"Since you're pirates too, pay 120 million Beli in compensation, and I'll let you go."
Franky's expression remained calm at those words.
Sanji's face darkened. He put a fresh cigarette in his mouth, lit it with a hiss, and took a drag.
"Whew!"
He exhaled a ring of white smoke, followed by a cold reply.
"We don't have any money!"
The captain froze, his gaze sharpening. "None?"
"Then there's nothing to discuss!"
He spun around and swept his arm out.
"Boys!"
"Yes, Captain!"
The pirates standing before the cannons shouted in unison.
"Blow their ship to pieces!"
Excitement lit the pirates' faces. They immediately lifted cannonballs and loaded them into the barrels. Once the cannons were loaded, they raised their torches.
The fuses were just about to be lit.
Suddenly—
Bzzz!
A purple-black flash swept through the air. Franky and Sanji instantly turned their heads, their expressions turning deadly serious.
Unless their eyes had deceived them, that had unmistakably been a flying slash, passing almost against their faces.
And it was absurdly powerful!
Almost instantly—
Whoosh!
On the pirate ship just ahead, the black cannon barrels were sliced in half. The entire vessel shuddered violently, then split down the middle with a crash.
Screams swiftly erupted. The pirates who had been excited a second earlier were now utterly terrified.
In barely a dozen seconds, the massive pirate ship sank beneath the sea, and hordes of frightened pirates swam toward shore.
"What a racket."
A cold, indifferent voice rang out. Every pirate who had just reached shore froze in terror, not daring to move a muscle.
Ahead stood a man with short green hair, a sword in his hand and two more at his waist, watching them coldly.
"Get back in the sea!"
"If you want to live!"
His icy voice