Chapter 48: Third Party
Time rewound to one day prior, Navy Headquarters.
“What! You say you’ve discovered Kaido and BIG MOM assembling large fleets at the same time, both sides fully armed and seemingly planning to make contact!”
Inside the Fleet Admiral’s office, a big man with a sturdy build and a stern demeanor was bellowing loudly into the Den Den Mushi. The thickness of his voice made the Den Den Mushi tremble in fear, and the distant windows creaked under the sound waves.
“N-No, correct, Fleet Admiral Kong.”
The Navy intelligence personnel on the other end of the Den Den Mushi was clearly frightened, answering in a trembling voice.
“Hoo~”
Hearing the tense, somewhat distorted voice on the other end, the big man took a deep breath, forcefully suppressing his anger as he said: “When did they depart from port?”
“O-One day ago.”
“……”
“Damn it!”
This time, the windows could no longer hold up; the glass embedded in them shattered directly, scattering across the floor.
“What the hell are you intelligence personnel doing! Why are you only reporting this now!”
“R-Report to the Fleet Admiral, we originally thought it was a routine departure, but we didn’t expect…”
“Enough! Keep a close eye on them, and report to me immediately once you figure out their movements!”
Without listening further to the explanations on the other end, the Navy Fleet Admiral immediately issued response deployments.
『These guys!』
After hanging up the Den Den Mushi, the now-calmed Kong shouted toward the office exterior: “Immediately summon Sengoku and Zephyr, and if that guy Garp is back, bring him here too!”
“Yes!”
The communications soldier outside the door shook his somewhat deafened ears and immediately began contacting Sengoku and the others.
『Tch! That guy Rocks, even though he’s dead, he left behind so much trouble! Without his restraint, who knows how many waves these ambitious guys will stir up on the sea!』
……
After finishing two cigars, Navy Admirals Sengoku and Zephyr finally arrived at the Fleet Admiral’s office.
“What happened, Fleet Admiral Kong?” Zephyr asked immediately upon entering.
Kong looked at the two who had rushed over, then leaned forward to check, but didn’t see that headache-inducing figure.
『Whatever.』
Kong didn’t waste any more time and directly told them the information from the intelligence department.
“Our intelligence personnel in the New World just reported that the Beasts Pirates and the BIG MOM Pirates have both mobilized at the same time, with sizable fleets, and they seem to intend to make contact.
The rendezvous location is currently unknown; I’ve told them to keep watching.”
“Are they going to attack Hachinosu Island?”
Upon hearing this news, Sengoku immediately thought of that infamous pirate island.
“The only thing that could make these two team up is probably Rocks’s treasure.”
Hearing Sengoku’s speculation, Kong and Zephyr were momentarily stunned, then nodded in unison.
According to recent information from the intelligence department, things on Hachinosu Island were indeed unsettled, with incoming and outgoing ships more than double the usual.
“Very possible. Captain John’s recent actions have also been unusual, but we’ll have to see their subsequent moves. By the way, has Garp not returned yet?”
“No, a few days ago the G5 branch was attacked, and Garp’s group is there helping with reconstruction.”
Sengoku recalled his old friend’s exasperated voice over the Den Den Mushi and said helplessly.
“That guy! Rebuilding the base is the engineers’ job; what chaos is he causing there!”
Just thinking of Garp’s carefree attitude made “Steel Bone” Kong, the Navy Fleet Admiral, seethe with anger.
“Do you need me to lead a team there? If it’s really BIG MOM and them going to war with John, it might be a good opportunity for us.” Zephyr volunteered to head to the scene.
As he said, if it was confirmed to be infighting among the pirates, the Navy might have a chance to swoop in and catch them all in one net.
“Mm, what do you think, Sengoku?”
Kong nodded, but still asked for the opinion of Sengoku, the renowned “wise general” in the Navy.
“This matter isn’t that simple.”
Sengoku, as an Admiral, shook his head; he felt there was some hidden hand behind this.
“From previous intelligence, Hachinosu Island seems to have had frequent contact with Silver Axe and Wang Zhi’s factions not long ago. Combined with the latest intel, it’s probably to counter the BIG MOM and Kaido alliance.”
