Chapter 473 : The Mysterious Erwin
Ryuunosuke soon contacted Morgans through Den Den Mushi.
"Didn't we already confirm this incident was orchestrated by Carmel from the World Government? What else is there to check?"
Morgans sounded puzzled. The investigation had been concluded, the Navy and Ryuunosuke's men were already setting up to close the net—so why was the captain calling again in the middle of the night?
Ryuunosuke's tone sharpened.
"Do you have any other intel? Did Carmel himself appear? How many agents are on-site? What are their traits? And what's the Government's current position?"
He fired off question after question.
Morgans blinked, feathers ruffling. "Ryuunosuke… you're really making me earn my pay tonight."
Carmel's organization was notoriously secretive—its experiments, its creations, all buried under the World Government's deepest vaults. If Morgans could access that data easily, he'd have been dead long ago.
"Fine," the birdman grumbled. "I'll mobilize my entire network. Once I find anything, you'll be the first to know. By the way… that visitor earlier—the one who came to your ship—who was he?"
Ryuunosuke smirked faintly. "A strong man who left in fear. Go investigate."
He hung up.
Whatever drowsiness he'd felt earlier vanished completely. If anything happened to that old man, he'd skip Raftel altogether and head straight for Mary Geoise. Roy surely knew the implications of that.
Ryuunosuke took out a special Den Den Mushi—one Roy had left him—and stared at it for a while before putting it away. "You really saw this coming, huh…"
---
Night in the East Blue
The lamps of Loguetown flickered softly under the breeze. Most of the town had gone to sleep, save for a few taverns spilling drunken laughter into the streets.
Inside a small grocery shop, Erwin sat by the window, eyes reflecting the moonlight.
"…A storm's coming," he murmured. "Looks like I won't be sleeping tonight."
The door creaked.
"Uncle Erwin."
A familiar voice—Shino.
Erwin didn't look surprised. "From that kid Ryuunosuke's crew, huh? Come in."
He turned and walked deeper into the store, as if he'd been expecting her.
Shino followed, pulling out a sealed envelope. "The captain asked me to deliver this. Said you'd appreciate it. Also… he wanted me to tell you: if you ever plan to return to the sea, let him know."
She bowed politely. "I still have a mission to complete. Take care, Uncle Erwin."
With that, she disappeared into the night.
Erwin unfolded the envelope under the lamplight. Inside were several thick documents—records of Ryuunosuke's voyage: findings from the Valley of the Gods, analysis reports on Uranus, data about the Poseidon and Joy Boy—and one small object, smooth and obsidian black.
The Infinite Black Stone.
He turned the stone over in his palm, eyes narrowing as he skimmed through the reports. Then his brows rose when he saw references to the Guardians and the Evictors.
"This kid… I was right about him," Erwin said softly, a rare spark glinting in his eyes. "Maybe he really will bring a miracle to this world."
He leaned back, exhaling slowly. "Looks like I can't keep this identity hidden anymore. Is it time to set sail again…?"
For the first time in years, the old man's dull pupils flashed with life.
---
A Den Den Mushi rang from the shelf below.
"Buru-buru-buru…"
Erwin hesitated, then picked it up.
"What is it?" he snapped. "Didn't I say I'm done with those affairs?"
"Sir, but we—"
"No buts," Erwin cut him off coldly. "Call again, and I'll kill you myself."
He slammed the receiver down.
The gentle-looking shopkeeper's tone had turned razor-sharp, his killing intent so dense it almost took physical form. For a moment, the air around him felt like that of a seasoned butcher—far from any ordinary doctor.
He sighed, sank into his recliner, and closed his eyes.
---
Outside, on a nearby rooftop, Shino had already found her sniper's perch.
The vantage point overlooked all of Loguetown—perfect for reconnaissance.
Her long-barreled rifle materialized in her hands, drawn from her personal storage space within her game-system panel. She lay prone, steady as stone, her eye pressed to the scope.
She'd done this thousands of times before, both in the virtual world and on real battlefields. Tonight was no different.
---
Off the Coast of Loguetown
Far out at sea, a large ship drifted under the World Government flag.
"My lord, preparations are complete," an agent reported. "Only a few of the Dragon Hunter Pirates' errand boys are stationed in the East Blue. They can't possibly stop us. Shall we strike before Garp arrives?"
He smirked. "If we record their annihilation, we can frame the entire incident on them—and drown them alongside the town."
The officer standing at the bow yawned lazily. "Orders from above are to stand by. No engagement until further notice."
The subordinate frowned. "Understood, sir."
He left, muttering under his breath. The thrill of killing was still fresh in his blood, and being told to wait was torture.
In the control room, the others were less restrained.
"So we just sit here? If we wipe out the pirates now, the Government can call it justice!"
"Forget orders, man—this is Loguetown, the birthplace of piracy. Destroying it would make history."
"Not to mention," another sneered, "there are plenty of fine women in that port."
Their laughter was low and vulgar.
"The higher-ups said no action," one of them reminded the group. "We're just here to put on a show. Someone else will handle the real operation."
"Tch. I can't stand this."
The ringleader slammed his fist against the console. "We've come all this way—might as well start without permission. Our 'commander' hasn't even made a move. Maybe he's all talk!"
The others exchanged looks, grinning wickedly.
And so, despite the orders from above, the hounds of the World Government began to stir.
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