“Marines? Are you here to cause trouble?” Steadying himself, the man in black quietly moved his feet backward, his eyes shifting nervously behind the two.
“Are you looking for your men? Don’t bother; they won’t be waking up.” Rougishustepped forward, each measured step seemingly timed with the man’s heartbeat. The invisible pressure made sweat bead on the man’s forehead. It felt like he was facing not a teenager but a ferocious beast capable of devouring life.
“To take down my men without a sound, you must be a tough one!” The man in black forced himself to suppress his fear and said.
“You don’t even recognize Brother Longinus? Are you a newcomer to the Grand Line, or a loser retreating from the New World?” Tina asked curiously.
“Heh! So this Marine kid is famous around here? But little girl, we are not losers. Even in the first half of the Grand Line, our captain, the Dark Night Arbiter Felix, is feared like a demon. He’s the captain of the Black Clothes Pirates.” The man in black leaned forward, trying to look fierce and menacing.
“… Black Clothes Pirates, the naming style in the pirate world sure is unique!” Rougishuthought, speechless.
“I don’t know about your Black Clothes Pirates, but only the weakest losers engage in human trafficking!” Tina said bluntly, not giving any face.
“Little girl, you better think before you speak. Crossing us Black Clothes Pirates will lead to a very miserable end!” The man in black threatened with a sinister smile.
“It’s you who should think before speaking. Do you really think we have any chance of reconciling now?” Rougishusaid, stepping closer.
“Damn Marine brat, don’t think I’m really afraid of you!” The man in black drew two long swords from behind, revealing himself as a dual-wielding swordsman.
“Haah! Tiger Leopard Twin Kill!” Yelling to psych himself up, the swordsman charged with a gust of wind, a faint sonic boom accompanying his speed.
Boom!
Rougishuseemingly teleported above the swordsman and struck down like thunderbolts, slamming him into the shattered ground below.
The next moment, Rougishugrabbed the man’s hair and lifted him from the ground, making him limp like a captured prey.
“… Really?” Tina was speechless. She knew the swordsman wouldn’t be a match for Longinus, but this was too clean and quick!
Was this guy a feared pirate?
“I’ll ask, you answer. Understand?” Rougishusaid succinctly.
“I… I understand, Marine sir. Ask whatever you want.” The man in black, unaware that his hood had been ripped, had shifty eyes and did not plan to cooperate fully.
Rougishudidn’t care and quickly asked, “Who is the little girl you’re after? Why make such a fuss over one escaped slave?”
“The captain wouldn’t tell a small fry like me! I only know many big shots in the underworld want her!”
“How many men do you have? Where are they positioned besides around the venue?”
“We have… about 600 people in total. Besides the 50 left in the central venue, most are positioned around the three main entrances to prevent the girl from sneaking away.”
“What about your captain? What are his abilities and trump cards?”
“Our captain is a big pirate with an 80 million Berries bounty. His powers are said to be related to darkness and shadows. I don’t know much more; those who’ve seen his abilities are all dead.”
Seeing Rougishusuddenly fall silent, the man in black tentatively asked, “Marine sir, I’ve cooperated so well. Can you let me go? I had no choice before, but now, I want to be a good person!”
“This kind of stupid kid likes to show off his heroic side in front of women. If I play nice and submit, he’ll let me go.” Rougishu looked at him with a gentle smile. “That’s what you’re thinking, right?”
“Y-you… how do you know?” The man in black stammered, then tried to deny, “N-no, I mean…”
“She understands ancient texts, coveted by underworld figures. You want to use her as a bargaining chip to access deeper layers of darkness in this world.”
“Second, your captain took most of the crew to fend off other pirates, leaving less than 200 men here, most guarding the slaves.”
“Lastly, your captain’s powers are more related to fear, hence why he spreads his terrifying reputation.”
“You… who are you? How do you know all this?” The man in black, pale and defeated, no longer pretended.
“Didn’t you tell me all this?”
“I… told you…” The man muttered, then realized, “Can you read my mind? So, even when I lied, you kept going because each question made me subconsciously think of the answer!”
“I didn’t expect you to be loyal enough to die rather than reveal your captain’s secrets.”
“Die?” The man, terrified, struggled, “Give me another chance! I swear I’ll be a good…”
Longinus, expressionless, twisted his neck. Tina, from a military family, wasn’t repulsed by the scene. Instead, her eyes sparkled with admiration, “Wow! Brother Longinus, can you read people’s minds? That’s amazing! Is it a natural talent?”
Surprised, Rougishuasked, “Aren’t you scared? No one likes their thoughts being read.”
“Why would I be scared?” Tina tilted her head cutely, “I have nothing to hide, and I know Brother Rougishudoes the right thing!”
“But if Brother Rougishuwants to keep it a secret, I’ll help you.”
“Really? Thank you, Tina!” Rougishugently patted her hair, thinking, “Too bad Tina has four more years before joining the Marines. With her trust, she’d be an even more valuable asset than Gregory and the others.”
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