Rosinante slowly walked forward. Looking at the upright ranks of the Oathblood Royal Guard, he nodded in satisfaction.
"By the Blood Oath, we keep it engraved in our hearts!"
Vice Commander Ryan of the Oathblood Royal Guard shouted, taking the lead.
The Oathblood Royal Guard was the foundation of the Gray Kingdom, its final line of strength. The major divisions could fall into disorder, even decay, but the Oathblood Royal Guard could not. If the Oathblood Royal Guard ever became corrupt or chaotic, then the Gray Kingdom would be all but finished.
That was why anyone who joined the Oathblood Royal Guard had to swear an oath in blood, pledging loyalty to Rosinante and to the Guard itself, as well as swearing to uphold the Guard's honor and discipline.
"Heh, very good. Let's go. It seems our vice captain has quite a few opinions about me. We shouldn't keep him waiting," Rosinante said with a smile.
"Your Majesty, the vice captain is waiting for you in the Sky-Shrouding Hall," Ryan replied. "As for Commander Bins, he recently requested leave to train a new ability and returned to the Boing Archipelago, so he still doesn't know that Your Majesty has emerged from seclusion."
"Bins' new ability, huh? That's really something to look forward to," Rosinante said with a laugh.
As he spoke, Rosinante led the group into Nightless City.
"City Lord!"
At that moment, the three highest ranking members of Nightless City stepped forward and greeted Rosinante respectfully.
"City Lord?" Rosinante was a little surprised.
Some people called him Captain, others called him Your Majesty, and some even directly called him the Dragon King. But being called City Lord was something he had not expected.
Then it struck him.
Wasn't he, in fact, the City Lord of Nightless City?
"Your Majesty, these are members of Nightless City's Operations Committee, Executive Committee, and Finance Department," Ryan quickly explained from the side when he noticed Rosinante's surprise.
"To the Gray Kingdom, you are our Captain. To the Oathblood Royal Guard, you are our Majesty. And to us, the members of Nightless City's committees, you are the City Lord," the head of the Operations Committee said.
"Heh, not bad. You're quite the smooth talker. You've made quite a bit of money in Nightless City, haven't you?" Rosinante said with a smile.
Hearing that, the committee members all became awkward.
As managers of Nightless City, if they made money, it meant either favoritism or corruption. How were they supposed to answer that? Saying they hadn't made money didn't sound right either.
"It's fine. Coming to Nightless City to make money is only natural. Not making money would be strange," Rosinante said calmly. "You people are in charge of Nightless City's policies and you know its rules. If you still can't make money under those conditions, then it only means you lack business ability. People like that aren't qualified to decide Nightless City's development strategy. But remember this. Making money is fine, but the first thing you must consider is Nightless City. Only when Nightless City prospers can you make even more money."
Nightless City did not forbid its management from doing business. In fact, most of its administrators came from merchant backgrounds. Rosinante valued their commercial experience, which was why he allowed them to participate in shaping Nightless City's development policies.
But while making money through business was acceptable, using Nightless City's interests as a tool to make money was the same as questioning whether the Gray Kingdom's blades were sharp enough.
And those who had dared to question that were already in hell.
"Yes, yes, yes!"
The committee members responded one after another, cold sweat breaking out on their backs.
"Let's go. You've all waited a long time and must be tired. Thank you for your hard work. Come back together," Rosinante said.
"Yes!"
Hearing this, the committee members were overjoyed. They stepped aside, respectfully making way for Rosinante.
Rosinante led the group forward. The Oathblood Royal Guard opened the path ahead, and many residents of Nightless City automatically moved aside to clear the way.
But not long after, the Oathblood Royal Guard at the front suddenly halted.
Rosinante looked up and saw a single figure blocking their path.
The man wore formal attire, with a long blade strapped to his back.
Most striking of all were his eyes, sharp and piercing, like those of a hawk.
"H Hawk-Eyes Dracule Mihawk!" someone in the crowd cried out in shock.
"I didn't expect him to get here first."
"Hawk-Eyes Dracule Mihawk, the man who claims he will become the world's greatest swordsman, the man with eagle like eyes," several pirate captains around them exclaimed in astonishment.
"Swish! Swish!"
One after another, Oathblood Royal Guards in tailcoats rushed out, instantly surrounding Mihawk. Their long blades were drawn in unison.
"Hawk-Eyes Mihawk, I know you, and I know your purpose," Ryan said coldly as he led more than ten Oathblood Royal Guards to encircle Mihawk. "But some people are not ones you can challenge. Take him down."
With Ryan's command, the Oathblood Royal Guards surrounding Mihawk charged at him in an instant.
"Slash."
Mihawk ignored the charging guards. He drew the long blade from his back and, at the exact moment the Oathblood Royal Guards rushed toward him, he swung it once.
With that single swing, a massive slash tore through the air at lightning speed, cutting straight ahead.
Straight toward where Rosinante stood.
-------------------------
Patreon Advance Chapters: patreon .com / ElvenKing20