"...And then, by pure coincidence, he found out where Whitebeard was."
Zeffa couldn’t even keep a straight face by the end of his report, finishing with a bitter smile.
The entire Fleet Admiral’s office fell silent.
Everyone’s thoughts were written plainly across their faces.
He had even extorted one of the Four Emperors.
Was that really just a coincidence?
Or had it all been planned from the start?
At that moment...
Everyone finally understood why Sengoku had said that giving Lucas a ten-million-Berry performance bonus would end up blowing a hole through the sky.
"Zeffa!"
"Hurry!"
"Get in touch with that brat and order him back immediately!"
Sengoku nearly crushed the armrest of his chair as he roared.
"This mission is canceled!"
"He hasn’t even found Whitebeard yet, and he’s already extorting Kaido!"
"If he actually runs into both Whitebeard and Red-Hair..."
"I’m seriously worried all three Yonko crews will declare war on Marine Headquarters at the same time!"
"Kizaru!"
"You’re the fastest!"
"Get over there immediately and keep an eye on Lucas!"
"Don’t let him run into Kaido!"
As one order after another rang out...
Everyone shuddered at Sengoku’s final prediction.
After witnessing Lucas’s style firsthand...
It really sounded possible.
The mere thought of three Yonko crews putting aside their differences to declare war on Marine Headquarters...
Sent chills down everyone’s spine.
Meanwhile...
In the waters near Sicily...
A Marine warship sliced through the waves.
Standing at the bow...
Lucas gazed into the distance while leisurely sipping his homemade liquor, his eyes half-closed as he enjoyed the sea breeze.
"Admiral Lucas."
Ain stood atop the lookout tower, scanning the horizon with binoculars before reporting,
"We’re still thirty nautical miles from Sicily Island."
"We haven’t spotted Whitebeard’s Moby Dick anywhere."
"They’ve probably already left."
"No sign of them?"
Instead of disappointment...
Gion actually felt relieved.
Looking back at the smaller Beast Pirates ship that had been bundled up and tied behind their warship like cargo...
She genuinely feared what Lucas might do if he actually found Whitebeard.
"Admiral Lucas..."
"If Whitebeard has already left these waters..."
"There’s no need to keep chasing him."
"When we return..."
"Chaton and I will speak to Fleet Admiral Sengoku."
"Maybe we can still convince him to award you the ten-million-Berry performance bonus."
Having witnessed Lucas extort Kaido with her own eyes...
Gion truly couldn’t imagine what methods he’d use to verify the contents of Whitebeard and Shanks’ meeting.
Rather than continue worrying...
She almost hoped they’d never find Whitebeard at all.
Gion’s attempt at persuasion only earned a smile.
"Vice Admiral Gion..."
"That won’t do."
"As a qualified salaryman..."
"Finishing the project properly is mandatory."
"Otherwise..."
"How am I supposed to ask for raises and bonuses next time?"
He adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses before suddenly raising an eyebrow.
"That said..."
"You’re really my lucky charm."
"Speak of the devil..."
"And there he is."
Lucky charm?
Gion blinked.
She had no idea what the expression "Speak of the devil" meant.
But...
The moment she saw the outline of a ship emerging on the distant horizon...
Along with the pirate flag fluttering proudly in the wind...
Only one word echoed through her mind.
Damn.
The very thing she feared most...
Had happened.
She no longer wanted to be anyone’s lucky charm.
Thinking about how Lucas had already extorted Kaido just to find Whitebeard...
She didn’t even dare imagine what would happen next.
"Admiral Lucas..."
"How about we leave?"
"This is Whitebeard’s territory."
"I have a bad feeling about this."
Lucas merely smiled and adjusted his glasses.
"It’s too late to leave now."
"They’ve already spotted us."
"But don’t worry."
"Compared to muscle-brained Kaido..."
"I’m pretty confident I can have a conversation with Whitebeard."
A conversation?
Gion froze.
An utterly ridiculous thought surfaced in her mind.
Surely...
He wasn’t planning to walk up to Whitebeard himself...
And ask him what he and Red-Hair had talked about?
That would be even crazier than extorting Kaido.
At the same time...
A much smaller whale-shaped pirate ship cut across the waves.
Standing at its bow...
Was Atmos, Commander of the Thirteenth Division of the Whitebeard Pirates, nicknamed the Water Buffalo.
His enormous frame...
The pair of massive swords strapped across his back...
And his simple armor...
Made him radiate overwhelming pressure.
Not to mention...
He bore the banner of the strongest of the Four Emperors—
The Whitebeard Pirates.
Wherever he stood in the New World...
He was a pirate no one could ignore.
"Commander Atmos."
One of his trusted subordinates hurried over.
"A Marine warship has appeared ahead."
"It should belong to the Marines’ newly appointed Fourth Admiral that Commander Marco mentioned earlier."
"The Fourth Admiral?"
Atmos raised an eyebrow.
"I thought we’d run into the Beast Pirates first."
"I was hoping to settle the score for what happened in the Uss Sea."
"I never expected the Marines’ new Fourth Admiral would deliver himself right to our doorstep."
"According to Marco and the others..."
"This so-called new Admiral is just a paper tiger fabricated by Marine Headquarters."
"He’ll eventually become nothing more than the stepping stone that lets Ace make his name across the seas."
"If time allowed..."
"I would’ve tested his strength myself before handing him over to Ace."
"But Pops is about to meet Red-Hair."
"For the sake of keeping everything smooth..."
"I’ll drop that idea."
"Hale."
"Go deliver a message."
"Tell those Marines this is Whitebeard Pirates territory."
"They’re to leave immediately."
"Otherwise..."
"I’ll personally tie them up and drag them before Pops."
"Understood, Commander!"
Hale grinned.
"I’ll announce it right away."
"The other commanders said this new Admiral’s just a paper tiger anyway."
"I bet the moment he sees our flag..."
"He’ll run without us saying a word."
Just as Hale turned toward the lookout tower...
A voice suddenly drifted across the sea with the wind.
"Hey..."
"You there."
"Take me to Whitebeard."
"I’ve got something I need to tell him in person."
"If we leave now..."
"We’ll make it just in time."
"I really don’t want to end up working overtime after my shift ends."
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