When it came down to it, there really wasn't much difference between pirates and marines.
Both were armed gangs who used violence to achieve their ends—the only distinction was that the former were criminals, and the latter did it under the banner of justice.
Justice, after all, was just a slogan. Something to shout when it was useful, and to shelve when it wasn't.
Brian had never taken "justice" seriously.
To him, the difference between a pirate and a marine was simple—if you wore the uniform, you were a marine. Take it off, and you could be a pirate.
"Listen up! No unnecessary deaths today, got it?"
"Got it!"
"Lord Brian's watching our performance. Anyone who screws this up… well, you know the consequences."
"Got it!"
"Move out!"
After giving the orders, Sta smeared silver dye into his hair, covering the black completely. The moment he stepped out into the crowd, he looked like a completely different person. He strapped on an eyepatch over his right eye, threw on a dark red military coat, and in an instant—he was no marine, but a pirate captain.
"Boys! Strip this place clean!"
"Kill!"
Under the "captain's" command, hundreds of "pirates" surged forward like a flood. They looted, burned, hacked, and screamed. In minutes, thick black smoke rose from the port, and dockworkers fled into the city in panic. Many ran straight home, gathering their families to flee Gonavar entirely.
"Fire!"
"Fire!"
From a line of cargo ships refitted with cannons, a thunderous volley erupted. Over a hundred guns boomed in unison, shells raining onto the streets. The city burst into flames, smoke billowing into the sky as chaos swallowed everything.
Inside the city hall, merchants, nobles, and officials could all hear the explosions. None of them were deaf or blind—they knew exactly what was happening outside.
"What's going on?! How can pirates be attacking us?!" cried one merchant in disbelief. Ever since Brian had extended his influence over the Nacian coast, the merchants had paid enormous protection fees every month. That was the deal—pay up, and you wouldn't be raided.
And sure enough, under Brian's "protection," the Nacian coast had rarely seen a single pirate flag in years.
Mayor Reiner, at least, managed to stay composed. He raised his voice to calm the room.
"Enough panic. Send word to the fortress—tell them to deploy troops and wipe those pirates out!"
"I'll go! I'm friends with Major Peter."
It was Selma, the liaison officer, who volunteered. As the city's official contact with the Navy, he was the natural choice.
"Good. Be quick about it!" Reiner nodded, then turned to address the crowd. "Before the marines arrive, our city police will do their best to defend everyone. But I ask all of you—merchants, nobles, everyone—to work together to protect Gonavar!"
In truth, his words were a plea for the merchants to call their bodyguards and the nobles to rally their household soldiers. Together, they could have formed a respectable defense force.
But the merchants only cared about protecting their shops and mansions.
And the nobles? They'd never send their guards to die for commoners.
Selma galloped through the smoke-filled streets and raced straight to the fortress. He barely stopped his horse before running inside—only to find the barracks nearly empty. Just five or six orderlies were there, cleaning.
He grabbed one by the collar and shouted, "Where is everyone?! Where are your men?!"
"Commander Sta took the troops to Sector S4, sir! To intercept pirates suspected of heading for Gonavar Port!"
"Bullshit! Then who are the pirates attacking us right now?!"
Selma's spit sprayed across the poor orderly's face as his voice cracked with fury.
"I—I'm just an orderly, sir! I don't know the details. Major Peter left with reinforcements too—they said it was a large pirate fleet."
Selma stared at the earnest, frightened face of the young marine, then exhaled slowly. He dropped the man's collar and softened his tone. "Can I reach Major Brian?"
"That's easy. You can ask Miss Shirley—she's close to the colonel."
"…"
Selma's face twisted with bitter realization. He didn't need anyone to explain further. It all clicked.
The pirates ravaging Gonavar Port weren't pirates at all—they were Brian's own men, disguised.
The whole thing was a staged "raid," designed to scare the city into obedience… to remind them exactly why they paid the People's Support Fund.
By the time Selma returned to city hall, the "pirates" had already breached the streets. Gunfire echoed through the alleys as the police tried desperately to hold them back.
The police had taken up positions on rooftops and windows, firing from above.
But the "pirates" came armed with heavy weapons—rocket launchers.
A few thunderous blasts later, the rooftops vanished in flames, and the snipers were blown apart.
"Hold the line! Hold—agh!"
Police Chief Laurent's left arm had been shot clean through, the bone nearly shattered.
He crouched behind a crumbling wall, six wounded officers clustered around him. Bullets screamed overhead. Every time he peeked out, another man went down.
"Damn it—who are these pirates?! Their marksmanship's too good!"
As the gunfire from his men grew weaker, despair crept into his voice.
Back at city hall, Selma reported everything he'd seen. The news left everyone pale-faced.
"So what, we refuse to pay and they just… let pirates destroy the city?!"
"That bastard Brian!"
"I'll report this to the World Government!"
The merchants and nobles roared with anger. None of them had the faintest clue that the "pirates" were marines in disguise—Brian's own troops.
"Enough," Mayor Reiner said through gritted teeth. "Let's just call him. Shirley, contact Major Brian."
Shirley nodded, already holding the Den Den Mushi Brian had given her. She knew this was coming—Brian had predicted every step.
"Major Brian, this is Mayor Reiner. We'll pay the money! Please, send your troops to defeat the pirates!"
Reiner struggled to keep his tone steady, though the twitching muscles on his face betrayed his fury.
On the other end, Brian's calm voice replied,
"My men are already engaged with pirates in Sector S4. I can't pull them back just yet."
The line went dead.
Brian set the Den Den Mushi aside, straightened his uniform, and stepped back into the palace hall—
—just in time to mourn the recently poisoned king.
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