"The Marines are here?"
"Impossible! There's no way!" His voice turned hard. "I specifically sought out Hope Island. This place is remote, sparsely populated, and surrounded by barren wasteland. Ordinary people could never find it. How could the East Blue Marines discover it?"
"Captain, the Marines are really here!" a Scissor Pirates crewman shouted as he rushed in, anxiety cracking his voice. "We aren't lying! The shore is packed with East Blue Marine ships!"
"They're really here?"
"They're really here!" The crewman nodded vigorously, his face scrunching up as he wailed, "Captain, we're already surrounded. Shouldn't we run right now?"
The words barely left his mouth when panic seized the captains and crews of the other pirate groups. Before anyone could speak, a sharp command cut through the air.
"Don't panic!"
Cold sweat beaded on Scissor's forehead, yet he reprimanded them instantly, ordering everyone to stay calm. "So what if the Marines found this place? You must know I stumbled upon this cave by accident. Even someone who walked through it once couldn't find it again without knowing the way! Moreover..."
A realization seemed to hit him. The corners of his mouth curled upward, confidence replacing his fear. "So what if we're discovered? Back when the East Blue Overlord organized the Pirate Feast and we were found out, didn't the Scissor Pirates still escape? As long as you follow me, I believe all of us will definitely get away!"
The crew stared at their leader in stunned silence.
Hearing his words, everyone turned to stare intently at him. Scissor was right. This place was so remote, the Marines definitely wouldn't have discovered it so quickly. With the experienced captain leading them, perhaps they really could escape.
"That's right! With the captain here, we can definitely get out!"
"He has the best hope of inheriting the third-generation Throne of the East Blue Overlord. He will definitely fulfill the late Overlord's dying wish and revitalize the East Blue pirates!"
"Just tell us what to do! We'll all listen to you, Captain."
At that moment, the pirates found their backbone. They looked at Scissor with anticipation. Seeing this, a surge of satisfaction swelled within him. The Throne of the East Blue Overlord felt as if it were already within his grasp.
He even thought... perhaps the arrival of the East Blue Marines wasn't a bad thing! Without their help, how could this bunch of punks have submitted to his command so easily?
"No problem. As long as you all follow my orders, we will definitely, "
However, before he could finish, the wailing crewman beside him suddenly shouted in desperation, "Captain, the one leading the force this time is the East Blue Marine Captain known as the Thunder God!"
The words struck like lightning.
The faces of the previously excited crowd stiffened. Terror filled everyone's eyes.
"The Thunder God? That's a monster! Why is he here?"
"Damn it, the East Blue Marines did this on purpose! They're planning to wipe us all out!"
"Quick Blade was defeated in a single exchange. Enel isn't someone we can deal with at all. What do we do now?"
"And I also heard... he isn't human at all. He can read minds. No secret can be hidden from him. Could it be... our location has been discovered?!"
An unknown pirate shouted this, and instantly, silence fell over the group again. Fear surfaced on every face.
Even Scissor's heart gripped with dread. That was a monster! If he weren't a monster, could an ordinary person master such terrifying lightning? And remain completely unharmed by any attack!
Maybe Enel... was actually a god!
"We are completely outmatched! We need to run, right now!"
The crewman shot a desperate look at his captain, who stood frozen in a daze, and shouted again, "He probably already knows our plan. It won't be long before he finds this place. If we don't run now, it'll be too late!"
However.
Scissor said nothing.
How could he not know? If they didn't run now, they would never get the chance. But what were they supposed to do? Back then, he had only survived because he happened to miss the final Pirate Feast. There was no way he could have claimed to escape right in front of the East Blue Marines. That story about the Throne of the Overlord of the East Blue was just bragging he made up.
At the thought, Scissor glared fiercely at his idiot crewman. If his subordinate had whispered the truth to him earlier, he could have tricked the crew into staying to hold off the Marines while they slipped away.
But now...
*Cough, cough, cough!*
"Everyone, quiet down! Don't panic, we still have a chance!"
