Open fire!!

Two hours later, Dill finally finished eating.

"The Flame-Swallowing Lord really does revolve around eating."

Looking at his fully healed left hand, he nodded in satisfaction.

Bandages in the pirate world were miraculous. No matter how serious an injury was, it would heal as long as it was bandaged.

But that healing always took time, whether long or short.

He, on the other hand, only needed enough food to heal his injuries quickly.

He stopped now not because he could not eat any more, but because it was time to go back to sleep.

Robin looked somewhat tired, while Perona had already fallen asleep in Hina's arms.

"You three, stop playing. Someone go settle the bill. We're heading back."

Boren, whose face was covered in paper strips, stood up and went ahead to pay.

Dill picked up the sleeping Perona and led the others out of the private room.

They would have serious business to attend to over the next few days.

The next day.

Dill took control of a squad leader from the Kappa Army.

The third day.

He took control of three Kappa squad leaders and one member of the Blood Descendant Army.

The fourth day.

He took control of a Kappa Army company commander and two Blood Descendant Army squad leaders.

Early morning on the tenth day.

Vlad took a deep breath, easing his nervousness.

He left his room at the inn, removed his mask to reveal his true face, and walked toward the palace without a word.

A thin mist shrouded the streets, making them seem especially deserted.

Footsteps thudded, gradually growing louder.

About eight hundred Kappa Army soldiers came from the harbor and fell in behind Vlad.

They carried guns, with machetes slung at their waists, and even had a cannonball strapped to each of their backs.

At the rear, three cannons advanced amid the rumble of wooden wheels rolling over the road.

"Earl Tia murdered the former king and tried to assassinate the current prince!"

Someone roared, declaring the purpose of their march.

"Join us in storming the palace and help Prince Vlad reclaim the throne!!"

The roars rang through the streets, dispersing the morning mist.

The commoners looked shocked, while some sharper people wore expressions that said they had expected as much.

"Isn't the one leading them His Highness the Prince?"

"To think Earl Tia was that kind of man! And here I thought he would be all right as king!"

"I guessed it ages ago. Why else would Prince Vlad disappear for so many days without a word?"

"There's going to be a war. Let's hurry and leave."

More travelers chose to leave at this moment, boarding ships to get off the island.

With war seemingly about to break out, they did not want to get caught up in it.

Naturally, there were also some lackeys who ran all the way to the palace, intending to tell Tia what was happening here.

Mingling with the crowd, Robin could not help feeling puzzled. She leaned close to Dill and asked quietly:

"Why make such a big show of this?"

Logically, the most efficient approach would have been to gather their troops in secret, storm the palace under cover of night, and take Tia's head.

The current approach would only give Tia time to prepare.

Dill leaned close to Robin's ear and explained quietly:

"To build that prince's confidence. It's been so many days, and he's still acting like a wimp."

This move was also intended to build Vlad's prestige, making it easier for him to govern the country later.

It was like the commotion they had caused before leaving Cologne Island, putting Karin in the mayor's seat and turning the Black Fire gang into the Public Security Bureau.

As for victory or defeat, he was not worried.

On his orders, nearly half the Blood Descendant Army had gone to the other side of the island last night to carry out a supposed secret mission.

Only around a thousand members of the Blood Descendant Force remained in the castle.

And although the Kappa Army numbered only eight hundred, it had the advantage of superior weapons.

Besides, they also had Perona, their devastating weapon.

"I can't walk anymore."

Wearing a mask, Perona yawned and held out her arms.

Dill bent down slightly with practiced ease and hoisted her onto his back.

"Um, I have a request."

Meeting Dill's questioning gaze, Hina pressed her lips together and said quietly:

"Could you leave one soldier for me? I want to try fighting an adult."

Hina felt somewhat inferior.

Of the four of them, she felt she was the most useless.

Dill went without saying. Perona had her Negative Hollows, and Robin was not only knowledgeable and experienced, but her Flower-Flower Fruit abilities could also provide support in many ways.

Then there was Hina herself.

She was arguably the weakest fighter of the four. With enough distance between them, even Robin could defeat her.

That was why she had kept working hard to improve herself.

"Of course."

Dill did not refuse, merely reminding her:

"But there's no need to rush too much. You'll all become very strong in the future."

All four wore masks as they silently followed behind the Kappa Army's ranks.

There were many others like them. Even zombie public security officers came with weapons to lend their support, turning the rear of the procession into a chaotic parade of monsters.

Vlad really did hold a high standing among ordinary citizens.

Considering that he spent most of his time traveling overseas, his standing was most likely something his father, the old king, had earned for him.

More and more people joined, swelling the procession into a huge, unwieldy mass. Their ceaseless chatter made it seem like a charging swarm of bees.

These people might not take part in the fighting, merely gathering on the sidelines to cheer, but the greater their numbers, the more pressure they would exert.

When Tia saw that dense crowd through his telescope, a trace of cold sweat appeared on his forehead.

He wore a black-and-red formal suit, dressed as a vampire, yet lacked any of a vampire's elegance.

"Where are they? Where are they? Where are they?!"

Inside the lavish palace, Tia paced like an ant on a hot pan, roaring his questions:

"Still no response from either the Zombie Army or Kappa Army headquarters?!"

"Well... they hung up as soon as they heard it was us calling."

There were two other people in the room. One wore blood-red armor and a cloak, his expression grim.

"They probably don't intend to get involved in this turmoil. They'll follow whoever wins."

The Kappa Army soldiers marching with Vlad were only a portion of the force. Nearly two thousand more remained stationed at the harbor.

Tia had wanted them to come reinforce him, but they had shown him no respect at all.

Even the Zombie Army, which held little standing, had given no response.

"Leave it to me."

The other person in the room, Mr. 1, said coldly:

"The target has shown himself. I can take his head."

"No!!"

Tia immediately rejected his proposal and said urgently:

"Your job is to stay here and protect me!"

Mr. 1 was somewhat speechless. He was eleven this year, a rookie assassin, not a bodyguard.

Tia was offering little money and just as little intelligence. He had not even provided the target's exact location.

The veterans in the business had all turned their noses up at this job. Only a newcomer like him had come here hoping to make a name for himself.

Now the target had finally appeared, yet he was being forced to switch careers and become a bodyguard.

Though he felt helpless, Tia was his employer, after all.

Mr. 1 stopped bringing up his assassination plan and merely offered a quiet suggestion:

"If we can find that ghost girl in the cemetery, she might be able to help with the battle."

"Shut up. My men have practically dug up the cemetery, and they haven't found any ghost girl."

Tia waved his hand and ordered the Blood Descendant Army:

"March out of the city and meet them. Win this war, and everything I promised you before will be yours;

including that barrel of ink in the secret chamber, that power to turn people into monsters!"

Meanwhile, outside the royal city.

Vlad swept his hand forward and shouted:

"Open fire!!"