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worm novel 200 . xyz '
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Inside the royal palace of Alabasta.
Only a handful of men from the Royal Guards remained standing after weathering the baptism of Conqueror's Haki.
This was not due to their formidable willpower.
It was simply because Lius needed them on their feet to keep the impulsive soldiers outside the palace in check.
"I thought the only one plotting to seize this country's future was Crocodile of the Seven Warlords. I never expected you to be the first ones to break into the royal palace!"
Cobra sat rigidly on the throne. He gripped the armrests with white knuckles and ground his teeth.
His gaze landed on Vivi in Lius's arms. A deep voice escaped his throat. "I am a failure of a king to let my daughter shoulder burdens far beyond her years."
"What do you want?"
The palace fell dead silent the moment those words echoed through the hall.
Alabasta's two great guardian spirits flanking Cobra shot furious glares in response.
They would have already charged forward if Princess Vivi was not being held hostage.
"Don't be so tense, Your Majesty. Our demand is simple. Have this falcon make a trip to the port and secure us a ship for our departure. Oh, the hull must be sturdy enough to weather fierce winds and violent waves."
Lius offered a faint smile. He shifted his gaze to Pell, the vice-captain of the guards. "Use your flight abilities to get there. We are leaving at dawn."
"Who do you think you are? I am the guardian spirit of this nation. There is no way I will tolerate pirate scum tarnishing this land!"
Pell, the bird-bird fruit user, bellowed in outrage upon hearing Lius's instructions.
"Oh? Do you really think you have the option to refuse?"
Lius completely ignored the outburst. He simply lowered his head to look at Princess Vivi, who appeared to be fast asleep.
He made no further moves. Yet, that simple gesture alone sent a violent shudder through the hearts of Cobra and his men.
"Pell, go now. Do it to protect Vivi."
Cobra squeezed his eyes shut after a long pause. He issued the command through clenched teeth.
That single name!
It carried the crushing weight of a mountain.
Pell ground his teeth. He shot Lius a venomous glare before turning on his heel to exit the palace. A moment later, he transformed into a falcon and soared into the sky.
Cobra slowly opened his eyes once the vice-captain was gone.
"Do you have any other demands?"
"Of course. Have this kitchen manager escort our beautiful Miss Nami to the royal treasury."
Lius offered another faint smile. He did not wait for a response before continuing. "Do not entertain any thoughts of quietly subduing miss Nami to trade for your princess. That will only make the situation spiral out of control."
The dog-dog fruit user, Vice-Captain Chaka, suffered a drastic shift in expression at those words.
He stared at Lius with eyes brimming with profound apprehension.
"Terracotta, escort this pirate miss to the treasury."
"Nobody in this country can stop them if they truly intend to harm me and Vivi."
The monarch of this ancient kingdom had been reduced to a prisoner. Yet, Cobra still displayed the unyielding courage and boldness befitting a ruler.
"As you command your majesty."
Terracotta accepted the order and stepped forward.
She might have been just the head chef, but she acted more like the steward of the royal family. Her devotion to Vivi was especially profound.
It was not a single bit less than that of her husband, Igaram!
"Nami, take however much treasure you see fit." Lius flashed a casual smile.
"Gotcha!"
Nami followed Terracotta out without looking back. Her large, bright eyes had already morphed into sparkling beli symbols.
The men watched the two women depart the palace.
Only Vice-Captain Chaka and King Cobra remained to represent the royal faction at this moment.
"Do you have any further demands?"
Cobra asked.
His tone had gradually settled into a calm demeanor.
"Of course we do, Mr. Cobra. Please lead us to the entrance of the underground crypt right now."
Lius held Vivi securely in his arms. He stepped to the side and gestured for the king to lead the way.
"..."
Chaka flared with anger. He was ready to transform into his jackal form on the spot, but Cobra raised a hand to stop him.
"I see. I believe I finally know what it is you are after." Cobra locked his intense gaze onto Lius. He searched the young man's face for any hidden intentions.
Unfortunately, he found nothing.
Lius maintained a warm, radiant smile that made him look like a friendly boy from next door.
Yet, his current actions were enough to send chills down even Cobra's spine.
"That saves us a lot of time since you already know. Please, lead the way."
Lius offered a light chuckle.
He delivered the words with a smile, but his tone brooked no arguments.
"Very well. The price of my refusal would be Vivi's life, correct?"
A bitter smile touched Cobra's lips after a long pause. His body sagged with helplessness.
"No. It would be the entire royal family." Lius corrected him.
Both Chaka and Cobra drew in a sharp breath of cold air.
Neither of them could sense a shred of killing intent from the young man. Yet, waves of bone-deep chill washed over their hearts.
"I will take you there."
Cobra finally yielded to the threat. He stepped down from his throne and led the way with a lowered head.
Chaka attempted to follow them, but Lius quickly halted his advance.
"Mr. Jackal, you will stay right here. You can send the heroes of this country our way once they arrive."
Lius followed close behind Cobra without sparing a backward glance. "Pass along a message for me while you're at it. Tell him I will be waiting for him in front of history itself."
He departed side by side with Ace immediately after dropping those words.
Chaka remained rooted to his spot. He clamped his jaws shut, his entire body trembling violently with unbridled rage.
However, he did not dare to follow them out of fear for the safety of his king and princess. He had no choice but to wait in his place in complete humiliation.
Meanwhile.
The rebel army had originally intended to launch a crusade against the king. However, they immediately shifted their target upon the arrival of Lius's group.
Miraculously, the leader of the rebellion even managed to establish contact with the royal guards.
Both sides ultimately reached a consensus. They would prioritize the rescue of their princess above all else.
Unfortunately, the pirates were holding the princess hostage. None of them dared to storm the royal palace out of fear of bringing harm to her.
The night gradually deepened.
Yet, the rebels gathered in the plaza and the royal army stationed by the gates both waited in heavy silence.
They would have lost their patience long ago and stormed the palace to save the princess if Chaka had not been keeping them in line.
None of them knew that both the king and the princess had already been escorted away by the pirates.
Whoosh!
A violent storm suddenly swept across the plaza at that very moment. Sand filled the sky, blowing the rebels completely off balance.
The furious sandstorm even shattered the heavy gates of the royal palace.
The rebels in the plaza and the royal army inside the gates were forced to scatter and seek shelter.
"Where in the world did this sandstorm come from?"
Chaka muttered to himself from his vantage point atop the palace wall. A grave expression washed over his face.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Heavy footsteps echoed from the distance, steadily drawing closer.
A low, gravelly voice rang out before Chaka even had the chance to turn his head.
"Where are those pirate brats?"