Off to the side, Kizaru raised an eyebrow at the scene unfolding. With only a few hundred Marines stationed on the island, if things really escalated into a fight with Wayne, even he couldn't predict how it would end.
Wayne glanced at Daniel, who stood at attention, his expression solemn.
"Call off the brothers coming from the New World. It's over. Instead, pick a few and set up a branch office here. The population's huge our records and posters will sell like crazy."
"Yes, sir!" Daniel didn't question the order. He immediately led the crew off to get started.
Wayne wanted to say something grand like, "I'm planting the Jolly Roger of the Wayne Pirates here this land is under my protection now!"
But he held back.
This wasn't the New World. This was still Paradise and dangerously close to Sabaody Archipelago. The Marines had real influence here.
So instead, he chose a subtler approach. By establishing a business presence, he sent a clear message to any pirate or opportunist thinking about causing trouble:
If you're coming here, you better make sure you're worth the risk.
Kizaru didn't say anything. He'd never been the type to meddle too much anyway. And with Slaive taken down, this nation was left without a king. Its future would now lie in the hands of its people.
Wayne turned to him and said,
"Old man, thanks for earlier. I owe you one."
Kizaru pouted theatrically.
"So scary! A pirate owing the Navy a favor? Well, I'll hold onto it for now."
Wayne appreciated it. Letting him go after Slaive without interference had already been a huge concession. He understood the weight of that silence.
"Oh, right," Kizaru added. "The Fleet Admiral wants you back in the New World soon. With your status, it's best not to linger in Paradise."
Wayne nodded.
"Got it."
Then, in a flash of lightning, he vanished from sight.
...
"Big Brother Wayne, you'll come back and visit us, right?"
Vivian stood in front of him, cheeks flushed and eyes wide, her voice soft and filled with reluctance.
Wayne ruffled her hair gently and said,
"Of course I will. I even opened a branch company here, remember? You can come work there when you're older. And who knows maybe one day, you'll get to visit me in the New World."
"Mhm! You better not forget!" she beamed.
...
Marine Headquarters — Marineford
A high-level strategy meeting was in full swing. The roundtable was filled with stern-looking senior officers, with Fleet Admiral Sengoku seated at the head.
"Borsalino," Sengoku began, "Are you certain Wayne has become a Logia-type Devil Fruit user?"
Kizaru gave a dramatic pout.
"Now, now, Sengoku-san... don't you trust your old pal? I saw his body elementalize with my own eyes. The battlefield was scorched black from lightning. I suspect… he's got the Goro Goro no Mi."
"What?!"
"Nani?!"
A chorus of shocked gasps filled the room.
Sengoku's expression turned grave.
"According to Aokiji's last report, Wayne already had power rivaling an admiral. Now he's obtained one of the strongest Logia fruits? His strength might already be… on par with a Yonko."
The Goro Goro no Mi Lightning Fruit was undeniably powerful. But in the hands of someone like Enel, it was limited to roughly Warlord level.
In Wayne's hands, however someone already formidable it was a devastating weapon.
Vice Admiral Tsuru's eyes narrowed.
"Well… at least for now, Wayne seems like the easiest of the Warlords to deal with. Well, aside from Bartholomew Kuma."
Sengoku rubbed his temples.
"You don't know, Tsuru. When that man snaps, he's scarier than half the Warlords combined. But strangely enough, there's never been a single report of him plundering innocent civilians…"
"And most importantly, his relationships with the New World's underground kings are strained. That alone eases a lot of pressure on us."
Admiral Akainu clenched his fists, jaw tight.
"Disgraceful. A man who understands justice in his heart, yet refuses to join the Marines. Such a waste of potential!"
Sengoku turned back to Kizaru.
"Did you extend the offer to him?"
"I did," Kizaru nodded. "But Wayne-kun turned it down. Again."
Sengoku closed his eyes, his face lined with regret.
"A shame. In any case, our current stance is to keep relations with Wayne as friendly as possible. Who knows how long peace will last in this ocean…"
...
New World — World Economic Journal Headquarters
Morgans, the boss of the News Coo, stared at the intelligence report in front of him, lost in thought.
After a long silence, he gritted his beak.
"Warlord Wayne… what a bold move. He outright executed one of the Dark World's ruling kings…"
"No, this is serious. I need to speak to them. If Wayne turns his sights on us next…"
...
Water 7 — Dock One
Wayne stood before the partially rebuilt Apocalypse, eyes filled with helplessness.
"How much longer is this going to take?"
Iceburg crossed his arms and replied,
"About another month or so."
Wayne sighed.
"Looks like I'm stuck here for a while. Ugh, this is going to be boring…"
Suddenly, a mechanical voice echoed in his mind:
[Ding! Due to the host's prolonged observation of ship repair and construction, a new side quest has been issued: "Advanced Shipwright." Please check your mission tab.]
[Advanced Shipwright]: As a man destined to be a god-tier lifestyle player, you should master the art of shipbuilding. Raise your shipwright skill to Advanced level.
Reward: 1,000–10,000 Life Points, depending on your learning speed.]
"…Seriously?"
Wayne looked at the newly unlocked [Shipwright] profession on his status screen, then at the quest notification.
"Well, I guess life won't be so boring after all."
And so, Wayne began with the fundamentals learning to identify ship structures, frame layouts, and keel designs.
Luckily, his [Scholar] title granted him triple learning efficiency, making even the most complex theory manageable.
From that day forward, the people of Water 7 would see a tall, handsome man in a duckbill cap walking back and forth each day between Dock One and the city center…
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