บท 4: Chapter 4
Chapter 4
At midnight, when the moon was in its highest position, was the time for Snow and the crew to strike. Too bad the clouds covered the moon, he couldn't act cool under the moonlight. And Snow was looking forward to being perceived as some legendary moonlight thief. What was the point of doing anything if he wasn't perceived as cool?
If he were a pirate, he must be the most infamous one. He didn't like the idea of killing innocents, and even though he hated the Marines, he found it pointless to kill them, too. So, there weren't many options left to get the highest bounty other than utterly opposing the World Government. And it so happens to be the most fun option.
He didn't know if even Trafalgar Law could save him, so he might not have that much time to live anyway. So, he needed to wreak havoc and not let this life go to waste. He at least should get a few hits into King Chap's face. His thoughts were interrupted as they reached the place on the stolen fisherman's boat. It was a secluded place, so they shouldn't have any trouble escaping.
"Remember, Coribou," Snow looked at the big guy's eyes, wanting him to understand him. "You can't move from this place, no matter what, until we return. No matter what, you must protect the boat. Do you understand?"
"I do cap," Coribou eagerly nodded, holstering a shovel on his shoulder as his weapon. It was the best they could find on short notice. "Protect the boat. To not leave the boat. Wait for cap and big bro."
"Keheheheh," Caribou laughed in pride of little brother. "I told you it would be fine."
"I can only hope," Snow replied as they departed the boat and climbed the small cliff.
There was some distance from where they were to the giant palace of King Chap. But it was only an hour's walk. Since it would be pretty bad to be caught in the harbor as the Marines and King's Chap guards could block the way, Snow chose a secluded place where no one came by. It was way outside the town, and he had to pass through an enormous forest first, but it was a great escape route.
Even if thousands of soldiers chased them, they could lose them in this forest. And since there were no ships in this part of the island, they wouldn't have much trouble slipping into the night. Even though he was confident, he knew how big Marine ships were. Their little fishing boat would be destroyed in seconds if they were caught.
"We are here," Snow said as they stood before the entrance to the palace. "Is something going on inside? Too much light coming from the palace so late at night, and I can hear music and many people."
"I don't hear anything," Caribou replied as he followed behind Snow. "So, what the plan, captain?"
"Heh, it is a brilliant plan I came up with just now," Snow replied with a confident smile. "We walk in, beat anyone standing in our way, find the armory first, take their weapons, and finally, find their treasure room and take everything before leaving."
"Keheheheh, a brilliant plan indeed, captain," Caribou was more than satisfied with Snow's plan.
Of course, he was happy. He couldn't get hurt by any normal means. Everything would pass through him, and Snow wasn't concerned with the guards. He has beaten a hundred marines before and didn't even let out a sweat. With a confident stride, they both got to the gates protected by two guards with rifles. Seeing Snow and Caribou walking to them, they raised their weapons at them.
"Stop!" One of the guards yelled out, pointing his rifle at Snow.
"Who goes here?" Another guard asked, pointing his rifle at Caribou.
"Unexpected guests," Snow replied, jumping between them and grabbing their weapons before pulling them away from the guards' hands.
"Ugh!" Snow knocked the first guard by smashing his head into the ground while he got the other guard by his throat.
"We are a bit lost, so I hope you don't mind giving us some directions," Snow said as he lifted the guard with one arm by his neck. "And what is going on in the palace right now?"
"A banquet," The guard quickly replied, fear filling his eyes. "King Chap has invited everyone who will participate in tomorrow's auction. All nobility from various countries have come."
"Uhm, captain," Caribou got nervous at the information they received. "With so many nobles, you don't think the palace will be swarmed with soldiers?"
"That right," The guard who was held by Snow quickly chimed in. "The security is tripled tonight. The palace grounds are surrounded by not only the regular guards armed with weapons but also with marines. You won't be able to pass through them."
"It isn't your job to worry about me," Snow replied, tightening his grip over the guard's neck. "Where is the armory?"
"On the right side of the entrance doors," The guard answered in fear.
"Where is the treasury room?"
"On the top floor."
Satisfied with the information, Snow knocked down the guard and stepped over him, entering the palace's grounds. The yard before him was vast, and the main building was still half a kilometer away. And between him and the palace were dozens of guards patrolling. Working in the mines for more than half of his life, Snow was used to darkness, so while the night made Snow invisible to most, his vision wasn't restricted. He could make out the figures moving around.
