A Hundred Against Three-We've Got the Advantage!

It was already getting late.

When the three pirate crews of Sphinx had assembled their fleets and appeared at the harbor, twilight dyed the sky a flowing amber. The harbor's usual clamor gradually faded, and a murderous air settled over the place.

"Looks like the ones occupying Sphinx aren't planning to give it up without a fight."

After sizing up the three pirate crews, Lipri hoisted the massive club she had made from the heartwood of an Adam Tree and said with keen interest.

"Are you afraid?"

"Not with you here, Captain."

Lipri giggled. Mongge hadn't backed down, so how could any of his crew?

"They're just a rabble."

Having only just grasped Haki, Rocks was brimming with fighting spirit. He hadn't forgotten Mongge's words: Haki only grew through battle.

After resting all afternoon, his stamina had nearly recovered, though the injuries he'd sustained fighting the Heart Pirates hadn't healed yet.

"Hahaha! No matter what, let's see what those youngsters across the way have to say first. I'm their senior, after all. I can't just go picking on the young for no reason."

Mongge's lips curled into a faint smile.

With the help of Observation Haki, he had taken in nearly the entire harbor, and he already had a clear sense of the three pirate crews' strength.

The strongest were still the three captains: three Great Pirates with bounties over a hundred million. If they'd been around in the future, they'd probably have been on the level of the Four Emperors' All-Stars, Sweet Commanders, or division commanders.

And they weren't even the best of the bunch—just middle-tier fighters.

They were still a good deal weaker than the captain of the Blood Skull Pirates, whom he'd encountered a year ago, just after awakening the system.

Below the three Great Pirates were a few other capable fighters, but none were on the level of the All-Stars or Sweet Commanders. They were about as strong as Lipri was now.

"Terrifying~"

Mongge sounded impressed. Three Great Pirates with bounties over a hundred million, six or seven capable fighters, and nearly five thousand pirates. Anyone below Admiral-level could be overwhelmed by sheer numbers.

"White Wolf Moger!"

A man's booming voice rang out from one of the three great pirate ships.

"You haven't managed this island for more than ten years. It's now under the Black Gold Pirate Alliance's control. You've trespassed into our territory and injured my men. Are you looking to start a war with us?"

As soon as the man spoke, Mongge knew who he was.

Undead Jason.

After eating the Zombie Fruit, Jason had become immortal. No matter what injuries he suffered, he wouldn't die as long as the missing parts were replaced.

Even opponents at his level wouldn't dare trade blows with Undead Jason when he fought like a madman, exchanging wounds without regard for his own life.

Mongge had already cut off one of Jason's men's arms.

"White Wolf Moger, your era is over. Sphinx doesn't belong to you. If you don't want to face all three of our pirate crews at once, I suggest you leave Sphinx immediately!"

Black Merchant Duke Men called out from another pirate ship.

If he could help it, he really didn't want to fight Mongge to the death. As a businessman, he hated losing money more than anything.

The lion might be old, but he still had his claws.

No one knew how much of his former strength White Wolf Moger still had.

Then he heard Monster Moz roar from beside him:

"White Wolf Moger, you dare fight me?"

On the Giant Monster Pirates' ship, Monster Moz leaped to the bow. A terrifying aura suddenly erupted from him, sweeping across the harbor.

"Damn it, what an idiot!"

Black Merchant Duke Men and Undead Jason had both hoped to force their opponent to surrender without a fight. Neither had expected Monster Moz to unleash Conqueror's Haki right off the bat.

How had an idiot like that even awakened Conqueror's Haki?

Hummm—

Monster Moz's Conqueror's Haki made no distinction between friend and foe. It spread across half the harbor, and a number of weaker pirates rolled their eyes and fainted on the spot.

But Newgate and the others aboard the Black Pearl felt nothing.

They only saw Mongge step onto the bow, spread his arms, and laugh without restraint. "Puhahahaha! Conqueror's Haki, is it? Looks like one of you three has a little backbone!"

"But that level isn't enough!"

At most, Monster Moz had only just begun to master his Conqueror's Haki. He couldn't even distinguish friend from foe or control its direction.

Mongge was different. After fighting Scarlet Snake Rona and Giant King Harald one after the other, and then growing stronger with the system's help, his Conqueror's Haki had improved by leaps and bounds.

"Let me show you what real Conqueror's Haki looks like!"

Mongge laughed as he unleashed all the Conqueror's Haki within him without holding back.

The collision between their Conqueror's Haki lit the sky with black-red lightning. A terrifying pressure came crashing down, as though the sky were collapsing and the earth splitting apart.

But what no one expected was that Monster Moz's Conqueror's Haki lasted only an instant before Mongge's completely crushed it.

Even at a considerable distance, the terrifying pressure made it hard for the pirates watching from the harbor to breathe. The air seemed to freeze, and many of the weaker pirates simply collapsed to the ground.

Watching from the roof of a tall building, Stussy had made sure she was far enough from the Black Pearl. Yet when Mongge stood at the bow and released his Haki, her breathing still quickened despite herself.

"Is this the strongest pirate on the sea?"

Stussy's breathing grew ragged. He merely stood there, yet seemed to be the focus of the entire world—a peerless king.

Could she really reach someone like him?

The three Great Pirates bore the brunt of Mongge's Haki. They could barely breathe. They'd never imagined that a man in his seventies could still unleash such a terrifying aura.

"C-Captain, a lot of our men couldn't take it. They've all gone down!"

A pirate spoke in a trembling voice.

"How many do we still have?"

Black Merchant Duke Men gritted his teeth. Judging by Mongge's stance, there was no way to settle things peacefully with the White Wolf Pirates. The only silver lining was that they had more men, while the White Wolf Pirates had only three, at most!

"W-We still have a hundred!"

"What?!"

Black Merchant Duke Men's eyes widened. He nearly roared at the pirate. "I brought a full three thousand men for this operation!"

Black Merchant Duke Men was drenched in sweat.

His crew was already considered one of the strongest of the three. If they'd been reduced to this, the other two crews must be in even worse shape.

But it was too late to back down now.

"Prepare to fire!"

Black Merchant Duke Men bellowed.

"Even if White Wolf Moger is strong, he's still only one man. If we just sink his ship, he'll have no choice but to fight us head-on!"

A hundred against three. We've got the advantage!