Dawn.
Dressrosa's fleet sailed out of the harbor.
King Riku rode aboard the flagship, escorted by two warships.
"Your Majesty, are you sure we should let those pirates follow us?"
"They're all members of that legendary pirate crew. If they join forces, won't the War King be doomed?"
Hearing his minister's suggestion,
King Riku rubbed his eyes, his face helpless.
"Have you considered that they aren't following us, but we're following them?"
Ahead of the three large ships,
the Black Pearl sailed across the sea like a mobile fortress.
By comparison,
the smaller ships looked utterly insignificant, like lifeboats that had fallen off it.
"Then, will they keep their promise?"
The minister instantly changed his wording, clearly a man who knew how to read the situation.
"Heaven knows. But the War King's situation is already critical. A raid by any pirate would inflict heavy losses on those civilians."
"For now, the Dragon Emperor Pirates seem to have another objective. After all, there haven't been any rumors of Fish-Man Island being destroyed."
King Riku leaned back in his chair.
He recalled every word Dragon had said to him.
If the truth differed from the rumors at the Reverie, then the existence of the Dragon Emperor Pirates could most readily change the balance of the seas.
The endlessly increasing heavenly tribute would one day become more than Dressrosa could bear, leaving it a non-affiliated nation of the Reverie.
When that happened,
the hunt held every three years could bring utter devastation down upon them at any moment.
King Riku had to seek a future.
He would use this journey to find a third path beyond impoverished peace and wars of plunder!
"Understood, Your Majesty."
The minister withdrew.
King Riku left the cabin and gazed at the Black Pearl ahead.
Every ship they