“Hahaha, Boss Ralph, when are we going back to Minion Island? The women there are truly wild!”
“Indeed, but the costs there are also high. The money we got from robbing several merchant ships was just enough for one trip.”
Under the clear skies with a gentle sea breeze, a 20-meter-long two-masted schooner sailed across the sparkling ocean. The deck at the bow was lively and bustling.
A dozen or so pirates, reeking of alcohol, were laughing and bragging. Occasionally, crude jokes were shared, causing the entire ship to burst into laughter.
A burly man named Ralph lay relaxed on a wicker chair, leisurely sipping rum from a glass. Though it was just regular rum, Ralph enjoyed drinking it from a highball glass to elevate his taste and distinguish himself from the crude men on the ship.
Before becoming a pirate, Ralph was merely a butcher in the capital of the Kingdom of Louboutin. However, he always dreamed of living like the kingdom’s nobility, elegantly sipping high-quality wine served by maids in long dresses within luxurious halls.
He thought that becoming a pirate and plundering wealth would allow him to live that kind of life. But reality slapped Ralph in the face.
Being a pirate wasn’t as free as he imagined. Especially in the North Blue, recognized as the strongest and most chaotic of the Four Seas, being a pirate was akin to living with one’s head on the line.
In the North Blue, it wasn’t just the pirates that were fierce. The naval branches patrolling the seas, the Germa 66 using pirates as practice targets, the bounty hunter guilds, and the mafia—this sea was teeming with powerful forces.
Even with a bounty of 25 million berries, Ralph dared not provoke any of these groups lightly. Worse still, even slave traders saw pirates like him not as threats to escape from but as valuable captives to be sold for a good price.
“Damn it, why did I ever think becoming a pirate was a good idea? With these two steel blades, I could’ve been a captain of the guard in the capital of Louboutin, living much better than this rough life with a bunch of brutes.”
Thinking of this, Ralph’s anger flared. Watching his subordinates joke around, he remembered the luxurious life he had glimpsed on Minion Island and took another swig of rum in frustration.
These fools complained about the high costs on Minion Island, but didn’t they know that it was now the territory of the Warlord of the Sea, Heavenly Yaksha Doflamingo? High costs were expected since enjoying oneself there meant not worrying about being killed unexpectedly. Whether pirate, navy, or bounty hunter, everyone had to follow the Donquixote Family’s rules on that island.
Being a pirate at that level was a real enjoyment.
The more Ralph thought, the more irritated he became. He was about to order his navigator to find a small village or island to vent his frustration when the pirates leaning on the ship’s railing suddenly shouted in alarm.
“Captain! There’s a ship ahead—it’s a warship!”
The pirates’ panicked voices interrupted Ralph’s thoughts. He frowned and got up, looking in the direction everyone was pointing.
Not far away, a 15-meter single-masted schooner was sailing to the right. Though the distance was significant, the sail bore the unmistakable seagull emblem of the Navy, indicating it was a warship from the North Blue branch.
Confirming it was a warship, Ralph’s carefree demeanor vanished. He sternly asked, “Can you tell which branch the warship belongs to?”
An old man with a scruffy beard squinted through a telescope for a long time before hesitantly replying, “It seems to be from the 177th Branch. Captain, should we retreat? The 177th is the strongest branch in the North Blue; I think it’s best to avoid them.”
Ralph’s nostrils flared as he stared intently at the distant ship.
“A 15-meter single-masted schooner, meaning the highest-ranking officer on that ship is likely just an ensign. Even if it’s the strongest branch in the North Blue, an ensign shouldn’t be much of a threat. With my strength, I can easily handle a lieutenant or even a captain.”
After contemplating, Ralph slammed his hand on the ship’s side and shouted, “Turn around, get away from them!”
“Yes, Captain!”
The pirates sighed in relief and hurried to comply, adjusting the sails and steering the ship away. But as they changed course, the distant warship followed and began accelerating toward them.
“Captain, they’re coming after us!” the navigator exclaimed.
Bang!
Ralph slammed his hand down, cracking the ship’s side with his immense strength. Drawing his twin steel blades, he growled, “An ensign dares to be this bold? They’re asking for death!”
“Turn around and head toward them! We’ll kill every last one of them on that ship!”
“Yes, Captain!”
Seeing Ralph draw his swords in a fury, the pirates dared not argue and manoeuvred the ship to confront the approaching warship.
Meanwhile, on the warship.
“Captain, that’s the Steel Blade Pirates, led by Steel Blade Ralph with a bounty of 25 million berries,” reported a tall, burly man with thick legs.
“Should we fire?”
The nervous sailors asked.
“No need,” came a calm voice from the cabin.
A tall silver-haired boy stretched and yawned as he walked to the bow, lightly jumping onto the cannon platform.
Seeing this, the sailors reached out, mouths open to protest.
The burly long-legged man named Hanmore rolled into the cabin, his quick movements surprising the sailors.
The next moment, the silver-haired boy squatted, his calf muscles tensing and bulging beneath his loose trousers. Grinning, he sprang into the air like a rocket.
Boom!
The 15-meter warship’s stern lifted, the bow dipping dangerously close to the waterline, forming a 60-degree angle with the sea. Sailors fell overboard like dumplings into the sea.
Taking advantage of the immense recoil, the silver-haired boy soared tens of meters into the air, spotting his prey in the ocean below. He descended like a meteor, whistling through the air, and landed on Ralph’s pirate ship with a thunderous crash.
Boom!
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