Gale Pirates!

Compared to the New World, the first half of the Grand Line was relatively safer. Along the way, aside from the erratic weather, they had not encountered any other trouble. Moreover, Gerd and Sonia were exceptionally skilled at navigation, so even the unpredictable weather had little effect on them.

"Captain, report! Fifty sailing ships have appeared ahead. They're flying pirate flags, and the initial estimate puts their numbers at around five thousand!"

They had been sailing through the first half of the Grand Line for around ten days, and the voyage had been calm all along. The Immortal's hull was so enormous that it looked like a colossal monster to others. Ordinary pirate crews did not dare provoke it; they would even steer far away the moment they spotted it. After all, on the seas, pirates killing one another for profit was an everyday occurrence.

"Seriously, why now?" Hearing Gerd's voice outside, Boa Hancock muttered unhappily. She had been about to feed Li something and use the chance to grow closer to him. Now, it had all gone to waste.

"Alright, let's go take a look." Li smiled faintly and patted Boa Hancock on the head before rising and leaving the room with her. Gerd stood properly outside the door. After a moment's thought, Li asked, "Are they sailing toward us?"

"Yes. The fifty pirate ships are closing in on us in a fan-shaped formation. It looks like they intend to attack us." Gerd nodded, a trace of gravity appearing on her face. Fifty pirate ships—this was her first time seeing a pirate crew with such an overwhelming presence. Five thousand men was truly an absurd number for a pirate crew. Even the Whitebeard Pirates only had sixteen hundred members, while Kaido, one of the Four Emperors of the New