With Snow leading the way, they quickly moved from one shadow to another until they reached the armory. Snow didn't want to get noticed for now, as getting to the treasury room with soldiers on their heels would be troublesome. Breaking the weak lock with his brute strength, Snow and Caribou entered the armory.
Rows and stacks of weapons were inside. Pistols, rifles, cannon balls, swords, spears and knives. There were plenty of weapons to arm a small army. Without a second thought, Snow started throwing everything at Caribou, who turned himself into a swamp and stored everything inside himself. It took some time to clear everything out, but Snow couldn't help but smile.
Now, even if they tried to mobilize their forces, they would have no weapons to do anything. Of course, Snow wasn't surprised as he knew he was a genius tactician. Yet, he had to stop thinking to himself as alarm bells rang. They probably discovered the unconscious bodies by the gates. So, Snow and Caribou ran inside the palace without wasting more time.
"Oi, who are you?" Just as they entered the palace halls, four guards stood before them.
"Who I am?" Snow raised his voice, sounding insulted. "I come a long way because King Chap invited me only to be questioned by you scrubs? I will have your skin peeled off for such indecent behavior. Now, go and see what those damn bells ringing about, or I will have strict words with King Chap about your conduct."
"Of course, sir," The guards quickly saluted me. "We will ensure your visit is as pleasant as possible."
The guards ran past them into the outside. Snow had to take a second look at them and back at the now empty hallway. Then he took another look. He wasn't surprised. After all, with his good looks and charisma of a great leader, there was nothing he couldn't do. Leading Caribou, Snow walked to the staircase and climbed to the top floor.
As they climbed the stairs, Snow suddenly stopped on the third floor. Snow and Caribou found themselves in a lavish corridor adorned with opulent decorations. The sound of distant laughter and music emanated from behind the grand doors leading to the banquet hall. For a moment, he wanted to burst into the banquet and beat King Chap before his guests.
But controlling his anger, Snow ignored the fools, who didn't know what was happening, and climbed higher. It wasn't hard to find the treasury room, as it was sealed with iron doors and guarded by twelve men at the end of the top-floor hallway. It was about to get loud anyway, so Snow didn't care about his actions anymore and drew his umbrella before rushing into the guards.
With the tip of his umbrella, Snow stabbed the first unexpected guard, lifting him into the air before throwing him at two other guards. Then, before they could draw their weapons, Snow swung his massive umbrella and knocked another three guards to the wall. At the same time, caribou took out and restrained two guards with his devil fruit abilities.
With half of them done for in the first seconds of the fight, the rest didn't stand a chance. With a few punches and kicks, the guards were quickly knocked out. Snow was still surprised at how strong he was. There was no technique in his fighting; he just swung his fists and legs, and his foes would fall over him. He didn't know if he should trust his strength.
On the one hand, they were grown men with some training as guards. On the other hand, he knew that even children could beat grown men in this world. So, it was hard to say if he was stronger than a regular pirate. He guessed he could find if he were powerful now, as before him stood massive iron doors. He didn't have a key to the lock, nor did the guards, as he and Caribou checked, so there was only one way to get inside.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The sound of iron hitting iron could be heard throughout the palace. The loud music stopped from the banquet hall. Hurried footsteps could be heard running through the hallways and climbing the stairs. But with a fifth swing of his massive umbrella, Snow knocked the doors out of their hinges, letting the massively bent iron block fall inwards into the treasury room.
Even though he knew they didn't have much time, Snow wasn't worried. An average human didn't stand a chance if he could do this to a solid iron block. Now, he wondered if he hadn't killed anyone with his swings. But so far, he fought Marines, so he didn't care if they died as they deserved it for isolating and locking his homeland down and letting everyone he knew die.
"Keheheheh," Caribou was more than happy to enter the treasure room.
Piles of shimmering gold coins stacked in ornate chests. Precious gemstone-studded necklaces, bracelets, rings, and earrings adorned with diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and emeralds. Ancient vases, sculptures, and paintings. Luxurious silk tapestries were woven with intricate patterns and scenes depicting the grandeur of King Chap's reign. Ornate golden chalices and goblets embellished with intricate designs and encrusted with gemstones.
The room glittered in splendor. Snow couldn't help but feel a rush of excitement coursing through him. He was beyond rich. He couldn't imagine what he couldn't buy with all the riches he would now have. Yet, his excitement stopped when he looked at a chest filled with precious metals. He recognized one prominent metal, Liquor Iron.
