PIRATES: I WORK IN NAVY FROM NINE TO FIVE

The faces of every Marine present darkened instantly.

If what Sheephead had just said was already enough to make them boil with rage, then Gion's words now only made it worse—like they were being forced to swallow their anger with nowhere to let it out.

"Heh… You must be Rear Admiral Gion, the famed 'Peach Rabbit' and candidate for Admiral, am I right?" Sheephead let out a mocking chuckle. "As expected, a clever woman."

"Since you clearly understand the need to treat the Four Emperors differently… then you should also understand—this is Beast Pirates territory. I suggest you leave quickly. If you delay our plans and provoke our boss Kaido… well, that won't end well for you."

Sheephead looked very pleased with their reactions.

To him, this young man might indeed be the newly appointed Marine Admiral.

But as long as Marine Headquarters didn't dare to declare full war on the Beast Pirates—one of the Four Emperors—he, even as a mere officer, had all the boldness to bark back.

"You'd best get lost now. Don't blame me if I report this to Lord Kaido. I don't have time to waste on you people. Goodbye."

With those words, he turned and walked off.

This display of sheer arrogance made the surrounding pirates' eyes light up.

Among the Four Emperors, the Beast Pirates were infamous for their brutal, unrestrained ways.

If these Marines were just some average officers, such defiance might not mean much.

But the man before them was the newly appointed Admiral!

And yet a mere officer of the Four Emperors dared to challenge him openly?

To the watching pirates, this was inspiring.

If they could join such a powerful group, maybe one day they too could stand tall against the Navy—maybe not against an Admiral, but certainly against lower-ranked officers.

It was far better than the days they spent skulking in the shadows.

Sheephead's arrogance had straightened their backs.

Watching him strut away, the Marines' faces turned livid, many grinding their teeth in fury.

Almost instinctively, all eyes turned to that slender silhouette at the front.

"I don't recall giving you permission to leave," Luo Yu said calmly, adjusting his glasses.

"You admitted they're your people, didn't you? Then someone has to take responsibility for attacking a Marine Admiral."

"If you think you can just walk away… you're far too naive."

"Admiral Luo Yu!" Gion's expression changed drastically. A wild thought flashed through her mind.

Could it be... Luo Yu intended to use one Emperor against another?

To extract information about Whitebeard from the Beast Pirates themselves?

Before Gion could say another word, a terrifying pressure erupted from Luo Yu's body like a hurricane.

Tangible waves of Conqueror's Haki exploded outward.

The remaining pirates were instantly swept away, as if slammed head-on by an invisible hammer.

Sheephead, who had only taken a few steps, spun around in shock as the shockwave barreled toward him.

He had never expected this newly promoted Admiral to strike without hesitation.

Such decisive killing intent made a joke of all his boasts about the Beast Pirates and Kaido.

"You bastard! How dare you look down on the Beast Pirates! Let me see what this new Admiral is made of!"

"Great Ram Horn!"

With a howl, Sheephead's arms transformed into massive black horns, coated in a thick layer of Armament Haki. He charged directly into the incoming wave.

BOOM!!!

The sound of the impact was like thunder cracking the sky.

In that instant, Sheephead's pupils shrank—his arms buckled under the pressure.

A formless force surged through his body.

Splurt!

He coughed up blood violently.

The next second, his body shot back like a cannonball, slamming into a mountain of stone over a hundred meters away.

BOOM!

The massive cliff couldn't withstand the force. It crumbled in an instant.

Cracks spread out from Sheephead's body like a spiderweb.

Dust and debris filled the air as the pirate's body embedded itself deep into the rock.

A massive shockwave rolled out, crashing against the mountain wall and shaking the ground like an earthquake.

Hundreds of pirates gathered on the docks were blown away like leaves in a storm.

The entire pier plunged into chaos.

When the dust finally settled…

Over a thousand pirates lay scattered and groaning.

Most of the weaker ones had already passed out, foaming at the mouth.

Only a few lucky ones who had been far enough away managed to survive, crawling to their feet in terror.

Some were even Beast Pirates, subordinates of Sheephead.

Covered in blood and dust, they looked at Luo Yu as if he were a demon in human form.

They had heard the rumors about this new Marine Admiral…

But to flatten them all with a single blow?

Even the protective aura of the Beast Pirates meant nothing here. In this moment, it was nothing more than a paper tiger.

Even their officer, Sheephead, couldn't survive one attack.

So this was the strength of the Fourth Admiral, the one known to kill while standing still?

Moments ago, they had looked at his gold-rimmed glasses and thought he seemed refined.

Who would have guessed behind those glasses hid a man who killed without blinking?

"Admiral Luo Yu, that was too impulsive! They're part of the Beast Pirates! By protocol, we need to get authorization from Fleet Admiral Sengoku before taking action!" Gion said bitterly, looking at the wrecked dock.

Cha Jin opened his mouth but found himself at a loss for words.

In that moment, he finally understood why he had never become an Admiral.

Was it because, aside from being unreliable, he lacked the ruthless resolve to act without hesitation?

"Do I really need permission to beat someone like him?" Luo Yu casually dispersed the last traces of his Conqueror's Haki. His recent training had clearly improved his control.

He believed that if he pushed his mastery of willpower to the limit, his Conqueror's Haki would evolve even further.

Then, flashing Gion a wry smile, Luo Yu took another swig of cheap liquor and said:

"You all saw it. His people hit me first."