Sengoku adjusted his glasses and continued analyzing: “But there are still a few issues. With John’s strength, dealing with BIG MOM and Kaido at the same time might be tough, but there’s no need to pull in both Silver Axe and Wang Zhi.
One more person means one more share of the spoils. With John’s greed for money, he absolutely wouldn’t do that, unless…”
“Unless?”
Sengoku shifted tone: “Unless some other force is forcing him to pull in both Silver Axe and Wang Zhi’s factions at once!”
“Moreover, this contact between Kaido and BIG MOM is also very strange. We didn’t receive any prior news about it.
Logically, such a suspected alliance couldn’t be simply decided over a Den Den Mushi; personnel from both pirate crews must have met face-to-face, yet we got no intel on it.”
“Maybe the two met privately in secret. After all, both of them can fly and cross the sea without ships.” Zephyr said.
“Mm, possible. But speaking of flying…” As if thinking of something, Sengoku’s eyes behind his glasses suddenly widened.
“Fleet Admiral Kong, what about that guy Golden Lion’s recent movements?!”
“No news received… You mean?!”
Kong reacted as well, immediately picking up the Den Den Mushi to call the Navy intelligence department’s officer.
“Hey! This is Navy Fleet Admiral Kong. Immediately compile Golden Lion Shiki’s recent movements for me.”
“Received! Please wait, Fleet Admiral Kong. We’ll compile it right now.”
Upon receiving the call, the other side immediately instructed subordinates to gather data and activated the anti-eavesdropping Den Den Mushi.
Three minutes later, the intelligence department officer’s voice came through the Den Den Mushi again.
“Report to the Fleet Admiral, Golden Lion Shiki’s fleet did disappear for a period seven days ago. But since it reappeared shortly after with no other actions detected, we judged it as ordinary movement and did not report it to your office.”
“Seven days ago…”
Listening to the intelligence on the other end, Kong was angry but also somewhat helpless.
Golden Lion’s ability was a nightmare for Navy scouts; the Fruity-Fruity Fruit kept his fleet and subordinate islands floating in the clouds almost year-round, out of sight.
The Navy couldn’t possibly keep looking up all the time, monitoring every movement ten thousand meters in the sky.
Thus, for the intelligence department, Golden Lion’s fleet vanishing for a day or two was perfectly normal, no need to report every instance to the Fleet Admiral’s desk.
“Disappeared a week ago… Plus Hachinosu Island’s recent major personnel mobilizations, and that tacit contact between Kaido and BIG MOM.
No mistake! Looks like the one John fears is Shiki!” Sengoku reached a firm conclusion.
“Right, if someone is attacking Hachinosu Island, that guy couldn’t possibly stay out of it.” Zephyr agreed with Sengoku’s inference.
“More like, it’s most reasonable that this joint pirate action was initiated by him first.”
“Mm.”
Hearing this, Navy Admiral Steel Bone Kong didn’t hesitate and immediately issued orders.
“No more delays! Zephyr, go to the G5 branch now and link up with Garp; you two head to the Hachinosu Island sea area at maximum speed.
Sengoku, stay at Headquarters and coordinate with Tsuru’s Staff Department to maintain constant contact with intelligence and Zephyr’s group, keeping a grip on battlefield developments.
I’ll report to the Gorosei. Use this chance—even if we can’t capture all of Rocks’s remnants, at least take out a few of the thorniest ones!”
“Yes!”×2
……
Time returned to the present: in a sea area on the outermost edge near Fenrir Island, the Beasts Pirates fleet led by the Minotaur was quietly sailing on the sea surface.
“Lads, get ready! We’re almost there.”
At the ship’s prow, Burufaruto lowered his telescope and shouted to the pirates behind him.
At this point, he could already see the outermost island of this sea area on the distant sea horizon.
Their current position was almost the closest they could approach without being detected by the opponent’s sentries.
“You few, get ready. Take Bubble Coral and the Den Den Mushi, dive into the sea first. Notify us immediately if you spot any unusual movement from the ships on the island.”
