Golden light particles gathered in the air above the sea as Kizaru's figure landed steadily on the deck of the Lazy Custom No.1.
The first thing his nose caught was the mixed scent of caramel from high-grade desserts, the aroma of molten chocolate cake freshly heated by Potts for Renzo.
Looking down, he saw Renzo sprawled in a recliner under the shade, eyes half-closed, a silver spoon dangling between his fingers as he slowly scooped up a piece of cake. Without even glancing at Kizaru, he muttered with clear irritation at being disturbed:
"You're noisy."
"Well now~ it was a direct order from the Fleet Admiral himself, you know~ couldn't just leave our great hero drifting at sea asleep, could I?"
Kizaru flicked his folding fan lazily and let his gaze wander to a corner of the deck.
There, two transparent containment pods sat side by side, one holding Edward Weevil, whose limbless torso twisted and screamed in endless agony, and the other containing Miss Bakkin, her eyes vacant and drooling, incapable of even the faintest struggle.
When Kizaru saw the state they were in, even his usual playful tone paused for half a second. Behind his sunglasses, his eyes flashed with faint unease.
"What a... thorough 'cleanup'~ not even leaving them the privilege of being troublesome~"
"Otherwise they'd have to be taken back for trial. Too much trouble."
Renzo finally swallowed the cake in his mouth, the spoon clinking as it dropped onto the plate.
"Make sure the ship doesn't rock. Don't mess up my pillow."
Kizaru chuckled softly and waved to the naval fleet approaching from behind. Three medium-sized warships quickly spread into a protective formation around the LC-01.
The engines roared as they turned toward Marineford. The sea breeze fluttered the hem of Renzo's clothes, yet his eyes were already closed again, breathing so evenly it seemed he might start snoring any second.
During the voyage, Weevil's screams never stopped.
The sound was hoarse and piercing, echoing even through the reinforced pod. Seasoned sailors grimaced at the noise.
Yet, every time those screams reached Renzo's recliner, the sound would inexplicably dull, muffled as if wrapped in invisible cotton.
No one knew whether Renzo, half-asleep, had unconsciously activated his ability, defining the noise itself as a "nuisance" to be erased.
Kizaru leaned against the rail, shaking his fan lazily.
"What a convenient ability~ even asleep, he's maintaining peace and quiet~"
Two days later, the special harbor of Marineford was already packed with people.
Originally, it was only a scheduled "recovery mission," but as word of Renzo's "defeat of Weevil" leaked through high-ranking circles, more and more people gathered at the docks, soldiers eager to see the "Sloth God" who achieved greatness, mid-ranking officers waiting with mixed emotions, and even Zephyr himself, arriving with a cane and supported by Ain.
When the silhouette of the naval fleet appeared on the horizon, all whispers fell silent. Every eye locked onto the strange vessel at the center.
"They're here! That's LC-01!"
A shout went up.
As the fleet slowly entered port and the Lazy Custom No.1 came fully into view, the harbor was silent for a heartbeat, then erupted into thunderous cheers.
But not because of Renzo.
It was because of the two transparent containers being carried off the ship.
"Wait-is that... Edward Weevil?!"
"Godman.. where are his arms and legs?!"
"And the other one-Miss Bakkin? She looks... vacant... like an idiot!"
Gasps and exclamations filled the air. Soldiers craned their necks behind the cordon to look closer, disbelief written across their faces.
The once-feared monster who had devastated the Marine, who had nearly killed Zephyr, now looked utterly broken.
Weevil still screamed, but with no limbs left, his torso could only writhe pitifully. Miss Bakkin sat limp, drooling, her eyes unfocused, oblivious to the chaos around her.
"That's... what Commodore Renzo did?" a young soldier whispered, voice full of awe.
Then, the crowd suddenly hushed. Renzo was descending the gangplank, Potts supporting him.
He wore the same wrinkled casual clothes, his hair a messy tangle, his face showing the drowsy expression of someone freshly woken. It was as if the ones carried off the ship weren't deadly pirates, just two bags of troublesome garbage.
The cheers on the dock shifted tone, excitement mixed with reverence. Some soldiers stood straighter without realizing it, only to yawn uncontrollably as an odd drowsiness washed over them.
"That's Commodore Renzo!"
"He actually did it!"
"Incredible! We'll never have to fear that monster again!"
The cheers swelled, unstoppable even by the officers trying to maintain order.
This was the Marine's victory, a long-awaited closure for their fallen comrades.
Zephyr stood in the front row, his eyes fixed on Weevil's pod.
His empty right sleeve fluttered in the wind. His face showed neither rage nor triumph, only a heavy sense of release.
When Weevil's gaze met his, the mutilated man visibly trembled. His screams weakened into frightened whimpers.
"Teacher..." Ain's voice quivered slightly as she steadied Zephyr's arm.
Her eyes found Renzo beyond the crowd, filled with gratitude, shock, and a dawning, deeper understanding of the quiet man she thought she knew.
Renzo, however, seemed oblivious to the noise or the gazes.
He rubbed his stomach and muttered to Potts, "The canteen's roast should still be warm, right? I'm hungry."
Potts nodded quickly. "Already told the kitchen to keep some! We can go now!"
Just as they were about to leave, Kizaru strolled over, blocking their path.
"Now now~ don't rush off so fast, Lieutenant Commander~ the Fleet Admiral and the others are waiting to give you your celebration, you know~"
"Celebration?" Renzo frowned, clearly displeased. "Does that mean meetings? Speeches?"
"Well~ gotta go through the motions, right~?"
Kizaru's grin carried subtle amusement.
Renzo's face fell instantly. He looked around at the cheering crowd, then at Sengoku and Tsuru approaching from a distance, and sighed deeply.
"So... annoying."
Though he spoke quietly, the nearby cheers softened, as if everyone instinctively sensed that even joy was, to him, just another thing to deal with.
Meanwhile, on the far side of the dock, Weevil and Miss Bakkin were being escorted toward Impel Down.
Along the route, soldiers stopped and stared at the once-feared pair now reduced to helpless prisoners, satisfaction gleaming in their eyes.
.....
If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.
[email protected]/DaoistJinzu