"Admiral Lucas, you’re finally awake!"
As the cabin door creaked open, Gion let out a helpless smile.
"By the time Chaton and I returned from the Red Line, we’d already lost sight of the Red Hair Pirates’ ship."
"If we waste any more time, it’ll be almost impossible to find them before they meet with Whitebeard."
"Chaton has already contacted Marine Headquarters’ intelligence network."
"But this is Whitebeard’s territory."
"Our intelligence network doesn’t extend this far into his waters."
"Finding them in such a short time will be extremely difficult."
"What worries me is that the longer we delay..."
"The greater the chance we’ll miss the meeting between the Four Emperors."
"If we can’t determine whether they’re meeting to form an alliance..."
"Marine Headquarters could end up in a very passive position."
For Marine Headquarters, it would naturally be good news if Whitebeard and Red-Haired Shanks met only to fight each other.
But if the two Emperors formed an alliance...
And the Marines failed to prepare in time...
A surprise attack from two Emperors could deal Marine Headquarters a devastating blow.
If that happened...
Maintaining order on the seas and keeping the Four Emperors in check would become far more difficult.
It wasn’t just Sengoku who wanted to avoid such an outcome.
Gion felt the same way.
"Don’t worry."
Lucas adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses and took a sip of liquor.
"Whether the Four Emperors become allies isn’t the important part."
"The important thing is that Vice Admiral Tsuru finally promised me a 10-million-Berry performance bonus."
"I can’t just watch that slip away."
"I’ve already figured out how to find Whitebeard."
"It shouldn’t be difficult."
"You have a way?"
Gion blinked in surprise.
"This is Whitebeard’s territory."
"Even Marine Headquarters’ intelligence network can’t locate him here."
"Are you really that confident?"
The more time she spent with Lucas, the better she understood him.
His insistence on working a strict 9-to-5 schedule with weekends off bordered on obsessive.
Expecting him to locate both Whitebeard and Red-Haired Shanks during his weekend...
Seemed practically impossible.
"Relax."
Lucas smiled.
"Just because the Marines can’t find them..."
"Doesn’t mean someone else can’t."
He took another drink before looking toward an island growing larger on the horizon.
"We’re here."
"We’re here?"
Both Gion and Chaton were stunned.
They stared at the island ahead.
Neither of them had realized Lucas had changed the warship’s course.
After hurriedly comparing their charts...
Their expressions immediately changed.
If they remembered correctly...
This island was occupied by pirates.
Was Lucas planning to ask pirates where to find other pirates?
Could that possibly work?
As the Marine warship docked...
The pirate ships moored around the crude harbor gradually came into view.
The pirates on the docks were briefly stunned upon seeing the unexpected Marine vessel.
Then the entire harbor erupted in laughter.
"Did this Marine lose his way?"
"Doesn’t he know this island belongs to pirates?"
"And he still dares to come ashore?"
"He’s asking to die!"
A massive pirate carrying a gigantic battle axe burst into savage laughter.
"Don’t forget..."
"We’ve got someone backing us now."
"Even if Whitebeard’s men showed up..."
"We wouldn’t be afraid!"
"Long live Captain Yuri!"
"Long live Lord West Sea Pusde!"
The harbor instantly exploded with cheers.
Over a thousand pirates roared in unison.
The sound rolled like crashing waves.
In the past...
None of them would have dared provoke the Marines so openly.
They would have fled long ago.
But now...
With powerful backing behind them...
They had every confidence.
Lucas casually jumped off the warship and landed on the dock.
Looking at the gathering of pirates, he smiled.
Originally, he wasn’t sure whether he’d be able to obtain any useful information.
But after hearing what they had just shouted...
It seemed today’s job would be much easier.
"Excuse me."
"I’d like to know..."
"Who’s in charge here?"
Lucas adjusted his glasses while calmly sweeping his gaze across the crowd.
At the same time...
He tried to remember whether any of these faces had appeared on bounty posters.
This was indeed Whitebeard’s territory.
A forbidden zone for the Marines.
But not for pirates.
Rather than relying on Marine intelligence...
It would be much easier to obtain information directly from pirates.
The only problem was...
These small fry probably weren’t important enough.
"Captain Yuri..."
One skinny pirate frowned.
"That guy looks familiar..."
Unfortunately, he couldn’t remember where he’d seen him.
"Familiar?"
The burly pirate tightened his grip on his axe and laughed viciously.
"Is he just another rookie from some Marine base?"
"Doesn’t matter."
"No matter who he is..."
"He’s just a brat before Lord West Sea Pusde."
"Not only did he trespass onto Orai Island..."
"He even dares ask to meet Lord West Sea Pusde."
"Perfect."
"We’ll take his head..."
"And present it as a gift!"
"Men!"
"Kill him!"
In Yuri’s eyes...
It didn’t matter whether this Marine came from Marine Headquarters or not.
He looked barely twenty years old.
How strong could he possibly be?
More importantly...
Every pirate gathered on this island hoped to earn a chance to join one of the Four Emperors’ crews.
Joining the Whitebeard Pirates was beyond their dreams.
But even joining the Beasts Pirates would be more than enough.
Now that a Marine had conveniently appeared...
He would make the perfect stepping stone.
There was no way Yuri would pass up such an opportunity.
"Kill him!"
Over a hundred pirates drew their weapons and charged forward with savage grins.
Their plan was simple.
Capture this lone Marine before the Marines aboard the warship could intervene.
Then use him as a hostage to keep the Marines in check.
"Are you people living in the Stone Age?"
"Has your village still not got internet?"
"If someone had just paid the internet bill..."
"You wouldn’t be throwing your lives away like this."
Lucas sighed helplessly.
He adjusted his glasses...
Then slowly raised his right hand.
His bizarre action...
Combined with his inexplicable words...
And those distinctive gold-rimmed glasses...
Made the skinny pirate beside Yuri suddenly freeze.
The next second—
His face turned deathly pale.
"C-Captain Yuri!"
"W-We can’t attack him!"
"He’s..."
"The Marines’ newly appointed Fourth Admiral... Admiral Glutton Lucas!"
The Fourth Admiral?
Yuri’s face instantly went rigid.
His battle axe nearly slipped from his hands.
An icy chill shot down his spine.
Only then did he finally remember.
Not long ago...
He had seen the front-page newspaper in West Sea Pusde’s possession.
The enormous portrait that had covered the entire front page—
It was the young man standing before him.
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