The first half of the Grand Line.
The white clouds in the sky had been baked golden by the sun, as though they were about to catch fire, while vast swathes of sunset clouds hung along the horizon.
The sea breeze howled over the azure waters.
A red twin-masted sailing ship, pulled by two enormous venomous Sea Kings, headed toward the Sabaody Archipelago on the distant horizon.
Standing atop the mast's crow's nest, Sandersonia braced her left hand against its railing and held a spyglass in her right, surveying the distant sea.
Suddenly!
More than ten kilometers away, a large three-masted sailing ship emerged from behind a rocky shore. A black skull flag flew from its mast, and a long-barreled cannon was mounted on its prow.
The cannon's barrel was ten meters long, far exceeding that of an ordinary cannon. This meant that its range and power greatly surpassed those of regular cannons...
On the bow deck of the three-masted ship, a bald man in blue pirate attire with a gold tooth bared drew the long blade at his waist and shouted at his crew behind him:
"Men! Ahead is the Kuja Pirates' Perfume Yuda.
As long as we make use of our cannon's superior range, we can definitely take down Pirate Empress Boa Hancock.
Then the Cannon Pirates will become famous in one stroke!"
Among the pirates, a crewman suddenly spoke up:
"Ah! Captain David, I heard that Pirate Empress is an incomparable beauty.
How about we sail over there... Hehehe!"
At those words, Captain David's face immediately darkened, and he cursed loudly:
"Witte, you damn fool!
All you think about all day is that kind of nonsense!
If we sail over there, the instant we see Pirate Empress, we'll be turned to stone statues...
Now get your asses