The Second Exchange

"They're here—the posture of utmost disdain from the Empress!"

"She's so beautiful~"

The moment the Empress struck that haughty pose, the Kuja Tribe warriors behind her all had hearts in their eyes, looking as though they were about to faint.

"Is she really that powerful fighter from earlier?"

Watching the Empress's display, Yashiro turned to Tekka and the others beside him in disbelief.

On the Uchiha side, quite a few people were likewise captivated by the Empress's beauty, their hearts stirred.

But asking them to go as crazy as the Kuja Tribe warriors?

They would need time to adjust!

The natives of the Pirate World had a level of ease that these Uchihas from the Hokage World could never hope to match!

"Empress, stop being willful. You are the ruler of the Kuja Tribe!"

Granny Niu ignored Hancock's antics and stressed it once more.

"Tch!"

After a brief standoff, the Empress ultimately compromised.

"If I discover that you are deceiving me, then your entire clan can wait to be turned to stone!"

After threatening Yoru, the Empress waved her hand.

The Uchiha Clan members in the Uchiha Camp whom she had petrified earlier all regained their freedom.

"Now you can speak."

The Empress looked arrogantly at Yoru before her.

If his answer dared to dissatisfy her, she would make him experience the consequences of angering her.

"Of course, Empress."

Fortunately, Yoru truly had no intention of toying with her. He said sincerely,

"We were able to travel freely through the Calm Belt and reach Kuja Island because our clan possesses the ability to control Sea Kings. They will not attack us."

"What? You can control Sea Kings? I don't believe it!"

The Empress glanced at Yoru and the frail clan members behind him.

She simply could not imagine how such weak bodies could possibly control violent Sea Kings.

They actually dared to toy with her!

Yet before the Empress could fly into a rage,

Yoru watched Itachi speeding through the distant jungle and curled his lips into a pleased smile.

"It does not matter if the Empress does not believe me. Our first exchange has already concluded perfectly.

Now, let us proceed with the second exchange. It will also prove that the Uchiha Clan possesses the strength to control Sea Kings."

The moment Uchiha Yoru finished speaking, a spine-chilling rustling arose from the nearby forest, accompanied by the sound of trees being forcibly crushed aside.

Everyone's eyes were instinctively drawn toward the disturbance.

They saw Uchiha Itachi leap from the woods like a phantom and land steadily at Yoru's side.

He remained as calm as ever and gave Yoru a slight nod.

"Big Brother, mission accomplished."

Then, amid everyone's horrified gazes, two enormous, brightly colored swimming serpents slowly poked their savage heads out from the edge of the forest!

Their eyes appeared somewhat dull, and their movements carried a trace of unnatural stiffness.

They were the two giant swimming serpents the Kuja Pirates relied on to cross the Calm Belt!

"Salome! Dora! What are you doing here?"

Hancock and the Imperial Guards behind her cried out in unison, their faces filled with disbelief.

These two fierce venomous sea serpents usually towed the Kuja Pirates' ship.

Whenever the pirates were not at sea, the two swimming serpents rested near the docks and never came ashore.

In response to the Empress's call,

the two swimming serpents acted as though they had not heard her. They ignored her completely, moving straight behind Uchiha Yoru to confront the Empress and her group.

Seeing the crimson Three Tomoe reflected in Salome and Dora's pupils,

the Empress instantly understood something.

"You... What did you do to Salome and Dora?!"

Hancock was both shocked and furious, and her overwhelming killing intent locked onto Uchiha Yoru once again.

If looks could kill, Yoru would have already been riddled with holes.

These two swimming serpents were crucial to Kuja Island. They were the key to their contact with the outside world.

Without them, even the Kuja Pirates themselves would be unable to smoothly enter or leave the waters around Kuja Island.

And now, Salome and Dora had actually fallen into the enemy's hands!

Facing the Empress's fury, Uchiha Yoru remained perfectly composed. He reached out and patted the enormous Swimming serpent's head beside him as he explained,

"Empress, there is no need to be angry. We have not harmed them. The Uchiha Clan just so happens to possess an Eye Technique capable of briefly influencing and controlling a living creature's mind.

That should prove we possess the ability to control Sea Kings now, shouldn't it?

After all, these two swimming serpents can also be considered special, large Sea Beasts, can't they?"

He deliberately emphasized the word "control" and met Hancock's gaze calmly.

Hancock looked at her two beloved serpents, their eyes dull and clearly under someone else's control.

"You deserve to die!"

The moment she heard Yoru's explanation, the Empress exploded in rage.

Ever since becoming the ruler of the Kuja Tribe, no one had ever been able to threaten her—not even the Marines.

Yet now, she had been provoked again and again by a group of enemies.

First, they had invaded Kuja Island and captured her Imperial Guards. Now, they had controlled the beloved serpents so vital to her.

"Perfume Femur!"

The Empress threw a full-powered kick at the smiling Yoru.

Yoru did not even need to give an order. Itachi, having instantly grasped the situation, controlled the two swimming serpents and sent them forward to block the attack.

"You..."

Seeing her beloved serpents standing at the very front, the Empress forcibly withdrew her Perfume Femur mid-kick.

When she shifted her angle to kick again, the swimming serpents, under Itachi's control, changed positions and blocked her once more.

Seeing this, Yoru silently gave Itachi a thumbs-up in his heart.

As expected of his younger brother. That battlefield awareness, that sharp instinct.

Clearly they were brothers by blood!

"Empress, calm down, calm down!"

While the Empress was still furious, Granny Niu, who had been observing for a long time, hurriedly grabbed her and soothed her emotions.

She had already realized that Salome and Dora were completely under the enemy's control.

The Kuja Tribe could not lose those two swimming serpents. Otherwise, they would be trapped on the island forever and completely cut off from the outside world.

"Young Uchiha clan head, what is this second exchange you spoke of?"

While desperately holding back the enraged Empress, Granny Niu turned around and asked Yoru.

"It is very simple. We return these two little darlings to you, and you agree to let the Uchiha Clan settle down on the island.

A very fair exchange, isn't it?"

Yoru spread his hands, signaling that he meant no harm.

"You old hag, let go of me! I accept your exchange, but from now on, you are forbidden from setting foot in Kuja City. Otherwise, do not blame me for being rude!"

The Empress forcefully shook off Granny Niu, then pointed angrily at Uchiha Yoru in warning.

"Of course. Itachi~"

Yoru tilted his head and called out to Itachi.

Itachi nodded in understanding, then directly released his control over the two swimming serpents.

Hiss~ Hiss~

Salome and Dora froze. The Three Tomoe Sharingan in their pupils slowly faded, and clarity returned to their minds.

The instant they were released from control, they fled to the Empress and hid behind her.

They no longer dared to look directly at the man across from them.