The Five Kings

So, apart from Admiral of Blood Senior, whose death had been confirmed and whose fleet had fallen apart, and Hell Admiral Ludwell, whose flagship, the Black Tulip, had lost half its hull to my explosives and had yet to recover, the other five Pirate Admirals had all arrived.

"What about the other Pirate Kings? Even Nast, the King of the Five Seas and organizer of the Pirate Conference, hasn't appeared. Are we early?"

After waiting a while without seeing any new ships, Angel turned to ask.

"Most of the pirates attending, including the Pirate Admirals, gather at the docks ahead. It's a time to celebrate, and a brief chance for the Pirate Admirals to talk peacefully. As for the kings of the sea, I've heard they meet separately somewhere else. But Tracy didn't tell me where. Maybe she doesn't know either..."

Helene answered honestly, her eyes searching the water for the place she had mentioned.

Angel joined the search. As the Future, the Golden Dream, and the other pirate flagships lowered boats and headed toward shore, a commanding presence suddenly surged from the towering dormant volcano at the island's center. Its crushing pressure silenced the noisy docks in an instant. The Low Sequence pirates and ordinary sailors had no idea where the terrifying aura came from. Instinct alone made them stop shouting and look around with their necks drawn in.

Cattleya, the Admiral of Stars, stood in a black robe, her purple eyes calm as she gazed thoughtfully toward the far side of the island. Edwina, the Iceberg Admiral, stood on the deck of a boat about to make landfall, her brow furrowed and her hand on the hilt of her saber. The tall Vice Admiral Dusk, his face hidden beneath the brim of his tricorn hat, gave a low,