11. Red-Haired Pirates

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Anos watched as Daiki left, and anger began to rise within him. It wasn't about the goods being stolen, but the attitude of the person responsible that left him deeply dissatisfied.

After a short while, Daiki returned, dragging along a young woman who appeared to be about twenty years old. She kept her head down, not daring to speak.

"Is this your attitude after what happened?" Anos snapped angrily.

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty. This was all my fault. The goods were stolen, and I am willing to accept any punishment," Suzu said, falling to her knees, her head still bowed.

"I entrusted you with managing the shipments because I had faith in you. When things go wrong, I should be the one to address them."

"The goods have been stolen, and your first reaction should have been to track them down immediately, not hide behind others. If this is how you plan to act in the future, how will our kingdom survive?"

Anos's voice thundered across the room, and Suzu, still kneeling, couldn't hold back her tears.

Nearby, Daiki and several others stood in silence, too afraid to speak. This was the first time any of them had seen their king so furious.

Suzu bowed fully to the ground, her tears splashing against the deck. Seeing this, Anos sighed, his anger cooling. He chose not to press the matter further.

"Get up. Is everything ready?" Anos asked, directing the question to Suzu.

"Yes, Your Majesty. Everything is prepared, and we are ready to set sail at any time," she replied quickly, rising to her feet.

"Good. Let's head out. Once we're aboard, tell me everything in detail. I want to know exactly how the goods were stolen," Anos said, turning toward the ship.

Suzu followed quietly, her head still lowered. The ship had already been fully prepared.

Although the crew was smaller this time, around fifty soldiers from the Royal Guards accompanied them.

As the sails unfurled, the once-stationary ship, Tempest, began to move slowly.

The people standing at Nanniwa Port waved as the ship departed.

Once on board, Anos stood on the deck, a sense of relief washing over him. For now, at least, he didn't have to carry the heavy burden of the kingdom.

"Your Majesty…" Suzu approached Anos hesitantly.

"Tell me, what happened when the goods were stolen?" Anos asked.

"According to reports from those who returned, the robbery was carried out by pirates. The problem occurred near the Calm belt. We encountered a group of pirates heading for the Grand Line, which led to the disaster."

"Have you identified which pirate crew was responsible?" Anos asked calmly.

"It was the Red-Haired Pirates…" Suzu answered.

"Them!" Anos was both shocked and surprised. He hadn't expected to cross paths with Shanks and his crew so soon.

But after thinking about it, he realized they were pirates after all. Robbery was their trade what else could be expected?

"Alright, there's no need to dwell on it. In that case, it wouldn't hurt to make a trip to the Grand Line," Anos said with a smile.

"You're not angry with me, Your Majesty?" Suzu asked, surprised.

"There's no reason to be angry. Encounters with pirates are unavoidable, and the power of the Red-Haired Pirates is far beyond your control," Anos replied.

"Thank you for your understanding, Your Majesty. But what should we do about the stolen goods?" Suzu asked hesitantly.

Anos thought for a moment, a sly grin crossing his face. "Why bother chasing after them? We don't even know where they are. In this vast ocean, finding a pirate crew is nearly impossible. Let's keep moving and see what happens along the way."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Suzu nodded.

There's a big mountain with rivers going up it from each blue and 1 that goes down to the grand line.

So if you go up the mountain into the grand line and then through the calm belt you'd be on the other side of the red line and in the other blues. Or skip the mountain and go throw both parts of the calm belt.

But the dangers of the sea were much greater than those on land.

Anos stood on the deck, gazing at the rolling sea. The anticipation of adventure made the ocean appear even more beautiful to him.

In the South Blue, they were in relatively safe waters.

The Tempest was a massive, wooden ship, over a hundred meters in length. It was one of the largest ships sailing in this era.

Powered by three large sails, it required at least fifty people to operate.

Anos had modified Tempest with the help of System & seastone now it can be said that it's one of the best ships for travelling the seas.

In addition to living quarters, the ship was equipped with entertainment areas, including swimming pools.

Even from a distance, the ship's majesty was clear. The Tru Kingdom's flag, a red crescent moon, flew proudly atop the mast, giving the vessel a distinct and luxurious appearance.

But, in this vast ocean, their world was confined to this one ship.

"Which direction should we go next, Your Majesty? Should we head to Calm Belt or explore elsewhere?" Suzu asked.

"Did you bring a Log Pose?" Anos inquired.

"A… Log Pose?" Suzu clearly didn't understand the term.

Hearing this, Anos shook his head. How could someone in charge of shipping not know what a Log Pose was?

"Never mind. When we dock, find a place to buy one. In the Four Seas, a regular compass works just fine, but in the Grand Line, only a Log Pose will guide you to the next island. These are things you need to be aware of. Don't be clueless like today," Anos said, reclining back.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Suzu replied, embarrassed by her ignorance.

The wind pushed the ship gently, though at a slow pace. When the wind was calm, the ship barely moved through the water.

Fortunately, this voyage wasn't urgent. They couldn't realistically recover the stolen goods anyway pirates never stayed in one place long enough to be tracked down. Finding them would be nothing short of a miracle.

Still, luck might surprise them. Perhaps fate had something unexpected in the sea.

"Make sure the crew is well-rested when necessary, and that they're ready for action when needed. This voyage is long, and there's little to do until we reach land. Make sure we replenish supplies and learn more when we dock," Anos said to Suzu, his tone relaxed.

Anos's ability to sense things from miles away allowed him to monitor the sea for potential dangers. For now, it seemed calm enough.

"Understood, Your Majesty," Suzu replied.

The days dragged on, and boredom crept over the crew. At first, the adventure had seemed exciting, but after several days at sea, seeing the same endless expanse of water, their excitement faded. Not a single island was in sight.

Anos lay back in his deck chair, frustration building. The view was the same every day just sea and sky. Even the beauty of the ocean had lost its charm.

Suzu, reclining on a nearby chair, felt the same way. She had little experience at sea, having primarily overseen shipments. This prolonged voyage was wearing her down.

"Suzu, why do pirates enjoy life at sea so much? Don't you find it boring?" Anos asked lazily.

"Yes, Your Majesty. Life at sea is boring. The food isn't great, and it's hard to sleep," Suzu replied, equally listless.

"What's happening today? The weather suddenly got so hot and muggy. Did the navigator say anything?" Anos asked.

"Your Majesty, the navigator said last night that we should reach Grand Line in a week or two. There shouldn't be any unusual weather in the Four Seas, but…"

Before she could finish, the sky darkened, and massive storm clouds rolled in from the distance. Along with the clouds came towering, thirty-meter-high waves.

"Your Majesty, please head inside! It's too dangerous out here!" Suzu shouted as soldiers, who had been lounging, snapped to attention.

The waves ahead were enormous, and the crew suddenly realized their lives were at risk.

The Tempest began to turn, trying to escape the oncoming waves. But Anos stood up and yelled, "What's the navigator doing? If we turn now, we'll all die! Tell him to face the waves head-on!"

Anos was losing patience. This navigator was unqualified. How had they even made it this far?

Following his command, the ship straightened, pointing directly at the approaching waves.

The crew braced themselves. Days of boredom had suddenly turned into a fight for survival. Even Anos felt a surge of adrenaline as he focused on the massive wall of water ahead.

There was no time to question why the waves had come or what had caused the storm. The dark clouds abosignalled only one thing heavy winds and torrential rain were imminent.

"Tell the navigator: No matter what happens, we must keep the ship moving forward!" Anos ordered.

For the people of the Tru Kingdom, this voyage was extraordinary. Most of them had never sailed before, and many couldn't afford even a small boat.

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