How can I become the Pirate King if you don’t work hard?.

Chapter 340 Salt

"Are they still proceeding according to plan?!"

"in this way……"

"That's fine."

Wales nodded slightly, immediately relieved.

His gaze, through the floor-to-ceiling windows in the distance, fell upon the land of Avalon.

One by one, believers emerged from the church, their faces filled with piety.

From well-dressed nobles with servants, to respectful commoners, and finally to ragged, emaciated vagrants.

Everyone inside and outside Avalon City is now a believer in the Church of Heavenly Enlightenment.

It is the resources he speaks of, the power he can take at will.

Only three or four years after Arthur's death, he had already firmly grasped control of this kingdom, which was independent of the World Government but possessed a vast territory.

Furthermore, through the Church of Heavenly Enlightenment, they achieved complete control over the common people of the Kingdom of Britannias, both inside and out.

Absolute rule was never just empty talk for him.

"But that's not enough!"

"Far from enough!"

"My body is reaching its limit, and I don't have much time left. Once that time comes, all of this will be nothing but an illusion."

"Just like the Five Elders who stood at the pinnacle of the World Government and ruled the world for eight hundred years, and Im, who was hidden even deeper behind them!"

"As times change, the strongest emerge one after another, but after only a few decades, they come to an end, either dying at the hands of the stronger or succumbing to old age and decay."

"Only eternal life can bring eternal divine authority!"

Wales stretched out his hand and clenched his fist towards the distance.

A powerful aura rose around him, and a violent, domineering energy erupted in all directions, creating an invisible wave of energy.

The wind howled.

The guards were blown about, foaming at the mouth, and losing consciousness!
……

The next day.

A crimson dragon roared as it sped down from the horizon.

As its wings flapped, blue light surged around it, which was visible to the naked eye—the energy of the earth's veins.

A strong wind swept in, causing the cross flags on the walls of Avalon to flutter and rustle.

Sa——!
The scouts were startled and looked up, only to see a red dragon roaring in from afar!
"This is……"

"Arthur!"

"Arthur is back!"

The scout gasped in surprise, his past memories resurfacing, and his expression was one of utter disbelief!
The soldiers around him glanced at him, but assumed he was joking.

"Stop joking!"

"That monster died years ago, ambushed by his most trusted subordinate, whose heart was ripped out by Lord Wales!"

"Even a dragon can't survive without its heart... What is that thing?!"

Before he could finish speaking, his face was filled with terror, his lips parted slightly, and he couldn't utter a single word for a long time.

next moment.

A crimson figure appeared high in the sky and charged in!
The fierce wind pressure pressed the guards on the city wall to the ground, preventing them from even sounding the alarm.

Even the city tower beneath their feet seemed to tremble!
Trembling!
It speaks of the fear of that enormous figure in the sky!

"Arthur's ghost has returned!"

"More powerful than ever before! Countless times more powerful!"

A guard struggled to lift his head, but could only watch helplessly as the red dragon flew into the city.

He was a witness to Arthur's battle against Wales and even saw Arthur take action firsthand.

Arthur back then was definitely not at this level!

"God's majesty has been challenged once again!"

"Britannias will be thrown into turmoil!"

"A great battle is about to begin!"

Exclamations rang out as the guards, initially panicked, calmed down upon seeing the colossal six-winged statue standing in the center of Avalon.

"Lord Wales, we have received divine revelation!"

"He is the incarnation of God, and his power far surpasses that of his past self. Even if Arthur were to return, he would be no match for him!"

"God is absolute!"

……

On the city walls, fervor returned to the eyes of the crowd.

They were all believers in the Heavenly Enlightenment Church, and their unwavering faith qualified them to join the Welsh Crusade and become members of the guard.

They have unwavering faith in Wales.

But the crowd's voices stopped abruptly the next moment!
boom--!
The crimson figure crashed down on the six-winged statue, crushing it and the surrounding buildings!
Cracks spread across the earth, and the surrounding area collapsed several meters away.

Crimson raised its head and let out a roar!
Roar--!
The deep, frenzied sound waves spread, stirring up dust that dissipated and covered an area of ​​several kilometers in the surrounding area.

An invisible pressure emanated, making the surrounding Tianjue Church believers feel suffocated.

The Crusader soldiers, who had been rushing to the core battlefield, paused, looked at the giant dragon in the center of the temple, their legs trembling with extreme fear.

