Hitman with a Badass System
chapter-577

Unlike Michael, the others on the Big Bertha were completely caught off guard.

"TRAITORS!" Shorty leaped onto the railing and shouted viciously.

"We can't fire at them without damaging them," Gibson pointed at the friendly ships stuck between the Big Bertha and traitors. Corey shivered from top to bottom, fearing what the dark lord would do to her because of her crew's betrayal.

"I should have seen it," Corey mumbled.

Whoosh!

But all of a sudden, a dark emerald green mist enveloped the ships of the traitors. One by one all the traitor ships got covered in thick green mist.

Boom!

Boom!

Boom!

Boom!

Suddenly, all the ships enveloped in green mist exploded except one frigate. When the dust and smoke settled down, Gibson and the others saw the Dark Queen hovering above them.

Gaya flew towards the last ship of the traitors and saw a few dead bodies on the upper deck. It was apparent to Gaya that the traitors killed those loyal to Corey.

Seeing the others explode to death, the rest of them were terrified. Every single one shivered from head to toe and looked as pale as a white sheet.

"Your traitorous maggots!" Gaya's shout shook the frigate and sent shivers down their spines.

Michael smiled behind his mask, looking at Gaya in action. Under their gazes, Gaya waved her hand as the poisonous green mist coiled around each individual on the ship. Taking the traitors with her, she flew towards Vance's fleet.

Since there was momentary confusion among Corey's fleet, Vance's pirate captains tried to attack them. But Gaya destroyed the traitors faster than Vance's fleet could fire at them.

The traitors frantically squirmed against the poisonous mist around them to escape. They used all their strength but to no avail.

"I would have hated to miss this action," Gaya said, without bothering to hide her killing intent.

"Let me show them what would happen when someone betrays us," Gaya flicked her wrist as all the twenty traitors lined up in front of them in the sky. At that moment, all the eyes were on the traitors.

Her cold gaze swept across the traitors as she raised her hand and clenched her fist. As soon as she closed her fist, a sliver of green mist slowly rose upwards and entered their nostrils.

Michael wasn't interested in anything else other than watching the traitors violently twitch and puke dark red blood through every pore in their bodies. Not a single sound could be heard except their traits, screaming and wailing for help. It was a long slow painful death. But, compared to their deaths, Vance and the others were gifted. Atleast, they died instantly instead of suffering Gaya's poison that corroded their organs from within. After a few minutes, the traitors turned into a bloody puddle and oozed down into the ocean.

"Now who wants to fight?"

Michael's thunderous demonic voice echoed through the silent ocean. None of them dared to raise a finger at the Dark Lord this time. Instead, the pirates dropped their swords and stared at Corey's fleet, slowly sailing towards Aden.

Michael and Gaya floated in the sky until all of Corey's fleet surrounded the island. Afterward, Corey's men rushed into Aden, facing no resistance from the pirates.

At that moment, the pirates thought about nothing else except what was going to happen to them. They had no one to lead or give them guidance. Once Corey's men captured all the defense cannons in Aden, Michael descended towards Vance's castle.

The residents of Aden, mostly young women, and elderly pirates stared at Michael in utter shock. They couldn't believe seeing someone flying and using spells. Some even dropped to their knees and began to worship, mistaking Michael and Gaya for gods.

Ignoring them, Michael entered Vance's room through the window and waited for his subordinates to arrive.

Bang!

Michael raised his hand, blasting away Vance's chair with a gust of wind. Then, he brought the skull and bones thrones with a flick of his wrist.

But before he plunged into his throne, he looked at the dark corner of the room.

"You can come out now," Gaya sat on her throne, resting her one leg atop one before Michael, and waited for the united guest to reveal himself.

After hearing Michael's words, a tall man walked out of the shadows, slow clapping. The man had a long bushy beard braided like Vikings and outlined his eyes with dark mascara. He walked out of the shadows using a cane to support his limping. Although the man looked vicious and had an aura of a pirate, he dressed like a higher army official. He was dressed in white and had medals and ribbons attached to his chest while several strips of colors were engraved on both of his broad shoulders.

Except for the long white coat and a white feather hat, the man looked similar to a navy office on earth. Michael just sat on his throne and waited for the man to introduce himself although Michael had already guessed the man's identity.

"Lucifer AKA The Dark Lord," the man used his cane to raise the chair from the ground before sitting on it.

