Chapter 92 SURPRISE!!!!

Author: Xiao Yifeng

Translator: PapaSmurf0700

Bai Ye comforted his friends, "Relax, everyone, there's no need to be so anxious." He advised them to not draw too much attention to themselves, as the current members of Baroque Works would likely gather together soon.

Upon hearing Bai Ye's words, Luffy nodded energetically and agreed. However, he couldn't help but express his craving for a tasty meal. "You're right, Bai Ye, but I really want to eat some meat!"

Bai Ye raised an eyebrow and responded with a hint of amusement, "I'm not concerned about the others, but you, Luffy, need to control yourself!"

Bai Ye's sudden cautiousness stemmed from the intuition Nami had mentioned earlier. He had a gut feeling that something troublesome was about to happen, and this premonition only grew stronger after they arrived on the island. This prompted him to devise a plan to protect his friends from any potential danger.

As Luffy continued to make a ruckus about his hunger, the group prepared to continue their journey. However, they abruptly noticed something peculiar – the once lively street had become eerily empty and devoid of any activity.

The strange scene caused them all to halt in their tracks, puzzled and wary. Even the normally clueless Luffy sensed that something wasn't right. In response, those within the group who possessed Haki, quickly turned their attention to their surroundings to investigate the sudden change.

TAP! TAP! TAP!!!

The sound of shoes tapping against the ground approached from a distance, gradually growing louder and closer. A tall, slender figure appeared at the end of the street, gradually coming into focus before the group's eyes.

Upon seeing the approaching individual, Bai Ye's eyes widened in surprise. He thought to himself, "How did this guy end up here?!"

The newcomer who had entered the scene was quite a striking figure, tall and imposing. His most noticeable feature was his handlebar mustache, giving him a distinguished appearance. His hair was black, neatly combed back with a lock that fell over his scalp, adding to his commanding presence. He was dressed sharply in a yellow and black striped suit, which he wore over a dark red shirt, paired with an orange tie. The combination was both bold and stylish. Draped over his shoulders, almost like a cape, was a Marine coat, signifying his rank and affiliation.

With a cigarette in his mouth and hands in his pockets, the man's gait was assertive and dominant. Most importantly, the cloak he wore bore the mark of justice - a symbol reserved only for those of Captain rank or higher within the navy.

The man chuckled and said, "Well, well, it seems I've stumbled upon quite a surprise on this little business trip of mine." He paused for a moment, seemingly searching for something in his pockets. "Aha, found it!"

The man pulled out several bounty posters, amusement evident in his voice. "It looks like my hunch was correct, after all. The Straw Hat Pirates - a crew of pirates hailing from the East Blue."

As the man looked at the group, his smile grew increasingly sinister. "Unfortunately for you," he continued, with a malicious grin, "it seems your journey has hit a dead end."

After striking what he believed to be an impressive pose, the visitor wasn't prepared for Luffy's complete lack of social awareness as he blurted out, "Who's this ugly guy?"

Quickly, Nami and Usopp covered Luffy's mouth in an attempt to avoid any further trouble. Nami scolded Luffy, "Hey, try to read the situation, will you? Judging by his appearance, that man is clearly a high-ranking Navy officer."

Unexpectedly, both Zoro and Sanji chimed in unison, "But he really has a weird mustache." Surprisingly, they glanced at each other without any animosity, an unusual occurrence for the normally quarreling pair.

Hearing their remarks, the newcomer's expression remained surprisingly calm, almost indifferent. There was a hint of amusement in his eyes, as if he found the situation mildly entertaining. Then, Bai Ye finally spoke, breaking the subtle tension, "That's the Vice Admiral Stainless.".

While talking, Bai Ye gestured for Vivi, who was standing nearby, to hop on the Karoo and escape, as he believed Stainless would be aware of her identity and likely ignore her.

For the first time, Bai Ye thought that things might be getting out of hand and approached Stainless with a serious expression, saying, "I didn't expect to find you here."

In the original story, Smoker and Hina had been the highest-ranking Navy officers involved in the Alabasta incident. But now, they had somehow attracted the attention of an vice admiral.

Bai Ye struggled to wrap his head around it. A vice admiral was the third-highest rank in the marine hierarchy. Essentially, beneath the Admirals and aside from Garp, vice admirals were the Marines' strongest force.

Upon hearing Bai Ye's revelations, Nami, Usopp, and Chopper, as well as Zoro and Sanji, couldn't help but exclaim in disbelief, "A vice admiral?!"

During their journey to Alabasta, Bai Ye and his companions had spent time researching the power dynamics of the world they were in. Consequently, they understood that an admiral represented the pinnacle of the Navy's combat strength. Furthermore, Bai Ye had mentioned that even Hawkeye, the world's number one swordsman, was still outmatched when compared to the overwhelming power of an admiral. Thus, confronting a vice admiral, only marginally less formidable, was like engaging with an almost insurmountable force.

With this thought in mind, both Sanji and Zoro assumed fighting stances, ready to face the formidable challenge. Surprisingly, even Nami and Usopp braced themselves for combat. Nami held her weather stick, while Usopp clutched his elemental double guns, both keeping a watchful eye on Stainless. Chopper, too, had his Rumble Ball at the ready, prepared to take it at a moment's notice.

Of all of them, only Luffy seemed unfazed by the vice admiral's presence. Nevertheless, seeing his friends' reactions prompted Luffy to lower his straw hat and shift his gaze towards Stainless, asking, "So, he's our enemy?"

Stainless glanced at Bai Ye and continued to smirk mischievously, addressing him as "Priest Bai Ye" before adding, "You seem to know my identity, confirming what those guys in the intelligence department said about you. It appears you're privy to quite a few secrets."

Stainless appeared unconcerned by Bai Ye's sneaky attempt to let Vivi escape unnoticed. He also seemed unfazed by the palpable hostility radiating from those standing before him. In Stainless's eyes, his opponents were simply too weak to pose any real threat.

In an instant, Stainless vanished from his spot, using the Shave technique – a dazzling display of speed. Before they knew it, Stainless reappeared above the Straw Hats, preparing to unleash a powerful Tempest Kick. Stainless managed to gather enough force through his waist and abdomen to produce a golden air blade in the sky.

With a ferocious swing, his right leg descended and sent a Haki-infused air blade. The powerful attack crashed down upon them mercilessly!

Xun Gua – Tiny Hurricane!

A massive explosion followed by clouds of dust erupted as Stainless landed back on the ground. Anyone watching would be shocked to see that Stainless's hands never once left his pockets throughout the entire attack.

Stainless glanced around, his sinister grin seeming to grow more devious as he commented, "Being able to make such a move truly makes Priest Bai Ye, with his one hundred million bounty, live up to his name."

Despite the complimentary words, Stainless's tone remained remarkably casual. Just moments before his air blade managed to strike the Straw Hats, an unexpected hurricane had swept them away, causing the attack to miss its intended targets.

As Bai Ye's silhouette emerged on the rooftop of a nearby house, he mimicked Stainless's relaxed tone, saying, "Suddenly attacking while talking – you truly deserve to be the backbone of the Navy, Vice Admiral!"

Yet, behind Bai Ye's lighthearted facade, he couldn't help but feel concerned. With only a small glimpse of Stainless's strength, Bai Ye could already tell that he held the power to easily defeat them all.

Stainless was a force to be reckoned with – truly dangerous.

P.S Earlier, I made a mistake and mistranslated the guy in the yellow suit. But now I've corrected it and it should be fine.