"Such an existence..."

"How can we defeat them?!"

A crusader looked down at the spear in his hand, then at the massive figure of the red dragon, and all will to fight vanished.

"Can this thing really fight a dragon?!"

Even if it could pierce the skin and flesh, it probably wouldn't cause any harm!

Some people's legs went weak and they collapsed to the ground, their crotches soaked and emitting a foul odor, clearly indicating that they had lost control of their bladders on the spot.

The enormous figure in the distance was beyond their imagination, even several times larger than Arthur was a few years ago!
But at this moment.

A deep voice came from the castle at the heart of Avalon.

"This is God's domain, and all the people here are God's chosen people."

"A beast that defies the gods!"

"Are you prepared to be eternally buried in hell?!"

Boundless golden light spread out from the temple, like a rising sun, shining upon the city of Avalon and falling upon everyone.

"This is……"

The guard, who had initially felt timid, trembled, a flash of golden light appearing in his eyes. His fear vanished instantly, leaving only...

anger!
The anger that almost completely ignited him!
Only by slaying the blasphemous dragon before me can I quell my anger!
"kill!"

The first suppressed sound was squeezed out from between the lips of the Crusader soldier, and it instantly became a chorus throughout Avalon!
Fully armored Crusader guards, priests of the Church of Heaven in monks' robes, and countless Britannian civilians all took up arms and charged toward Gawain in the city center!
Do not!
not only that!

A roar erupted on the horizon outside Avalon.

Countless colossal beasts of varying sizes, yet all equally frenzied, burst forth from the dense forest, charging towards the city, or more precisely, towards the crimson dragon.

"This is divine punishment!"

"Those who blaspheme must be executed!"

The surrounding noise was deafening and getting closer.

But at this moment.

boom--!
A bullet shot from behind Gawain and landed on the scales of the red dragon.

Sparks flew. Gawain turned around and saw a pair of crazed eyes in the crowd.

The one who made the move was a commoner dressed as a hunter.

His hands were trembling, not from fear but from anger—an unspeakable, unimaginable anger.

That's definitely not an emotion that humans should have under normal circumstances!
How could any normal person not feel fear when faced with the enormous body of the Crimson Dragon?!
"Just as Morgan said, are these people's perceptions distorted and their emotions manipulated?!"

The sound fell to the ground.

Ding!
Ding!
Ding!
A barrage of bullets, as dense as raindrops, struck the Crimson Dragon, sending sparks flying!
The red dragon's scales wouldn't be broken by such a minor injury, but he was still somewhat agitated, and his gaze sharpened.

A crimson, domineering color suddenly erupted, sweeping across the entire city of Avalon in an instant.

Dust and smoke filled the air, and cracks appeared on the ground.

After a series of upgrades, Gawain's Conqueror's Haki had become so refined that it was unimaginable, enough to face any adversary on the high seas.

Let alone ordinary people, even supernovas who are not strong enough probably don't have the right to stand in front of him!
Unexpectedly, after the Conqueror's Haki attack, the civilians present only paused for a moment, a golden light flashed in their eyes, and then they attacked Gawain again!
Faster and more powerful!
That was a level of physical ability that was beyond what they should have been able to achieve!
Gawain suddenly turned his head to look at Wales, who was standing in mid-air.

It has six wings on its back, a halo above its head, and is bathed in golden light, all while wearing a loose, pure white monk's robe.

Wales at this moment truly resembles an angel stepping out of a painting!

Even his face wore a compassionate smile.

But that smile only made Gawain feel disgusted:

"You did this?!"

"Ah~"

Wales nodded slightly, looking down at Gawain as if he were witnessing a farce.

He had seen the same scene before him a few years ago.

At that time, Arthur walked up to him in the same way, looking at the civilians who were killing him, looking at those he had saved, and the moment they raised their swords against him.

Wales still remembers that expression.

But now we have the opportunity to relive those moments.

“I have investigated you. You are a user of the Red Dragon Fruit, and you are also the one who is said to be closest to the Four Emperors in the outside world.”

"That domineering aura just now, even I felt uneasy~"

"So……"

"Faced with the current predicament, what choice should you make?!"

"Whether it's abandoning one's beliefs and turning one's sword against the common people, or like that fool Arthur, it seems that one is sticking to one's so-called chivalrous spirit."

