Inside the Tower of Physicians atop Drum Mountain, Sami and his officers quickly discovered that their recruitment efforts were going exactly as poorly as expected.
"Boss, this isn't working."
Aldo helplessly wiped the spit that had just been sprayed across his face by an elderly scholar.
"The moment these doctors hear the word pirate, they react like we're the plague. They won't even talk to us, let alone agree to sail with us."
"Not surprising." Sami sighed as he watched the hurried scholars and doctors passing by.
"To them, these laboratories and libraries are far more attractive than the sea."
He turned toward Cahero.
"Cahero, what if we just throw money at them? Would that increase the success rate?"
"I've already tried that, Boss."
Cahero straightened his slightly disheveled collar and lowered his voice.
"The doctors here live comfortable lives and hold high social status. Especially for the top physicians, money has very little appeal. There's no way they'd abandon this stable and respected life just to risk their lives at sea with us."
"In my opinion, we might as well trick a few onto the ship first. Once the ship is already out at sea, it'll be too late for them to change their minds."
Sami shook his head.
"No. A forced melon is never sweet. Tricking them aboard is an even worse option."
"Not only might they slack off at critical moments—or even sabotage things behind our backs—but that kind of resentment alone would make any treatment far less effective."
"At sea, we need companions we can trust with our lives."
He paused before continuing.
"If nothing works, we'll move to the backup plan."
"We'll pay a high price to buy medical books—basic medicine, trauma treatment, common diseases, pharmacology. Let the crew study them themselves. At least we'll improve a little."
Just then, a squad of soldiers marched straight toward them with stern expressions.
"Stop right there! You people! Suspicious identities and suspicious behavior!"
"Someone reported that you are pirates and that you've been harassing doctors and scholars inside the tower!"
"Drop any resistance immediately and come with us for identity verification!"
Sami raised both hands and forced an innocent smile onto his face.
"Easy there, officer. We mean no harm. We're just merchants who got a little lost and wanted to recruit some doctors. Since no one is interested, buying a few medical books should be fine, right? We don't want any trouble."
"Lost merchants?"
The captain of the guard sneered and suddenly pulled out several wrinkled wanted posters.
On them were unmistakable bounty portraits of Sami and several of his officers.
"Predator Sami! And your officers as well!"
"You've got quite the nerve, disguising yourselves and sneaking into the Tower of Physicians!"
"Arrest them! Dead or alive!"
Almost the instant the guard captain finished speaking, the soldiers behind him drew their swords.
Several of them even raised muskets, the black muzzles pointing mercilessly at Sami's group—completely ignoring the terrified scholars and patients nearby.
"Protect the King! Kill the pirates!"
The guard captain's roar carried unmistakable killing intent.
"Tch… unbelievable."
Sami's expression darkened instantly.
Not only had their identities been exposed, but the guards had issued a kill-on-sight order without leaving any room for negotiation.
At this moment—
If they didn't fight, they would die.
The battle erupted instantly.
Although the tower's guards were numerous and well equipped, Sami's crew had spent a full year on Little Garden, battling dinosaurs and sparring with giants.
Their bodies and reflexes had long been forged to superhuman levels.
Even barehanded, these elite guards were no match for them.
Aldo burst into laughter as he faced a thrusting spear without dodging.
His fan-sized hand grabbed the spear shaft directly.
With terrifying strength, the sturdy wooden spear bent and warped under his grip.
Then he swung violently, throwing the horrified soldier like a sack of sand. The man crashed into a row of tables and chairs.
Isaac unleashed a storm of punches, his fists flying like a torrential downpour.
Several fully armed soldiers charging head-on were blasted backward by the barrage, crashing into bookshelves as precious medical tomes scattered across the floor.
However, as the kingdom's core facility, the Tower of Physicians had astonishingly fast reinforcements.
Amid piercing alarm bells, more and more soldiers poured in from all directions.
The battle quickly spread from inside the tower out onto the castle square.
Sami frowned as he glanced at the terrified scholars, doctors, and patients around them.
Some rare books and instruments had already been knocked over and damaged in the chaos.
Damn…
"Don't get bogged down! Follow me—we're breaking out!"
Sami and Isaac led the charge at the front while Aldo and Rory guarded the rear.
After linking up with Marcus waiting in the square, they fought their way toward the cableway station while retreating.
The soldiers used sheer numbers to block them repeatedly.
They couldn't seriously threaten Sami's crew, but they slowed their escape significantly.
"WHO dares cause trouble in the Tower of Physicians?!"
A thunderous roar exploded from the castle above, shaking everyone's ears.
The next moment—
A massive figure leapt from the castle balcony like a cannonball.
BOOM!
He crashed heavily onto the stone plaza, sending snow and dust flying.
The man who appeared was the current king of the Drum Kingdom—
The Iron Wall King, Potimosros Jiabo.
The Iron Wall King appeared to be in his fifties. His face was stern, his beard and hair bristling like steel.
He wore a thick fur cloak, and simply standing there radiated a mountain-like pressure.
The aura around him told Sami one thing immediately.
This man is strong.
A guard captain hurried forward, handing over the wanted posters while whispering urgently into the king's ear.
The king glanced over the posters before locking his gaze onto Sami.
"Hmph! A little pirate with a bounty of 69 million Berries dares cause trouble in my Drum Kingdom!"
"You truly have a death wish!"
Sami spread his hands and tried to explain.
"Iron Wall King, we really didn't come with bad intentions. We only wanted to recruit a few doctors. If no one wants to come, that's fine. Buying a few medical books should be allowed, right?"
"From beginning to end we never intended to cause trouble. Your soldiers—"
"Pirates dare talk about terms? Take my punch!"
The king didn't even let him finish.
To him, anything a pirate said was nothing but an excuse.
With an angry roar, the king's massive body exploded forward with speed completely disproportionate to his size.
The stone beneath his feet shattered.
His enormous fist, wrapped in a violent gust of wind, shot straight toward Sami's face.
"Perfect!"
A sharp glint flashed in Sami's eyes.
He had been eager to test the results of his growth over the past year.
Without dodging, he twisted his waist and threw a punch of his own.
BOOM!!!
The two fists collided head-on with a deafening impact.
A shockwave burst outward from the clash, scattering snow and dust across the square.
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