[System, what kind of creature are you anyway? I've never seen an animal like you before,] Drake asked suddenly.
The remark made the System's fur stand on end instantly. Pointing a tiny paw straight at Drake, it began cursing up a storm:
[You're the thing here! Your whole family is a bunch of things! I'm not a thing!]
[Wait, no! I am a thing... Dammit! You're the one who isn't a proper thing!]
Drake blinked in sheer bewilderment, unsure of how to respond. He had merely thrown out a casual question—why did the System have such an explosive reaction?
[Ahem, alright, calm down, don't get so worked up. It was just an offhand comment,] Drake hurried to smooth things over.
[Even if you're some messed-up, crossbred critter, I wouldn't hold it against you. You're my System, after all.]
[Piss off! When did I ever say I was an animal?! I am a bona fide, legitimate—] Catching itself mid-sentence, the System paused abruptly as if realizing something, then deliberately turned its head away.
[Shut your mouth and focus on how you're going to handle the battle ahead. Im with a newly acquired body is going to be an absolute nightmare to deal with.]
[Fair point,] Drake nodded.
As he forged ahead across the sea, he pondered the System's words. He had always felt that the System was keeping certain secrets from him, but this was fine. He believed that when the time was right, the System would tell him everything.
Since it was unwilling to speak now, there was no need to pry.
Drake moved at terrifying speed, chaining spatial warps with virtually no delay. Before his afterimage could even settle, he had already vanished into the next sector.
Even at this blistering pace, returning to the East Blue would still take half a day.
Meanwhile, a catastrophic upheaval had engulfed the East Blue.
Not long ago, a colossal expanse of ominous black mist had suddenly blanketed the skies over the entire sea.
At first, the people hadn't realized the impending danger, assuming the sky had simply darkened into an overcast evening.
Though unusual, they hadn't paid it much mind.
Yet moments ago, the pitch-black canopy expanded rapidly, raining down a bizarre black deluge. This could no longer be explained as ordinary stormy weather.
The black rain was not water at all, but a terrifying, unknown energy substance—deadly beyond measure!
For ordinary mortals, a single touch meant instant death.
It didn't stop at humans; all forms of flora, fauna, and local terrain were incinerated into ash wherever the dark droplets fell.
Because the black mist covered such an astronomical area, the populace had nowhere to run and nowhere to hide.
People could only huddle inside their homes waiting for doom, or dig deep into the earth in a desperate bid to use the soil as makeshift shelter.
This was the only defense the helpless villagers could muster.
Across the islands, people acted in sheer panic.
In Syrup Village, the crew of the Dragon Flag Pirates.
Kenshin and the others gathered in the restored mansion, deliberating over their next course of action.
"Now that Im has revealed herself so blatantly, her power has likely fully recovered. In just half an hour, countless innocent lives have already fallen across the East Blue," Kenshin briefed the room on the latest developments while the other four listened intently.
During this time, Ain had awakened from her exhaustion. Hearing the grim news, her expression hardened.
Previously, they had worried that even once Drake returned, tracking Im down across the vast East Blue would be a grueling task.
If Im truly wished to stay hidden, finding her would have been nearly impossible.
Even with the intelligence network of the Dark Clan's East Blue branch, it would have taken time.
Now, that concern was rendered moot—she had openly presented herself before the entire world.
She was actively waiting for them to come to her.
This was precisely what they needed to discuss. With their current strength, confronting Im was undeniably an uphill battle, yet the situation on the ground was deteriorating rapidly.
The entire East Blue had plunged into a mortal crisis. Im had already broadcast her ultimate intent:
She was going to completely eradicate the East Blue!
Her underlying motive for annihilating this specific sea remained unknown, but the hanging dark shroud suffocating the heavens said all that needed to be said.
If they failed to take immediate action, the consequences would be catastrophic beyond measure.
"Mr. Kenshin, I have the latest emergency dispatch from our regional command," Brother Hu said, stepping into the room and handing a freshly transcribed report directly to Kenshin.
Kenshin scanned the document rapidly before looking up. "The New World Government has mobilized. However, because the new administration was established only days ago, the only high-tier combat asset deployed to the East Blue is their commanding officer for this sector—Admiral Issho!"
Following the overthrow of the corrupt World Government, Dragon and the leadership had immediately dispatched their pinnacle combat assets to secure the Four Blues and maintain global stability.
The new Marine Admiral: Fujitora!
Under the reorganized Navy, the Three Admirals remained Kizaru, Fujitora, and Ryokugyu.
"However, even Admiral Fujitora will be no match for Im alone. Under these circumstances, what should our Dragon Flag Pirates... choose to do?"
The crew exchanged glances, simultaneous smiles breaking across their faces. "Is that even a question? We deploy!"
"Good!" Seeing their resolve, Kenshin smiled as well.
Perhaps this was the defining spirit of the Dragon Flag Pirates.
When the world stood on the precipice of ruin, someone had to step forward. The Dragon Flag Pirates never hesitated to be the ones to take that first step.
To the side, a quiet glint flickered in Kuzan's eyes. This era was truly impossible to predict: here were pirates with boundless magnanimity, commanding absolute respect from everyone around them.
Meanwhile, those who wore the mantle of justice rarely possessed a truly righteous heart.
Everything... came down to following one's own conscience.
A faint smirk touched his lips. In an era like this, sailing alongside a crew like this really wasn't a bad choice at all.
"Move out!"
The crew rose to their feet in unison. With the decision made, there was not a single second to waste!
"Brother Hu, your unit will remain on standby in Syrup Village. The five of us are more than enough for this operation," Kenshin took the lead, with the Dragon Flag Pirates falling in step behind him. Though only five strong, their stride carried the momentum of a ten-thousand-man army.
Brother Hu and his operatives stood at absolute attention, overcome with reverence. Xiao Kai's eyes burned with boundless longing and raw worship as he watched them march out.
The Dragon Flag Pirates—the sovereign backing the Dark Clan, an Emperor-tier crew. Though few in number, every single one of them was a bona fide god of war!
The dying rays of the evening sun cast long silhouettes behind the five warriors, painting an image of wild, untamed resolve across the earth.
"If only I could join the Dragon Flag Pirates one day," Xiao Kai murmured in a daze.
None of the senior operatives answered, because none of them knew what prerequisites were required to board that legendary vessel.
Finally, Brother Hu walked over and clapped a heavy hand on Xiao Kai's shoulder. "That won't be an easy road to walk, kid. You've got a long path ahead of you. Give it everything you've got!"
"Yes, sir!" Xiao Kai shouted with everything he had, his gaze never once straying from the receding figures of the Dragon Flag Pirates.
Down at the shoreline, the Demon Warder stood proud against the rolling waves. The dragon-headed figurehead danced against the ocean breeze, imposing and majestic.
"Dragon Flag Pirates! Set sail!"
Kenshin swept his arm wide as the crew boarded the vessel, their eyes fixed on the towering wall of black mist looming on the distant horizon.
That was where Im awaited them!
HUMMM—!
The hull of the Demon Warder shuddered as internal energy converged, sending continuous ripples across the glassy surface of the sea, rolling outward in all directions.
"WAIT..."
A chorus of frantic shouts drifted from the beach as three small figures came barreling toward the shore at top speed.
"It's those three kids from the village," Bell recognized them instantly.
Kenshin and the others turned their eyes toward the beach.
They were curious as to what these three little rascals wanted. Suddenly, the eyes of every single member aboard the Demon Warder widened in absolute disbelief.
Staring at the three small figures sprinting across the sand, the crew was struck dumb with horror.