The Marines present all wore grim expressions.
If Sheep's Head's earlier words were hard to stomach, then Gion's response now left them feeling even more stifled—like they had nowhere to vent their frustration.
"Heh… you must be Vice Admiral Gion, the Admiral candidate known as 'Momousagi.' As expected, a smart one," Sheep's Head chuckled dryly.
"Since you understand that those under a Yonko require special treatment from the Navy, then you should also know this is Beasts Pirates territory. I suggest you get lost before you interfere with our business and anger our boss, Kaido."
Sheep's Head was clearly pleased with the Marines' reactions.
In his eyes, the man before him was indeed the Navy's newly appointed Admiral.
But as long as Marine Headquarters didn't dare go to war with the Beasts Pirates, even a mere officer like him had the confidence to talk big.
"You'd best leave now. Don't blame me if I report this to Kaido. I don't have time to waste on you. Goodbye," Sheep's Head said, turning to leave with swaggering arrogance.
To the surrounding pirates, his domineering posture was dazzling.
Among the Four Emperors, the Beasts Pirates were known for their unmatched brutality.
If they were facing an ordinary Marine officer, this kind of posturing might not mean much.
But this was a newly appointed Admiral.
And yet, a mere officer of a Yonko crew dared to challenge him so brazenly.
To the pirates watching, this was inspiring. If they joined a Yonko crew, even if they couldn't challenge an Admiral, they could at least stand tall against other Marines.
It was far better than constantly hiding and running.
Sheep's Head's actions had straightened their spines.
As he walked away, the Marines' faces turned ashen, their jaws clenched so tightly it seemed their teeth might shatter.
Many instinctively looked toward the slender figure standing at the front.
"I don't recall giving you permission to leave," Luoyu said calmly, adjusting his glasses.
"You just admitted they're your men. Someone has to answer for attacking a Marine Admiral."
"If you think you can just walk away, you're sorely mistaken."
"Admiral Luoyu!" Gion's expression changed drastically. A wild thought flashed through her mind.
Could Luoyu be planning to use one Yonko against another—to extract Whitebeard's whereabouts from the Beasts Pirates?
Before she could say more, a terrifying aura erupted from Luoyu like a hurricane.
A tangible wave of Conqueror's Haki exploded outward.
The remaining pirates were instantly blasted back as if struck by a massive force.
Sheep's Head, who had only taken a few steps, turned around in shock. Seeing the overwhelming wave barreling toward him, his face twisted in horror.
He never imagined this newly minted Admiral would attack without warning.
Such ruthless decisiveness made all his talk of the Beasts Pirates and Kaido seem like a joke.
"You bastard! You dare look down on the Beasts Pirates? Let's see what you're made of, Admiral!" Sheep's Head roared.
"Great Ram Horn!"
His arms transformed into massive black horns, coated in Armament Haki, and he charged head-on into the incoming force.
BOOM!
The impact thundered like a lightning strike.
But as the shockwave crashed into him, Sheep's Head's pupils shrank in disbelief.
His arms buckled.
An invisible force surged through his body.
Splurt!
He spat blood violently.
Like a cannonball, Sheep's Head was hurled backward.
He slammed into a massive rock formation over a hundred meters away.
CRACK!
The mountain couldn't withstand the impact and collapsed.
Cracks spread like a spiderweb from the point of impact.
Dust and debris exploded outward as Sheep's Head was embedded into the rock face.
The shockwave rolled across the dock like a tsunami, shaking the earth.
Over a thousand pirates were flung into the air.
The entire dock descended into chaos.
When the dust finally settled, the pirates lay sprawled across the ground.
Most of the weaker ones had already passed out, foaming at the mouth.
Only a few lucky ones who had been farther away managed to crawl up, battered and bloodied.
Among them were members of the Beasts Pirates who had followed Sheep's Head.
Covered in blood and dust, they stared at Luoyu with terror and disbelief.
They had heard of the new Admiral's reputation.
But to witness such overwhelming power in a single strike—sweeping them all away—was beyond comprehension.
Even their so-called "protective charm," the Beasts Pirates' name, had crumbled like paper.
Sheep's Head, a high-ranking officer, couldn't even withstand one blow.
Was this the true strength of the legendary Fourth Admiral—the man who could kill while standing still?
Just moments ago, they had thought the gold-rimmed glasses made Luoyu look scholarly.
They never imagined that behind those glasses hid a cold-blooded killer who struck without hesitation.
"Admiral Luoyu, that was reckless. They're part of the Beasts Pirates. According to protocol, we should've reported to Fleet Admiral Sengoku before taking action," Gion said bitterly, surveying the devastated dock.
Beside her, Chaton opened his mouth but couldn't find the words.
In that moment, he finally understood why he hadn't made it to Admiral.
Maybe it wasn't just about being unreliable—maybe he lacked the ruthlessness to strike without warning.
"Do I need permission to beat someone like that?" Luoyu said, dispersing the last traces of his Conqueror's Haki.
His recent use of psychic force had made him more adept at controlling it.
He believed that with time, he could refine it further—perhaps even develop new techniques with his Conqueror's Haki.
Looking at Gion's bitter expression, Luoyu took another swig of his local brew and smiled.
"You all saw it. His men attacked me first."