Tense Stand-off

"Vice-Captain?"

Louis showed a surprised expression. "You're not asleep yet?"

"Well,"

Baro rubbed his waist subtly, his expression a little embarrassed. "Various things."

"On the contrary, you, newcomer, who were you talking to just now?"

Baro's eyes suddenly sharpened.

"Who? Who else is here? I was just talking to myself,"

Louis waved his hand, looking a bit lost. "After all, Vice-Captain, speaking of Roger, isn't he that monster who's on par with Admiral Golden Lion? The Admiral ordered us to find him. If we actually find him..."

Although the Golden Lion Pirates held undisputed hegemony in the New World, with Whitebeard uninterested in the struggle for dominance and Roger in hiding for years, the Golden Lion Pirates were the strongest force in this New World. However, this didn't mean Roger was weak. Roger, Rayleigh, Gaban, Oden—each was a monster that made people tremble in the New World. For the cadres, the Roger Pirates were the strongest in the pirate world, bar none.

What's more, it had to be emphasized again: Roger was never a good person. The Pirate King was the freest person in the world. Freedom meant no restraints, and no restraints meant doing whatever one pleased.

If Rhode's Blood Hand Pirates found Roger, Louis truly feared he would die.

"Is that so?"

Baro narrowed his eyes slightly, looking at Louis, then smiled. "I didn't realize you were such a thoughtful man, liking to talk to yourself late at night."

"Hehehe."

Louis scratched his head sheepishly.

"Get some sleep early."

Baro turned and left.

"As for Roger, just follow the Captain."

"Oh, okay, Vice-Captain, you too..."

Louis's smile faded. "Rest well."

The next day, the Blood Hand Pirates set sail, aimlessly. Their only goal was any place the Roger Pirates might appear, or had appeared before. With only one ship, the Roger Pirates were like phantoms on the sea.

The Blood Hand Pirates traveled leisurely, like tourists, and then found an island to rest and repair. Louis asked Rhode if he wasn't concerned about Golden Lion's orders.

Rhode's answer was interesting. He said he was willing to die fighting for Golden Lion's ambition, but he wasn't willing to die in such a meaningless place; that would be too worthless.

Louis nodded in understanding. No one in this world was a fool. He understood this, so he needed to be even more careful.

After staying overnight on the prosperous island within Shiki's territory, the pirate crew set out again. While there was no need to fight desperately, they also didn't need to appear truly slack. Rhode was thirty-five years old, a seasoned veteran who had been around the New World for many years. He seemed passionate and excited, but the search route he commanded proceeded along the most prosperous areas within Shiki's territory, combining work and leisure.

The only regret was that someone else had the same idea.

"Captain, a ship is approaching from behind!"

Louis was exercising at the stern, observing the surroundings. He was absolutely dedicated, playing the role of a pirate with absolute commitment.

"Hmm?"

Louis blinked. "It's Flog!"

A huge pirate ship slowly approached, much larger than the Blood Hand Pirates' ship. The railing of their ship barely reached the middle of the other ship's hull.

"Hahahaha! We meet again! Rhode, we really are fated!"

On top of the large ship, the short Flog laughed heartily, and the large ship sailed directly towards them.

"Dong!!"

The Blood Hand Pirates' ship suddenly jolted. The waves stirred by the other ship's passage alone almost capsized their ship.

"Flog!! What do you mean by this!"

Rhode stomped his foot, his eyes widening. "Are you trying to defy Admiral Shiki's orders?"

Although inherently brutal, Golden Lion wouldn't be foolish enough to let his subordinates fight and weaken his own strength. Private fights were strictly forbidden in the Golden Lion's fleet.

"Hahaha, sorry, Rhode," Flog said apologetically. "I didn't notice... After all, isn't your ship a bit too shabby? It's embarrassing Admiral Golden Lion, isn't it?"

"Boom!"

The Blood Hand Pirates' large ship jolted again. The other large ship drew closer, colliding with them this time. If Vice-Captain Baro hadn't steered in time to avoid it, their ship might have sunk.

"Oh oh, it's another accident,"

Flog laughed heartily. "Really, wanting to get closer but having to prevent the waves from capsizing you. As a strong person, it must be quite difficult."

"Hoho? Are you saying..."

Vice-Captain Baro expressionlessly handed the ship's wheel to a pirate. With a casual slash, a cutting attack whistled out. "You're strong? And we're weak?"

"Clang!"

Flog opened his mouth, his tongue snaking out like a snake, imbued with Haki, and dispersed Baro's attack. "Hey, Rhode! Is this a provocation? I'll report it to Admiral Golden Lion truthfully!"

"Hey! Captain!"

Louis was filled with righteous indignation. "Fight! Take down this guy! He's just a stinky toad!"

He really thought the other party was too arrogant.

"Toad?"

Flog's face turned green, a sickly emerald hue spreading across it, the disgusting slimy texture evident. "I'm a frog! Can't you see this smooth, alluring skin? Do toads have such beautiful skin?"

He seemed quite bothered by it.

"Heh, a mere toad!"

Louis scoffed.

"Brat!!"

Flog stared intently at Louis, his tongue flicking out, but he instantly stopped and retracted it. He then started laughing again. "Hahaha, cunning brat, trying to make me make the first move?"

"Are you done playing, Flog?"

Rhode said coldly, "I need to complete Admiral Golden Lion's mission."

"Ha, so cold to an old friend? As expected of the Ripper!"

Flog leaned over the ship's railing, looking down at Rhode. "Forget it, I bet you wouldn't dare fight. Let's go, let's go."

"Whoosh!"

Though he said he was leaving, the moment he turned his head, he twisted it back, his tongue shooting out with astonishing speed, instantly appearing before Louis.

"..."

Louis instinctively took a step back, his arm already coming up to guard his front, his stance ready.

"Little kid, quite alert, aren't we?"

Flog chuckled, retracting his tongue. "Next time you speak so disrespectfully, I'll kill you!"

With that, he swaggered away.

"..."

Baro narrowed his eyes, watching Louis's stance. Although his weapon was a sword, his first reaction was to raise his hand in defense.

"It's nothing, I'm here,"

Rhode said with a smile, patting Louis on the shoulder.

"En."

Louis nodded heavily, gazing at the receding silhouette of the large ship. Personally, he disliked being threatened.

"Buzz!"

But just then, he felt a tremor in his wrist, and then it vanished. The Den Den Mushi hidden within the pointer! It was ringing!

This wasn't important, but the trouble was that his hand was resting on the ship's railing. The vibration immediately caused the pointer's strap to collide with the railing, emitting a dull sound.

"En? What was that sound?"

Baro frowned. "Mario, what is that thing you're wearing on your wrist?"

As soon as Hua Yiji updated, the other authors would look at him and laugh, "Hua Yiji, you've been ** by other new books again." He wouldn't reply, saying to his readers, "I need some recommendations, I beg for some tips." Then he would release an update of four thousand characters. They would then deliberately shout, "Your ranking on the new book list must have dropped again!" Hua Yiji's eyes would widen, and he'd say, "How can you slander me out of thin air?" "What slander? I saw it with my own eyes yesterday, your second dimension new book list was successively ** and you were thoroughly beaten by the big shots!" Hua Yiji's face would turn red, veins bulging on his forehead, and he'd argue, "The new book list ranking doesn't count... Recommended by big shots and tips... Being surpassed by big shots, can that be called being thoroughly beaten!" What followed were incomprehensible words, such as "readers don't vote" and "I'm dying without any favorites," which caused the other authors to burst into laughter. The author group was filled with a cheerful atmosphere once more.