The vast plaza suddenly fell into dead silence, causing even Shiki, who had been pressing for answers, to stiffen.
"What happened to Sengoku? Are you afraid I'll single that brat out, so you don't dare tell me where he is?"
"This is an all-out war, one that concerns the survival of your Marine Headquarters. Don't tell me he chose to shrink back at the critical moment? That's truly disappointing. It seems Whitebeard really misjudged him."
His booming words spread through the plaza, making many people's expressions change slightly.
Especially the new Marine recruits who had always regarded Thunder Dragon Laxus as their goal to strive toward.
Faced with Shiki's assessment, they could no longer hold themselves back.
"You damned old man! How dare you insult Laxus! Go to hell!"
"Pistol Kiss!"
A clear, feminine cry rang out abruptly.
Hancock, the Pirate Empress who had been seated among the Seven Warlords of the Sea, was the first to spring into action.
She lightly pressed a finger to her red lips, then, her face covered in frost, pointed at Shiki from afar.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Pink hearts shot forth like bullets. There were hundreds of them, crashing forward like a torrential downpour.
At the sight of this sudden attack, not only the Marines but even the pirates under Shiki's command were dumbfounded.
As one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, Hancock was a renowned figure across these waters.
Thunder Dragon Laxus had also risen to fame recently.
Yet one was a pirate and the other a Marine, enemies by nature, but Hancock had taken the initiative to attack for the sake of a Marine.
Wasn't that relationship a little too complicated?
"Hahaha! A pirate actually defending a Marine so fiercely—this truly opens my eyes. But little girl, that bit of skill