates break the port defense line!" The Lieutenant Commander ordered, his face grim.
"Yes, sir!"
The Captain led a squad of Marines towards a specific street to engage the pirates who had broken through.
"Damn it!"
The Lieutenant Commander's face darkened as he gritted his teeth. "Everyone, we cannot let the pirates break through any further! We must protect the citizens!" *(Note: The original text mistakenly refers to him as Captain here, but context implies he is the Lt. Cmdr.)*
After Captain Smoker left, everything fell apart.
In fact, even before Captain Smoker arrived, not this many pirates dared to attack Loguetown. After all, the Marine base here was sizable. Ordinary pirates wouldn't come to plunder, and even if they did, the Marines could suppress them.
Whether in numbers or firepower, they were stronger than pirates with only one ship.
After all, for a normal ship, a crew of a hundred or so was already formidable. Large fleets like Krieg's, claiming five thousand men, were ultimately rare – but his bounty was also top-tier in the East Blue.
Pirates in the East Blue with an average bounty of around three million Beli wouldn't actively provoke the Marines. Those pirates with bounties who came here would deliberately disguise themselves to enter the town.
And the Marines weren't that foolish either. Towards pirates who didn't cause trouble, they often turned a blind eye. As long as they didn't cause chaos openly, the Marines wouldn't deliberately search them out.
Previously, Loguetown maintained this kind of balance.
Captain Smoker came down from HQ and managed the place for several years, catching all active pirates, ensuring none could escape Loguetown. It was thought to be a good thing, but the moment he left, the consequence of this extreme suppression was a frantic rebound.
Pirates who had been too intimidated by Captain Smoker's reputation to approach Loguetown suddenly swarmed the town. Initially, it was just one or two crews, which the Marines could handle.
But ultimately, their battles weren't the crushing victories Smoker achieved. The fights with pirates were back-and-forth affairs, which led pirate crews to believe Loguetown had become 'normal' again.
The rebound caused by Smoker's departure led to an increasing number of attacking pirate crews. The Marines became increasingly exhausted. Although these pirates were uncooperative, each doing their own thing, the more the Marines fought, the more they found the pirates tacitly forming an alliance. Eventually, it escalated to over a dozen pirate crews launching a full-scale attack on Loguetown!
A tall pirate, who sent several Marines flying with a giant axe, roared, "Men! Break through these Marines! Rob this town, get supplies, and let's head to the Grand Line!"
'Great Axe Blade' Pabarra, bounty: 11,000,000 Beli!
"Heeheeheehee, robbery, robbery! Kill them! Let's charge in and plunder the treasure!" A pirate wielding twin swords pierced the bodies of several Marines, laughing sinisterly.
'Twin Blade Snake' Moro, bounty: 9,500,000 Beli!
The East Blue was far from pirate-free; the number of pirates in this sea was considerable. The captains of the attacking crews each had bounties around the ten million mark – all troublesome pirates!
"Cannons! Are the cannons ready?!"
The Lieutenant Commander turned and yelled, "Commence bombardment!"
Cannons were pushed to the tops of buildings, aimed at the advancing pirates.
"We'll use cannon fire too!"
The pirates weren't to be outdone. Cannons brought from their ships when they landed were arranged in rows, aimed at the Marines forming the defensive line ahead.
"Fi—"
*Boom!*
Just as both sides were about to open fire, a thunderclap cracked across the sky. Immediately after, large raindrops accompanied by fierce winds swept across all of Loguetown.
The sky instantly became incredibly dark.
A downpour had started!
Rainwater fell, soaking the cannons and firearms, rendering them unusable.
"Some of you, go back and secure the equipment! The rest of the Marines..."
The Lieutenant Commander drew the sword at his waist and shouted, "With me! Engage the pirates!"
This rainy weather actually helped them. As long as they could withstand the pirates' assault and wait for the Marines to waterproof the firearms and cannons, victory would surely be theirs!
"Go! Finish them!"
The pirates understood this too. Abandoning their cannons and long muskets, they drew their weapons. With ferocious expressions, they charged towards the Marines.
If they won, the entire town would be theirs for the plundering!
*BOOM!!*
Just then, a cannon blast echoed from the port behind them. A pirate ship was hit squarely, striking its ammunition storage in the hold. A massive explosion erupted, instantly blowing the ship into pieces that floated on the sea surface.
Where did cannon fire come from on a rainy day like this?!
Both Marines and pirates were drawn by the sudden cannonball, turning in unison to look towards the port.
*Whoosh!*
Another series of cannonballs flew from the distance, striking several pirate ships near the wreckage, blowing them into pieces that gradually sank beneath the waves.
At this moment, the storm intensified. Within the immense curtain of rain, a black silhouette inexplicably appeared on the sea surface...
The cannonballs seemed to be firing from that silhouette.
"Reinforcements?!" The pirate captains' faces turned grim.
These reinforcements arrived way too fast.
The Marines, on the other hand, were overjoyed. They had sent out requests for support to surrounding bases immediately, but hadn't expected help to arrive so quickly. They were saved now.
The Lieutenant Commander excitedly raised his sword. "Reinforcements are here! Don't let this group of pirates escape! Arrest them all!"
"Lieutenant Commander..."
The Marine officer beside him had also been excited, but as the silhouette rapidly approached and revealed more details, his face instantly turned deathly pale.
"Those aren't reinforcements... That is..."
He swallowed hard, staring fixedly at the giant ship sailing smoothly through the heart of the storm, his voice trembling, "It's the black-sailed ship... the black-sailed ship in the storm. That's 'Natural Disaster'! 'Natural Disaster' has arrived!"
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