Chapter 53: Not worthy
In the vast open sea, two ships sailed ever closer to one another. One bore the proud flag of Justice, a symbol of the Marines that often struck fear—or hope—into the hearts of the people. The other ship, however, flew the pirate flag of the newly named Hell's Prince Pirates, its dark and rebellious emblem likely to send shivers down the spines of common folk. The sea between them seemed to echo the tension of the inevitable clash.
Onboard the pirate ship, the Dreadnought, Rhodes stood at the edge of the deck, his eyes fixed on the approaching Marine vessel. This would be his first real encounter with the World Government's forces, and he was curious to see how they operated in this world. But as he watched, something felt off. The atmosphere grew more intense, not from the Marines' approach, but from the sly, almost playful smile curling on Dave's lips.
Rhodes glanced at Dave, wondering what was going on. Dave's eyes were locked on the Marine ship, and amusement flickered in them, as though he were looking at an entertaining sideshow rather than an enemy force.
"What's so funny?" Rhodes asked, but Dave didn't answer immediately, his grin widening.
Dave finally spoke, his tone light but laced with a hidden edge, "Oh, it's just that our dear marine 'friend' here is none other than Captain Nezumi."
Rhodes raised an eyebrow, unfamiliar with the name. "And that means...?"
Dave chuckled, the sound low and mocking. "Nezumi's a rat, both by name and nature. Corrupt to his core. He'd sell his own men if he thought it would get him ahead. I can already feel his filthy greed from here."
The rest of the crew followed Dave's gaze, now more aware of the situation. Even without seeing Nezumi's face, they could feel the sinister energy emanating from the Marine ship.
"That Marine... he's practically salivating at the thought of capturing us," Dave continued, his voice cold. "And he's not after justice. He's after money... and probably something much worse."