Throne Of Supreme

Chapter 246: Level 28

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Philip was in a trance.

He was just an ordinary man. When the pirates launched their sudden assault, he hadn't reacted at all. It was only after the last of them fell that he realized how close he'd come to stepping through the gates of hell.

Yet, what left a deeper mark on his mind than his brush with death was the scene in the palace.

Words could hardly capture the sheer violence, cruelty, bloodshed, and horror. Anyone witnessing this carnage would have thought they were staring into the abyss of hell itself.

Though he bore the title of king, Philip was still just an ordinary man at heart.

Every time his gaze flickered to the one responsible for this atrocity, his entire body would tremble involuntarily.

Yet, instead of fear or resentment, an overwhelming sense of relief and gratitude surged within him.

The very individuals who had brought ruin to Etania—the marauders responsible for countless atrocities—were all here in the palace.

And now, they were nothing more than lifeless corpses.

In just a few short minutes, Philip felt as though he had been dragged from hell to heaven. The drastic turn of events left him dazed.

Aoki tossed aside the corpse in his hand and turned to Alice.

"I'll handle the ones outside as well," he said, his voice calm yet resolute.

Although the palace had been cleared, not all of the pirates were accounted for. Many had fled outside. But Aoki wasn't worried—they wouldn't have gotten far in such a short time.

"I'm coming with you," Alice replied without hesitation.

"Alright, let's go."

Aoki agreed readily.

Inside the palace, the ones he had slain were the elites and leaders of the Pirate Alliance—figures he had needed to handle personally. Now, with the most dangerous adversaries eliminated, only the weaker remnants remained. Dealing with them was less about necessity and more about fulfilling the final step of "destroying the Pirate Alliance."

As the two prepared to leave, the members of the first team moved to follow them in unison.

Aoki paused and turned back to face them.

"You?"

The soldiers of the first team gazed at Aoki with fanatical expressions.

Aoki had once explained to Alice that one of his primary goals in establishing a base was to form an army where every member would don the strange, uniform suits.

For this army, raw power wasn't a priority. Loyalty was secondary as well—he would have accepted anyone willing to defy the Celestial Dragons, even if it was for selfish reasons. What mattered most was their fearlessness in the face of danger and their resolve to challenge powerful forces.

The seven members of the first team represented this vision. They were the most suitable candidates, handpicked by Alice from among her subordinates.

Alice spoke decisively: "Stay here and protect my father!"

To her, the nation and its people were of paramount importance, but so was her father.

Philip quickly interjected, "Dean will stay to protect me. Alice, take them with you and drive the pirates out of Etania as soon as possible."

He had witnessed firsthand one of these soldiers fend off a high-ranking cadre of the Orlando Pirates. Their strength was undeniable.

Though he hadn't ventured outside, Philip could imagine the situation in the capital.

With the main forces of the Pirate Alliance already annihilated, Dean's presence was enough to ensure his safety. It was unnecessary to waste such valuable combat power guarding him.

"Understood!"

Alice nodded without argument and followed Aoki, the first team trailing closely behind.

Once outside, they discovered the streets were far less crowded with pirates than before.

After meeting up with Huck, they learned that when the pirates outside the palace fled, news of the alliance's devastating defeat spread rapidly. This caused widespread panic, prompting a large number of pirates to flee in disarray.

Even so, there were still quite a few pirates remaining in the royal capital.

Some were oblivious to the events in the palace. Others, diehard loyalists to their respective pirate groups, sought vengeance for their fallen captains. Then there were those who, driven by bloodlust, refused to leave no matter the circumstances.

The pursuit and suppression of the remaining pirates lasted an entire day before the situation was finally brought under control.

Yet the aftermath was even more grueling and complex.

While Etania had been saved, the damage it suffered could never be undone. It wasn't just the capital; the entire kingdom had endured tremendous hardship over the past few years.

Moreover, this was only a temporary reprieve.

After being expelled from the World Government and left without the protection of the Navy, Etania would continue to face the threat of pirate raids. Without deterrence, pirates would swarm the kingdom like locusts.

Defeating the Pirate Alliance led by the Orlando Pirates and their ilk would likely create a short-term deterrent for the surrounding areas. For now, pirates might hesitate to target Etania again.

However, such fear would only last for a limited time.

First, pirates are notoriously forgetful creatures. Unless they feel an immediate threat, they won't hesitate to take risks.

Second, piracy is an ever-changing world. All legends, no matter how fearsome, fade with time.

Even the Pirate Emperors couldn't remain at the pinnacle of power forever.

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In the Royal Palace of Etania, a once-luxurious structure now scarred by ruin, Aoki stood on the windowsill of the second floor. His gaze swept over the remnants of destruction.

"For the people of Etania, this was a calamity," he murmured to himself, "but for me, this is the ideal situation."

A chaotic, impoverished, and suffering society provided fertile ground for recruiting subordinates.

How many people, content with wealth and family, would willingly risk everything to oppose the Celestial Dragons—the rulers of the world for the past eight centuries?

On the other hand, chaos provided an excellent cover.

Aoki had no intention of revealing himself to the World Government prematurely. The longer he could remain hidden, the better.

And those endless waves of pirates? They were perfect training material.

What he needed was a hardened, fearless army—soldiers forged through blood and battle, not pampered elites reliant on powerful equipment.

"I feel like I'm becoming more and more of an ambitious person," Aoki sighed softly.

Retracting his gaze, he activated the system, and a stream of prompts flooded his mind.

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Kill a person and gain...

[Congratulations on your upgrade!]

Kill a person and gain...

["Destroy the Pirate Alliance" completed. Rewards have been distributed.]

[Congratulations on your upgrade!]

Kill a person and gain...

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Thanks to the experience gained from completing tasks and slaying enemies, Aoki had leveled up twice this time.

The timing of these upgrades couldn't have been more perfect.

As the familiar blue system screen appeared before him, Aoki wasted no time allocating his free attribute points.

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[Name: Aoki]

Strength: 74

Constitution: 74

Intelligence: 75

Agility: 74

Occupation: Hunter, King of the white walkers, Martial Artist, Doctor, Infinite Dragon Beast

[Items]

Revenge Chest (1 star) × 135

Revenge Chest (2 stars) × 4

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[Infinite Dragon Beast]

Quality: ★★★★

Level: lv28 (1735/2800)

Skills: Spirit of Vengeance III, Devour, Dragon Breath, Ultimate Form III (0/100)

Mission: Doomsday of the World Government

Free Skill Points: 10

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Unfortunately, there had been no encounters with individuals possessing special abilities this time.

Likewise, he hadn't obtained any three-star treasure chests.

However, the sheer number of one-star treasure chests was staggering.

"Hopefully, there'll be a few good snacks this time," Aoki muttered to himself.

For him, the most valuable items in the one-star treasure chests were the special foods. After all, they allowed him to savor flavors he couldn't normally experience.

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