"Pirate Lord Blackmane. The pirates still believe you are on a voyage," Michael calmly said in his demonic voice.

What Michael said was the truth. The man before them was none other than the most powerful pirate lord of the three; Gibbs Blackmane Jett.

"Pirates are an endangering species, Lucifer. We both know that," Gaya remained silent despite the fact she didn't like how he addressed Michael by his name.

"I don't blame you for joining the empress. I have no problem with that as long as your royal navy don't raise their flags against my army,"

"On the contrary Lucifer. I am here to broker peace between the Royal Navy and the pirates. Her Highness believes the new leadership might take the pirates in another direction than the predecessors," Blackmane had a wise tone to his voice. Michael liked how calm Blackmane was despite the obvious fact Michael could kill him with a single snap of his finger.

"Interesting. I am sure there are conditions right?" asked Gaya.

"Simple. The Royal Navy will leave the Southern continent waters in exchange for a peace treaty. You don't plunder our merchants and we won't attack you,"

"But you don't conduct business in someone's home without paying them tribute, do you?"

"Twenty percent. The merchants will pay twenty percent of whatever they are bringing into your waters,"

"It's a nice deal," Gaya whispered into Michael's ears.

But Michael had a feeling there was something else in Blackmane's list of things he wanted from them.

"What else?" Michael didn't beat around the bush or accept the deal right away.

"There is an island not too far from Aden. It belonged to her highness's father. He bought the island from a pirate named Isaiah. This is the document proving the claim," Blackmane slowly put his hand into his coat pocket and retrieved a golden parchment.

He threw the parchment towards Michae as Gaya caught it in mid-air and opened it to read the contents.

"Her highness would appreciate it if the island is returned to her,"

For a few minutes, Michael did not respond to Blackmane.

"I will give the island back to her on one condition. No military bases in my territory,"

Blackmane's eyes showed a glint of reluctance. His moments of silence indicated to Michael that they were planning to use the island as a military base. But now that Michael said no to that, Blackmane had no choice but to agree or let go of the island.

"Understandable. No military bases. We have no more conditions. We would appreciate it if we sign a contract with all our conditions and terms,"

"You want a signed contract from the Dark Lord? Hahahaha" Michael burst into devilish laughter as the room grew darker and darker.

Regardless of the phenomenon that could terrify many men, Blackmane remained calm and composed.

"Sure thing. Tell your empress the pirates are no more. It's the Dark army from now on. And they will not bother her merchant ships,"

"Wonderful," Finally Blackmane grinned.

"I will bring the contract tomorrow," Blackmane nodded, standing up from the chair. Michael wondered how he was going to leave the room only to be stunned by Blackmane when he just vanished into thin air.

"Did he just teleport?" Gaya creased her brows,

"Seems like the empress is an interesting person,"

Michael said to Gaya. Leaving the room teleporting was a statement. The empress wanted Michael to know that they also had ways to use arch energy inside the void line. Since Michael anticipated it from the most powerful continent in the world, Blackmane's little teleportation trick didn't surprise him.

"My Lord," Eventually, Corey and Maxine entered the room after putting out the fire and capturing all the pirates who tried to escape Aden.

"It's done, my lord. We removed all the masts and put them in the dungeon beneath the castle. They can't move anywhere unless they want to go swimming," Maxine said with an amused tone.

"I am sure Vance has a horde of rum somewhere here. Distribute it among the men. Make sure they have a good time,"

"But no plundering of women," Gaya added coldly.

"As you wish my lord,"

"What about the pirates my lord?" Corey asked, looking at the hundreds of ships outside through the window behind Michael.

"Give them a choice between joining us or leaving Aden. From now on, there will be no more pirates and piracy. We are going legit," Gaya simply ordered Maxine and Corey. Getting twenty percent of the merchants without plundering was a great deal. When the word about their deal gets out, more and more merchants will venture into the Southern continent. As a result, not only would they get free stuff, but the economy of Gisal and the kingdoms under Michael's control would also drastically improve.

To stay in control and power, they needed a steady revenue stream such as this.

"And you two should take a break too. You deserve it," Michael said as Corey and Maxine nodded because they were tired and needed a break.

"Ghosty, it's time you return here. The King and Queen are asking for you," after Corey and Maxine left the room, Michael heard Nightmare calling him.

"Let's go back to Royal Land,"