Mushroom Tavern.
"Ho! Ha! Hee-ho!"
In the open kitchen, the burly head chef wielded two spatulas, humming and hawing as he executed the Wild Cloak Cooking Method.
Soon, the final plate of Garlic Mushroom Chicken Breast was ready.
"One moment, please!"
The chef swiftly returned, his arm bent upward as he pinched a few grains of salt between his fingers, sprinkling them evenly over the mushrooms.
"Enjoy your meal, honored guests."
"..."
Gurd's forehead twitched with black lines.
Where did this "Salt Bae" come from?!
"Gu Jiang, try it quick! It's super delicious!" Ulti urged impatiently before glaring fiercely at Hancock beside her. "I didn't invite you to eat! You can only have a tiny bit!"
"This queen will pay for her own meal!"
Hancock shot back with a cold stare.
Gurd shook his head, speared a piece of mushroom with his fork, and popped it into his mouth. His initially indifferent expression instantly changed.
"Delicious!"
Ulti immediately nodded in agreement.
"Super tasty!"
"Truly delicious."
Gurd was genuinely surprised.
For an ordinary tavern, the dishes were unexpectedly exquisite—especially the mushrooms, which were even more flavorful than the meat.
But the cooking process had seemed rather ordinary, even crude, except for the final salt-sprinkling flourish.
If Chikara were to cook this, it would undoubtedly taste even better.
Ulti explained, "The mushrooms in this town are ten times tastier than those from other islands! I was shocked too when I first arrived!"
"So it's the ingredients."
Gurd nodded in understanding.
In the New World, there was a similar island called Broccoli Island, renowned for its exceptionally delicious broccoli. However, due to poor transportation conditions, the produce could only circulate locally.
Mushrooms of this quality, if shipped to islands like Sabaody, would likely sell for ten or even a hundred times the price. Yet here in this small town, they were practically dirt-cheap.
The world wasn't lacking in resources—many islands boasted high-quality specialties. But due to environmental constraints, poverty and backwardness persisted.
To get rich, build roads first!
The Nation of Labor had already provided the answer.
Over the meal, Ulti recounted the current state of the Rune Kingdom.
Aside from the troublesome Revolutionary Army, the kingdom's nearly 100,000-strong military was another major headache. Wiping them all out would undoubtedly deal a severe blow to the nation.
They were all potential laborers.
If not for the sake of preserving this workforce, Ulti would have long led her forces into open battle. Even with the enemy's numerical advantage, it would only be a minor inconvenience.
Her forces weren't just ordinary soldiers—she also had a five-member Giant Squad, enough to bridge the gap in numbers.
"I see."
Gurd nodded, a smirk curling his lips.
"Page One, go to the palace. Inform the king to surrender immediately. Otherwise, three days from now at dawn, the Beasts' forces will crush the royal capital!"
"Yes."
Page One turned and left without hesitation or further questions. A true warrior spoke little.
Ulti frowned in confusion. "Gu Jiang, won't this cause too many casualties?"
"No matter."
Gurd waved his hand dismissively.
With the army Ulti commanded, achieving a swift victory against a large nation would be difficult, likely dragging the conflict into a war of attrition with heavy losses on both sides.
But now, the supreme commander himself had arrived.
A mere 100,000 troops? He could wipe them out in an instant!
Night fell over the palace.
"This is an outrage!"
The captains of the guard seethed with fury.
The Pirates' incessant provocations had long fueled their fury. This nation, having barely embraced its rebirth, now faced the looming threat of annihilation once more.
"Your Majesty, let us declare war on the Pirates!"
"We must never compromise with those scoundrels!"
"This country cannot become a haven for villains again!"
The Army Commanders clamored for battle.
The king remained silent for a long while.
"Prepare for war!"
"Yes!"
Once the commanders had departed, the king changed into commoner's attire and rode out under cover of night, slipping beyond the city walls.
The Army Commanders were warriors who had fought alongside him in the revolution—brave, yes, but ultimately men of humble origins, their vision limited.
The moment the Beasts arrived, he knew the kingdom alone could never stand against them. Now, only the Revolutionary Army could save them.
Soon, the king arrived alone at the Revolutionary Army's hideout.
"Mr. Karasu, Mr. Sabo."
"Celt?"
Seeing their former comrade, now the reigning monarch of Rune Kingdom, the revolutionaries immediately sensed trouble.
Sabo pressed urgently, "Celt, what's happened?"
"Earlier this afternoon..."
Celt relayed the Beasts' declaration of war—how they had deliberately given them three days to muster their forces.
In three days, the decisive battle would be fought on the wasteland beyond the capital.
"That Dinosaur Woman wouldn't do this."
Sabo's expression darkened.
When the Beasts first arrived, they had employed decapitation tactics—the Dinosaur Woman leading a strike force against the palace, though they had failed.
If they truly sought all-out war, they wouldn't have waited this long. Besides, their chances of victory were slim.
With an army of 100,000, they could hold their own even against five giants—the Giant Tribe was not invincible.
This could only mean one thing.
"The Beasts' reinforcements have arrived!"
Anxiety gnawed at Sabo.
He didn't know who had come, but he had to prepare for the worst. If it was that Calamity Gurd... the consequences would be unthinkable.
"..."
A whisper too faint to hear.
Everyone turned to Karasu, whose forehead was lined with veins, his eyes fierce—clearly furious.
Koala reminded him, "Mr. Karasu, your amplifier isn't on."
"???"
Karasu's face twisted in shock.
His voice was naturally soft, requiring an amplifier to communicate normally. He'd been speaking for a while with no response, hence his anger.
So the amplifier had been off the whole time!
After a flustered moment, Karasu finally switched it on, exhaling in relief as his expression steadied.
"My apologies, everyone."
"Whoever the Beasts have sent—I will face them!"
"..."
So that's what he'd been trying to say.
The others sweatdropped.
At this point, war with the Beasts was inevitable. Rune Kingdom was the fruit of their revolution—they could never surrender it to Pirates.
Time passed in a tense, suffocating silence.
Three days later, beyond the capital.
Banners fluttered, morale soared.
A full 100,000 troops had gathered, among them many elites—especially the Radiant Knights, led personally by King Celt.
A hundred knights in total, each worth a hundred men, some even of noble birth.
The soldiers gazed at their king with reverence.
King Celt had once been the kingdom's foremost knight, commander of the Radiant Knights—flawless in physique, character, appearance, and martial prowess.
Unable to endure the tyranny of the previous king, His Majesty Celt led the knights willing to follow him in launching a revolution.
The soldiers firmly believed that under Celt's leadership, no matter how formidable the enemy, they would emerge victorious!
Soon, the enemy forces appeared!
The towering figures of the giant clan brought immense pressure upon the soldiers. Yet to everyone's astonishment, the enemy did not send forth the giants.
From the enemy's battle formation, an exceptionally burly bald man stepped forward alone, standing before the great army.
"Your opponent is me alone!"
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