One piece: I,Akaino will not die easily

It has been two years since the Pirate King Gol D. Roger was executed in Loguetown, East Blue, and the Great Pirate Era has begun to take shape. Aside from the legendary pirates who had already made their names before this era, the pirates swarming the first half of the Grand Line forced the Navy and the World Government to retract their forces.

Amidst relentless battles, countless pirates underwent the test of time, with only the most promising and elite forces making their way into the Grand Line to eventually challenge the New World.

The competition for territories among the elites and long-established pirate crews in the New World intensified. This escalating momentum compelled the Navy to reallocate forces initially stationed across the four seas to the seven routes of the Grand Line, focusing their efforts on hunting down and holding positions.

At the gates of the New World, Marine Headquarters amassed many elite soldiers to counter the powerful pirate crews.

Sakazuki, aside from his routine naval patrols, was mainly tasked with hunting pirates with high bounties. Sitting in the captain's quarters, he carefully examined a few newly issued bounty posters sent over by headquarters.

The bounties weren't particularly high—generally around 40 million Berries, with the highest being only 54 million Berries. But Sakazuki didn't dismiss the targets as being too weak or unworthy of his rank as a vice admiral.

In his view, if piracy were likened to a massive food chain, those pirates with sky-high bounties could be considered apex predators, akin to lions, tigers, or Sea Kings at the top of the chain.

Meanwhile, the low-bounty or nameless pirates swarming the Grand Line from the four seas were like rats and cockroaches scurrying everywhere—impossible to exterminate completely.

The apex predators, though ferocious and violent, were few in number. Ordinary individuals might find them difficult to confront, but with the strength of armies and nations, they could be cornered in cages or even killed.

On the other hand, despite their meager strength, the low-tier pests were numerous and resilient, thriving like weeds that could never be fully eradicated. These petty pirates—who plundered islands, ransacked towns, stole wealth, and slaughtered innocents without any understanding of production or creation—posed a significant headache for the World Government, which struggled to effectively govern and resolve these issues.

Coupled with the immense threat posed by the great pirates near Laugh Tale, the World Government didn't have the capacity to address the endless waves of petty pirates. After all, in the eyes of the Five Elders, the greatest threats to their rule remained those powerful pirate factions entrenched in the New World, who might uncover the Poneglyphs and destabilize the government's dominance.

But in Sakazuki's mind, it was as though history had repeated itself. Lions and tigers might be ferocious, but they ultimately end up confined in zoos for tourists to marvel at.

Even when wild predators occasionally appeared, they evoked not fear but rather a sense of amazement—"Oh, there are still wild ones out there!" Meanwhile, the daily nuisances for civilians remained the grain-stealing rats and bacteria-spreading cockroaches that disgusted everyone.

Picking up a Den Den Mushi, he connected to the rear admiral at the helm: "According to the most recent intel from the residents, the Blackthum Pirates should be in this area. Onigumo, have you spotted their ship?"

As the executive officer responsible for overseeing all matters aboard the warship, Rear Admiral Onigumo looked up at the lieutenant commander stationed at the lookout post. This officer, perched high with binoculars, was Erich Lindemann, one of Onigumo's trusted subordinates.

Eager to complete the task assigned by Vice Admiral Sakazuki as quickly as possible, Onigumo had diverted his own officers to take over the lookout duties, usually performed by ordinary naval soldiers.

Feeling the pressure of his superior's intense gaze, Lindemann nervously raised his binoculars, scanning the area again as he stiffly reported to Onigumo: "Apologies, Rear Admiral, we still haven't spotted the Blackthum Pirates' vessel... Wait—wait! Suspicious ship sighted at three o'clock!"

Onigumo's heart leaped with satisfaction, but he maintained a stern demeanor, barking an order: "Confirm their identity immediately!"

"The flag... The flag is a skull wearing a slanted black captain's hat, sir! It's confirmed—they are the Blackthum Pirates!"

Lowering his head, Onigumo reported loudly into the awaiting Den Den Mushi: "Vice Admiral Sakazuki, we've located the enemy. Awaiting your orders for the next move!"

"Very well, Onigumo. Announce battle preparation to all units. Have the artillery calculate the range and prepare for bombardment!" Sakazuki rose from his chair, hung up the Den Den Mushi, and stepped out of the captain's cabin. Wild beasts were rare, but rats were common. Sakazuki was not only a warrior capable of taking on "lions and tigers," but also an expert at exterminating "cockroaches and rats."

On the other side, 28-year-old Sam Roberts, captain of a pirate ship with nearly 200 crew members, was already a well-known pirate rising through the ranks of notoriety in the North Blue. Through several audacious raids, he had made a name for himself across the region. Utilizing a modified slave ship as his vessel, the Vita, outfitted with superior speed, he had repeatedly evaded naval interceptions. Equipped with 28 cannons, the Vita could reach a top speed of 13 knots under ideal conditions.

Not long ago, Sam had plundered a town to replenish his supplies. He was taking a nap in the captain's cabin when his crew's urgent call woke him. Irritated, he quickly grabbed a spyglass, but what he saw—a massive Navy warship—immediately doused his earlier idea of "maybe looting the Navy ship instead." Naval vessels in the North Blue were rarely this well-equipped or formidable. The warship he now faced boasted twice as many cannons as his Vita and was wrapped in thick armor plating that made him uneasy.

Since arriving in the Grand Line, Sam had encountered many ships, both pirate and Navy, but few were equipped as well as this one. "Could this be a Navy Headquarters warship?" Sam speculated. Recent reports in the newspapers about the Navy's Buster Call that annihilated Ohara made him even more wary. Sam Roberts had no intention of engaging in a head-on fight with a warship of this firepower.

The young pirate captain was astonished but not panicked. His ship, the Vita, was known for its speed. Escaping the cumbersome warship in the distance at full speed, aided by favorable winds, would not be a problem. He shouted orders to his crew to tighten the sails and take advantage of the wind direction to prepare for escape.

"Boom!"

"Boom!"

"Boom!"

Dozens of towering water spouts erupted into the air. Although the Navy's test shots did not hit the Vita, the explosions of water near the ship served as a stark reminder of the power of their cannons.

"Faster, faster, move it!" Sam shouted as he lowered the spyglass, turning to yell at his crew to pick up the pace.

"Captain! Look!" The lookout cried out in alarm.

More crew members turned to stare, frozen, in the direction of the Navy ship.

"What's that?"

Sam was annoyed by his crew's panicked reactions. Raising his head, he was about to scold them when he saw it too:

In the air, aside from the spherical cannonballs hurtling in their direction, a red figure could be seen stepping on the air itself.

Amidst the explosive tearing of the atmosphere, the figure sped towards their ship with incredible velocity.

To be continued...