Chapter 471 - 197: "The Cowardly Purple Flower" (Part 3)

"One-third?"

Antonella frowned. ’They really don’t follow the rules!’

"Is there a problem?"

Ronan surveyed the sailors below. Ignoring their attire, he could tell from their dark, sun-weathered skin that they were old hands who had sailed the Cordo Sea for years.

’These are the kind of sailors our *Leonard* needs!’

"This isn’t in accordance with the rules!" Antonella shook her head, her cheeks puffed out. It clearly took a great deal of resolve for her to say such a thing. "If you need a few girls, I can provide them, but these men..."

To prove her sincerity, Antonella spoke while gesturing for her subordinates to bring the girls out from the ship’s cabin.

Seeing the ten numb-faced women being shoved out, Ronan and the other pirates couldn’t help but let out a loud whistle.

"How about I give them to you, Lord Ronan, Second Officer of Leonard’s Pirate Gang?"

Seeing their expressions, Antonella relaxed internally. ’It’s good that they’re interested in the girls...’

She was truly unwilling to let the sailors who had followed her for years be taken away. A trustworthy and experienced sailor was a treasure that couldn’t be bought even with gold pounds.

However—

"I’m sorry," Ronan sighed and shook his head. "I’ll be taking these girls, and I’m taking one-third of the sailors, too!"

"You!?" Antonella gritted her teeth. "Your Leonard’s Pirate Gang breaks the rules like this. Aren’t you worried about censure from the other Pirate Gangs?"

"I regret to inform you that all actions of our Leonard’s Pirate Gang are in accordance with the Pirate Law established in the year 294 of the New Calendar by the ’Thunder Giant,’ Ibrahim Delgado!"

At this, Ronan’s expression turned serious. He looked at Antonella and stated in an exceptionally solemn tone, "Article Three: When a Pirate Gang has lost more than half its crew, it is permitted to use any means necessary to replenish its pirates!"

’Lost more than half its crew?’

Antonella froze for a moment, then counted the pirates around Ronan. There were indeed only a dozen or so.

’Damn it, what do I do now...’

’Am I really going to let them take the sailors my family worked so hard to train?’

That would be even more painful for her than if these men had died!

"Captain, why don’t we just fight them!"

Just then, a middle-aged man also wearing a tricorn hat, who stood behind Antonella, said in a low voice, "I just used my perception to check. It’s only Ronan and his men up there. I didn’t detect anyone else!"

"With our strength, dealing with a Minister-level fighter like Ronan... won’t be hard!"

Antonella’s eyes flickered, and her lips barely moved. "Are you sure, Inar? You should remember what the papers said. That’s an Extraordinary capable of killing Henrik. If that person is on the ship, fighting them now will get us all killed!"

"I’m sure!" Inar’s eyes narrowed, his Spirit perception sweeping over the entire *Leonard* and not missing a single detail. "Make a decision, Antonella. Are you really going to let them take your people? Your prestige in the family will hit rock bottom!"

"Besides, even if that person is here, they’re Director Level at best. I can still handle that..."

"Have you made up your mind?" Ronan’s triangular eyes narrowed slightly. Years of sailing the seas had allowed him to smell a hint of danger. His tone turned cold. "Or are you planning to resist?"

CLANG!

As Ronan’s voice fell, all the pirates drew their weapons, grinning menacingly at the two three-masted ships marked with the purple flower insignia.

Even though they were outnumbered, there wasn’t a trace of panic or fear on the pirates’ faces.

They knew very well that the Second Officer’s strength was nothing to write home about. The truly powerful one was the ship’s captain.

As long as the Captain was here, they feared no enemy!

Antonella studied the pirates, a faint sense of unease growing inside her.

’Why do they look like they’re looking forward to a fight, without any fear... Something’s wrong. Something is very wrong with these pirates!’

Thinking this, Antonella gritted her teeth and made her decision. "I agree to your terms!"

She didn’t dare. She didn’t dare gamble with everyone’s lives!

Inar was stunned. He looked at Antonella in astonishment. "Why? Don’t you trust me?"

"I’ll explain later! For now, I’m still the one in charge. Do as I say!"

Inar’s face flushed with anger. "Then you can give them two-thirds of the sailors from your ship! They’re not taking a single one of my men!"

After saying this, he leaped back to the other ship and glared at Ronan and his men with a cold expression.

"You—"

Seeing this, Ronan glanced at Inar and the others. "Are we having a disagreement, Captain Antonella?"

Antonella: "..."

"You’re Ronan, is that right?"

At that moment, Inar snorted coldly. "If you want my men, then come and try to take them! Weigh anchor and set sail!"

"Inar, you can’t do this! Stop!"

Antonella’s face flushed with rage; she was clearly furious.

"Sorry, Captain Antonella, but according to family rules, when there’s a disagreement, I can choose to act on my own accord."

"Oh?"

Ronan watched him with a smile that wasn’t a smile—or to be more precise, he was watching the ship as it raised its sails.

’So there really are people who aren’t afraid to die. Tsk tsk, looks like I’ll be reaping a big harvest this time!’

"Second Officer, what do we do now?"

"Has the captain arrived yet?"

"Haven’t seen him."

Ronan stared at the ship, thought for a few seconds, then broke into a wide, menacing grin. "Activate the Rune Array!"

"Yes, sir!"

The pirates roared in unison, one after another activating the Rune Equipment on their bodies. A multicolored radiance shimmered faintly in the sunlight.

"Array, activated!"