One Piece: Wielder of the Void

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 King's Guard 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 Reverse Mountain. 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.