Boarding!

On the deck of the Red Force, not far away:

The members of the Red-Haired Pirates had already noticed the ship flying the World Government flag in the distance. If they encountered such a ship in other seas, as long as the crew was smart enough, they wouldn't mind letting them go. However, seeing a World Government ship in this sensitive area near Wano Country made them wary. In fact, their destination was also Wano Country, which is why they found the World Government ship in these waters.

To figure out the purpose of these World Government agents, Shanks directly ordered the helmsman of the Red Force to sail toward the ship flying the World Government flag.

So, the previous guesses of the CP0 agents were correct—the Red Force was indeed heading straight for them.

"Boss, those guys over there seem to know they can't escape. They've already stopped in place," said a bald, eyebrowless man with a vicious look, grinning as he spoke.

"Squeak, squeak~"

A monkey perched on his shoulder seemed to agree, letting out a cry.

"Hahaha... It seems there are some smart people on that ship. They know they can't escape, so they decided to show a friendly signal. After all, our boss is one of the more reasonable ones on the seas," said Yasopp, who was checking his gun beside them.

"Boss, I've told you before, you should act more fierce. Look, if it were Whitebeard or Kaido in our place, those guys would definitely run for their lives. But when it's you, they don't even care," said Lucky Roux, a fat man wearing small tinted sunglasses and a yellow coat. He was holding a huge piece of roasted meat, laughing as he spoke.

Standing on the deck, Red-Haired Shanks listened to his crewmates' banter and laughed without concern. "Wahahaha... You guys talk as if it's my fault they don't fear me."

Laughter echoed across the Red Force, while the vice-captain, Benn Beckman, smoked a cigarette quietly, his gaze fixed on the World Government ship across from them.

Through the misty rain, he could faintly make out the figures of the CP0 agents standing on the deck of the opposing ship, dressed in their distinctive white uniforms.

This caught his attention, and he took out an old newspaper, glancing at it. The paper was yellowed with age, reporting on the exploits of Thunder God Nicholas. Benn Beckman had kept this article specifically, as old reports often held valuable insights.

Nicholas's identity and strength didn't need much discussion. Though he had disappeared for over a decade, he was once a legendary pirate on par with Roger, Whitebeard, Kaido, and Big Mom.

As the vice-captain of a Yonko crew, Benn Beckman understood that Nicholas possessed the power to drastically alter the balance of the seas. This was precisely why, after launching a war against the Whitebeard and Beast Pirates, they had refrained from engaging directly and instead sought out Nicholas first.

The Red-Haired Pirates needed to ascertain Nicholas's stance before deciding their next move.

The sound of the ship slicing through the waves grew louder as the Red Force pressed forward aggressively. If they didn't furl the sails, they would collide with the World Government ship in less than a minute.

The relentless waves crashed against the hull, accompanied by the thunderous rumble of the sky, heightening the tension among the CP0 agents and the other crew members on the World Government ship. The ordinary sailors were nervously wiping the sweat from their brows, trying to steady their nerves.

For regular people, even those working for the World Government, directly facing a Yonko was a terrifying ordeal.

"Sir, we're about to make contact," the ship's commander said anxiously to the CP0 agents.

It was impressive that he had maintained his composure for this long, given that they were facing the Red-Haired Pirates. If not for the CP0's orders, he might have already raised the white flag in surrender.

The ships drew closer, now just a few hundred meters apart. Even through the stormy waves, they could clearly see the faces of Shanks and his crew on the deck of the Red Force.

On the Red Force, Lucky Roux gazed coldly at the CP0 agents on the opposing deck and said to Shanks, "Boss, it seems like they're ready to head back after completing their mission..."

"I wonder if these CP0 folks are willing to share what their mission was..." Yasopp chimed in, aiming his gun at the CP0 agents on the other ship.

Before Yasopp could finish speaking, Lucky Roux had already turned into a black blur, charging straight toward the CP0 agents on the deck.

The roaring wind split the air.

The CP0 agents, standing on their deck, saw the massive figure of Lucky Roux charging toward them—a large man in an orange coat, with a green turban on his head, a well-known combatant of the Red-Haired Pirates.

The CP0 agents hadn't expected the Red-Haired Pirates to strike first, but it made sense once they thought about it. After all, they were representatives of the World Government, while the Red-Haired Pirates were one of the infamous Yonko crews. Strictly speaking, it was they who had overstepped their boundaries.

The Red-Haired Pirates were clearly trying to show them who's boss.

As Lucky Roux descended toward the deck like a cannonball, the CP0 captain's expression grew serious. He was about to call his team to attack together but suddenly stopped himself.

After all, if they all attacked Lucky Roux, it would mean declaring war on the Red-Haired Pirates, and their fate would be sealed when facing a Yonko crew.

After weighing his options, the CP0 captain spread his legs slightly, bending his body into a defensive stance. He pulled his right hand back to his chest, and just as Lucky Roux's fist came crashing down, he launched his own punch to meet it.

The two fists collided with the force of a thunderclap, sending shockwaves through the air that made the clothes and sails of those on the deck billow wildly.

It was a pure clash of strength, with no fancy tricks.

As the force from the collision dissipated, Lucky Roux landed on the deck with a thud.

Creak!

The sound of wood straining under pressure echoed as the two ships' hulls scraped together, causing the deck to sway violently.

The CP0 captain's body trembled slightly with the movement of the deck, clearly indicating that taking Lucky Roux's punch hadn't been as easy as it appeared.

When he looked up again, he saw Shanks standing on the opposite deck.

Shanks, with three scars across his left eye, wore a white shirt with an open chest, shorts that exposed his legs, and sandals. He draped a black cloak over his shoulders, and at his right hip hung the sword Griffon. He stared at the CP0 agents with an imposing, Haki-filled gaze.

"Shanks... We mean no harm," the CP0 captain quickly said, adopting a very submissive tone.

Upon hearing this, Shanks grinned, his right hand resting on the hilt of Griffon at his waist. "Oh? CP0... care to tell me what you're doing in Wano Country?"

The CP0 captain showed an expression that said, "As expected."