"Fill yourself up, Caribou. We're not leaving anything behind," It wasn't his greed that spoke, but his hatred. He will not leave a single penny to King Chap.
"Keheheheh, with pleasure," Caribou laughed as he turned into a swamp and started swallowing everything around him.
Caribou still wasn't used to using his abilities, so it would take some time to get all the stuff inside him. And they didn't have much time, as Snow heard dozens of men rushing towards them. Still, one thing caught his eye. In a class box, there was a strange fruit. It looked like a pineapple, but all black, and its spikes were bronze colored. It was a devil fruit.
The question was, what kind of devil fruit? He didn't remember this fruit in the anime he watched and didn't have a devil fruit encyclopedia to identify it. It could be anything. It could be some lame zoan type, like koala or sloth. It could also be a lame paramecia that wouldn't help him much or maybe even hinder him. No matter how he inspected it, he couldn't tell what it was.
It couldn't be that good as King Chap had possession of it. The World Government would have probably taken it if it was a logia type. So, for now, Snow pocketed the fruit and will try to look into it in the future. Maybe it wasn't a devil fruit in the first place, but some exotic fruit that King Chap kept even if it did sound ridiculous to Snow.
"Intruders! Stop right here."
Snow looked at twenty or so soldiers with rifles and swords pointing at him. Then he turned back to Caribou, who was still consuming the treasure. Snow knew that more and more soldiers would come, and it would be safer to cut their losses and retreat while they could. But where was the fun in that? If it isn't all or nothing, why even try?
"Come," Snow pointed his umbrella at the soldiers and said.
"You are under arrest for trespassing and theft. Surrender now, and you may be spared the consequences of your actions," One of them came forward and said.
"Don't be ridiculous," Snow replied without hesitation, putting them in a stupor. "If you aren't coming, then I will."
Opening this umbrella, Snow blocked the bullets firing at him and rushed at the soldiers. The hallway was wide enough to keep his umbrella open but not wide enough for the soldiers to dodge him. Catching everyone with his massive umbrella, Snow pushed them back to the stairs, where they started to fall. Closing his umbrella, Snow smiled at the pathetic soldiers now groaning in pain at the end of the staircase.
Smiling at his victory, Snow returned to Caribou to help him finish the work. Yet, just as he turned away from the staircase, he was hit at the back of his head and sent flying through the hallway. Skidding through the floor, Snow was only stopped by the wall of the treasury room. Slowly getting up and cleaning up the dust from his cloak, Snow looked at the other end of the hallway.
"I only have one question," Snow said as he looked at a slim young woman with light pink hair.
"And what would that be, Gravedigger Snow?" The woman asked, raising a distinctive curly eyebrow not covered by her hair.
"Will you marry me?" It was love at first sight. It had nothing to do with her appearance, her exposed stomach and navel. And not her long, smooth legs. It was her beautiful purple eyes and personality. Seeing her softened his cold heart, even if something else had hardened. He had no time to think about it. She was the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his short life with.
"You have no idea what you are doing, pirate," The woman said, not even blinking at Snow's proposal. "You will return everything you have stolen."
"Princess Reiju," A middle-aged man with short black hair, a short toothbrush mustache, and a pointy chin sporting a goatee soon entered the hallway with even more soldiers. "Thank you for your assistance, but I will take over from here."
Before King Chap could finish his words, his head was buried on the floor with Snow's hand on the back of his head. Snow's eyes showed only rage as he lifted King Chap and smashed him to the ground again and again. He ignored a sword piercing his shoulder as he repeated his actions, wanting to leave nothing of King Chap's head but a bloody mass.
But before he could do so, he was sent flying again by Reiju's kick to his chest. It was harder to get up his time, but at least his mind cleared up from the rage he felt. Yet, as he tried to get up, his chest tightened painfully, and he started coughing aggressively. Snow couldn't breathe until a pile of blood came out of his throat. And even then, he could do nothing as he felt his lungs collapsing on him.
A.N. Sorry for the irregular updates. I just didn't have much time of the late. Hopefully, by the next week, I will update the story regularly. As always, If you want more, up to seven advanced chapters, you can support me on pa treon. com \ ironwolf852. And if you have any requests for stories, I will only take them on my pa treon.
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