Reclaiming Freedom

"Hiss—"

A pirate on the ship muttered under his breath, staring at the naval battle about to erupt ahead, his eyes gleaming with hunger and bloodlust.

His hand lightly rubbed the hilt of his sword, as though he could draw some kind of strength from that silent weapon.

The pirates around him seemed infected by the scent of battle as well. Every one of them held their breath, and tension spread through the air.

"Boss, how much longer do we wait?"

Another pirate could not help asking, a trace of impatience in his voice.

"About fifteen minutes."

The boss shot him a cold glance before fixing his eyes on the distant fleet again.

"The moment we see an opening, we strike and catch them off guard!"

Behind them, fires had already begun to flare across the ships, while waves surged over the water.

The sea wind carried a salty, fishy stench, as if urging them into action.

The atmosphere aboard the ship grew increasingly tense. Everyone was waiting for the right moment, and their target was obvious—

Whether it was the Neo Marines or the World Government, as long as either side in this war showed even the slightest weakness, they would pounce.

Like a pack of ravenous wolves, they would mercilessly devour the most vulnerable part.

"Look, over there!"

A pirate suddenly pointed into the distance, a sharp glint flashing through his eyes.

"Don't rush. Wait."

The boss calmly waved a hand.

"Be patient. We can't act recklessly.

This time, we're not just looking to pick up scraps. We're going to swallow the fattest piece of meat in one bite."

The mood aboard the ship turned even graver. Everyone kept their eyes locked on the battlefield ahead, their heartbeats steadily quickening.

In the distance, the fleet's flags snapped in