Burufaruto pointed out a few Fish-Men, having them approach via the sea for observation.
“Leave it to us, Brother Burufaruto!” Those few variably appearing people confidently guaranteed.
“Good! Then I’ll wait here for your news.”
Burufaruto nodded in approval, then said to the others on the ship: “Everyone, sharpen your weapons, check the cannonballs and cannons, and prepare for combat at any time!”
“Yes!”×n
The pirates on the ship immediately scattered to their posts, making final preparations.
“Obei Obei~ Listen, we’re about to go into real combat!”
In the crowd, Aoxi excitedly shook Obei’s arm; she was clearly full of anticipation for the upcoming battle.
“I’ve been ready for a long time. You, on the other hand, better adjust your mindset now so you don’t get too excited and trip up later.”
Obei helplessly withdrew her hand. Actually, she wanted to tell Aoxi to prepare psychologically for taking lives, lest she freeze up on the battlefield and cause trouble.
“Don’t worry, I’m so strong, it’ll be fine. Plus, isn’t there you?”
“Thinking of me now? Two days ago in front of Big Sister, you sold me out without a second thought.”
Obei narrowed her eyes at Aoxi, clearly not having forgotten how she was betrayed over ramen.
“Ha… haha~ It was a misunderstanding; I panicked at the time~” Aoxi awkwardly twirled her hair.
“Anyway, that was so long ago. You’re my most trusted sister; the bond between us can’t be tainted by such a little misunderstanding~”
“Hmph↑ Do whatever.” Obei turned her head away, looking toward the sea surface.
『Looks like it’s fine. What a tsundere brat~』
Aoxi looked at Obei, who had averted her gaze, and silently labeled her as such in her mind.
Though she appeared carefree, Aoxi could still feel Obei’s concern for her, including the worry in her words that she might face danger from not adapting to the battlefield.
『Hoo~ So this day has finally come… The day I take another’s life with my own hands.』
She quietly took several deep breaths, suppressing that faint, barely perceptible fluctuation in her heart. Aoxi, bearer of the Underworld God’s Authority, had at some point become extremely sensitive to the passing of life.
『I clearly didn’t care at all about the life and death of humans in this world at the start… How strange.』
Aoxi recalled the action shortly after first meeting Kaido, which could be called a “nation-destroying” event.
Almost all the humans in an entire palace had died before her eyes; some deserved it, others were completely innocent.
At that time, she had clearly heard their wails and cries for help but paid them no mind, as if watching an unfamiliar NPC die in a game.
Even when Ra deliberately asked about it later, she had just brushed it off indifferently.
But at some point, for some reason, she began to feel the weight of these lives.
Perhaps influenced by her own authority, or maybe her time with Burufaruto and the others gave her a sense of belonging to this world, or perhaps it was that morning a few days ago, when she saw the blacksmith in town seeing off his father who had passed away peacefully in old age.
Wagner, usually stern and unsmiling, had cried like a child at that moment… And she had watched silently from afar.
For ordinary pirates, taking a life was just swinging a sword or firing a bullet, as commonplace as eating or drinking.
After all, when people are killed, they die.
Some even took pleasure in slaughtering commoners, viewing human lives as worthless as roadside weeds.
But for Aoxi now, for this young god who had awakened her authority, she could truly feel the weight of life—or rather, souls.
The authority from the Underworld allowed her to touch that unknown world after death.
Afterward, Aoxi had pondered this aspect for a long time.
During this time, she had tried standing from many different perspectives and angles—commoner, person from another world, divinity, humanity, as You Ling, as Osiris…
She had really thought a lot about taking lives.
After prolonged reflection, Aoxi concluded—“thinking” might not suit her.
When it truly came time to choose, rather than answers from empty imaginings in her mind, her instincts would control her body to act correctly. Just as they always had.
Her golden eyes looked toward the beach on the outer edge of the distant island, where a resting crab was snatched by a passing seabird and swallowed whole in mid-air.
The island, which Burufaruto could barely make out with his telescope, was crystal clear to Aoxi—even every tree and blade of grass on it.
Even including the feather that seabird had shed when flapping its wings to leave.
……
