The naval port of Marineford was always busy and noisy.
To Renzo at this moment, every bit of that noise felt magnified a thousandfold, like countless needles pricking his already frayed nerves.
Dragging his feet, he slowly made his way to Dock No. 7, and immediately saw the ship known as the Rock, the flagship of a Vice Admiral.
It was larger and sturdier than most of the other warships nearby. Its hull was angular and solid, exuding a sense of unshakable strength, truly like a "rock" upon the sea.
Standing by the gangway was an old man whose very presence mirrored the ship's aura.
Vice Admiral Gummir wasn't particularly tall, but he stood as straight as a pine. His face was weathered by years at sea, carved with deep lines of experience and sternness. Beneath the brim of his standard-issue navy cap, his eyes were sharp and calm, the kind that seemed able to read the shifting tides of the ocean itself.
Just by standing there, he radiated a steady, reassuring authority, though it did nothing to ease Renzo's irritation.
Renzo shuffled up to him and gave a half-hearted, crooked salute.
"...Captain Renzo... reporting in..."
Gummir's gaze swept over him carefully from head to toe.
A wrinkled uniform, dull eyes, messy hair, and an aura that screamed "I could collapse at any moment." Everything about him was the complete opposite of the disciplined, alert soldiers under Gummir's command.
Even the battle-hardened vice admiral twitched slightly at the sight.
He had already received Sengoku's personal notice that this "special consultant" was no ordinary officer, but seeing Renzo in person was... still a shock.
"I am Gummir," the vice admiral said in a calm, even voice, betraying neither warmth nor irritation.
"This operation to eliminate the 'Great Axe Pirates' is under my full command. Captain Renzo, your task is to provide necessary 'special support.' The details will depend on battlefield conditions. Understood?"
"...Mmm..." Renzo sighed out the response, almost like a groan.
"Just... don't make it too much trouble..."
Gummir: "..."
He was silent for two seconds before deciding to move on. "Board the ship. Your orderly is already waiting for you. We set sail immediately."
Renzo followed Gummir up the gangway, feeling as if each step was draining his life force.
As soon as he stepped onto the deck, he spotted a nervous, slightly confused young orderly, holding what was clearly an oversized bag of snacks.
"Private Potts," Gummir said, pointing at the young soldier.
"During this mission, he will take care of your daily needs and other requests."
Renzo glanced at the snack bag, then at Potts' overly respectful and slightly terrified face, and his mood finally lifted, if only a little.
"...Room... where?" he asked, eager to find somewhere to collapse after the exhausting ordeal of "social interaction."
Potts quickly gestured. "P-please follow me, Mr. Renzo! Your cabin is already prepared!"
Gummir watched Renzo float away after his orderly, shook his head, and turned toward the bridge. His commanding voice rang out:
"All hands! Cast off! Set sail! Destination, the Grand Line, waters near Dessert Island!"
"Yes, Vice Admiral!"
The marines soldier shouted back in unison, their voices echoing across the deck. The Rock's massive hull began to move, cutting through the waves toward the vast, unknown sea.
Renzo's cabin was a standard officer's room, not as luxurious as Marineford's quarters, but clean and orderly, with a fixed bed.
He immediately threw himself onto it, letting out a deep, satisfied sigh.
"...Finally... some rest..."
Potts lingered awkwardly by the door. "M-Mr. Renzo, do you need anything? Food? Drinks-"
"...Close the door... the light's... too bright..."
Renzo's muffled voice came from under the pillow. "Don't bother me... unless it's mealtime... or we're... sinking..."
"...Y-yes, sir!"
He quietly shut the door and stood guard outside, feeling like this assignment was even stranger than he'd expected.
For Renzo, the voyage was pure torment.
The rumbling of the ship's engines, the crashing of waves, and the shouts of training marines all of it made it impossible for him to fall into deep sleep. He drifted in a half-dreaming, resentful haze.
Most of his time was spent lazing in his cabin, waking only when Potts came to call him for meals, which was apparently one of Potts' most critical duties.
Vice Admiral Gummir had sent for him several times, under excuses like "strategic consultation" or "familiarization with the ship," but Renzo firmly declined every time, citing "seasickness" as the reason.
Gummir could only smile helplessly. After all, his real orders were to "observe and evaluate" Renzo, not actually rely on his combat planning.
Days later, the Rock arrived in the designated sea area.
"Report! Suspicious vessel sighted off the port bow! Possibly a pirate ship!" shouted a lookout from the tower.
Gummir immediately took his binoculars and looked ahead.
On the distant horizon, a large ship flying a flag emblazoned with a snarling double axe was sailing toward them, its bow carved in the shape of a massive twin-bladed axe.
"Target confirmed! It's the Great Axe Pirates!" Gummir's voice boomed, strong and steady.
"All hands, battle stations! Increase speed, pursue!"
The alarm blared across the ship as marines rushed to their positions. The tension on deck rose instantly.
Naturally, the noise reached Renzo's cabin.
"...So noisy..." he groaned, pulling a pillow over his head.
"What now... wasn't the Grand Line supposed to be peaceful..."
Then came a knock on the door, followed by Potts' panicked voice.
"M-Mr. Renzo! A pirate ship's been spotted! Vice Admiral Gummir asks that you be ready to assist if necessary!"
Renzo pressed the pillow down harder. "...Tell them... just fire the cannons and sink it... chasing and fighting... such a pain..."
Potts sounded close to tears. "B-but the Vice Admiral says the enemy might have Devil Fruit users, cannon fire might not be enough! We may have to engage in boarding combat!"
"Boarding combat?!" Renzo's voice suddenly spiked, filled with genuine horror.
"Jumping around? Sword clashes? Blood and injuries? Cleaning the deck afterward?! That's... way too much trouble!"
The sheer thought of all that inconvenience jolted him upright.
Still looking half-asleep, he muttered, "I'd better... deal with this quickly before it gets any worse..."
He scratched his messy hair, dragged himself to his feet, and shuffled to the door.
Potts nearly collapsed in relief when he saw Renzo finally emerge, though the man's lethargy was as heavy as ever.
Renzo ignored him and drifted toward the deck like a sleepwalker, muttering to himself:
"...Great Axe Pirates..."
"...Mountain-Cleaver Owen..."
"...Bounty 188 million... sounds tough... definitely gonna take effort..."
"...Such a hassle... seriously..."
"...Why can't they just stay still and nap like normal people..."
His voice was filled with genuine confusion and overwhelming annoyance.
As he stepped onto the deck, the sea breeze tossed his hair around.
He saw the pirate ship closing in, the marines standing ready for battle, and Vice Admiral Gummir watching from the bridge with a grave expression.
Gummir met his gaze and gave a small nod. It was time for Renzo to act.
Renzo sighed deeply, his lazy eyes locking onto the noisy pirate ship ahead.
He raised a hand, rubbed his drowsy eyes, and spoke in a languid voice that somehow carried across the waves and cannon thunder:
"Hey..."
"You over there..."
"Yeah, you loud idiots waving those axes around..."
"Don't you think... all this chasing and shouting..."
"Is kind of... boring?"
"Kind of... troublesome?"
"How about..."
"We all just... stop..."
"And take a nice, quiet nap... sound good?"
[Sloth's Declaration, Wide-Area Hypnosis]: Activate
Invisible waves rippled outward with his drowsy yet sincere suggestion, spreading like calm water across the sea, enveloping the Great Axe Pirates.
The next moment, something utterly unbelievable happened.