Chapter 24: Win-win!

As usual, Sager unleashed a Rankyaku, slicing through the navy ship's mast and swiftly escaping pursuit.

The ocean at night was pitch-black, cloaked in stillness. Only the pale shimmer of the moon and stars offered the faintest glow—but even that was enough to make the drifting ships glint like vessels of gold under the starlight.

Aboard the black-sailed warship, a crowd of pirates clustered around the treasure strewn across the deck, holding lanterns in their hands. Their eyes gleamed—lit not just by firelight, but by unfiltered greed.

Sager's eyes gleamed too.

No—his were practically blazing.

This was his first time seeing real money.

Back then, he'd dabbled in countless ventures, poured blood, sweat, and tears into every one of them—and still, he hadn't laid eyes on a single Beli. But now? He was finally staring it down.

Just from the loot they took off the town mayor, they had raked in eight million Beli. That wasn't even counting the gold and gemstones.

"That's why I always say—there's no point in robbing poor folk," Sager announced proudly, voice booming. "We cleaned out half a town and only got a million Beli. But one rich bastard? He's got everything."

The seasoned pirates nodded in agreement.

Commoners had too many expenses. Whatever they earned barely scraped by. Towns? Barely worth the effort. But merchant ships—that was where the real prize lay.

"Alright, time to divvy it up! Lily—my sword!"

Sager laughed heartily and held out his hand. Lily unsheathed the slender blade and placed it gently in his palm.

"I'm the captain. Out of the eight million Beli—I take four. The navigator gets a 5% cut. Ajin, as our combat division leader, also gets 5%. Palu, you take 3%. The rest? Evenly split among everyone else. I won't take a second share."

He could've taken another portion as captain. That was standard. But Sager waved it off with theatrical generosity.

"As for the treasure…"

He gripped the blade and, without hesitation, sliced straight through the mountain of gold, dragging half toward the crew. "This part's all yours. Officers pick first. The rest—grab what you can. If you're not satisfied with what you got—"

He pointed at the barrel of booze that had been rolled in earlier, grinning wildly.

"Then drink for it! Winner takes the prize! Let's heat things up!"

"OHHHHH!!" the pirates roared in approval.

Gold and jewels—impossible to divide fairly. Who knew their actual worth? And besides, you couldn't just cash them in immediately. In practice, everyone took what they liked. A trinket here, a bauble there. No one bothered counting size or weight.

Drinking competitions were more fun anyway—and much more pirate-like.

Sager handed the blade back to Lily and called out to the crew, "Party hard, boys! Tomorrow, we set sail for Nadia!"

"It's Natia," Lily corrected calmly.

"Same thing."

Still grinning, Sager didn't argue. He hummed a little tune as he made his way back to the captain's quarters.

Lily's eyes flickered. A moment later, she followed.

"Lily?" Sager raised a brow when he saw her enter. "You're not joining the party? Don't tell me you're passing on your cut. Weren't you broke? This is the perfect chance to splurge a little, treat yourself. You are a girl, after all."

He lounged back in the chair, legs crossed, smirking playfully.

"I'll think about it when we reach a proper town," she said softly. Then, after a pause: "But what about you? Are we just going to keep looting our way across the East Blue? Even if you do earn enough to buy land… as a pirate, how long can you stay hidden?"

Her tone wasn't accusing. After all, she was a pirate. And pirates robbed—it came with the job.

But what worried her was his dream.

This man—this strange, cocky, baffling man—he dreamed of buying land and becoming a landowner.

If he wanted to retire peacefully, maybe, maybe the World Government would leave him alone. But someone like Sager? He wasn't the low-profile type.

She hadn't been with him long, but she already understood this much: this man couldn't lie low.

After spending time with Ajin and the others, Lily had come to understand how most pirates operated. They hid on uninhabited islands. Took shelter in small, defenseless villages. Some raided towns, sure—but none of them charged in without scouting defenses first.

Most stuck to hitting merchant ships and staying clear of the Navy.

But Sager… he didn't care.

Maybe because he was strong. Or maybe just crazy.

He didn't evade trouble—he chased it. He was even considering messing with an entire nation.

He was flashy. He was loud.

He was the kind of guy who'd dream of becoming king—just from catching a fish.

And the worst part?

He had terrible luck.

Even if he got his hands on enough money to buy land… could he really hold onto it?

"Who said I was going to buy land in the East Blue?" Sager said suddenly.

He smiled faintly.

"I take my business seriously. Whatever I do, I aim for the top. Being a pirate? No different. But each path has its own game. Lily… do you know what the title Pirate King really means?"

"Gol D. Roger?" she asked hesitantly.

"I said the title," he replied. "Not the man. And it's Gol D. Roger—don't let the papers fool you."

"...D?" Lily echoed, puzzled. But she let it slide. "I guess it means reaching Laugh Tale, right? Only then does the world recognize you as Pirate King."

"That's the common belief," Sager said. "But here's the thing—I don't care about Laugh Tale."

He stood, his gaze steady.

"Being Pirate King doesn't mean you have to find some damn island. If you have the power to rule the seas—if you become the peak of all pirates—then who the hell has the right to say you're not the King?"

Sailing across the world. Finding the final island. Becoming a target of the World Government. Hunted until the end of days.

That kind of Pirate King? Not his style.

"I'm not staying in the Four Seas forever. This is where the World Government's grip is tightest. Stick around long enough and they'll crush you. No… my real target is the New World—the second half of the Grand Line."

He clenched his fist.

"Kaido claimed Wano. Big Mom built Totto Land. Whitebeard flew his flag across vast territories. Even Red-Haired, the youngest of them, has a stable stronghold."

"They call them the Four Emperors—rulers of the sea. Each with their own empire, armies, and absolute freedom. That... is where I'll carve my place."

He wasn't stupid.

Back when he was still a citizen—whether he was farming, fishing, playing bodyguard, or even tap dancing for tourists—he was under the law. Legal. Safe. That's when he thought about buying land the right way.

But now? Now he was an outlaw.

A pirate.

The Four Seas? The first half of the Grand Line? Too close to the government's nose. Not worth it.

Sure, he could still raid here. Live comfortably.

But if he wanted land—real land—and to fulfill his dream of being both a pirate and a landlord, the only place that could happen was the New World.

No pirate had ever held territory in the Four Seas or early Grand Line for long.

Clean up and go legal?

Then forget becoming Pirate King.

Whether through wealth or force, only the New World held that opportunity.

The emperors… the silver-ranked contenders… they had paved the road. It could be done.

Conquer land. Rule freely.

That was how Sager would reach his dream.

As for claiming territory here in the East Blue?

In theory—sure.

But in practice?

Impossible.

Even the non-member nations—the ones outside the World Government's umbrella—were a trap. Weak as they seemed, they still had defenses. And even if he succeeded, the government would swoop in with an excuse. Probably just to claim another new member.

So why play their game?

The New World.

That's where he'd become both a Pirate King—and a landlord.

A win-win.

Win-win.