The Sea Rogue's Evil Taste!

On the vast sea, a small dinghy was on its way to Dressrosa.

"Nicholas, what's the deal with the class contradictions you mentioned earlier? And what about capitalism and world unity?"

On the dinghy, Nicholas lay on a lounge chair, enjoying the sea breeze, while Dragon was beside him, continuously jotting down notes.

Nicholas wanted to say that he didn't delve deeply into those topics, but he couldn't resist Dragon's eager gaze, so he continued.

"Class contradiction arises from differences in economic, political, and other interests and demands between different classes. It's been a social issue since the emergence of classes. In various modes of production, different classes have different interests and demands due to their relationships with the means of production, leading to various class contradictions. These contradictions are like those between commoners and nobles, nobles and Celestial Dragons..."

After earnestly jotting down in his notebook, Dragon looked at Nicholas and asked, "Is there a way to resolve these contradictions?"

"There is, to some extent. By handling it properly, antagonistic contradictions can be transformed into non-antagonistic ones. But it's challenging because the fundamental cause of these contradictions lies in different economic, political, and other interests and demands, and..."

Boom!

Before Nicholas could finish, cannon fire suddenly erupted from a hundred meters away in the sea.

Following the cannon shots, Nicholas and Dragon turned their gaze towards the distant sea, where a three-masted ship with a pink gorilla skull Jolly Roger was heading their way, presumably the source of the cannon fire.

They had actually noticed this ship, but since both of them were formidable figures in the world, they hadn't paid it much heed. Usually, encountering such a ship, the other pirates would choose to avoid them, knowing that anyone daring to sail a dinghy in the New World couldn't be fools, and might even be top figures. Who knew if getting too close would result in them being sent to the depths of the sea with a single blow?

However, they hadn't expected this particular pirate ship to be so reckless as to not only ignore them but also actively provoke them with cannon fire.

On the three-masted ship, a group of people stood, led by an exceptionally tall and muscular woman, surrounded by young, attractive men and women. She was none other than Blood queen Hillary, the notorious captain of the Blood Pirates, with a bounty of 230 million berries, and she possessed the Zoan-type Devil Fruit ability of the Gorilla.

[AN- If you remember correctly she did appear in early chs]

"I didn't expect to find some fun during this boring voyage."

Wearing a peculiar lady's hat, she carried a massive scimitar on her back, her blood-red hair swaying wildly behind her, and her feet clad in pink boots with patterns.

While she was preoccupied with the young man in her arms, a massive grin spread across her face as she reached into the young man's pants.

Unnoticed by her, the wind over the sea suddenly seemed to intensify.

Meanwhile, several dozen nautical miles away from here, a disguised armed ship was being chased by three pirate ships.

Despite the armed ship's desperate attempts to escape, it was still struck by the pirates' fierce cannon fire, causing one of its masts to collapse and its speed to drastically decrease.

Seeing the armed ship's reduced speed, the pirates aboard the pursuing ships eagerly approached its sides and climbed onto its rigging, ready to board. Their eyes gleamed with excitement and greed as they surveyed the armed ship's hull.

They knew.

Inside that ship's hold were two individuals marked for capture by the pirates.

Two princesses from Dressrosa.

For them, the reward offered by the pirates was the biggest business deal they'd received in years.

But for the guards loyal to the Dressrosa royalty aboard the ship, such an option didn't exist.

Inside the ship's hold.

"I'm going to fight!"

Clad in magnificent attire, Princess Viola clenched her lips tightly, looking resolute as she addressed the guard blocking her path.

"Two misses, the order I received is to ensure your safety. Please forgive me for not obeying your command."

The guard shook his head, speaking solemnly, "Fighting is our soldiers' duty, and you, as the hope of the Dressrosa royal family, cannot risk your life."

"Captain Kyros, that group of pirates outnumbers us and outguns us. So, I hope you can agree to my sister's and my request. Even if we can't help in battle, we want to stand with the soldiers."

At that moment, a steady female voice sounded beside them.

It was Scarlett, like Viola, also a princess of Dressrosa, and the elder sister.

If not for the sudden upheaval the night before, they should still have been enjoying life in the royal palace of Dressrosa.

The current situation was unfavorable for them.

Fortunately, the enemy seemed intent on capturing her and Viola alive, as they hadn't sunk the immobilized ship with cannon fire after robbing it of power.

"..."

Kyros fell into silence, knowing that with their current forces, safely escorting the two princesses away was impossible.

After a moment of contemplation, he drew his longsword, taking heavy steps as he led the way out of the cabin.

At least until his death, no one would take Scarlett and Viola away.

Scarlett and Viola exchanged a glance before following Kyros closely.

But before the three could exit the cabin, they heard the sounds of intense fighting and frequent screams from the deck outside.

Their hearts sank, and Kyros pushed open the wooden door of the cabin.

What greeted their eyes was a scene of their own defeat.

The deck was swarming with pirates, while their side had only a dozen or so soldiers, injured and forming a simple formation to guard the cabin.

"La-la-la, so these are the princesses of Dressrosa? They're truly beautiful. Seems like I, Ironbeard, am really lucky."

A pirate with iron beard grinned.

"Hey, Ironbeard, don't forget about me and Silverbeard."

A pirate with golden beard, resembling Ironbeard, spoke up.

"Of course, we're good brothers!"

Ironbeard grinned, then unexpectedly stabbed his long knife into Silverbeard's chest.

"You... you..."

Silverbeard couldn't believe he had been betrayed.

"The sea ruffians said to kill you once we've caught you."

"Oh, did the sea ruffians tell you that too?"

As a voice rang out, Ironbeard stared in disbelief at the knife in his chest.

 [AN- Well well well how the tables have turned... So remember kids don't harm others otherwise you will get the karma you sowed!]