Alistair closed the treasure chest and handed it to Ran, his gaze complex as he asked, "William, why didn't you eat this fruit?"
This... "Devil's Luck" William took off his captain's triangular hat and scratched his greasy hair, looking troubled. "This is a Devil Fruit worth over 100 million berries. If we could sell it at an auction house, it would fetch at least 200 million. After taking out the commission, we would still have at least 150 million. With that money, we could all go back home and get married."
Alistair couldn't help but chuckle. No wonder they were so unlucky, entering the Calm Belt, encountering the complete annihilation of the Spade Pirates in normal times, and now encountering the Kuja Pirates, one of the Shichibukai.
This tall and bright FLAG was standing here, if you weren't unlucky, who would be?
"I understand. Anyway, let's do this." He asked Ran, "How do we tie their ship to ours?"
"Don't worry." Ran's round face was full of smiles. She was going to easily earn 200 million, how could she not be happy? Plus, these pirates probably had a lot of treasure on them. "We have special ropes for tying prize ships. We just need to hook them onto their bow."
Most pirates would keep their savings on an island, then make a map to prevent themselves from forgetting the address. But many pirates, even if they didn't have treasure on their ships, wouldn't go out empty-handed. They probably had their loot from this trip on board.
The Kuja Pirates' survival model was like this. They would constantly plunder these pirates who had been plundered and boarded their ships to obtain supplies and necessities. And of course, the pirates' ships were also spoils and wealth.
And these pirates were their prisoners. Even if they didn't kill them, they would still empty the pirates' cargo holds.
This was a fact that even this crew called the "Devil's Luck Pirates" couldn't deny or resist.
But since they didn't kill all the enemies this time, let them carry the goods themselves. When they needed to eat, they would use lifeboats to move them back from here. This wasted the pirates' strength and energy, which was a management technique in itself. It was like not depositing wages into bank accounts but paying in cash, a kind of management technique.
This was even Alistair's idea.
Though Ran and the others thought it was a bit troublesome, who could say no to the Empress's favorite? So, they agreed.
Watching these pirates carry bags of food from the cargo hold to the deck of the Kuja Pirates' ship, Alistair was also carefully observing them.
Who was honest, who was cunning, who was looking around and gathering information, who was looking down and working without looking around, who was bold, and who was lustful. He saw it all, he remembered it all.
'Devil's Luck' William stood beside Alistair, introducing him to the specific situation of the Curved Sword Pirates. The entire crew had over 120 people. They used a special shipbuilding method from the South Blue, and the style of the ship was a Carrack-style sailing ship. It carried a lot of people, a lot of cargo, and had some firepower.
But they had been in a battle before reaching the Calm Belt, leaving only a little over 110 people. Later, because of illness, they were reduced to less than 110. This time, they jumped onto the ship and were shot dead, leaving less than eighty people.
The Devil's Luck Pirates fighting style relied more on boarding battles than on their dozen cannons. Their strategy was mostly to use grapeshot to tear up the opponent's sails, slowing them down, then chasing them and boarding them. This would save a lot of ammunition and consumption.
This was a poor and stingy pirate crew.
But because they had a lot of people, 'Devil's Luck' William was tall and strong, he had strong combat power, and he had a few cadets. They were no match for most enemies in the first half of the Grand Line.
The Straw Hat Pirates, for example, were a very top-tier configuration, a pirate crew with a bounty of over 100 million.
And 'Devil's Luck' William's bounty was only 40 million. The few cadets added up to less than 20 million. Naturally, they couldn't have the same combat power and ambition as the Straw Hat Pirates (it was really confusing that the Straw Hat Pirates, from beginning to end, didn't want to find Devil Fruits to increase the combat power of their weaker members).
And 'Devil's Luck' William's desire to go back home and get married after getting over 100 million at an auction was understandable.
In the four seas, the Marines only had a few limited military bases controlling the more important waterways. The vast majority of their combat power was concentrated in the first, middle, and latter parts of the Grand Line, especially in the latter part, where the Yonko were almost unstoppable.
Once they got the money at the auction, they could go back to their village and stay at home. Who would look for them?
This was really a normal thing. Otherwise, there wouldn't be a situation where someone would sell the Mera Mera no Mi to Donquixote's fighting ring after seeing Ace's combat power at the Marineford War.
Many people went out to sea with the intention of making a fortune and returning home to live a peaceful life. They couldn't make hundreds of millions of berries in a lifetime back home. They had to take a gamble, and their lives were on the line. No wonder countless people went out to sea to risk their lives.
This was the same as the Age of Exploration. Almost 99% of people were seeking wealth, not eating Devil Fruits to become Shichibukai.
They weren't trying to become Pirate King.
So, ambitious people were ultimately a minority. Alistair had truly delved into the lower ranks of pirates and understood what was on their minds.
It was definitely right to keep them.
Alistair glanced at the pirates who had returned to their ship and were staring longingly at the side of the ship. He thought to himself.
Not only were their food and treasure on the ship taken away, but their weapons and cannons were all confiscated.
It could be said that they were truly destitute.
But Alistair promised that he would return these things to them after they left the Calm Belt. They took him at his word.
What else could they do?
Were they really going to die?
The Kuja Pirates' tower ship continued to be pulled forward by the serpents. The thick ropes at the stern were taut, slowly pulling the "Devil's Luck Pirates' " pirate ship into motion. Loud cheers came from the "Devil's Luck Pirates' " ship behind them. They had been desperate, they had hope when they saw the Kuja Pirates, they were desperate again when they realized it was a Shichibukai, and they had hope again when Alistair agreed to accept their surrender.
Now, they were finally completely ignited. Though they had lost everything, they did gain hope for life. At least they had their dog lives saved!
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