"The appetizer finally arrived."
Only when Yas's voice, brimming with bloodlust, rang out across the deathly silent deck did the CP Agents and Marine guards present finally recover from their shock at the Celestial Dragon fainting in terror.
They followed Yas's gaze. When they made out the two legendary pirate flags on the horizon, their faces, which had only just regained a trace of color, instantly turned paper-white again.
"O-Ochoku! And Silver Axe!"
"Two monster officers from the Rocks Pirates! What are they doing here together?!"
"We're done! Completely done! Just one of them would be enough for Marine Headquarters to send an Admiral. With both of them coming, our little force wouldn't even be a mouthful!"
Desperate cries rose one after another, and the entire escort fleet instantly plunged into overwhelming panic.
To these ordinary Marines, legendary pirates of Ochoku and Silver Axe's caliber were like natural disasters, impossible to stand against.
"Silence! All hands, highest combat alert!"
Rob Lucci of CP0 forced down his fear and barked the order.
He stared fixedly at the dark silhouettes of the ships drawing ever closer in the distance, cold sweat streaming down his forehead.
He had anticipated enemies, but never in his wildest dreams had he imagined these two killing machines would arrive together.
This was no simple robbery. This was clearly a war against the World Government!
Meanwhile, amid that dark mass of pirate ships, aboard the enormous lead flagship that resembled a moving fortress...
A man of medium build, dressed in a Chinese-style robe, with a sinister face and a drooping mustache, waved a folding fan as he watched the distant Marine fleet descend into chaos with keen interest.
He was Ochoku, the "King of Hachinosu."
Beside him stood a burly man over five meters tall, his muscles bulging,