"The Hawkeye Pirates… Missaya has a weapons supply channel that, even now, G2 Branch hasn't been able to trace."
Noticing Nao's puzzled expression, Rear Admiral Buma held the broken arrow in her hand and spoke with gravity:
"Through that channel, she's receiving a steady supply of special weapons—like these semi-transparent feathered arrows, and even miniature high-powered telescopes fitted over the eye. She can draw her bow without needing a free hand."
"For a pirate crew born from bandits, these weapons significantly amplify their strength. You could say they're custom-made for her."
Secret syndicate? Crime family?
Nao frowned thoughtfully.
Someone capable of outfitting a pirate crew with that level of gear—without the Marines catching on—must be a major player in the underworld.
"So this mission isn't just to hunt down the Hawkeye Pirates," Buma continued, calm and serious, "it's also to trace their weapons supplier. If we let that manufacturer grow unchecked, the future threat to G2 Branch would be dire."
"Understood."
Nao nodded. These were the deeper-layer details he'd been unable to uncover by casually asking around. That Buma was sharing them directly showed her prejudice against him was finally thawing.
"Rear Admiral…"
He glanced at the pirate ship in the distance, eyes flickering.
"When Missaya draws her bow, she must be able to see movements on our deck—like our conversation just now. She probably could read our lips."
"About right," Buma confirmed.
"Otherwise, she wouldn't be able to pinpoint cannon positions so accurately."
Suddenly, in the gap of their dialogue, two near-invisible arrows cut across the sky—one aimed for each of them.
"Heh—looks like I was right. She can lip-read."
Nao gave a wry smile. Buma met his gaze and, in unison, they launched into action—blocking the arrows with ease.
The arrows' penetrating power was terrifying… but when warned, they posed little real threat. She'd likely fired them more to taunt and test than to kill.
"Able to fire two arrows at different targets…"
Nao eyed Buma thoughtfully. Her face had grown more serious—clearly she'd noticed too.
"So before, when she fired one arrow, it was just a probe. And now…"
A faint "whoosh" echoed again.
Hastily turning her gaze forward, Nao counted five arrows converging from multiple directions—while additional arrows trailed behind.
Multiple arrows at once—ten-plus volleys?
Buma snapped to life, her shock showing.
"Everyone ranked Captain and above—intercept those arrows! Protect the cannon crews!"
Gripping her cigar, she drew her great axe and charged forward:
"Those arrows are imbued with Armament Haki—extremely dangerous! Anyone lower, stand down!"
"Yes, ma'am!"
A small squad—one Commodore and three Captains—rushed out, but they were too few to cover every angle...
Shuma, from the side, asked nervously:
"Boss… should I help?"
Before Nao could answer, he had already drawn his sword and dashed forward, slicing through multiple arrows at once. His movement and speed blurred before Shuma's eyes.
Shuma swallowed hard. He wanted to help—but in past tests, his performance had been mediocre. And trying to block arrows without Haki was practically sending himself to die.
Meanwhile…
After deflecting three arrows, Nao flexed his sore wrist and stared at the pirate ship again. His mind began to form a plan as he recalled his earlier conversation with Buma.
Was he about to do it?
Again, he sliced through another arrow… until he saw a captain nearby struggle—barely blocking an arrow, his weapon knocked away, blood spurting from his palm, staggering in pain.
G-Branch Marines, though technically the same rank as HQ, still lagged behind in overall skill.
Nao sighed and made up his mind.
Clang!
With a flick of his blade, Nao sliced down another arrow that had zipped past him.
Then he stepped forward to the edge of the deck, squared his shoulders, took a deep breath—and smiled.
Skill activated.
On the Hawkeye Pirates' ship:
"Wow, Captain's amazing!"
"As expected of Lady Missaya!"
"Those Marine crewmates are totally flustered now!"
A cluster of female pirates leaned over the deck edge, watching in awe as their captain stood at the bow, bow drawn, raining arrows down.
They were enchanted by her confident posture, eyes sparkling like they'd seen a hero on stage.
Missaya glanced at them, expression impassive.
"Don't overreact—it's just a normal day for me."
Still, as she fired groups of five, then ten arrows in rapid succession like a volley of bullets, her admiration only grew.
Wearing a monocle-like high-magnification lens over one eye—a delicate silver frame carving light on her fierce features—she scanned the Marine ship through it. Seeing her arrows mostly blocked, she couldn't help but smirk.
"Well, without a vice admiral-level Marine here, let's see how long you can hold."
She could see that, apart from the giant Rear Admiral with the axe and that handsome black-haired boy standing calm at the front, most other officers were struggling—some wounded and unable to continue.
"At this rate…"
Missaya's confidence rose. She believed she could preemptively eliminate every pistol crew before the ship could open fire, seizing full control of the battle.
But just as she prepared to continue unloading her arrows…
She noticed the black-haired boy—handsome enough to nearly catch her breath—step forward to the deck's edge and meet her gaze. Then he gave her a dazzling smile — eight teeth showing, bright and confident.
A sudden thump hit the calm.
It felt like… a startled fawn peeking into her heart—its hooves racing in panic, lost and flustered.
"…"
Missaya's bow-hand froze.
She stared at him, cheeks flushing red.
At that moment, nothing else mattered—neither Marines nor pirates nor Prince William's trade deals. Only that boy's smile remained in her mind.
PS: Read Advance Chapters at https://www.patreon.com/c/ReadJin