The red light moved so fast it was barely visible to the naked eye, finally landing in front of Aunt Shakky's bar.
As the light faded, Osiris shrank and curled around Ye Chen.
"Ye Chen, is this the place?" Esdeath looked around, as if searching for someone. Just a moment ago, Ye Chen had told her they were here to find a very powerful person.
"Let's go, it's just inside," Ye Chen said, pointing to the bar's entrance nearby.
He pushed the door open and stepped inside, followed closely by Esdeath.
Several surprised voices greeted them:
"Lord Ye Chen, you're alright!"
"Lord Ye Chen, you're back!"
The warriors from Daughter Country all gathered around Ye Chen.
"All good," Ye Chen smiled and replied.
"I knew it, Lord Ye Chen would be fine."
"How did things with the Marine Headquarters go? Did they give you any trouble?"
Questions kept pouring in, making Ye Chen's head spin.
It took him about ten minutes to answer them all.
"Everything settled?" Aunt Shakky asked calmly from behind the bar, a cigarette held between her fingers.
"Yeah," Ye Chen nodded, then paused and asked, "What about Uncle Rayleigh?"
Aunt Shakky called out toward the back, "Rayleigh, Ye Chen's here."
"Back already?" came Rayleigh's hearty voice shortly after.
White-haired Rayleigh emerged from the back door and walked toward Ye Chen, studying him carefully, puzzled: "Not a scratch on you, kid. No sign of the Marine Headquarters?"
Ye Chen wiped a cold sweat — was he supposed to come back all battered and bruised?
Still, it was understandable that Rayleigh was suspicious. Fighting admirals without a single wound was almost impossible—even at Rayleigh's prime, he wouldn't claim to face admirals unscathed.
"There were quite a few," Ye Chen said, without naming names.
Rayleigh had to guess for himself, and there was no need to tell him everything.
"Forget it, as long as you're fine," Rayleigh said, patting Ye Chen's shoulder.
At that moment, a cold glare appeared between them.
"Let go." Esdeath's face was icy as she spoke sternly.
Rayleigh's pupils contracted sharply. He had noticed Esdeath since she came in but hadn't said anything since he didn't know her.
"Esdeath, let him go. He means no harm," Ye Chen said, then turned to Rayleigh: "Sorry, Uncle Rayleigh, she's a bit tense."
"No problem." Rayleigh shook his head. "Is she one of your crew?"
Ye Chen paused, then nodded: "Yeah."
Rayleigh's question reminded Ye Chen — he didn't yet have a pirate crew, or his own faction.
At first, when he learned he time-traveled into the pirate world, he wanted to join the Marine Headquarters. But after rescuing Hancock and her friends, and wiping out Celestial Gold while offending the Celestial Dragons, there was no way he could stay with the Marines.
Since he couldn't stay in the Marines, he'd become a pirate instead.
Pirates had no restrictions and were free.
"By the way, what's your pirate crew called? Is it just you two?" Rayleigh smiled and asked.
Ye Chen smiled back, knowing Rayleigh was curious about his backing: "I'm not saying for now. You'll know in time."
A flicker of something strange passed through Rayleigh's eyes, and he laughed: "I'll be waiting."
"Yeah." Ye Chen nodded. "We have other matters, so we'll be going. Lisa and the others troubled you just now."
"It was nothing, no need to thank me," Aunt Shakky said calmly from the side.
"Still, thanks are due." Ye Chen took a Devil Fruit out of the treasure chest and placed it on the bar.
"We'll be off now." Ye Chen said, then led Lisa and Esdeath out of the bar.
Watching Ye Chen leave, Rayleigh sighed softly: "Looks like these seas will stir up some storms again."
"Just them?" Aunt Shakky hinted.
Rayleigh laughed heartily: "Yep, just them. That woman just now? Her strength is no joke — at least on par with an admiral."
"With power like that, they must have quite a few more pirates under their command," Aunt Shakky said calmly.
"What if this is only the tip of the iceberg?" Rayleigh said.
"...In that case, that faction could be quite frightening," Aunt Shakky paused, then answered.
"The unknown is the most terrifying," Rayleigh shook his head.
Aunt Shakky nodded in agreement.
The unknown — no matter when, always the most frightening.
"Lord Ye Chen, right here."
At a pier in the Sabaody Archipelago, Lisa pointed toward a ship docked not far away — the Kuja Pirates' vessel.
This book is provided by FunNovel Novel Book | Fan Fiction Novel [Beautiful Free Novel Book]