The Phoenix Pirates, once brimming with confidence, turned pale all at once as they hid off to the side.
This was an Admiral! He was a terrifyingly powerful force, capable of dismantling an entire Supernova pirate crew in an instant. How could they possibly fight against such strength?
When the purple-haired man's gaze shifted toward them, every pirate felt their heart shrink and beat faster. His cold, indifferent stare carried disdain and icy contempt, forcing anyone who met it to turn and run without hesitation.
"Run! Get out of here, fast!"
Facing an Admiral, the Phoenix Pirates were filled with nothing but fear.
Someone capable of easily crushing the Crazed Lion Pirates was not someone they could hope to confront. Zephyr stepped forward, ready to give chase. But at that moment, the Den Den Mushi in his arms rang sharply. He frowned.
"Mushimushi." Zephyr drew out the Den Den Mushi and walked forward.
"Admiral Zephyr, we've spotted four men in black. They're in Area 21!" A hurried voice came through the device.
Zephyr's eyes narrowed, a sharp glint flashing across them. After glancing once more at the Phoenix Pirates, who were now nearly out of sight, he shifted his gaze elsewhere.
"Consider yourselves lucky."
Turning back, he strode into the main force.
"Move to Area 21!"
He ordered the Marines, then quickly disappeared from view.
In Zephyr's eyes, people like the Phoenix Pirates were insignificant compared to the audacious criminals who dared to shoot the Celestial Dragons.
Boldness, whether paired with great strength or not, was the only thing that could surprise him. Meanwhile, after running several kilometers, the Phoenix Pirates were gasping for air.
They exchanged glances, their eyes wide with shock.
"Did they chase us?"
"No, Captain. Zephyr turned back. He seems to have abandoned us and gone after others."
"Abandoned us?"
Minco froze. She was pale-skinned, exquisitely shaped, and stunningly beautiful. About seventeen years old, she had bright eyes, and her puzzled expression revealed innocence and charm.
If one ignored her identity and combat ability, her beauty could captivate countless men.
Minco exhaled in relief with her doubts.
"Never mind them. As long as we're safe for now, that's enough. I never imagined an Admiral could be this terrifying!"
All the Phoenix Pirates felt only relief at having narrowly escaped death. Before encountering an Admiral, they had no idea what such power truly meant. But after witnessing it firsthand, up close...
The overwhelming pressure crushed them in an instant, leaving them gasping for breath.
Amid the Celestial Dragons incident, the entire Sabaody Archipelago descended into chaos.
Civilians locked their doors tightly and cowered in fear inside their homes. Across the streets, cries of battle rang out amidst relentless gunfire and cannon blasts.
The war between the Marines and the pirates erupted at that moment, with no end in sight.
It was a large-scale purge orchestrated by the admiral of the Marines' headquarters, partly to avenge the Celestial Dragons and partly to assert Marine authority and suppress the pirates' arrogance. Success would bring long-lasting peace to the island.
Led by the formidable Admiral Zephyr, the Marines advanced swiftly, eliminating the dregs of the seas.
"Did you hear? The Crazed Lion Pirates have been completely annihilated and arrested by the Marines!"
"Oh my God! They were one of the strongest among the Supernova. How could they have already been caught?"
"What are we going to do? The Marines are so arrogant. It's infuriating!"
Countless pirates gritted their teeth and muttered curses under their breath.
The battle raged on. Nearly every area of the Sabaody Archipelago saw fighting, and blood flowed like rivers in a short time.
The brutal suppression was shocking and terrifying to behold.
In Area 21, a large number of Marines quickly followed Zephyr to the scene.
"Search for any clues, flush them out!"
With the Admiral's arrival, the pirates in Area 21 who had been resisting were instantly subdued, and the area fell quiet.
"Admiral Zephyr! Someone spotted them heading toward Area 30. They're currently in Area 28!"
Zephyr quickly gathered leads on the four men in black. His eyes narrowed as he quickened his pace, soon disappearing from sight.
Area 28.
Rojen and the others, cloaked in black, ran gloomily into an alley. After scanning the area and confirming that no one else was around, or that anyone present had already been knocked out, they quickly removed their cloaks and masks.
"Talk about bad luck...there's always someone around!" Jason cursed.
From Area 21 to here, the entire path had been a battlefield. Anyone who saw them had attacked without hesitation.
Their cross-district escape took a full half hour.
"Cut the chatter. Get dressed. Our mission is complete. The Sabaody Archipelago is in complete chaos now," Crocodile said.
Rojen and Trens tossed their black cloaks into the nearby alley.
At the same time they entered the alley, Zephyr, a purple-haired middle-aged man, also stepped into the area.
Upon arriving in Area 21, he immediately began scanning the surroundings.
Suppressing any resisting pirates easily along the way, he gradually approached the alley where Rojen and the others were hiding.
"No reports from the other areas yet. They should be right here."
The Den Den Mushi in Zephyr's arms remained active, allowing him to communicate with his information officers at any moment.
The four had finished changing clothes inside the alley and were whispering to one another as they stepped toward the exit.
"Finally, we're safe. Damn it! How did we get mixed up in all this?" Jason exhaled slowly as he spoke.
But just as they stepped out, they froze in place.
"Hey, am I seeing this right? What a coincidence!" Jason's eyes widened as he spotted the figure ahead.
"Shut up!" Crocodile's eyes darkened, and he growled sharply.
Rojen's pupils constricted as his right hand gripped the Rainbow Abyss at his waist. Trens's gun trembled on his shoulder, firmly gripped by his hand.
At the same time, Zephyr spotted Rojen and the other three about a hundred meters ahead.
"Pirates?" A glint passed through Zephyr's eyes as he approached with an unreadable expression on his face.
As he got closer and could see the four more clearly, a hint of surprise flashed across Zephyr's face.
"Oh, I thought they were small fry. I didn't expect to run into the big guys."
He scanned each of them, recognizing them all as savage pirates with bounties exceeding 100 million.
"So, did you take care of the surrounding pirates and Marines?"
Seeing that all the pirates and Marines within a three-kilometer radius were lying on the ground, Zephyr asked again.
(End of chapter.)
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