At the entrance of the naval base, several figures paced back and forth anxiously.
"The cannon fire has stopped..."
Onigumo murmured in a low voice, his brow furrowed, his pace becoming even more urgent.
The cannon fire had finally stopped, but Onigumo's heart felt increasingly uneasy.
His pacing became more and more rapid, his eyes revealing deep anxiety.
"Onigumo, stop spinning around in front of me, you're making my eyes dizzy..."
Amatsuki Toki stood to the side, rubbing his tired eyes, his tone tinged with helplessness.
"Aren't you worried at all?"
Onigumo stopped, his eyes full of concern.
"Jin'an is facing so many pirates at the same time."
Amatsuki Toki glanced at Onigumo and shook his head helplessly.
"Worrying is useless. That guy Jin'an has never lost before."
Onigumo clenched his fists tightly, clearly finding it difficult to calm his anxiety.
Just then, a familiar voice came from the side, breaking their anxious atmosphere.
"I didn't expect you to be so worried about me."
Jin'an's figure slowly emerged from behind a large tree, his voice carrying a hint of a smile.
Hearing this voice, Onigumo suddenly turned around and saw Jin'an standing there unharmed, instantly relieved.
He quickly walked forward, his eyes revealing undisguised joy and relief.
"Jin'an, you're back!"
Amatsuki Toki also smiled, gently patting Jin'an on the shoulder.
"You always manage to surprise people."
Issei, who was waiting to the side, quietly disappeared.
Jin'an smiled, looking around at his teammates' concerned gazes, a warm current welling up in his heart.
He patted Onigumo on the shoulder, his tone relaxed.
"Alright, don't worry, I'm fine, aren't I?"
Onigumo loosened his clenched fists, took a deep breath, and tried to calm his agitated emotions.
"You have no idea how worried we were just now."
"It's nothing, those pirates are just small fry."
Jin'an said casually, but the cold glint in his eyes sent a chill down one's spine.
Amatsuki Toki nodded, picking up the conversation.
"Now that you're safe, hurry back and rest, so we can relax too."
Jin'an nodded, his eyes showing a hint of fatigue, but even more determination.
"What about the Celestial Dragons?"
Jin'an asked, his brow furrowed slightly.
He didn't want to see those two disgusting guys again.
Onigumo spread his hands, smiling helplessly.
"Scared of death, they ran away long ago."
Jin'an breathed a sigh of relief, a hint of ease flashing in his eyes.
"That's good."
Amatsuki Toki looked curious, his eyes sparkling as he asked.
"What did you do with those pirates?"
Jin'an chuckled, his tone dismissive.
"I gave them three chances, they didn't cherish them, so I left them all there."
"Oh~ It's good to kill those scumbags."
Amatsuki Toki smiled and handed Jin'an a bottle of water.
Jin'an took the bottle, opened the cap, and took a sip.
Onigumo's face changed drastically when he heard the two's conversation, and he froze.
"Y-you killed them all?!"
Jin'an's expression was indifferent, as if what he had just said was just a trivial matter.
"Yes, I killed them all."
Onigumo's face became even more grave.
"If that's the case, won't those pirate groups turn the world upside down..."
Jin'an patted Onigumo on the shoulder, his tone conveying reassurance.
"Don't be afraid, a group of pirates hiding in their territories, even if they are strong, are not to be feared."
He recalled those cowardly guys.
They didn't have the courage of Shiki to directly attack the Navy.
Onigumo was still somewhat worried, frowning as he said.
"But in that case, they will vent their anger on you, right?"
Jin'an's smile carried a hint of coldness, his eyes resolute.
"If they dare to come looking for me, let them come, I'll take them all on."
His tone revealed unwavering determination, like an unshakable mountain.
Onigumo was infected by Jin'an's determination, and although he still had a trace of worry in his heart, he had even more trust in Jin'an.
He nodded and said nothing more.
Amatsuki Toki listened from the side, smiling slightly.
"Jin'an, you're always like this, never retreating no matter what kind of enemy you face."
Jin'an smiled, his gaze peaceful. Before, when he didn't have enough strength, he had to watch other people's faces in everything he did, and he had to think carefully about everything.
Now he has nothing to fear. A group of pirates with insufficient strength, could their leader dare to come and cause trouble for him?
He'll kill one if they come.
At that moment, a commotion came from afar. Outside the naval base gate, a large number of people had gathered.
Jin'an's gaze turned towards that side, a trace of thought flashing in his eyes.
"It seems someone is here to cause trouble."
Amatsuki Toki raised an eyebrow, his tone with a hint of excitement.
Jin'an nodded, gripping the hilt of his sword.
"No matter who it is, don't even think about causing trouble here."
The three of them walked towards the base gate side by side. In their territory, they had never been afraid of anyone.
At the entrance of the naval base, a fat figure was standing there, dressed in purple, none other than "King of Loan" Du Feld.
Beside him were piled up gold, silver, jewels, and various precious treasures, glittering and shining.
Du Feld's face wore a flattering smile. Seeing the naval soldiers at the gate, he said politely.
"This naval officer, I would like to see your commanding officer. Please help me report it."
"Who is making trouble here?"
Onigumo's figure appeared first, his tone full of vigilance.
Jin'an and the others followed closely behind, walking to the gate.
Seeing Jin'an, Du Feld's face lit up with joy, a trace of panic and flattery flashing in his eyes.
He hurriedly trotted up to Jin'an, panting as he said.
"You are a magnanimous man, I hope you won't take the previous events to heart. These are all apologies for you."
Du Feld knew that he had offended Jin'an, and the other party's strength had long made him tremble with fear.
He could only choose to kneel and save his life, his attitude extremely humble.
Jin'an looked coldly at Du Feld, without the slightest pity in his eyes.
His gaze swept over the pile of treasures, his tone indifferent.
"Apologies? Do you think these things can make up for what you did before?"
Du Feld's face changed, and he quickly nodded and bowed.
"Yes, yes, yes, I was wrong. These are just a token of my appreciation, please accept them."
Onigumo frowned to the side, looking at Jin'an.
"Who is this person? Do you have a feud with him?"
Jin'an said indifferently.
"This person is the King of Loan, Du Feld. You should have heard about what happened at the auction house before."
Onigumo suddenly understood, and snorted coldly.
"So it's you. Do you think the previous matter can be settled so easily?"
Cold sweat broke out on Du Feld's forehead, and he waved his hands repeatedly.
"No, no, no, I definitely don't mean that, I just hope to get your forgiveness."
Jin'an's face was still cold, and he said slowly.
"Forgiveness cannot be bought with gold and jewels."
Du Feld's face was pale, and he pleaded.
"Then please tell me what I have to do to gain your forgiveness?"
Jin'an was silent for a while, and then said coldly.
"The debt you owe must be repaid with action."
He looked at Du Feld, a flash of sharpness in his eyes.
"From today onwards, I will have someone working under you, and you must obey all his orders."
"Of course, you can also refuse."
Du Feld didn't expect that the foundation he had painstakingly built for so many years would become Jin'an's wedding dress.
But he could only nod repeatedly, his voice trembling.
"Yes, yes, yes, I will definitely do as you say, definitely do as you say."
Jin'an nodded in satisfaction and turned to leave.
...