"Hm?"
The smug look on Zeff's face quickly froze. He had not expected Ye Chen and his companions to show no fear or panic. If anything, their eyes were full of excitement and anticipation.
Ye Chen, standing at the bow, made no effort to hide the disdainful curl of his lips. When Zeff looked his way, Ye Chen raised an eyebrow, a sharp gleam flashing in his eyes. The challenge was unmistakable.
Zeff had been to the Grand Line and was a notorious pirate in his own right. He had not expected a few small fry from the East Blue to challenge him instead of fleeing in terror. Rather than getting angry, he smiled with interest.
He shot Ye Chen a cold glare. They were too far apart for words, but Ye Chen understood him perfectly: Don't run. I'll teach you a lesson in a minute.
"In a minute?"
Ye Chen stretched lazily, displeased, then glanced back at Lucci and the other two. "Bring the ship alongside, now. These pirates are getting awfully cocky. We're getting involved."
Before, he had had no reason to act. Now Zeff and his men were slaughtering people aboard the passenger ship. Ye Chen almost felt grateful to him. At last, he had an excuse to stretch his limbs.
Of course, eating came first.
The Goa Royal House's ship had done nothing to provoke Ye Chen, and neither Lucci nor Kuina had approved of attacking it outright. So Ye Chen had not forced the issue.
Stopping a royal ship for no reason when its passengers had done nothing to him would have been hard to justify. But now? Zeff had arrived and seized it. With something happening right in front of him, Ye Chen had no reason to stay away.
"Captain, there are a few