Just as Rear Admiral Jerry had predicted, during the following days Alex and the others did not encounter even a single pirate ship.
All they saw was the endless ocean.
One noteworthy thing, however, happened yesterday.
A system point appeared out of nowhere.
"I didn't die… yet the points increased."
Alex quickly reached a conclusion.
"Yesterday marked exactly one month since I arrived in this world."
"So even without dying, I gain one point every month."
"It's not much, but it works as a guaranteed minimum."
In other words, even if he chose to lie low and avoid risks, his strength would still steadily grow.
Without hesitation, he added the point to his Conqueror's Haki, raising it to Level 86.
Two more days passed.
Unlike the clear skies before, an enormous mass of dark storm clouds now loomed overhead. Thunder rumbled faintly within them.
Below the warship, waves surged violently, causing everyone aboard to sway.
"A massive storm is coming," Saul said in his deep voice.
"When operating at sea under weather like this, we must stay extra alert," Colonel Simbu added seriously. "Heavy rain and climate shifts reduce visibility. That can be fatal."
For some reason, he felt uneasy.
Alex nodded solemnly.
He remembered clearly—during the battle between Golden Lion Shiki and Roger in the Edd War Sea, a colossal storm had appeared.
Which meant unknown danger was approaching.
He glanced toward the bow.
Rear Admiral Jerry stood with his back to them, surrounded by drifting smoke, seemingly lost in thought.
Soon the sky darkened further.
The sea churned violently, lightning flashing through the clouds and occasionally striking the ocean, erupting into white mist and crackling electricity.
The mere sight of it was awe-inspiring—and terrifying.
Time passed slowly.
Thunder roared continuously, waves growing more violent, yet the rain still hadn't fallen.
"This might become an unprecedented storm," Simbu said gravely before turning to Alex. "Remember this—in the ocean, sometimes the greatest danger isn't the enemy. It's the weather."
Alex nodded again.
The entire warship became busy as preparations for the storm began.
Wind howled across the deck.
Then suddenly—
"Wheeee—!"
A sharp whistle pierced the air.
Alex looked up immediately and saw a lookout officer pointing forward in shock.
He turned instinctively.
The first thing he noticed was Rear Admiral Jerry's smoke-shrouded silhouette.
Then—
On the dark, rolling sea ahead, countless black dots had appeared.
Dense. Endless.
Stretching beyond the horizon.
A wave of shock swept through Alex's body, his heartbeat seeming to stop.
Everyone froze as if time itself had paused.
After two or three breaths, frantic shouts finally shattered the silence.
"Pirates! Pirates!"
"It's the Flying Pirate Fleet!!"
"They're heading straight toward us!"
No one had expected enemies to appear in the sector Sengoku deemed least likely for contact.
And judging from the sheer number of black shapes—
This was unquestionably the enemy's main force.
Alex inhaled sharply, his eyes trembling.
As seconds passed, the dots grew clearer.
Strange pirate ships emerged across the sea in vast arcs, filling the entire visible horizon.
And above them—
Ships floated through the sky, oars moving rhythmically, skull flags fluttering.
An unimaginable pressure descended upon everyone.
The sheer number alone was suffocating.
"A13 sector has encountered the Flying Pirate Fleet."
Rear Admiral Jerry spoke steadily, though sweat beaded across his forehead.
"I repeat—A13 sector has encountered the Flying Pirate Fleet!"
The Den Den Mushi responded quickly.
Standing nearby, Alex recognized the voice instantly.
It was Sengoku.
"Received. Report enemy numbers!"
Jerry pressed his lips together.
"…Unable to calculate."
Silence followed from the Den Den Mushi.
On another warship far away, Sengoku tightened his grip.
"Rear Admiral Jerry."
"Your mission is to escape the Flying Pirate Fleet's attack range by any means necessary."
Jerry's body trembled slightly.
"Understood!"
The call ended.
He took a deep breath and stared again at the endless fleet ahead, despair rising in his chest.
Against such overwhelming numbers, escape seemed nearly impossible.
Because of the storm, visibility had been reduced. By the time they spotted the enemy, almost no time remained to retreat.
And worse—
The enemy possessed both sea and aerial fleets.
The airborne ships were faster.
"All personnel, listen up!"
"Do everything possible to retreat immediately!"
Jerry shouted.
Even with slim hope, he would try.
The warship instantly turned at full rudder, attempting escape.
But despair quickly spread among the officers.
The Flying Pirate Fleet had already completed an encirclement without them noticing.
No matter which direction they fled, enemies blocked the path.
And the massive fleet ahead was closing in rapidly.
Jerry lit another cigar and took a slow drag.
"Alex… do everything you can to survive."
Alex blinked, turning toward the superior he barely knew.
Jerry opened his mouth as if to say more—
Suddenly, his body jerked.
The cigar snapped in half.
A tiny red spot appeared at the center of his forehead, rapidly widening into a hole.
Only then did the distant gunshot echo faintly across the sea.
Alex froze.
The rear admiral who had been speaking to him a second ago was now unquestionably dead.
A single bullet had ended his life.
Chaos erupted across the warship.
Whistles screamed.
Muffled cries sounded everywhere as officers were struck by bullets coming from all directions, blood spraying across the deck.
"Find cover!"
"Take shelter! Enemy snipers!"
Shouts overlapped in panic.
Alex reacted instantly, glancing once at Jerry's corpse before ducking.
Two kilometers away, aboard a pirate ship, a cold-faced sniper pulled the trigger again.
Bang!
Alex's body trembled.
A bloody hole appeared in the center of his forehead.
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