"Last bite! Hurry!"
"Hurry up and finish it already!"
Michael held up a tiny children's fork with an absolutely detestable expression and shoved the final piece of steak into Yamato's mouth.
Sometimes, he just had no way to refuse young people's strange requests.
Yamato patted her stomach in satisfaction, then smiled at Robin and said:
"I also have a father!"
Robin looked at the girl before her—one about the same age as herself—and couldn't help showing a helpless little smile.
She simply hadn't interacted with her own mother for far too long, so she was acting a bit spoiled...
But after eating and drinking her fill, Yamato even took out a handkerchief and carefully wiped her pair of crimson oni horns...
In this relaxed state, who would ever guess that she was someone who had followed Michael in leaving the Marines?
"You two are really... unbelievably carefree." Kizaru looked at Michael, then at Yamato, and said with a wry smile, "You went and casually revealed your supposed goals and truths... Meanwhile, we're the ones who have to keep maintaining the secrets when facing others. We have much more to worry about."
"That may be true... but isn't this exactly the field you're most skilled at—aside from slacking off?" Michael raised an eyebrow and smiled.
"Starting today, we're grasshoppers tied to the same rope, you know."
"My advice is to stop using that metaphor... It sounds like we all won't live very long."
Kizaru said this as he turned around and pushed open the office door.
In the next instant, he transformed into a blazing beam of laser light and disappeared from sight.
Most likely, he was heading back to Marine Headquarters to file a report (act out his performance).
Not bringing Chaton, Tokikake, or Momousagi along was actually the more normal choice. What kind of sane organization has its high-end combat power all leave right after their prison is broken into?
...
After that, Michael acted as though none of the past events had ever happened and began giving orders in the same tone he once used as Chief Inspector of the Marines.
"Robin, although the Flying Pirates have disbanded, they were still a pirate force secretly supported by the World Government. Their foundation is enormous... So the movements of their members—especially those released from Level 6 of Impel Down—must all be thoroughly traced."
"After receiving the news that you killed Golden Lion on Egghead, I had already begun allocating personnel to gather intelligence on the remnants of the New Flying Pirates."
Having finished acting spoiled toward her mother, Robin had returned to her composed demeanor, her eyes full of wisdom and the brilliance of strategy.
"I even issued bounties for Flying Pirates remnants through Cross Guild under my personal name... Whoever provides accurate intel can obtain a minimum of 200,000 Belly."
"Well done... Especially keep close watch on Doflamingo and Kaido, those two bastards." Michael tugged at the corner of his mouth.
"Especially Doflamingo—he may look obedient on the surface and even earned the title of 'King of Dressrosa'... but in the years since I left the Marines, he's done no shortage of shady things."
"The former princess of the Riku Kingdom, Viola, has been spying on Doflamingo for a long time... He's definitely not very honest."
"I already expected this back when I made him a Shichibukai." Michael stroked his chin, smiling kindly and warmly.
"But that's the fun part... Taking a man who worships 'evil' as a lifelong belief—a natural-born scumbag—and forcing him into the role he hates most... In a sense, that's also doing the world a service."
"Ugh, you're definitely a little psychologically twisted now." Robin sighed. "You could've just given him a clean death... but instead you insist on cutting him down with a dull knife."
"You know nothing. If I can guide someone like Doflamingo onto the right path, the world will become more peaceful... Of course, the final stage is Marianne's brainwashing paint and Granny Tsuru's Wash-Wash Fruit... hehehe."
Nico Robin watched Michael speak while wearing an indescribably sleazy expression...
She could only sigh.
And then, for once in her life, she offered Doflamingo—a complete scumbag—a full ten seconds of silence in mourning.
...
Just as Michael was about to continue discussing the details of Sabaody with Nico Robin, the Den Den Mushi in his arms suddenly rang.
Michael gestured for everyone to stay quiet, then took out a Den Den Mushi and a white anti-eavesdropping Den Den Mushi.
Buruburuburu, buruburuburu—click.
"Hello, this is Michael."
"Michael, it's me."
As the voice came from the other end, Michael's brows tightened slightly.
This voice, without a doubt, belonged to...
"Whitebeard" Edward Newgate.
Ever since Whitebeard established a new kingdom in the New World under Michael's persuasion, he had never contacted him privately.
Which meant...
This time was personal.
Whitebeard's voice still sounded powerful, with no hint of age or frailty.
But his tone was heavy with sorrow.
That was the reason Michael frowned.
Logically speaking, the Whitebeard Pirates were in their absolute prime in every aspect. With the kingdom they had built over the past few years, everything was progressing steadily. There shouldn't have been any turbulence.
It couldn't be because Golden Lion died at Michael's hands, making this old man sentimental, right?
Impossible!
Whitebeard was definitely not that kind of person.
When he learned that Golden Lion died in a final peak battle against Michael, Whitebeard only shouted that it was "thrilling," and even expressed "envy" toward Golden Lion for dying such a glorious death.
"Hello? Old man, did something happen over there?"
"Ahh, I really can't hide anything from your ears..."
"Nonsense! You even contacted me privately through this Den Den Mushi. Something must have happened."
"Fine, then I'll get straight to the point." Though Whitebeard's mood was low, his voice remained firm. The former booming heroic tone was gone, replaced by heavy sorrow. "The Whitebeard Pirates' Second Division… there's a man named Blackbeard. You should know him, right?"
"Blackbeard Teach? Yeah, I know him. What about it?"
"A few days ago... he defected. He murdered the Fourth Division Commander Thatch over a Devil Fruit called the 'Dark-Dark Fruit'... Damn it! Thatch was his close friend! That bastard actually dared to do something like this!"
"W–wait a second?" Michael's brows drew tight. "You said... the Dark-Dark Fruit?"
"That's right, the Dark-Dark Fruit... He was spotted by Weevil when he fled..."
"And that idiot Weevil went chasing after Teach."
"Up to now... there hasn't been any news."
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Fanfic is finished. 583 chapters in total on p@treon/tambeerg