Night had fallen, cloaking the sea in darkness. The battered pirate ship swayed faintly amidst the waves.
Several exhausted pirates stood on the deck, anxiously gazing into the distance at the gradually blurring battlefield.
Their eyes were filled with anxiety and rage.
Although they had successfully escaped the suffocating bloodbath, they knew in their hearts that this was not a victory, but a temporary retreat.
Inside the ship's hold, the atmosphere was heavy.
The footsteps of several pirates were heavy, their low murmurs echoing in the dim light.
Two middle-aged pirates pushed open the door and entered the first mate's cabin, their faces grim.
The atmosphere immediately became oppressively stifling.
"First Mate, things are not good..."
One of them spoke, his voice low and trembling slightly.
The fear in his eyes had not completely dissipated; the memory of that battle still lingered.
"They... they didn't give us any chance at all."
Another pirate gritted his teeth, his tone filled with anger, yet laced with helplessness.
"Jin An, Whitebeard, Kuzan... those monsters' strength far exceeds our imagination. Almost no one can withstand their attacks."
The first mate remained seated at the table, silent for a moment before slowly raising his head, his gaze sweeping over them:
"How did you escape?
Didn't the enemy pursue you?"
The two pirates exchanged a glance, the fear in their hearts resurfacing. After a moment of silence, one of them gritted his teeth and said:
"We tried to be as stealthy as possible, using the power of the Clear-Clear Fruit to avoid pursuit.
Unfortunately, we had almost no chance to fight back in the end.
We simply couldn't cope with their speed and power."
The first mate listened, his face gradually becoming serious, his fingers tapping lightly on the table.
Clearly, he understood that the failure of the advance force was not accidental, but rather that the enemy's strength far exceeded their expectations.
He muttered to himself:
"Jin An..."
That name lingered in his mind for a long time. Having only recently appeared among the pirates, he had already struck fear into the hearts of countless pirates, and even he himself dared not underestimate this young leader.
"We know the enemy is strong."
He raised his head, his gaze stern.
"But you are not the only force. We still have the big guys."
"......"
The first mate's voice gradually lowered, as if he was not in a hurry to react.
He slowly stood up and walked towards a large table in the corner of the cabin, on which was spread a detailed map of the world.
The surrounding pirates followed him, looking down at the map.
The first mate pointed to a small spot on the map and said coldly:
"Currently, we are not in a hurry to attack. The strength of the New Navy should not be underestimated, and Jin An is an opponent that cannot be ignored.
It seems... we can no longer act rashly."
He paused for a moment, a hint of contemplation flashing in his eyes:
"We cannot rely solely on our existing strength. We are waiting for a stronger aid."
His tone carried a certain secret confidence.
Seeing this, the pirates felt a slight sense of relief, but also some confusion:
"First Mate, are we going to continue waiting?
We have already lost the vanguard, Jin An's combat power is strong, and the Navy is also closing in step by step."
A young pirate asked anxiously.
"Wait."
The first mate's voice was low, but full of power. His gaze became firm and deep.
"This battle is not just a contest between the New Navy and us, but a confrontation between us and the entire world.
We must wait for the strongest force to completely reverse the situation."
He pointed to a certain place on the map, his tone as low as the night:
"Here, soon, the Celestial Dragons' secret weapon will arrive.
As long as they take action, we will have the ability to counterattack, not only to defeat Jin An, but even to completely destroy the New Navy."
The pirates' expressions were complex upon hearing this.
The eyes of the great pirate burned with fearless flames, his belief firm, as if he already saw victory ahead.
......
The night deepened, and the sense of oppression in the air became even more intense.
Several pirates stood on the deck, gazing at the distant sea, silent.
Although they had escaped back to relatively safe territory, the unease in their hearts could not be dispelled.
Everyone knew that they had stepped into a war of no return.
But waiting was not easy.
As time passed, the pirates' anxiety gradually increased, and the torment in their hearts became clearer.
Although they could rely on a strong backing, the torment of this waiting made everyone's nerves extremely tense.
"How long can we wait?"
A pirate asked in a low voice, his tone full of unease.
"The First Mate said that as long as the Celestial Dragons' weapon arrives, the outcome can be reversed."
Another pirate gritted his teeth, but his tone carried a hint of doubt.
"But... what if Jin An doesn't give us any more time?"
The first mate's calm voice came from the depths of the ship's hold:
"We are not waiting for an opportunity, but waiting for a decisive blow.
As long as the power of the Celestial Dragons arrives, it can break the current stalemate."
However, in this dark sea, no one could foresee what would happen next.
Would the World Government's aid really arrive as scheduled?
Or would the powerful forces of the New Navy suddenly erupt in this already complex battle, completely changing the situation?
An uneasy ripple began to rise in the pirates' hearts.
The storm was coming, and whether they could ride the waves depended on what happened next.
......
"Whoosh~"
A slight whistling sound cut through the silent night sky, followed by a figure that arrived like a ghost, landing lightly on the mast of the pirate ship.
The wooden beam on the mast swayed slightly, accompanied by the whisper of the night wind.
The person was wearing a black robe, slender, and moved gracefully, as if blending into the surrounding darkness.
He stood on the mast, his eyes indifferent, looking down at the pirate ship below and the group of pirates discussing nervously.
In the moonlight, his eyes were like a deep ocean, cold and ruthless.
The corners of his mouth turned up slightly, revealing a hint of a contemptuous smile.
"As expected, you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear."
He shook his head slightly and sighed softly. His words were gentle, but they revealed an undeniable contempt.
"Still huddled up at a time like this..."
His gaze swept over the arguing pirates, a hint of disappointment flashing in his eyes.
"But who would have thought that the World Government would fail like this."
A cold light flashed in his eyes for a moment, followed by a somewhat helpless expression.
"I have no choice but to try my luck with this rabble."
He slowly withdrew his gaze, seemingly not in a hurry to show himself, standing on the mast and quietly observing everything.
The wind gently stirred his robe, his figure seeming to blend into the night, making it almost impossible to feel his presence.
...
