Roje a swirl of uainty, his emotions a tangled mix of relief and fusion. Sefiya's uanding had given him a moment to breathe, but he still felt adrift. Where would he go once he left? The sea stretched out before him, vast and full of possibilities, yet it felt like there was nowhere he could truly belong.

  Fred nudged him. "e on, hurry! There's a reserved escape boat on board. You o take it and leave."

  Rojen pressed his lips together, allowing Fred to pull him away from the pce that felt so heavy with unspoken words.

  In that moment, Rojen couldn't shake the feeling of helplesshat life often brought. Sefiya's choiot to front him, not to demand an expnation, spoke volumes. He uood all too well what that silence meant.

  No matter how close they had been, a chasm had opened between them. It was thin, almost imperceptible, but it was there, a remihat their bond might never be the same.

  Sefiya hadn't chosen to meet him face-to-face, to ask for the truth. She hadn't given him the ce to expin. And that was because she was wise. She uood that they could ruly be together. The presence of Fred sighe end of their retionship.

  A criminal with a bounty of 110 Milliardless of his destructive potential, his danger was clear. Someone like him couldn't coexist with ordinary people. Sefiya was a businesswoman, and while she might have been willing to sacrifice for love, she chose to step back when it mattered most.

  Rojen couldn't articute his feelings at that moment. He simply sighed, his expression a plex mix of emotions, and followed Fred in silence.

  As they made their way to the deck, the sudden sound of terrified screams shattered the stillness.

  Sharp whistles pierced the air.

  "Xiū Xiū Xiū."

  Fred and Rojen looked up just in time to see three bck onballs s overhead, crashing into the opposite side of the ship with a thunderous thud.

  "Boom!"

  A massive explosion of seawater erupted, and the ship creaked, violently rog beh them.

  "Captain!!"

  "Pirates! My God, it's pirates!!"

  "Why are there pirates here?! What should we do?"

  The crew was thrown into chaos, uo prehend hoirate crepeared in these waters.

  Fred, his bd-white hair drenched from the spshing water, was flustered but didn't care about his disheveled appearance. He rushed forward, peering out toward the sea and Rojen quickly followed suit.

  In the distance, a ship sliced through the waves, the shouts of its crew carried across the water.

  The sails fpped in the wind, and a fearsome skull was dispyed atop the mast.

  Sefiya, who had been in her office, rushed out upon hearing the otion. Her expression ged as she spotted the pirate ship in the distance.

  "Captain, that's the Sordes Pirates. Their bounty is 15 Million. They're the most vicious group in this region."

  "It is rumored that they left for the Grand Line a year ago. Why are they back?"

  A middle-aged man with a sword at his waist, standing behind Sefiya, spoke in a grave tone.

  "Whatever happens, we 't just sit here. Gather the fighters and prepare to fight."

  Sefiya g the horizon with urgen her voice.

  The middle-aged man nodded and turo call the ship's fighting crew. As a mert fleet, they always had some personnel on hand to protect the ship and its passengers.

  "Rojen, it looks like you won't be leaving just yet," Fred said, shaking his head as he stared out to sea.

  "Mhm." Rojen nodded in agreement.

  With the arrival of the pirates, he khat escape was no longer an option.

  Three mier, another round of on fire rained down, nding heavily around the ship and sending up plumes of seawater.

  These were intimidating shots, not meant to damage the ship, but to force it to surrender. Still, the crew scrambled and ducked their heads in fear.

  On the Sordes Pirate ship, a middle-aged man with a long scar across his face, wearing a captain's hat, gred at the mert vessel.

  "Give me one more round of bombardment. Aim for the stern this time!"

  As soon as he spoke, doubt flickered across the face of the man beside him.

  "Captain, if we target their stern, the ship will be finished."

  "Before it sinks, we'll steal their treasure and kill everyone. Do you really ck the fideo do that?" Sordes spoke in aionless voice without even looking back.

  The maated for a moment but then, without further dey, waved his hand and shouted, "Fire!"

  "Boom!"

  The deafening roar of the on echoed, and in an instant, the rear of the mert ship was struck with ferocity. The vessel began to tremble violently, throwing many people to the ground. Those at the back were caught i, reduced to a gruesome se of blood and chaos.

  The stench of blood quickly permeated the air, and the crew's faces turned ashen at the sight.

  "The rear is on fire! The keel is cracked! This ship is going to sink!" An elderly man cried out, his voice trembling with fear.

  His words only heightehe panic among the crew.

  "Fred, do you know these pirates?" Rojen suddenly asked, his heart rag.

  "Yeah, they're the Sordes Pirates. Captain Sordes has a bounty of 15 Million. I heard they ehe Grand Li year, so why are they baow?" Fred replied, fusion evident in his tone.

  "15 Million?"

  Roje a slight sense of relief. With that bounty, if he tapped into his ghost possession, he might still stand a ce.

  But then he recalled how the crew had treated him, and his desire to help quickly faded.

  He wasn't foolish enough to risk himself for just anyone, especially when they inteo harm him.

  For now, he had no choice but to wait and see how the situation unfolded.

  The two of them moved along the deck, witnessing more than a dozen men with rifles anizing the panig crowd. Sefiya, her expression serious, was urgently discussing pns with another crew member.

  Gradually, the panic subsided, and the group of burly men, armed and resolute, took their positions at the front, their expressions grim as they prepared for the impending frontation.

  At this point, the Sordes Pirates' ship was only about 200 to 300 meters away.

  "Draw your bdes and swords, load yuns, and unleash all the frustration you've held back from your time in the Grand Line!"

  "This battle…"

  "I don't need—"

  "Any live witness!"

  (End Of Chapter)

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