Uchiha Itachi's next words were:
"To the Navy, a Celestial Dragon's life is worth more than Ace's."
Marco fell silent for a moment, staring at the shinobi from another world.
"Itachi... you understand the Navy even better than we do. The Celestial Dragons are their soft underbelly."
What Marco didn't say aloud was: You're more of a strategist than Sengoku himself.
Itachi continued, "If it's feasible, should we inform Whitebeard?"
He thought to himself: Your next line will be, 'No need.'
Because Whitebeard would reject this method. Not out of fear of the Celestial Dragons, but because once they struck, the World Government would never stop hunting the Whitebeard Pirates. Without Whitebeard's protection, his crew would be thrown into unending pursuit and destruction.
In his time aboard the Moby Dick, Itachi had already come to understand the kind of man Whitebeard was the kind who'd laugh heartily and ask, "Itachi, wanna be my son?"
This entire conversation was part of Itachi's carefully calculated effort to persuade Marco.
Marco slowly stood, setting the rum bottle on the barrel beside him. He turned away from Itachi and gazed toward the brightly lit cabin, where their family drank and celebrated.
He had realized that this wasn't a suggestion for the crew. This was a private conversation Itachi's way of persuading him, the Whitebeard Pirates' second-in-command.
And he knew what answer Whitebeard would give.
"No need," Marco said.
Blue flames burst from his body as he transformed into a majestic phoenix, hovering in the air.
"Itachi, hop on. We're leaving now."
A slight smile tugged at the corner of Itachi's lips. In a blur, he vanished from the deck and reappeared atop the phoenix's back.
The night wind howled around them as their figures vanished into the clouds, racing toward the Sabaody Archipelago.
Sabaody Archipelago, outside the slave auction house.
Saint Charlos was dragging a mermaid girl by the hair with a chain. Under the transparent bubble helmet, his thick, greasy lips twisted into a crooked grin, revealing his rotting yellow teeth.
"Filthy creature! Crawl faster!"
With a sudden yank, the chain cut into the mermaid's delicate wrists, drawing blood. Government officials laughed nervously nearby, while CP agents stood by with emotionless eyes behind dark sunglasses.
Suddenly, a roar echoed through the sky, like a jet passing low overhead.
A phoenix cloaked in blue fire descended, hovering silently above the scene.
The pressure from its wings forced the group below to kneel.
Marco shouted from above, "Found him!"
As Whitebeard's first division commander, Marco's name alone sent chills down spines. The CP agent in charge began to sweat as he looked up.
"Pirate! Laying a hand on a Celestial Dragon is an unthinkable crime!"
Marco ignored him and dove.
"Get Saint Charlos out of here! Call the Navy!" shouted a nearby agent.
At the same time, a black figure dropped from above.
Ten shuriken whistled through the air toward the group of CP agents.
Shuriken weren't as fast as bullets, and the agents were about to dodge until their bodies froze. A split-second paralysis seized them.
That's the Mind-Mind Fruit user!
Their thoughts screamed as their eyes glazed over.
The shuriken sliced through their throats.
Blood sprayed.
The pain brought their senses back but it was already too late.
Uchiha Itachi landed.
Marco, in phoenix form, shot downward. Flaming feathers scorched nearby government officials. His talons tore apart the last two CP agents by Charlos's side, and with a final swipe, he shattered the Celestial Dragon's bubble helmet.
Charlos's fat, terrified face was now fully exposed. He was shrieking, frothing at the mouth.
"Do you know who I am?! Do you know who my father is?!"
"Shut up. We're pirates."
"You think pirates don't have to respect Celestial Dragons?!"
"We don't."
Marco, now back in human form, stepped forward and casually planted a boot on his face.
Charlos, having never experienced real pain in his life, collapsed in a heap, finally silent.
The chain in his hand clattered to the ground. The mermaid girl beside him fell to her knees, still uncertain of her fate.
Marco glanced down at her.
"Yeah. That's a Celestial Dragon alright," he muttered.
There was no mistaking the look.
Itachi retrieved his shuriken those weren't easy to replace in this world and asked, "What about the fish-man?"
"We're taking her too. The Whitebeard Pirates have always protected Fish-Man Island. If we're going to save her, we're doing it all the way."
Marco turned, blue flames flickering in his palm as he looked down at the girl.
"Can you still move?"
She nodded timidly.
With a hiss, Marco's flames melted through the explosive collar on her neck.
Itachi gave his silent approval.
In the distance, alarms were already wailing.
Marco clicked his tongue and grabbed the unconscious Charlos with one hand.
"Hold on tight. The Navy's top dogs might be on their way."
And with that, he transformed once more into a blazing blue phoenix.
Itachi helped the mermaid girl up and leapt onto his back.
Marine Headquarters.
Sengoku received the emergency call. His scalp tingled.
That damned Mind-Mind Fruit user and Marco had attacked a Celestial Dragon.
Unbelievable.
He could already guess what they were planning and it spelled trouble.
"Bang!"
His fist slammed down on the desk, veins bulging at his temple.
"When did the Whitebeard Pirates stoop to using hostages?!"
The mastermind Sengoku had thought he had the whole situation in hand. He believed Whitebeard would fall for the open trap of the impending war.
He hadn't expected this. A kidnapping? Of a Celestial Dragon?
Now they had to rescue the hostage.
Sengoku grabbed the Den Den Mushi and barked an order to Kizaru.
"A Celestial Dragon has been captured by the Whitebeard Pirates. Intercept them on their way back and retrieve the hostage at all costs!"
If Marco and the others made it back to Whitebeard territory, any rescue would become a nightmare.
A slow, lazy voice responded.
"Ooh, how scary. They really kidnapped a Celestial Dragon?"
Sengoku's blood pressure skyrocketed at that familiar tone.
"Borsalino! I don't care if you're drinking tea or slacking off! Get your ass moving! If anything happens to that Celestial Dragon, the entire war plan falls apart!"
The Den Den Mushi mimicked Kizaru picking his ear.
"But Sengoku-san~ they've got a mind-control master, remember? That's scary. Why not send Sakazuki?"
The cowardice was blatant.
"Then you explain it to the Five Elders yourself!"
Sengoku's furious roar rattled the office windows.
He slammed the Den Den Mushi down.
Immediately, he increased Uchiha Itachi's bounty to 1 billion berries. This sudden newcomer was proving far more dangerous than expected.
The Whitebeard Pirates had never acted like this before. It had to be because of him.
The Den Den Mushi rang again. This time, it was the Five Elders.
The first thing he heard:
"Sengoku, are you an idiot?!"
Sengoku took a deep breath.
Being Fleet Admiral was starting to feel like a curse.
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