Meanwhile, in the waters of the Sicily Sea...
One of the Four Emperors, Red-Haired Shanks, sailed forward aboard the Red Force, cutting through the waves.
A figure cloaked in a spotless white robe slowly appeared on the deck.
"Red Hair," the newcomer said coldly, "this isn’t what we agreed upon."
"You promised that if you encountered the newly appointed Marine Admiral on your way to meet Whitebeard, you would intercept him and let him understand just how dangerous these seas truly are."
"So why didn’t you make your move? Are you planning to simply leave these waters?"
Neither Benn Beckman nor the other officers looked surprised by the unexpected visitor. Instead, they all turned toward Shanks.
Taking a swig of sake, Shanks replied calmly,
"CP0, I haven’t forgotten our agreement."
"But the condition was that it wouldn’t harm the interests of the Red Hair Pirates."
"If it does..."
"The deal is off."
"The deal is off?" The CP0 agent’s expression darkened. "Red Hair... are you refusing the orders of the Five Elders?"
"Orders?"
Shanks’ face turned cold.
Boom!
A terrifying wave of Conqueror’s Haki erupted from his body like a raging storm, crashing directly into the CP0 agent.
The agent’s expression changed dramatically as he was forced back seven or eight steps before barely regaining his footing.
His face filled with shock and anger.
"Red Hair! What do you think you’re doing?"
"What do I mean?"
The overwhelming Haki gradually faded as Shanks spoke indifferently.
"Don’t forget."
"My relationship with the Five Elders is merely one of cooperation."
"It was a request."
"Not an order."
"Besides..."
"The fact that that Marine brat dared to board Whitebeard’s ship alone means he definitely isn’t as simple as he looks."
"He’s hiding something."
"A Marine Admiral wouldn’t be that easy to deal with."
"And if I’d attacked..."
"Whitebeard would’ve intervened."
"If two Four Emperors had clashed because of that..."
"Could a mere CP0 agent like you bear responsibility for the consequences?"
"You expect me to believe Whitebeard would protect a Marine Admiral?"
The CP0 agent’s face became even gloomier.
For a long moment, he couldn’t say a word.
In his eyes, any Marine Admiral who barged into a meeting between two Four Emperors should have either died or been seriously injured.
At the very least...
There was no way Lucas should have walked away completely unharmed.
And yet Shanks was telling him...
A pirate had protected a Marine.
What kind of ridiculous excuse was that?
Of course...
If Lucas had heard Shanks’ evaluation, he would’ve thanked him with a wry smile.
He really wasn’t that mysterious.
Aside from the hidden trump card of his Overtime Berserk Buff, he’d practically exhausted himself already.
Yet people kept insisting he wasn’t simple.
Wasn’t that just setting him up?
"Believe it or don’t."
Shanks shrugged.
"It’s getting late."
"If we can’t continue cooperating..."
"I won’t keep you here."
"Very well."
"Red-Haired Shanks..."
"There isn’t only one Emperor ruling these seas."
"I’ll see for myself whether that Marine brat is really as extraordinary as you claim."
The CP0 agent turned and departed.
Watching him leave the ship, Benn Beckman removed the cigar from his mouth.
"Captain, was it really wise to reject CP0 like that?"
"Why wouldn’t it be?"
Shanks smiled faintly.
"I’m just buying Luffy a little more time."
"Having that Marine Admiral draw CP0’s attention isn’t a bad thing."
He paused.
"Was the intelligence report accurate?"
"Has Enies Lobby really fallen?"
Lucky Roux and the others immediately became serious.
They had been shocked when the news reached them on the journey back.
Benn Beckman nodded.
"The report’s reliable."
"I heard the commander of CP9 activated a Buster Call just to eliminate every last witness."
"A Buster Call..."
A gleam flashed across Shanks’ eyes.
"As expected of the New Era I’ve bet everything on."
"I wonder what kind of sparks will fly if Luffy meets that young Marine Admiral."
"Sparks?"
Lucky Roux paused halfway through taking another bite of roasted meat.
Shanks raised an eyebrow.
"Something wrong?"
Lucky Roux forced a smile.
"If that guy really extorted Kaido just for a 10,000,000-Berry Performance Bonus..."
"I’m worried that when those two meet..."
"It won’t be sparks."
"It’ll be blood."
Shanks...
Benn Beckman...
And everyone else on the ship froze.
Thinking carefully about the new Admiral who was obsessed with salary and performance bonuses...
Perhaps...
They really shouldn’t judge him by normal standards.
After all...
Was he even a normal person?
Three days later.
Dock No. 1, Water 7.
A Marine warship rapidly approached the harbor and docked.
The craftsmen stationed along the docks immediately grew uneasy.
Many of them knew the truth behind the assault on Enies Lobby.
The arrival of the Marines felt like a death sentence.
"Hurry!"
"Go inform President Iceburg!"
"Tell him the Marines are here and have everyone leave immediately!"
A senior shipwright hurriedly issued orders before turning his attention toward the warship.
The moment he recognized the figure standing at the bow...
His pupils contracted sharply.
"Quick!"
"Tell them to run!"
"The one who came this time is a Marine Admiral—one of the Marines’ greatest military powers!"
A Marine Admiral?
The entire dock erupted into panic.
The Galley-La Company of Water 7 was the World Government’s largest shipbuilding partner and the primary builder of Marine warships.
Naturally, they were familiar with the Marines’ chain of command.
Especially the man before them...
The newly appointed Admiral who had become the hottest topic across the seas—
Admiral Glutton Lucas.
Ever since his photograph appeared in the World Economy News Paper, discussions about him had spread everywhere.
His face was unforgettable.
No one truly knew how powerful this new Admiral was.
But for him to appear in Water 7 at a time like this...
He clearly hadn’t come with good intentions.
Watching the fleeing figures disappear into the darkness, Lucas adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses and smiled.
"I was wondering how I’d find them in a city as large as Water 7."
"I didn’t expect someone to volunteer as my guide the moment I arrived."
He glanced around before chuckling.
"And old man Garp still hasn’t arrived."
"Looks like this is a rare opportunity to earn myself another bonus."
"Admiral Lucas..."
Koby froze before speaking anxiously.
"A bonus?"
"Luffy is Vice Admiral Garp’s grandson."
"He’s also... a good pirate."
"You’re not planning to go after him just for a reward, are you?"
Helmeppo also looked nervous.
Although he wasn’t particularly fond of Luffy or Zoro...
As Koby’s friend—and because of everything they’d experienced in the past—he didn’t want Lucas targeting Luffy and his crew simply for bounty money.
Lucas chuckled.
"Relax."
"I’ll give old man Garp the respect he’s due."
"But I’ll make sure I get my bonus too."
He adjusted his glasses with a grin.
"A successful man..."
"Should have both reputation..."
"And bonuses."
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