Chapter 395: Sneaking into the Navy, Ilok Gets Scolded!
As the Navy's operation pressed forward, Ryuunosuke and his crew had already overtaken Findus and his group.
In just one more day, they would reach Marine Headquarters.
"Captain, your plan's a bit cruel…" Ban said, smirking, "but I like it. When do we strike?"
"You can move at any time," Ryuunosuke answered calmly. "As long as the World Government shows its true intentions, it's fair game. If we act too soon, it'll look like we came deliberately."
Ban nodded in agreement, and the others held no objections. What they looked forward to was the battle itself. Facing the new Elder—the highest power of the Government—wasn't something to take lightly. Yet excitement buzzed in their blood.
"All right. Rest up while you can. Be ready for the fight ahead."
After speaking, Ryuunosuke left the deck and returned to his cabin. One by one, the others drifted away as well, leaving only a few deckhands cleaning.
Bullet remained, standing silently at the rail. Even he was unsettled by what had just been decided.
Back on Roger's ship, they'd faced dangerous seas and mighty foes—but even then, they had never gone this far. To attack the World Government head-on, and not just anyone, but figures at the level of the Five Elders? That was madness.
The so-called "Devil's Heir" himself would've thought twice. Yet here, Ryuunosuke and his crew treated it as simple resolve.
"Hey, kid," Bullet suddenly asked, grabbing a nearby deckhand. "What do you think of the World Government?"
The handyman blinked, then answered without hesitation:
"The World Government? Sooner or later, the Dragon Hunter Pirates will crush it. Why? You interested in them too, Mr. Bullet? I was there when we fought at Marijoa. To be honest, they're not as terrifying as people make them out to be. If they're attacked—they bleed, and they die. I saw it myself."
Then he launched into a vivid retelling of the War of Gods.
Bullet listened, stunned. Resurrection? Group resurrection? These pirates had all died once already—yet here they were, laughing at death. To them, dying wasn't weakness. It was practically initiation.
"Mr. Bullet, you okay?" the handyman asked when Bullet just stood there, silent.
"…Yeah. I'm fine," Bullet muttered, shaking his head.
Satisfied, the deckhand turned back to his mop. "Strange… such a strong guy, yet his mental endurance is so weak," he muttered under his breath. Then he went back to scrubbing.
---
A day later, Ryuunosuke's crew arrived at an island close to Marine Headquarters.
The Ship of Gods was submerged deep below the waves, hidden from sight. Instead, they sailed into port aboard a captured Marine warship.
"Captain, how do I look in this uniform?" Kuina asked with a playful grin.
"Brother Ryuunosuke, I finished changing too." Akame stepped out beside her, also dressed in Marine garb.
Ryuunosuke's eyes went wide. The sight of them left him momentarily speechless.
If he'd seen these two in Marine uniform earlier, maybe Garp's suggestion to join the Navy wouldn't have sounded so ridiculous…
"…Perfect," he said at last, swallowing hard.
If there hadn't been a battle waiting for them, Ryuunosuke would've been sorely tempted to fight a very different kind of war right there.
"Sister Akame, look—Captain's eyes are glued to you."
"You're wrong, Kuina. He's clearly staring at you…"
Their teasing only pushed him closer to snapping. The next moment, Ryuunosuke transformed into a beast—then performed an act so indescribable it lasted twenty thousand words…
---
Meanwhile, aboard Findus's ship—
"Sir, we can't reach our men," Ilok reported nervously. "None of them are answering."
That was bad news. They still needed cooperation from inside Marine Headquarters. Without it, their mission was at risk.
Findus's expression darkened. "If those fools ruin my plan, I'll kill them myself. Even now, they can't restrain themselves…"
He already knew their habits. Back in Mary Geoise, they could be disciplined. But here, in Marineford, with the World Government's identity shielding them? They indulged every vice.
He'd tried calling them before. The background noise of women and drunken laughter had said enough.
"Keep calling until someone picks up!" Findus snapped.
"Yes, sir."
Ilok returned to the Den Den Mushi, though the irritation on his face said he already knew what kind of mess they were in. Even if this mission succeeded, punishment was inevitable.
Then, suddenly—
"Buru buru… buru buru…"
The snail finally connected.
"Kamis, what the hell are you—"
"Who the hell are you? How dare you call our boss by his first name?" a drunken, arrogant voice cut him off.
Ilok froze, stunned. He was the deputy commander of CP, and yet here he was being scolded like a low-ranking thug.
"I am Ilok, commander of the CP organization! Tell Kamis to answer, now!" he barked, keeping his anger in check.
"Commander of CP, huh? And I'm one of the Five Elders. Hah! Get lost, or I'll rip your head off and piss in it. Now where's that drink…?"
Click.
Ilok slammed the receiver down, face flushed with fury.
Those bastards—had they really fallen this far?
But he forced himself to calm down. Findus needed to know, even if the truth was ugly.
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