The warship quickly caught up with the Celestial Dragons’ ship.

  Zephyr stood up. “Smoker, e with me to meet the Celestial Dragons!”

  Smoker looked disgusted.

  “What? I have to go too? You’re an Admiral, you go, that should be enough!”

  Veins popped out on Smoker’s forehead.

  “Stop pining! You’ll have plenty of ces to see these guys. Are you going to avoid them forever?”

  The young man really o grow up...

  Smoker couldn’t argue with Zephyr, so in the end, he was dragged along.

  B the Celestial Dragons’ ship felt less like a ship and more like a moving pace.

  Everything was golden aravagant, radiating luxury and dece.

  Zephyr’s ship used to be fshy in the captain's quarters, but this ship ulent through and through.

  Guided by CP agents, the two arrived at the Celestial Dragons' room.

  As soon as they ehey heard yelling and stomping.

  “Worthless!! Absolutely useless!!”

  “How dare you make me feel bumps!?”

  The sve, who had beely brought in, y on the ground.

  Bancroft was screaming in rage, his foot grinding down on the sve’s head.

  Although the sve was stronger, after carrying the Celestial Dragon around without enough food, his strength finally gave out, causing him to stumble, whiraged Bancroft.

  Now, the sve could only tremble on the floor, too scared to cry out or even scream in pain.

  Nearby, a beautiful woman with an hss figure and st clothing stood, holding fine food and drinks, smiling as if nothing happening around her ed her.

  But a closer look showed her eyes were lifeless, like a walking corpse.

  Smoker and Zephyr were silent.

  After a while, Bancroft seemed to tire out and pulled out a gun, shooting the sve in the head.

  The woman, hearing the gunshot, suddenly went pale, and a shiver ran through her.

  Bancroft frowhen shot her as well.

  “Dispose of them!”

  “Yes, sir!”

  A few agents and servants emerged from a hidden door, expertly ing up the bodies and blood before retreating.

  Only Gerneka stayed behind.

  Bancroft plopped onto a soft couch, downing a gss of wine in one gulp.

  “Bck Arm, I hear your warship tried to a its own? Is the Navy going to defy God’s orders?”

  The Celestial Dragons were idiots ihing they did.

  But when it came to people around and making accusations, they were gifted, as though their bloodline was made for it.

  Faced with the Celestial Dragons, even Zephyr had to lower his head.

  “Honorable Bancroft-sama, I’m not sure where you heard such rumors, but I assure you, there’s no truth to it!”

  “Are you questioning me?!” Bancroft growled.

  “I would never, sir…”

  “Never?! What do you mean by ‘never’?!! You Navy dogs are getting more and more bold!!”

  “You don’t e to serve me, and now yoing after pirates? Do you even know who I am?!”

  Zephyr ched his fist, but his tone remained calm.

  “Bancroft-sama, please, let me expin!”

  “I don’t want to hear it!”

  Bancroft pulled out a gun and poi at Zephyr. “You just o answer me right now, what’s more important to your Navy—serving me or hunting pirates?!”

  “Of course, hunting pirates!!!”

  Smoker’s shog response made everyourn their heads toward him.

  Bancroft: “?!!!”

  Zephyr: “?!!!”

  Bancroft trembled, his eyes wide, gring at Smoker.

  “Im... impudent! What did you say?!!”

  Gerneka stepped forward, his body covered in Haki, looking like a vicious dog ready to pounce.

  “I said we should go after the pirates!!”

  Smoker’s eyes fshed with iy, his presence cold and imposing.

  Suddenly, he poi Gerneka and shouted, “What do you think the Celestial Dragons are?!”

  “Uh? Huh?!”

  Gerneka was caught off guard, his brain short-circuiting as he didn’t know how to answer.

  Before he could respond, Smoker waved his hand.

  “The Celestial Dragons! They are the rulers of this world, they are gods of this world!!”

  “Proteg the lives of the Celestial Dragons and upholding their dignity is the Navy’s highest mission!!”

  Zephyr: “?!!!”

  Gerneka: “?!!!”

  Bancroft’s eyes sparkled with i.

  “Hm? Keep going!!”

  “Yes, Bancroft-sama!” Smoker tinued. “The filthy pirates approag a god are bsphemers!!”

  “Whether they know it or not, no matter their iions, the moment they appear on an isnd that the Celestial Dragons are about to step on, it is undoubtedly a death sentence!!”

  “As the Navy, we ot allow such a thing to happen!”

  “This is not just my opinion, it is the belief of the entire Navy!”

  As Smoker spoke, he gave Zephyr a meaningful gnce.

  Zephyr uood.

  “That's right! If the CP is the shield of the Celestial Dragons, proteg them from attacks...”

  “Then the Navy must be the sword of the Celestial Dragons, actively striking and cutting down any threats!”

  “Any potential threat to the Celestial Dragons must be strangled in its cradle!”

  “Hahaha, well said! Very well said!”

  Bancroft cheered, then turo Smoker.

  “So... Marine, what do you think we should do?!”

  Smoker’s eyes fshed with sharpness.

  “Anyone who offends a god... dies!!”

  “We must get there first and eliminate any hindrances in your way!”

  Bancroft nodded in approval.

  “Good! Then, by my decree, go and wipe out those dirty pirates!!”

  “Yes, sir!”

  With the order from the Celestial Dragon, Smoker and the Navy rushed to Pumiso Isnd.

  Zephyr was kept on the ship by Bancroft, guarding his own life closely.

  Smroup moved quickly to intercept the Fang Pirates.

  But because of the Celestial Dragons’ interferehe precious time they had carefully pnned was wasted by several hours.

  Smoker was growing more anxious.

  [Ol’ didn’t send as for a long time. I have no idea what happened on Pumiso Isnd.]

  [We must hurry…]

  Soon, they arrived at Pumiso Isnd.

  The Fang Pirates were long gone.

  The town on the isnd was engulfed in fmes and bck smoke.

  The streets were littered with dismembered bodies, blood staining the road, with some young women in tattered clothes, covered in wounds, leaning against walls with hollow looks in their eyes.

  Some survivors, ign their own pain and sorrow, were desperately trying to save people and put out fires.

  When the warship docked at the pier, all the Mariared in shock at one dire, uo speak.

  There, a pole stood tall.

  Hanging from it was a body, covered in cuts and burns, both arms and legs severed, eyes and nose reduced to bloody holes. The body had clearly been tortured beyond belief.

  The sea breeze blew, making the body sway.

  Smoker and the Marines felt a chill run through their entire bodies.

  [Or…]

  Void996