Boom, boom, boom!
Boom, boom, boom!
The sound of cannon fire was incessant.
Even though the Kuja Pirates went full throttle, sailing at maximum speed, they were still caught up.
"Turn the rudder! Dodge their attacks!!"
"Empress! The Marines have caught up!!"
On the deck, the Kuja warriors gripped their weapons tightly, waiting in full battle array, ready for a desperate fight.
Gloriosa gazed over. On the two Marine warships, over a dozen pitch-black cannon muzzles were aimed at them, flames constantly erupting from the barrels.
Dozens of cannonballs poured towards them like streams of light.
Bang—
Bang—
Bang—
The shells exploded in the sea, kicking up huge waves one after another.
Thud—
"Those bastards!!"
Gloriosa gritted her silver teeth and slammed her fist against the mast.
Since entering the New World, they had been very careful, but they still encountered the Marines.
In a previous encounter, she was injured by a Marine named Garp.
After managing to escape with great difficulty, two more Marine Vice Admirals were now chasing them relentlessly. It was truly bad luck.
"This battle is unavoidable. Prepare for combat!!"
Gloriosa issued the order decisively.
"Yes, Empress!!"
"Let these Marines know how powerful we are!!"
Although Amazon Lily was located in the Calm Belt and was isolated from the outside world, making information slow to circulate, it didn't mean the people of Amazon Lily were weak. On the contrary, these women were incredibly powerful, and they had also mastered the cultivation method of Haki.
There were not a few women on Amazon Lily who had mastered Haki.
"These lingering bastards repeatedly oppose our Kuja Pirates. Do they really think we're pushovers??"
A Kuja archer snorted coldly, drawing her bow and nocking an arrow.
Twang—
The arrow left the string, tearing through the air with a whistle, and accurately hit the Marine flag on the warship's mast.
Watching the flag flutter down, the faces of Vice Admiral Sanders and the many Marines on deck turned green.
Sanders was instantly enraged: "What are you still standing there for? Use the cannons! Sink this group of women's pirate crew for me!!"
"How dare they challenge the majesty of the Marines! I think they're asking for death!!"
"Bring the warships closer, now!!"
Meanwhile, not far from there.
"It's really so boring. Big Brother, why don't you play with me?"
Linlin lay on the deck, resting her chin in her hands, bored out of her mind.
Reno turned a page of his book calmly, saying without lifting his head: "If you have nothing to do, go train. Training won't be boring."
"Uh..."
Lines of gloom instantly descended on Linlin's head, and she pouted.
"Then I'd rather continue being bored."
"Linlin, with such good talent, if you were as diligent as us, you'd be even stronger than you are now."
Jace suddenly popped up from somewhere, playing with a cute lightning Kylin (Qilin) in his hand.
The lightning Kylin seemed to have a spirit of its own, rolling around in Jace's hand, occasionally flipping over to expose its belly coquettishly.
"Jace, I think you haven't had enough beatings, have you??"
Linlin stood up, cracked her knuckles, and twisted her neck casually, making cracking sounds.
"Uh... Calm down. I was joking. Calm down."
Seeing Linlin's clenched fist, Jace couldn't help but shudder.
Linlin's fist was not something to be taken lightly.
"Of all people to provoke, why did you have to provoke Linlin?"
Beside the mast, a cloud of eerie black mist suddenly surged, slowly condensing into Black Shadow's body.
"Don't be sarcastic here. Just because I can't beat Linlin doesn't mean I can't beat you, does it??"
"If you're unconvinced, let's..."
"Hmm??"
Reno, who was reading, suddenly looked up, gazing into the distance.
Even Jace stopped his daily bickering with Black Shadow, his gaze becoming somewhat serious.
"Captain, someone seems to be fighting ahead."
"Looks like a pirate crew, and Marines!"
With innate Observation Haki plus the assistance of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, Jace's Observation Haki range was no less than Reno's.
"Marines?!"
Hearing 'Marines', the crew members busy with various tasks stopped their work and gathered around.
"Since setting sail, we've been training on Sky Island and only went to the Sabaody Archipelago once. This is our first time encountering Marines."
"Captain, why don't we avoid them? Fighting Marines is troublesome after all."
Streusen, somewhat wary of the Marines, suggested.
"What? Are the Marines strong?? Linlin will send them flying."
Unconvinced, Linlin waved her pink fist in front of Streusen.
"It's actually them."
Reno's Observation Haki enveloped the area, and his eyes lit up, flashing with an inexplicable glint.
He looked at everyone and said seriously: "We are pirates now. Dealing with Marines is inevitable sooner or later. Let's treat this as training."
"Let's go over and take a look."
"Marines, huh? Wonder if they're strong??"
Jace rubbed his hands together excitedly: "Don't anyone steal them from me."
"Be careful. Don't get killed by them."
Black Shadow wiped his short blade carefully and reminded him.
Reno stood up and walked to the railing.
This was his first encounter with the Marines since setting sail.
Besides that woman, there was a more important point: he was ready to face the Marines directly!
After today, the name of the Reno Pirates would gradually resonate across the seas!
Behind him, the crew lined up, rubbing their fists and palms, eager for action.
Perhaps this was the true joy of sailing.
Reno laughed: "Let's go! Let's see just how formidable the Marines are!!"
"Remember, don't let a single one escape!!"
"Don't worry, Captain!"
"Guaranteed to beat them until even their mothers won't recognize them!!"