The black-clad bodyguards immediately sprang into action, charging menacingly toward Lorne and Kuina.
"Stop! Kneel at once and accept your punishment!" the lead bodyguard shouted, his rifle already aimed at Lorne's chest.
Kuina's right hand had already drawn Wado Ichimonji an inch from its sheath, and the blade's clear ring echoed through the air.
"Boss, should we fight?" Kuina asked quietly, a trace of coldness flashing in her eyes.
With both hands in his pockets, Lorne calmly watched the bodyguards charging toward him.
"No rush. Let's see what tricks they have," Lorne said, his voice utterly level.
An elderly vendor kneeling beside the road trembled all over with fright and could not help urging him in a low voice, "Young man, hurry and kneel! That's a Celestial Dragon! If you fight, you'll bring a Marine Admiral here!"
Lorne ignored the elderly vendor's warning. He simply stood quietly where he was, as straight as a pine.
The bounty hunters who had originally planned to ambush Lorne were now kneeling among the crowd as well, gloating expressions on their faces.
"Heh, this kid's dead. He actually dared to provoke a Celestial Dragon," the one-eyed pirate sneered quietly.
"We won't even have to lift a finger. The government's bodyguards will tear him to pieces," the scar-faced pirate mocked as well.
The two CP0 agents had been following behind with impassive expressions. Now, they too looked in the direction Saint Mosti was pointing.
When their gazes landed on Lorne's distinctive young face, both of them froze.
Beneath their masks, their pupils abruptly contracted, their eyes filled with undisguisable horror.
One of the CP0 agents screamed inwardly, How is this possible? Isn't that monster locked up on the Island of Misfortune in the Calm Belt?!
The other agent panicked completely as well, thinking in shock,