Scissor faked a few coughs to silence the crowd, suppressed the fear clawing at his heart, and declared, "As long as everyone follows my command, remember this: the majority of the East Blue's Elite Pirates are gathered here. So what if the Thunder God comes? We can definitely defeat him!"
He had to trick these fools into holding the line against the Marines!
Hearing his words, the crowd calmed once more. Even the three other captains, Kiri, Kiny, and Tiger, settled down. Though they disliked Scissor, he was right. Only by uniting did they stand a chance of escape.
"Listen to me, everyone! We still have a chance. Yes, we definitely do!"
Seeing the panic subside, Scissor forced himself to stay calm despite his racing heart. "Back then, the East Blue Overlord dared to massacre Marine Branch 16 with just one pirate crew. Why can't we hold out with so many people? As long as, as long as we..."
Before he could finish, a curious voice cut in from beside them.
"Oh? As long as you do what to solve me? Why did you stop talking?"
"I was just about to say it! Why are you interrupting me?"
Annoyance flared in Scissor. He whipped his head around. "Which crew do you belong to? Why are you so clueless about the rules? I haven't finished speaking yet. As long as..."
The sentence died in his throat.
Scissor stiffened. He stared in disbelief at the blond man crouching on a massive boulder, an apple in hand, wearing the blue and white uniform of the East Blue Marines. The man had appeared out of nowhere. His eyes bulged as if ready to pop from their sockets.
"A-as long as... y-you... You're an East Blue Marine! Why are you here?"
As the words left his lips, the other captains finally noticed. They turned, terror washing over them as they looked at Enel, who had materialized among them without a sound.
"I-it's... the Thunder God!"
"Damn it, how did that title spread again?"
At the nickname, Enel nearly lost his balance and tumbled off the boulder. He steadied himself, vanished, and reappeared directly in front of a trembling captain. Smiling, he patted the man's shoulder.
"I really dislike that title, don't bring it up again! As for how I know..." He picked at his ear. "You were making so much noise my ears hurt. How could I not know?"
"Y-you, you..."
"Don't be nervous. Rest assured, I didn't come to do anything to you. I don't want to make those guys unhappy."
Enel vanished again, reappearing before the crowd, right next to Scissor.
"According to the higher-ups rules... forget it. The person is here, see for yourselves!"
Enel's words had barely left his mouth when an excited shout erupted from the cave entrance.
"Captain! Captain! We can go to the Grand Line! We can go to the Grand Line! We won't be caught!"
As more crew members rushed in, the once-spacious cave instantly grew crowded and noisy. Only when Enel bellowed in annoyance did they finally quiet down. With his permission, each pirate crew left just one representative inside. After handing the paper received from the Marines to their respective captains, they turned and ran immediately. Even with so many Marines outside, those crewmen would rather face them than stay near this capricious man.
Though terrified with Enel standing right beside them, the captains still lifted the papers in their hands, expressions puzzled. What did it mean they wouldn't be arrested? What did it mean they could go to the Grand Line? Had the East Blue Marines actually compromised? Ridiculous. That bunch would never compromise.
As soon as they lowered their heads, Three large words caught their eyes: "New Pirate Regulations." Driven by curiosity, everyone kept reading.
After an unknown stretch of time, every pirate's eyes snapped wide. They stared at the paper in disbelief. An incredible thought took root: Could it be... that the East Blue Marines really had compromised?
True, the document listed various requirements. It seemed they even needed to pass some sort of certificate exam before being allowed out, otherwise, all uncertified pirates would be eliminated. But with a certificate, they could sail freely. Yet what exactly was this certificate? How were they supposed to take the exam? Judging by the text, the East Blue Marines would even assist them in obtaining it. If they failed, they could retake it multiple times. Only the first three attempts were free, from the fourth onward, they would have to pay a nominal fee. The exact amount wasn't written.
===============
Dear Readers and Fans,
For those eager to dive into next chapters earlier before others, I invite you to join us on Patreon. By becoming our Patron, you not only gain access to exclusive advanced chapters but also help us continue this endeavour and expand it further.
pat reo n.co m /8Ashes8
(no space)
You can read upto 30 Chapters in advance.