Chapter 441: Rendezvous
Marine Headquarters · Admiral's Office
Sunlight spilled through the gaps in the heavy curtains, casting mottled shadows on the desk. The golden light illuminated the neatly stacked documents.
Roy sat in his office chair, his expression focused as his fingertips gently flipped through the latest classified intelligence report.
A moment later, a profound, meaningful smile slowly crept up the corners of his lips.
"Heh... Shanks' older brother isn't as stupid as I thought."
Opposite him, Vice Admiral Law, dressed in a crisp military uniform, stood perfectly straight. Holding a few documents in his arms, he couldn't help but chime in:
"Loki, the new king of Elbaf, is famous for his explosive temper."
"I heard he mocked the Celestial Dragons right to their faces... and Saint Shamrock actually managed to hold it in?"
Roy raised his eyes, his gaze deep and calm: "Holding it in doesn't mean he's afraid."
"However, even if Shamrock really dared to make a move in Elbaf, he wouldn't gain the slightest advantage."
He closed the file and tapped his knuckles lightly on the desk, producing a crisp sound.
"Don't forget—that is the Kingdom of Giants."
"Loki's personal strength, aura, and spirit are entirely out of the ordinary. If they really came to blows..."
"I'm afraid even I would have to take him somewhat seriously."
Hearing this, Law froze, looking up in disbelief.
"Even you're saying that, Big Brother Roy? Then if a fight really broke out, the World Government would be in for a world of pain."
Roy leaned back in his chair, a hint of helplessness and awe flashing across his expression: "If a war really started, I'm afraid even the Five Elders would have a headache. The Giant Kingdom—is not a place they can casually lay their hands on."
The office fell into a brief silence, leaving only the sound of flipping pages and the howling sea breeze outside the window.
A moment later, Roy casually opened another official document and asked flatly: "By the way, what about those two brats, Ace and Luffy? They've been gone for days, why hasn't there been any news?"
Law visibly paused, as if trying to organize his words. Finally, he gave a wry smile and braced himself to reply: "Um... Big Brother Roy, it seems Ace took Luffy to... beat up Blackbeard."
"And, they also invited Zoro and Kuina to go with them."
—The air instantly froze.
"..."
The fountain pen in Roy's hand, which was just about to sign a document, stopped mid-air. Even the ink trembled slightly at the tip.
A full three seconds of silence.
Then he looked up, raised an eyebrow slightly, and repeated in a low voice:
"Huh?"
Law swallowed hard. His back was ramrod straight, and a bead of sweat rolled down his temple. His voice tightened:
"I-I also just received the intelligence... They seem to have already arrived in the waters of Hachinosu..."
—Silence.
Roy's fingertips paused slightly. Then, he gently closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
His expression was complex. The muscles at the corners of his mouth twitched slightly, and his entire aura wavered between "wanting to laugh" and "wanting to beat someone up."
"Those bastard brats—"
He finally let out a sigh, rubbing the bridge of his nose, his voice low and exasperated.
"Sigh... It seems Ace's tolerance for Blackbeard has truly reached its limit."
Law said nothing, only standing carefully to the side.
Leaning against the back of his chair, Roy tapped his fingers on the desk, muttering thoughtfully: "However... with the four of them together, safety definitely isn't an issue."
—Then, the image of those four young monsters surfaced in his mind.
Ace, paired with the high-temperature suppression brought by the Netsu Netsu no Mi ring—his flame temperatures had long surpassed the common sense of the natural world;
Luffy's Mythical Zoan fruit had fully awakened;
Zoro and Kuina...
They were a sword duo that even Hawkeye praised. If their sword momentum combined, it was enough to cleave an island in two right down the middle.
Thinking of this, a vein throbbed on Roy's forehead, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but twitch violently a few times:
"...That bastard Teach isn't actually going to get the living crap beaten out of him by them, is he?"
Beside him, Law was holding back his laughter so hard his shoulders were shaking, but he didn't dare make a sound.
Roy propped his chin on his hand, his expression turning subtle: "Well anyway—with 'that thing' acting as his safety net, he won't die."
His tone suddenly shifted, becoming solemn as his brows slowly furrowed.
"It's just—"
"If those brats fight too fiercely... and manage to beat the 'Drums of Liberation' out of him..."
"Then things are going to get really lively."
He slowly stood up. The moment his cape fell into place, the air pressure in the entire office abruptly sank. The very air seemed to vibrate with his breathing.
"Law."
"Yes? Big Brother Roy?"
"I leave the Marine affairs to you for the time being."
"It's about time I—stretched my legs a bit."
Before his words even finished, the aura around him abruptly dispersed, the air looking as if it had been distorted.
"Big Brother Roy! Y-You're not going personally, are you?!" Law exclaimed, hurriedly putting down the documents in his hands.
"Just leave this kind of thing to me!"
Roy smiled, his tone nonchalant: "It's fine. It's been a while since I've gone out for a stroll anyway."
As his voice faded, his figure suddenly blurred. In the next instant, his entire person transformed into a spatial ripple and vanished into the air, leaving only a tremor of air currents behind.
When the air returned to calm, Law was the only one left in the room.
He stood stunned for a few seconds, took a deep breath, and sighed helplessly: "Every single one of them, honestly..."
"In the end, Big Brother Roy still has to make the trip himself."
Saying this, he shook his head, cleanly sat down in the adjutant's seat, pulled out a file, and his fingers flew across the intelligence terminal.
Outside the window, the Marine flag snapped in the sunlight, the wind blowing in from the distant sea.
New World · Waters near Hachinosu
Fierce winds rolled across the sea, and dark clouds pressed down from above.
A small warship broke through the waves. At the bow, Zoro and Kuina stood shoulder-to-shoulder, their auras sharp and imposing.
Kuina scanned the distance, her tone calm: "As expected of the waters around Hachinosu. This aura... it's absurdly chaotic."
The corners of Zoro's mouth hooked up slightly: "Chaotic places are what make things interesting."
Just as his words fell—
"BOOM!!"
Blazing flames suddenly erupted on the distant sea surface! A small, flame-propelled boat tore toward them like a speeding comet! The fire illuminated the sky, and the ocean waves were vaporized into white mist.
"That's—" Kuina's expression changed.
In the next second, the small boat leaped high into the air. Flames erupted as it crashed heavily straight onto the deck.
As the white smoke cleared, Ace and Luffy walked out side-by-side.
"Long time no see—!" Luffy raised his hand in greeting. Ace patted the dust off his clothes, smiling freely.
"Luffy, Ace." Kuina smiled and nodded.
Zoro raised an eyebrow: "You two suddenly calling us out to a place like this, what are you planning?"
Ace crossed his arms and grinned: "This time—we want to ask for a favor."
Kuina raised an eyebrow: "Oh? You're actually asking for backup?"
The corners of Zoro's mouth curled up, battle intent surfacing: "Looks like it's a tough bone to chew."
Luffy laughed heartily: "Ace is taking us to beat up Hachinosu~"
"Hachinosu?" Kuina and Zoro's expressions turned serious.
Blazing flames churned in Ace's eyes, his battle intent like fire: "I've been sick of that fat black bastard for a long time! This time his people crossed the line, so it's the perfect excuse to beat him up."
The four exchanged glances, smiles and battle intent intertwining.
In the next moment, flames, sword aura, and Haki flared up simultaneously.
Their gazes all turned in the exact same direction—
Hachinosu.
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