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Just as Rear Admiral Jerry had predicted, in the following days, Kōjin and his group didn't encounter even a single pirate.
All that met their eyes was the boundless sea. It was worth mentioning, however, that yesterday his system had mysteriously gained one Point.
"I didn't die, yet my Points increased." Kōjin quickly deduced the reason.
"Yesterday marked exactly one month since I arrived in this world. So, even without dying, my Points increase one point per month."
"That's not much, but at least it's a guaranteed gain."
In other words, even if he just played it safe and avoided danger, his strength would still steadily grow. Without hesitation, he put that single point into Haoshoku Haki again, raising it to Level 86.
Two more days passed.
Unlike the clear skies of previous days, a vast sheet of gloomy dark clouds now loomed above them, with faint rumbles of thunder echoing within. Beneath the battleship, the seawater churned and rolled, causing the crew to sway as the ship rocked.
"A massive rainstorm is coming!" Saul's deep voice rumbled.
"When we face weather like this during a sea mission, we must be extra vigilant, always alert for danger. A rainstorm, or any sudden climate shift, can drastically reduce visibility at sea. That alone can be fatal." Shinbu spoke with a grim look on his face.
For some reason, he felt an ominous foreboding in his heart.
Kōjin's expression also turned grave, and he gave a light nod.
He remembered clearly that, during the legendary battle between Golden Lion Shiki and Roger on the Edd War Sea, a massive tempest had erupted.
And that, too, had marked the arrival of great danger.
Raising his gaze toward the bow, he saw Rear Admiral Jerry standing there, with his back facing them, smoke curling around him as if lost in thought.
Before long, the sky grew even darker, the sea surging more violently. Massive bolts of lightning flashed between the clouds, striking the ocean's surface and sending up mist and electric light.
Even without words, the sheer sight of it was awe-inspiring, and terrifying.
Time crept by as thunder rolled through the clouds and the waves grew wilder, yet still, the storm refused to break.
"Looks like this will be a tempest unlike any we've ever seen…" Shinbu said gravely, turning his head again. "Kōjin, remember this, out here on the sea, the greatest danger isn't always the enemy. Sometimes, it's the weather itself."
Kōjin nodded firmly. The entire battleship had grown tense and busy as everyone prepared for the oncoming tempest.
"Whoooosh…!"
The roaring wind surged, sweeping over their heads.
Then suddenly, "Piiiii~!"
A sharp whistle tore through the air, echoing in everyone's ears.
Kojin looked up instantly to see an officer in the lookout post with a pale look on his face, pointing frantically toward the front.
He turned his head, and the first thing he saw was the smoke-wreathed back of Rear Admiral Jerry.
Then, beyond that, on the rolling, storm-darkened sea, somehow, countless black dots had appeared on the horizon. Densely packed, unending, stretching beyond the limits of sight.
A wave of pure shock hit him, freezing his very heartbeat. Around him, everyone seemed to stop moving, and it felt as if the entire world had hit pause.
After two or three breaths, sharp, panicked shouts suddenly tore through the silence, slicing through the stormy air.
"Pirates! They're pirates!"
"It's the Flying Sky Pirate Fleet!!"
"They're heading straight for us!"
No one could have imagined that in the region Sengoku had declared the least likely to encounter enemies, foes would actually appear, and not just any foes. From the countless black specks in the distance, there was no doubt, this was the enemy's main force.
Kōjin took a deep breath, staring ahead, and even the corners of his eyes were trembling.
As time passed, the black dots ahead grew clearer and clearer. One after another, bizarrely shaped ships appeared on the sea's surface, forming a vast arc that filled every corner of their vision.
At the same time, as those dark dots expanded, they began to see ships sailing through the air, their oars cutting through the clouds in perfect formation. Each one bore a skull-and-crossbones flag fluttering proudly in the wind.
The pressure was indescribable, a crushing, suffocating sense of dread.
Their numbers, so vast they seemed endless, brought upon everyone aboard an unimaginable weight.
"A13 Sector, sighted the Flying Sky Pirates' fleet." Rear Admiral Jerry's tone was calm, but the beads of sweat rolling down his forehead betrayed his tension.
"I repeat, A13 Sector, Flying Sky Pirate fleet sighted!"
The Den Den Mushi's response came swiftly. Kojin, standing nearby, immediately recognized the replying voice, Admiral Sengoku.
"Received. Report the enemy's numbers."
Jerry's lips tightened as he answered. "Unable to calculate."
The Den Den Mushi went silent for a few seconds. Far away, Sengoku stood at the prow of his battleship, gripping the receiver tightly.
"Rear Admiral Jerry," Sengoku's voice came low and heavy, "Your mission is to do whatever it takes to escape the Flying Sky Pirates' attack range."
Jerry's body trembled. "Understood!"
As the line disconnected, he drew in a deep breath. Looking once again at the endless fleet covering the horizon, a wave of despair filled his chest. No matter how he looked at it, escape was nearly impossible before such a massive armada.
Because of the storm, the marines' visibility from the lookout post was severely reduced. By the time they had spotted the enemy, there was already too little time left to retreat.
And worse, the enemy had fleets both at sea and in the air, and the airborne ships were much faster.
"All personnel, listen up! Put everything you have into retreat! Now!" Rear Admiral Jerry shouted.
Even if there was only the faintest glimmer of hope, he would fight for it. The battleship turned sharply, rudder spinning full to one side as they began their withdrawal. But to the utter despair of the crew, the Flying Sky Pirates' fleet had, without anyone noticing, already completed an encirclement.
No matter which direction they turned, there was no way out. And the dense formation of enemy ships was rapidly closing in.
"Ssshh…"
A flame flickered to life as Rear Admiral Jerry lit a cigar, took a deep drag, and exhaled slowly.
"Kōjin… do whatever it takes to survive."
Kōjin froze for a moment, turning to look at the superior officer he barely knew. The man opened his mouth as if to say more, but suddenly, Jerry's entire body jerked violently.
The cigar in his mouth snapped in half as a red dot bloomed on his forehead, small at first, then rapidly spreading, forming a neat hole in the center.
Only then did the faint sound of a gunshot echo through the storm.
Kōjin's mind went blank. A second later, he understood.
The Rear Admiral who had been speaking to him just moments ago was now dead beyond saving.
A single bullet, from who knows where, had ended his life in an instant.
Chaos exploded across the battleship. Shrill whistles blared through the air. Grunts and cries followed as several lieutenants standing on deck were pierced by bullets from every direction, blood splattering in red bursts.
"Find cover!"
"Take shelter, it's enemy snipers!!"
Shouts of panic and rage echoed across the ship.
Kōjin snapped back to his senses, glancing one last time at Rear Admiral Jerry's fallen form before ducking down, but far away, on a pirate ship roughly two kilometers away,
a cold-faced figure calmly pulled the trigger once more.
"Bang!"
Kōjin's body shuddered as a crimson hole bloomed between his brows.
(End of Chapter)
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