Pirates: Usurping a Kingdom Is Surprisingly Easy

Spartan's terrifying shockwave completely stunned all the Bounty Hunters and other powerhouses in the port. He had blown up a person with one punch and a ship with another. Even Burgess, the previously arrogant fighting champion, was instantly defeated by a casual punch, his fate unknown. Could this man really have defeated a great pirate with a bounty of several hundred million Berries, as those kids claimed?

"Gulp~"

Countless sounds of swallowing echoed as the Bounty Hunters broke out in cold sweat, involuntarily retreating. It seemed they had provoked someone formidable.

"Uncle Spartan is so cool!"

"Uncle Spartan is the best!"

The young boys and girls cheered excitedly; Uncle Spartan was indeed their protector. In the New World's Beryu Island and Saipan Island sea areas, Spartan was known by the moniker "Beryu's Fist"!

Spartan didn't pay attention to the defeated Burgess. He suddenly turned and looked into the distance. Powerful auras appeared within his Observation Haki perception.

"So strong!"

"Is it the One Emperor and Two Marquises?!"

Spartan stared intently at the group slowly appearing in his sight. His expression instantly became solemn, and his hair stood on end. He had originally thought that the One Emperor and Two Marquises, who had suppressed the North Blue Overlord and West Blue Twin Heroes, quelled the Alabasta war, and defeated the Shichibukai, would have strength at most comparable to the Sweet Commanders, Three Disasters, Three Squad Commanders, or the Three Iron Wall Cadres.

But now, his Observation Haki and intuition were telling him that two of the auras were definitely several times stronger than himself and Jack. Could the Piercing Marquis and Heavenfall Marquis who were with the Goa Emperor be stronger than the Four Emperors' right-hand men?!

Spartan had initially felt that with his strength, he could definitely stand alongside Aramaki and Issho, becoming the third Imperial Marquis of the Goa Empire. But it seemed he had underestimated the strength of the Two Marquises.

According to the Goa Empire's Hereditary Title system, these two individuals, whose strength was greater than his own and Jack's, could definitely possess the strength of an Empire Duke. After all, Spartan believed he was no weaker than Jack.

The monstrous auras of these two Imperial Marquises made Spartan feel immense pressure, leaving him with almost no sense of victory. He felt as if he wasn't qualified to stand alongside them. However, as long as Emperor Kael accepted him, Spartan was still confident in becoming an Imperial Marquis. As for these two monsters, perhaps they would soon be promoted to Empire Dukes. At that time, the One Emperor Two Marquises would become One Emperor Two Dukes.

Spartan hoped to briefly stand alongside them before their promotion, becoming one of the Marquises in a One Emperor, Three Marquises setup. The appearance of Emperor Kael and his group instantly drew everyone's attention, even the young boys and girls who were still cheering for Spartan.

"Ahaha, your strength is quite good, stronger than those broken Daimyos of Wano Country!"

Aramaki looked at the powerful Spartan, feeling that this guy was even stronger than Don Chinjao, the strongest pillar of the Kano Country water army. Although Don Chinjao possessed Conqueror's Haki, Aramaki could still clearly feel that Spartan's sense of threat was higher. It seemed this guy had the potential to be an Imperial Marquis.

Aramaki didn't reject the idea of this man potentially becoming an Imperial Marquis like himself. Because he, Aramaki, was a fierce man whom His Majesty had described as having the potential of a Duke. As long as he had the chance to face those top great pirates in the New World, he could shake the world and be promoted to Empire Duke.

"It's Emperor Kael and Marquis Aramaki, Marquis Issho, they've arrived!!"

"Greetings, Your Majesty!!"

All the Bounty Hunters and wandering powerhouses in the port saluted Emperor Kael, their eyes filled with respect for the strong. Emperor Kael's reputation in the Four Seas and Grand Line Paradise was probably even higher than that of the Four Emperors.

Even Spartan immediately reined in his violent aura. With his clansmen and the kids from the sailboat, he disembarked to salute the Emperor. After all, he had left the chaotic islands of the New World with his family precisely to pledge allegiance to this Goa Emperor. Now, sensing the formidable strength of the One Emperor Two Marquises, he became even more respectful. Coming from the New World, they knew how to respect the strong far better than these ignorant wretches in Paradise.

He had heard in the New World that some people in the Four Seas didn't even know about the existence of a Devil Fruit, and countless pirates in Grand Line Paradise didn't even know about Haki. So, it was understandable that these fools didn't know the terror of the Four Emperors, didn't fear them, and disrespected them.

Newborn calves are not afraid of tigers; the ignorant are arrogant, and this was fully proven in these individuals.

"Spartan of New World's Beryu Island greets Emperor Kael."

Spartan didn't know how to salute, so he just awkwardly placed his hand on his forehead then on his chest, like a Marine and a noble at the same time, giving a messy bow and salute.

"Don't be so stiff."

Emperor Kael looked at the man named Spartan. His face and eyes clearly belonged to a fierce person. But the young boys and girls standing behind him made his fierce appearance seem to have a certain contrasting charm. A fierce good person? Could he be like Marine Captain "Ship Cutter" T-Bone, who looked terrifying but was actually incredibly kind-hearted?

'Spartan?'

A thought flashed through Emperor Kael's mind. Could he be that Marine Vice Admiral who was bounty-hunted for 1-crown by Cross Guild? 1-crown was worth 1,000,000,000 Berries. Even Marine Admirals and Marine Hero Iron Fist Garp were only bountied for 3-crowns.

In Cross Guild's bounty list, a Marine Vice Admiral was generally bountied for 5-stars, which is 500,000,000 Berries. A Marine Rear Admiral was generally 3-stars, which is 300,000,000 Berries. Commodores and Captains were generally 1-star, which is 100,000,000 Berries. Of course, the specific bounty was determined by reputation. Some slightly weaker Rear Admirals, or slightly stronger Captains, could also be bountied for 2-stars, which is 200,000,000 Berries.

For example, "Deserter King" Koby, after the Rocky Port incident, transformed into the "New Marine Hero," and his fame soared. Hero Koby, this Marine Captain, was bountied for 5-stars, like a regular Marine Vice Admiral, worth 500,000,000 Berries.

And Spartan, this fierce Vice Admiral who joined Marineford through the World Military Draft, was 1-crown, double the ordinary Vice Admiral's 500,000,000 Berries in the New World. That meant his strength was definitely recognized by Cross Guild.

Emperor Kael suddenly looked at Spartan with shining eyes. A fierce man with the same bounty as Jack? Moreover, Marine Admirals and Iron Fist Garp were both suppressed to 3,000,000,000 Berries by Cross Guild, a bit lower than the Four Emperors. Perhaps Spartan, this 1,000,000,000 Berry Vice Admiral, might also be slightly suppressed. After all, Cross Guild's funds certainly couldn't compare to the vast World Government, so a slightly lower bounty was perfectly normal.

Furthermore, as a pirate organization, Cross Guild could also 'devalue' the 'strength' of Marine Admirals through bounties, indirectly elevating the Four Emperors' strength and boosting pirate morale. Even the bounty of the new Four Emperors Buggy exceeded 3,000,000,000 Berries, reaching 3,189,000,000 Berries, and Hawkeye Mihawk's bounty even reached 3,590,000,000 Berries. You can't say that Hawkeye Mihawk is stronger than the Three Admirals and Iron Fist Garp, can you?