"simply……"

"Disgusting."

"But as entertainment during leisure time, it's certainly enjoyable enough!"

Gao Wen remained silent, merely glancing around casually. Noticing the unusual golden light in everyone's eyes, a slight smile played on his lips.
"So what are you expecting?!"

"Will you make me draw my sword, or will I become fish on your plate like Arthur?!"

"Since you wish, then I will grant your wish!"

Wales was slightly taken aback, but he was not afraid and looked at everything in front of him with great interest.

Previous investigations have been sufficient to prove that Gawain and Arthur are the same kind of people, unable to bring themselves to harm these civilians.

"Young ones!"

"on!"

With these words, Kro and the others leaped off Gawain's back, facing the oncoming followers of the Heavenly Awakening Church and the giant beast galloping in the distance.

Zoro took the lead, transforming into a blur as he charged into the crowd, raising clouds of dust like a dragon.

Countless guards were overturned, leaving deep wounds, and many even had their hands and feet severed by Zoro.

Strangely, these civilians did not let out a single scream. Instead, they struggled to their feet and charged towards Gao Wen and his group.

"Hey Hey hey……"

"Although I had some idea of ​​what was going on, this situation is still a bit creepy no matter how you look at it!"

"Have they been controlled to this extent?!"

Zoro stepped back a few paces, his brows furrowed, as did Kuro and the others beside him.

They knew Gawain's character; he wouldn't harm ordinary people. They could also understand the plight of these people, but the current situation was not optimistic.

But at this moment.

A gunshot rang out in everyone's ears.

boom--!
Van Augur pulled the trigger, and a bullet accurately struck a civilian in the mouth some distance away. The civilian froze, his face contorted in pain.

"It's so salty! This is salt?! Wait, I..."

Before he could finish speaking, he felt a wave of dizziness, his body went limp, and he collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

Upon seeing this, Wales' smile froze instantly, and his expression looked like he had seen a ghost!
"really!"

Van Augur's eyelids drooped, but the corners of his mouth were slightly upturned:
"Just as the captain guessed."

"The salt extracted from seawater can neutralize the effects of Devil Fruits on these civilians!"

"It's time to make a move."

He took out bags of pre-packaged sea salt from his backpack, threw them to the others, and then pulled the trigger again, shooting salt pellets into the mouths of civilians.

Chopper and Bepo also sprang into action, grabbing a civilian, forcibly prying open his mouth, and pouring sea salt into it, their smiles twisted in agony.

"Healing the sick and saving lives is a doctor's sacred duty!"

"Sometimes, it's understandable to use some coercive measures for uncooperative patients!"

"patient!"

"I am coming!"

Two ferocious beastly figures, casting enormous shadows, charged towards the crowd like tigers among sheep, attacking from both sides!
For a while.

Even Gao Wen was speechless.

The method of using salt to counteract the Angel Fruit's power was something he came up with by referencing how salt countered Moria's Shadow Zombie.

I originally just wanted to give it a try, but I never expected it to actually work.

"We can't let you lay a hand on my followers!"

Wales frowned slightly, golden light emanating from his fingertips, shooting towards Chopper and the others, only to be caught and destroyed by Gawain halfway through.

"I can't let you lay a hand on my men!"

Gawain felt much more at ease and became interested in watching Wales make his move.

The Human-Human Fruit is the most unique type of Zoan-type Devil Fruit, and it also has the greatest difference between its upper and lower limits.

A weak Human-Human Fruit like Chopper's is useless to ordinary people, except for animals like Chopper who can gain the ability to transform into humans. It can be described as a complete waste of resources.

But the same thing.

Aside from the most basic form, almost all the Human-Human Fruits in this category are Mythical Zoan types, so their value goes without saying.

Whether it's the Buddha form from the Warring States period or the Sun God Nika form from the Straw Hat Pirates, both are top-tier Devil Fruits.

The Angel Fruit before him possessed an ability that Gawain had never encountered before, nor had any user of it ever appeared.

If their abilities truly reach the level described by Bevel, then given enough time to expand their following, their growth potential would likely be unparalleled.

But none of that mattered to Gao Wen.

This is Britannias, the home ground of the Red Dragons. Here, no matter what opponent he faces, Gawain is confident of never being defeated!
"Come!"

"Let me see, when it comes to killing so-called gods, how are they any different from humans!"

(End of this chapter)