Seeing the serious expression on Admiral Luoyu's face, clearly waiting for an explanation, Ain spoke with a bitter smile.
"Admiral Luoyu, this exchange with Blackbeard Teach involves the Whitebeard Pirates—the strongest of the Four Emperors."
"At a time like this, shouldn't we avoid unnecessary complications and complete the deal as quickly as possible?"
"If anything goes wrong because of side issues, it could jeopardize the entire operation."
Smoker and the others standing nearby nodded silently.
Just thinking about the possibility of clashing head-on with a Yonko crew made their palms sweat.
—
Sensing the shift in mood on deck, Luoyu chuckled and patted Ain on the shoulder.
"Heh, Ain, you're not wrong. Stirring up trouble during a mission like this isn't ideal."
"But no one knows if Blackbeard's offer is a trap. Rather than walk into it blind, it's better to identify the risks and eliminate unstable elements before they grow."
"And most importantly—if the bounty walks up to you, it'd be a waste not to collect it."
Ain's smile turned even more bitter.
For a moment, she thought she'd underestimated the new Admiral.
But by the end, she realized—
She hadn't underestimated him nearly enough.
Trying to reason with someone who treats bounties and bonuses like a personal religion?
That's the real madness.
—
Still, Luoyu's logic wasn't wrong.
Ain sighed and said:
"Admiral Luoyu, according to the surveillance Den Den Mushi we deployed, the Chelsean Sea usually has hundreds of pirate and merchant ships active at any given time—sometimes even over a thousand."
"But we just scanned the area, and there's not a single ship in a hundred-nautical-mile radius. I'm worried something's off. Should we report this to Fleet Admiral Sengoku?"
—
In Ain's eyes, for an entire sea to go silent—
Even the most unruly pirates vanishing—
That spelled serious danger.
—
"Not a single pirate crew?" Luoyu raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised.
—
In the original timeline, the deal between Blackbeard and Marine HQ had gone off without much incident.
After all, Blackbeard's real goal was to become a Warlord so he could access Impel Down and recruit his crew.
But now, with this sudden twist, Luoyu instantly realized—
This deviation was likely his fault.
—
He glanced back at the Flying Six member still tied to the mast.
His grin widened.
—
"Admiral Luoyu, that smile is kind of unsettling… Did you think of something? Should we inform Fleet Admiral Sengoku?" Ain asked, unable to hold back.
—
Luoyu waved her off with a smile.
"No, just a bold guess. Until I'm sure, let's not bother the old man."
"Of course, if things really go south, we'll make the call."
"For now, stick to the plan. Head for Swoo Island."
Ain opened her mouth, but the words wouldn't come.
She couldn't help but wonder what kind of "intent" Luoyu would have when he finally made that call.
Still, he was an Admiral.
And she had no choice but to relay the orders.
—
With the command given, the massive warship turned and surged forward.
The journey to Swoo Island, just a few dozen nautical miles away, took only half a day.
—
But as they approached the island's harbor, many faces turned grim.
—
What was supposed to be a Marine supply point—
Was now packed with dozens of pirate ships.
—
Their flags snapped in the wind.
Many of them belonged to infamous crews—several with bounties over 100 million.
—
Such a massive gathering was far beyond expectations.
"Admiral Luoyu," Ain said urgently, "these pirates usually fight each other. For them to suddenly set aside their grudges and gather here… it can't be good."
"Should we delay docking and report this to Fleet Admiral Sengoku?"
—
As a junior officer, Ain had learned to brace herself for Luoyu's unpredictable style.
Everyone on deck turned to him, eyes filled with anxious anticipation.
—
"No," Luoyu said calmly. "Didn't I just say Sengoku's busy? Let's not bother him until we know more."
"Since all these pirates are gathered here, I'm guessing the instigator is nearby."
"I'll go see how much he's worth."
"No—wait. I'll go see who he is first. Then I'll tell Sengoku."
"You all stay here."
—
With that, Luoyu vanished like a ghost.
By the time the others blinked, he was already hundreds of meters away.
—
Smoker and the others were stunned.
Then, without hesitation, they rushed after him.
—
Inside Swoo Island's harbor.
Thousands of pirates had gathered.
At the center stood several infamous captains, each with a bounty over 100 million.
—
Every one of them held a newspaper—
With a full-page photo of Admiral Luoyu.
—
"Hahaha! Who would've thought we'd run into Jack of the Beasts Pirates here—one of the Three Disasters, with a bounty of a billion!"
"This is our chance, boys! The Tiger Pirates are gonna make it big!"
—
"Tch! What do you mean your chance? It's everyone's chance!"
"Jack's looking for that new Admiral, Luoyu. If we find him first, we get to join the Beasts Pirates!"
"With a Yonko's flag behind us, we'll rule the seas!"
—
The crowd erupted.
Thousands of pirates gathered in a frenzy, their attention locked on the promise of power.
—
None of them noticed the figures now perched atop the distant clocktower.
—
But Smoker and Ain did.
Their faces went pale.
—
This mission was already stressful enough with the Whitebeard Pirates involved.
Now the Beasts Pirates were here too?
And not just anyone—Jack the Drought, one of the Three Disasters.
—
It felt like the sky was falling.
—
If they ended up clashing with two Yonko crews at once…
Smoker couldn't take it anymore. He was about to call it in—
—
When a voice rang out from the center of the plaza:
"Hey, Fleet Admiral Sengoku—how much is a Disaster worth?"
—