Chapter 484: Who Are We Taking On, the Four Emperors?
Chapter 484: Who Are We Taking On, the Four Emperors?
"Pirate! Pirates are coming!!"
The crowd hadn't even finished celebrating when a panicked shout cut through the air.
A man sprinted from the port, pointing frantically at the horizon. "Pirates! A Pirate Ship!"
Pirates?
At the mention of the word, everyone froze instinctively, legs twitching with the urge to flee home. But they quickly snapped out of it.
Where were they now? What had they been doing?
They were in the middle of a rebellion!
They'd already killed a king and fought pirates. How could they fear a Pirate Ship now?
"Let's go!"
Sag gripped his silver-white spear and strode toward the port.
The crowd surged forward like a tidal wave.
At the port, two Pirate Ships emerged from the mist, drawing closer.
"They broke through the Spiral Sea Area."
Dick muttered beside him. The waters around Krayen Island had natural protection - the Spiral Sea Area. The seawater flowed in a vortex pattern, and any ship that miscalculated its course would get trapped in the spirals, endlessly drifting until being sucked into the Sea Eye.
It had been an excellent defense against pirates. But this was the New World. For pirates surviving here, navigating the Spiral Sea Area was just an average challenge. While it did eliminate some threats, more would inevitably come. In the context of the New World, this area was nothing special.
Dick knew this well - he'd once been a pirate himself. He understood that this nation wasn't on the radar of the Four Emperors or major pirate crews. Only desperate pirates, barely surviving, would target this country. This had been the case for centuries.
But now was different. Those pirates wouldn't realize it yet, but this nation had awakened.
"Destroy those pirates and protect our homeland!"
Sag raised his fist in a rallying cry, triggering a chorus of fierce shouts.
The two Pirate Ships drew nearer. Citizens tightened their grips on weapons, eyes burning with determination.
Boom!
The distant thunder of cannon fire made everyone stiffen. They recognized that sound - the Pirate Ships had opened fire.
But wait...
How had one Pirate Ship suddenly sunk?
A cannonball had come from behind the ship, striking its ammunition store directly. Just one shot turned the vessel into a fireball, breaking it into pieces.
Tiny black figures leapt from the wreckage, only to be swallowed by the vortex currents.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
From behind the second Pirate Ship, a barrage of cannonballs rained down, obliterating it.
From the wreckage emerged a massive fleet formed by numerous ships.
"A fleet! A huge fleet!"
Dick's eyes widened. "How is this possible? Why would a massive fleet come here?"
He'd lived on this island for years without ever seeing such a sight. Could it mean a powerful pirate had taken interest in this nation?
"This can't be happening..."
Dick's face fell. Just when this country had awakened, when a new beginning had started.
He'd already planned to mentor Sag, who showed great potential. With proper training, Sag would soon grow strong. The boy had the aptitude for Conqueror's Haki! Once he matured, combined with the awakened citizens, the Krayen Kingdom would rise again in glory.
That was the plan - but not if a massive fleet arrived now.
"So what if it's a massive fleet!"
Sag's voice rang out through the crowd.
The young man stood resolute, shouting, "We won't be bullied anymore! We won't yield, even at the cost of our lives! Let them see our integrity!"
"Right! What's death to us? Haven't we suffered enough already?"
"Exactly! We're done with standing by helplessly! We will fight back!"
"Make those pirates understand - hurting us comes at the price of their lives!"
The citizens roared with determination. Just as King Krayen Oger had paid a great price to awaken their numbness into resistance, this fighting spirit couldn't be crushed by mere threats. It would take bloodshed to change it.
And that was exactly what King Krayen Oger had wanted.
Kuro sighed and stepped forward. "Don't panic. It's just a Warship."
"A Warship?" Sag blinked in surprise.
"This is the New World, right at the heart of the Four Emperors' territory. There'd be problems without proper naval presence."
Kuro, chewing on a cigar, gazed at the sea. "They're here for me."
He removed his straw hat and tossed it aside, revealing his sharp, handsome face.
While the citizens remained unfazed, Dick froze, staring at Kuro before suddenly shouting, "Lucius Kro!!"
This nation had been too numb and oppressed to care about newspapers, but Dick read them. Under the protection of the Spiral Sea Area, news rarely reached them, leaving newspapers as their only source.
Dick never missed a single headline, which is why he recognized this face.
This man...
The one who killed Lucius in the Navy!
Dick exclaimed, "So it's you! That explains how you defeated Oger and Ba Bo."
He'd seen Oger's strength firsthand. When Dick taught him spear techniques years ago, Oger already understood Haki. His innate talent was extraordinary, and his power today seemed terrifying.
Only someone famous could defeat Oger.
How could an unknown person overcome such a foe?
But if it was Lucius Kro, everything made sense.
In the New World, pirates near this island often spoke of him - the terrifying new-generation Navy officer. Rumors claimed he'd killed tens of thousands in Shabondy, a demon-like figure feared by pirates.
Most pirates entering the New World passed through Shabondy. They'd say, "Thankfully we arrived early before meeting Lucius Kro."
While some pirates dismissed him as overrated, judging by his current strength...
If he remained in Shabondy, perhaps fewer pirates would dare enter the New World in the future.
"This grand reception... They really brought everyone."
Kuro released his Observation Haki, quickly sensing familiar auras within the massive fleet.
Klah, Lida, Kas, Donald, Ju Geng, Sazil, Fen Ni - all his subordinates and former Navy comrades.
Even the auras of Gramps and Storbery...
"Sengoku came too?"
Kuro exhaled a smoke ring. "Such a grand display. Someone who didn't know better might think we're going after one of the Four Emperors."
(End of Chapter)
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