Arrival at the Destination, Frances Island

In the room, Morito slowly withdrew his Byakugan perspective.

Although he couldn't hear what the Navy Captain was saying, judging by the other party's eyes and expressions, it wasn't hard to guess that these people seemed very displeased with their appearance.

"Heh, interesting."

Morito tugged at the corner of his mouth, revealing a faint, speechless expression.

He was actually being looked down upon by a bunch of grunts?

Kazan noticed Morito's expression and subconsciously asked, "What's wrong? Is something amiss?"

"Don't drag me down."

Morito inexplicably threw out a sentence, leaving Kazan utterly confused.

Me, Kazan, dragging him down?

How is that possible?

The first half of the Grand Line, Frances Island.

A small island whose main industry was brewing wine.

Golden Lion had taken a liking to the island's fine wines, so he dispatched a main fleet to be stationed on Frances Island.

A warship led by Vice Admiral Akita, with over a thousand Navy soldiers, arrived at the island.

A few small boats were scattered around the port, as quiet as a small fishing village, not like an island with a developed wine industry.

It was eerily quiet, too unnatural.

The Flying Pirates' situational abilities were not weak. The Marine Headquarters had spent a month preparing, and Golden Lion hadn't been idle either.

Anyone with eyes could see the strangeness of this island.

"Vice Admiral Akita, this island is a bit off," the adjutant said in a deep voice, reminding him.

"It is indeed off. The port is too quiet."

Akita nodded slightly, raising his binoculars to look.

Despite the large port, there was no sign of large ships, only a few dilapidated small boats bobbing with the waves.

"The wines of Frances Island are very famous in the first half of the Grand Line. It's impossible that not even a single merchant ship can be seen."

"I'll take a team up to take a look. Keep in touch at all times!"

Akita lowered his binoculars and, after some thought, decided to go ashore and investigate.

If the Bourne Pirates had abandoned Frances Island, they would need to report the intelligence here to Marshal Kong immediately.

The enemy wouldn't reduce their combat power just because they abandoned an island. If they were short one Bourne Pirates here, other units would have one more Bourne Pirates.

"Vice Admiral Akita, let me lead the team!" the adjutant quickly interjected, trying to stop him. "The Bourne Pirates might know we're coming and have already prepared an ambush."

There was no reason to let the highest commander take the risk; tactics weren't arranged like that!

They lost a three, so you're going to play your king card?

Akita shook his head. "Precisely because there might be an ambush, I can't let my subordinates take the risk. I'll lead the team. If we encounter an ambush, we can retreat immediately."

"You will be in charge here, ready to provide artillery support at any time!"

However, Akita turned his head to look at Morito and Kazan. Ten minutes before arriving at their destination, everyone on the warship had gathered on the deck.

Akita said, "You two will be temporarily assigned to the team and will come ashore with me to take a look."

Morito: "???"

You can't let your subordinates take the risk, so you're letting these two take the risk?

If you want to send someone to their death, you go yourself!

Why are you dragging me along?

His binoculars couldn't see the situation on Frances Island, but Morito's 'binoculars' plus 'X-ray vision' could see what was happening on the island!

Interlocking trenches and traps, pirates hidden in the forest with swords and spears.

Akita was a Marine Vice Admiral, powerful and naturally unafraid.

The grunts following him ashore would definitely be wiped out in one go!

While Morito was grumbling inwardly, the subordinates of Vice Admiral Akita were not happy. Why should those two grunts go, but not them?

Were they even worse than grunts?

Who were they insulting?

The lowest-ranking Navy soldiers on the warship were all first-class privates. They were definitely stronger than two grunts who were worse than third-class privates, right?

It wasn't that they were bragging; any one of them could take on ten such grunts!

"Vice Admiral Akita, let us go together!"

A group of Navy soldiers immediately started arguing, indignantly requesting to be sent into battle.

Morito, who was about to speak, immediately shut his mouth. He had originally intended to advise Vice Admiral Akita, but seeing the situation, he knew nothing he said would be of any use.

He was just a Reserve Navy soldier, insignificant and with little influence.

If he offered well-intentioned advice, he might be mistaken for a coward afraid of death!

"Quiet!"

Akita was pleased by his subordinates' high morale. These were his soldiers!

However, soldiers must obey orders.

"As per my earlier command, prepare to depart immediately!"

"Yes!"

The adjutant received the order and immediately turned to arrange the speedboats for landing on the island.

Before the situation on Frances Island was clarified, it was impossible to sail the warship straight in.

If there were an Admiral on the warship, it would be fine; they could simply steamroll through.

But Vice Admiral Akita could not crush the Bourne Pirates.

"Vice Admiral Akita, perhaps you should reconsider? Sending these two to scout Frances Island means we'll have to worry about them if anything unexpected happens!"

"Yeah, even if it means losing two people, there's no need to bring along two useless Reserve Navy soldiers, is there?"

The Navy soldiers chosen to scout Frances Island were in an uproar.

Given the current circumstances, although the Bourne Pirates might have evacuated Frances Island, it was more likely that they had set an ambush for them there!

Vice Admiral Akita himself didn't trust his adjutant to lead the landing party, so why would he choose to bring along two dead weight Reserve Navy soldiers?

Everyone was baffled.

At this moment, Kazan finally understood why Morito had told him earlier, "Don't be a burden."

"Obey orders!"

Akita's single sentence silenced everyone. He hadn't personally witnessed Morito and Kazan's strength, but they were definitely no weaker than those first-class soldiers and officers.

Furthermore, he had personally promised Admiral Zephyr that he would ensure their safety.

If he didn't keep Morito and Kazan under his watchful eye, how could he guarantee their safety as much as possible?

Although the Bourne Pirates were likely ambushing them on the island, it wasn't impossible that they would attack the warship as well.

Seeing that Vice Admiral Akita had made up his mind, everyone fell silent.

Morito frowned. He had seen the ambush on the island with his own eyes. How could he warn Vice Admiral Akita in a way that would make him believe him?

Exposing the Byakugan was out of the question.

"Forget it, I'll deal with it when the time comes!"

Morito steadied himself and followed suit, jumping onto a speedboat. The small boat set off and headed straight for Frances Island.

Frances Island had a rather unique terrain, with sheer cliffs facing the sea on three sides and only a narrow, gourd-shaped opening serving as a port.

This was the only route for both landing and departing the island.

The warship dropped anchor offshore, and a speedboat carrying over twenty people was dispatched towards the port.

A pirate grunt lowered his telescope and reported in a low voice, "Boss, that warship stopped offshore and only sent a team to check the situation."

"It seems the plan to wipe them all out is impossible."

Bourne, the "Blade Man" with a bounty of 290 million, narrowed his eyes dangerously, a cold glint flashing in their depths.

Even a mosquito is still meat. After ambushing for so long, they had to gain something!

"Everyone, be ready. We'll take them down the moment they land!" Bourne commanded in a low voice.

"Boss, no, the person standing at the bow of that speedboat is a Vice Admiral!"