World Government, Celestial Gold!

Moger hadn't expected that after more than a month at sea, his pirate crew hadn't encountered any other pirate ships, but instead ran into a World Government vessel first.

And it didn't seem like an ordinary vessel either.

"Captain, besides that strange steamship, there are two Marine warships!"

Flanking the massive steamship, two dark green Marine warships guarded its sides. Seeing this, Lipri and Rocks' hearts sank.

"Let's steer clear of them!"

Moger frowned and gave the order.

Although he was a pirate, he wasn't so insane as to attack the Marines proactively. Even if some called the Marines lapdogs of the World Government, it couldn't be denied that the Marines protected many countries from pirate raids, and many joined the Marines with the intention of protecting civilians.

It was obvious.

The two Marine warships were escorting the steamship in the middle. With a mission in hand, Moger didn't believe the two Marine warships would initiate an attack.

What Moger didn't expect was that when he ordered Rocks to turn the Black Pearl, the three ships opposite them also turned their bows in their direction.

What did that mean?

Moger was a bit bewildered. Had the White Wolf Pirates been gone for nearly a year, losing all their deterrent power?

Moger hadn't expected the three World Government and Marine ships to turn towards them, and the Marines on the three ships hadn't expected it either.

Even though they had actively turned, the pirate ship flying the White Wolf Pirates' flag had also turned.

The last glimmer of hope vanished.

"Damn it, that's the White Wolf Pirates' ship, the Black Pearl! White Wolf Moger must be on that ship. They're coming for us!"

"How did the intel leak? We were using a top-secret route!"

"Quick, request backup from headquarters!"

"..."

Chaos erupted on the two Marine warships. Vice Admiral Howard Ackerman, responsible for escorting the cargo ship, turned ashen-faced.

"Everyone, calm down!"

Howard Ackerman slammed his fist on the table.

"I've already contacted headquarters, and an Admiral will be here to support us. What we need to do is hold off the White Wolf Pirates' invasion until the Admiral arrives!"

He said it, but Howard Ackerman had no confidence in his heart.

That was White Wolf Moger!

Who in the Marines didn't know now that the White Wolf Pirates hadn't disbanded, and White Wolf Moger was so powerful he had injured a Marine Admiral.

Even headquarters was preparing to further increase the bounties for the entire White Wolf Pirates crew.

He was just a minor Vice Admiral from headquarters. It was fine for him to use the warships' powerful firepower to repel some Great Pirates with bounties over a hundred million.

But to face White Wolf Moger? Wasn't that seeking death?

However, the arrow was nocked and the string drawn; there was no turning back.

Howard Ackerman didn't believe the White Wolf Pirates were just passing by. If they were, why would they block their path?

This was a question Moger was also pondering.

There were only pirate ships that avoided warships, never warships that avoided pirate groups.

It was like two cyclists meeting on a one-way street. You want to avoid me, I want to avoid you, and the result is they crash into each other.

"Prepare to fire!"

Howard Ackerman made the first decision.

"As long as we stop the White Wolf Pirates from boarding, and wait for the Admiral to arrive, victory will be ours!"

"Yes!"

Moger didn't want to engage in naval warfare.

This was because the giant craftsmen of Elbaf had thoroughly inspected the Black Pearl. Despite constant diligent maintenance, decades had taken their toll, and numerous cracks had appeared on the Black Pearl's keel.

If possible, Moger wanted the Black Pearl to complete its final journey safely, and he would avoid all naval battles as much as possible.

But clearly, the opposing Marine warships did not share his sentiment.

"Captain, they've opened fire!"

"Rocks, Lipri, block all these cannonballs!"

A glint of ferocity flashed in Moger's eyes.

He wasn't the same timid old man from a year ago who didn't even dare to attack proactively.

Just two warships...

"I'll be right back!"

Moger wouldn't attack the Marines proactively, but if they attacked him, he wasn't so saintly as to show mercy.

"Blame your superiors!"

Moger leaped from the Black Pearl.

Skywalk!

The Black Pearl was still about five kilometers away from the three World Government ships, but even from that distance, the Marines' cannonballs accurately landed where the Black Pearl was. This showed the Marines' gunners on the warships were elites.

But they shouldn't have provoked them!

"Wave Slash!"

A narrow blade of light flew towards the two Marine warships. Compared to Hagoku, this long-range, low-consumption slash could better probe the two warships' weaknesses.

Because it could be easily blocked.

"Iron Body Impact!"

A dark silhouette leaped high from a warship and punched towards the blade of light Moger swung.

The familiar posture made Moger's gaze sharpen.

Then he saw the figure get sent flying by his slash.

Wait, buddy?

Moger, still in mid-air, was stunned.

You're so weak, how dare you block my ship? Are the current Marines not afraid of death?

His slash...

Any Great Pirate with a bounty over 100 million could have easily blocked it.

"As expected of White Wolf Moger!"

After being sent flying by Moger's slash, Lieutenant General Howard Ackerman looked at Moger with deep apprehension, gazing at the bone-deep wound on his arm.

He had overestimated his own strength and underestimated Moger's terrifying power.

"Surrender!"

"Lieutenant General!"

"Lieutenant General Ackerman!?"

"..."

Howard Ackerman waved his hand.

"The White Wolf Pirates are known for not killing. As long as a Marine surrenders, they will never show lethal force. Although I don't know why they targeted this Celestial Gold, you all saw that continuing to resist would only increase casualties."

They were in the middle of the New World. It would take at least half a month for an Admiral to reach them. Even if nearby Marine bases could provide support, what could a mere Marine base's reinforcements do against the White Wolf Pirates?

"Don't worry, although the goods we're transporting this time are important, we're facing White Wolf Moger. Even if it's stolen, the responsibility won't be ours."

He was a monster who could even defeat an Admiral. What could they do against such a monster?

And so, the Marines surrendered.

When Moger saw white flags flying from the Marine warships.

He briefly thought it was a Marine ploy.

Then, after he stopped his attack, he saw two Marine warships leave briskly, leaving only the cargo ship in the middle.

Moger began to realize something was wrong.

Finally, Moger saw a dazzling array of high-end goods filling an entire ship, and chests upon chests of gold and silver jewelry piled in the warehouse.

Moger's uneasy heart finally sank.

This ship was escorting the "Celestial Gold."

He had robbed the Celestial Gold that the World Government's member nations paid to the Celestial Dragons!