Just as he was about to regroup and plan his next move, a voice shattered the quiet. "Hey! What are you doing here?" Tōga's heart sank as he turned to face the source of the inquiry. Two guards had emerged into the open space behind him, almost as if on cue. His brown eyes quickly took stock of the situation, noting the guards’ weapons and stance. One brandished a hefty hammer, poised for crushing blows, while the other wielded a slender, moonlit sword, already lifting it in preparation for an attack.
"Hey, hey, hey! No need to be aggressive. You guys don’t want to do this," Tōga said, the smile on his face broadening in a diplomatic effort to defuse the escalating tension. For a moment, the guards hesitated, exchanging glances that spoke of uncertainty and confusion. However, the brief pause ended as their expressions hardened into sinister grins.
"I guess we don’t gotta get out of control, if we silence you fast, we can take you in without the help of anyone else and claim the reward from Blackbeard," the guard with the hammer remarked. His voice was thick with greed as he tightened his grip on the weapon’s handle, a menacing lick of his lips punctuating his intent.