Chapter 163: The Terrified Demon-Person Oren

As his footsteps gradually came to a halt,

Lu En paused his movement, his eyes filled with curiosity as he surveyed the smoke-filled street ahead.

The lights flickered,

a riot of rainbow colors.

Even though it was daytime, the place was still rendered in utter chaos.

A light breeze brushed past,

and a sharp, thick stench of alcohol surged toward Lu En.

Clearly.

Ahead lay a street lined with countless taverns.

It was also the stronghold of the Demon-Person Pirate Crew!

And the main objective of Lu En and his group's visit here.

"The Demon-Person Pirate Crew really are a brazen bunch."

"This is…"

"Are they planning to turn this whole street into a kingdom?"

Lu En narrowed his eyes slightly.

He saw it.

Under the flickering glow of those multicolored lights, quite a few scantily-clad women were dancing wantonly inside the taverns, their graceful figures swaying.

And pirates with hair dyed in every color were shouting and cheering.

The scene made one's blood surge,

and the place was brimming with raw, primal wildness.

Very chaotic,

and very filthy,

the air, besides that sharp stench of alcohol, also carried some strange odors.

The atmosphere here was extremely heated, a gathering of rogues who lived for crime.

This place was a rogue's paradise!

"Pass my order—disperse the '887' personnel."

"Seal off this area. Forbid any outsider from setting foot here."

Upon arriving at the scene, Aokiji began issuing orders without the slightest hesitation.

"Yes, Vice Admiral Aokiji."

Miz received the order.

Then.

He turned around and issued instructions to the full twelve hundred subordinates before him: "All personnel disperse. Split into twenty squads, sixty men per squad."

"Seal off every passage on this street!"

"Forbid anyone from setting foot here, and prevent anyone inside from escaping."

"Anyone who wishes to leave this place must have our approval. Violators will be cut down on the spot, no mercy."

"Is that clear to everyone?"

With a single order given,

the twelve hundred marines responded in unison: "Yes!"

Shortly after,

the twelve hundred marines scattered in different directions.

Following Miz's order, they sealed and blocked every passage and intersection on this street.

In addition,

two elite squads were specially arranged by Miz to stay at his side, personally led by him, responsible for following Aokiji to the Demon-Person Pirate Crew's stronghold.

Furthermore,

within Miz's arrangement, these two elite squads also served as guards to protect Lu En.

Ever since he guessed that Lu En's identity was extremely noble and illustrious, Miz had paid extra attention to Lu En's personal safety, terrified that Lu En might meet with misfortune during this encirclement of the Demon-Person Pirate Crew.

"Later, you will be responsible for protecting that young man's personal safety."

"You must not let him get hurt!"

"Understood?"

Miz lowered his voice, his face full of solemnity as he instructed the full hundred and twenty marines of the two squads.

"Colonel Miz can rest assured, we guarantee the mission will be completed."

The hundred and twenty marines nodded seriously.

Shortly after,

Aokiji stepped forward, slowly crossing into the chaotic, filthy street ahead.

"Follow me."

Seeing this,

Lu En's eyes flickered, and he also stepped forward to follow.

Then,

Miz led the hundred and twenty marines in close pursuit, their eyes fixed dead on the surroundings, guarding against any sudden attack from the Demon-Person Pirate Crew.

At the same time.

On the other side,

just as Aokiji formally stepped onto this street under the control of the Demon Human Pirates.

All around,

from the dim corners of street after street, pirates in varied dress stepped out one by one, each with hair dyed a different color, faces ferocious, eyes filled with cold intent and a chilling stare fixed on Aokiji.

"Marines? What a rare guest!"

"You lot have some nerve — do you even know what kind of place this is?"

"This here is the territory ruled by our Demon Human Pirates!"

"You Marines have crossed the line!"

"Dare to barge into the territory ruled by our Demon Human Pirates? Looks to me like you Marines are tired of living."

A group of pirates stared sharply at Aokiji and Lu En, their eyes brimming with killing intent.

Killing aura surging,

the atmosphere oppressive.

A breath of murderous air rose up of its own accord.

Gradually.

The number of pirates gathering grew ever larger.

From the original several hundred,

to over a thousand!

And finally…

it swelled into a massive group of more than three thousand!

A full three thousand-plus pirates surrounded Aokiji's hundred-odd men airtight, leaving not the slightest gap.

Pair after pair of eyes filled with cold killing intent all locked onto Aokiji.

"V-Vice Admiral Mitz, is this really not going to be a problem?"

"All three thousand-plus pirates have gathered here!"

"Even some of the Demon Human Pirates' captains have shown up one after another."

"And we are only a mere hundred-odd people."

"Once they all charge in, looks like we'll be trampled to death on the spot."

The marines standing behind Mitz felt a measure of panic and unease.

"Relax, with Vice Admiral Aokiji here, we don't need to worry too much."

Mitz too was somewhat flustered inside, but still forced himself not to show it.

At this moment,

Aokiji surveyed the several thousand pirates around him with a flat gaze, his expression carrying a hint of laziness and amusement; from start to finish, there was no great shift in his emotional waves.

"Everyone's here?"

"Oh, that's not right…"