"They're here, they're here!"
Miss Valentine, who had eagerly taken over Nami's role as the ship's lookout, floated high above the Merry's mast, gazing into the distance.
In her line of sight, two standard-issue Navy vessels appeared, speeding rapidly toward them.
"Finally here?"
Lancelot, who had been contemplating some mischief with Lina, rose to his feet.
Half a month.
Truth be told, even he had grown impatient, though he hadn't shown it.
"Hmm..."
As the warships drew nearer, Lancelot's expression shifted to one of genuine surprise.
Standing on the lead vessel was a Marine Captain.
And a female Captain, no less.
This was exceedingly rare.
She sported a dashing, shoulder-length pale pink center-parted hairstyle, with purple-tinted sunglasses pushed up onto her head.
A cigarette dangled elegantly from her lips, exhaling wisps of smoke.
She wore a rose-red professional suit paired with the Marine's "Justice" cloak, complemented by deep purple gloves.
'Hina!'
If there was one undisputed, non-Warlord beauty in the Marine, it was undoubtedly "Black Cage" Hina.
Lancelot never expected that she would be the one sent to liaise with him.
"Whoosh..."
As the two warships docked in the harbor, Hina leaped effortlessly from her ship's railing onto the deck of the Going Merry, her movements crisp and poised—radiating a confident, heroic vigor.
In her hands, she carried a box.
Inside lay a "Justice" cloak adorned with the golden epaulets and insignia of a Rear Admiral, which she presented to Lancelot.
"This is the Rear Admiral's Justice cloak, entrusted to me by Fleet Admiral Sengoku," she said, her voice smooth and professional.
"He also asked me to relay a message: originally, your promotion to Rear Admiral was supposed to be conferred personally by him at Headquarters. However, the incident you stirred up this time has caused quite a stir, and the other Shichibukai demand an explanation. But... when you are promoted to Vice Admiral, he will personally officiate the ceremony!"
Lancelot accepted the Rear Admiral's cloak and, without ceremony, swapped his old Captain cloak for it.
Then, he smiled at Hina and said, "Thank you for making the trip, Captain Hina."
Hina studied Lancelot for a moment, her gaze filled with a hint of undisguised curiosity, before smiling in return.
"Aside from the Rear Admiral's cloak, Fleet Admiral Sengoku also asked me to deliver this!"
She pointed toward one of the warships she had brought—a newer, sleeker, and more heavily armed vessel.
Lancelot's eyes lit up. "Are you saying this warship is assigned to me?"
Hina nodded. "Exactly! Hina is disappointed to lose it, but it's yours."
Upon receiving this confirmation, Lancelot felt a surge of delight.
In the Marines, a personal, state-of-the-art warship was one of the ultimate symbols of status.
"Ding! Officially promoted to Rear Admiral rewarded: Fish-Man Karate (Advanced Mastery)."
"Fish-Man Karate?" Lancelot was momentarily taken aback, then grinned in pleasure.
His bloodline already gave him an affinity for the water; now he had the ultimate martial art to use in it.
He then turned and exchanged a meaningful glance with Lina.
Lina immediately understood and instructed Mr. 2, Mr. 3, and Mr. 5 to begin moving the three billion Berries in treasure chests onto Hina's warship, the one designated for the return journey.
She, along with Zoro, Gin, and Miss Valentine, began moving their remaining personal items onto Lancelot's new warship.
"Ah, this..."
Watching crate after crate of Berries being loaded onto her warship, Hina was completely stunned.
She then exclaimed with some surprise, "You really do have three billion Berries? Hina is truly shocked!"
Lancelot couldn't help but smile.
That was nothing.
After all, Moria had been "ruling" the Florian Triangle for over ten years, and every year hundreds of ships would "disappear" in those waters.
Just imagine how much of that treasure ended up in Moria's pockets.
From him alone, Lancelot had recovered a full 3.8 billion Berries—not only enough to cover the three billion tribute but with an extra eight hundred million to spare.
Combined with the 800 million he had from Blackthorn and Arlong, Lancelot now had approximately 1.6 billion Berries on hand, all to himself.
Perfect to serve as startup capital for his Four Seas Exchange in Whiskey Peak.
.....
Half an hour later, the transfer was complete.
Hina returned to her warship, which was now carrying the tribute, as well as Princess Vivi and Igaram for their safe escort back to Alabasta.
As the vessel was turning to depart, she suddenly recalled the words her old friend Smoker had told her.
Turning to Lancelot, she warned him, her tone serious, "Hina has heard about your 'Four Seas Exchange' too. But your exchange has cut off too many people's revenue streams. I'm afraid you'll face unprecedented dangers ahead. This is far more dangerous than confronting two severely wounded Shichibukai... Hina advises you to be careful!"
Lancelot replied, "Thank you for the warning, Hina. I will repay this favor generously someday."
However, he sneered inwardly.
When he proposed the Four Seas Exchange, he had already anticipated this.
As for the government side, since the Celestial Dragons were listed as official sponsors, no one would dare make a move openly.
So for the short term, they wouldn't act, to avoid drawing the unwanted attention of the Celestial Dragons.
But those whose revenue streams he had cut off weren't just government affiliates—there were also the rulers of the underworld.
"Big News" Morgans
"Queen of the Pleasure District" Stussy
"The Broker" Peclo
"The Loan Shark King" Du Feld
"The Warehouse King" Giberson
"The Shipping King" Umit
These were the six rulers of the underworld.
Once he established the Four Seas Exchange, the first to be affected would be the "Shipping King," Umit.
Because that guy was in the transportation business.
From civilian cargo logistics to transportation services cooperating with the World Government, and even black market smuggling operations—such as the arms deals between Doflamingo and Kaido—were all handled by Umit for the transportation aspect.
...
Several days later, Lancelot and his crew, now on their new, heavily armed warship, sped toward Whiskey Peak.
After passing more than a dozen small islands, the supplies they had taken from Thriller Bark were nearly depleted.
Miss Valentine, gazing into the distance from high above in the crow's nest, called out.
"Rear Admiral Lancelot, there's a small island to the left. We can resupply there!"
Lancelot nodded.
The warship, under Gin's control, then headed toward the island.
As they entered the port, they noticed a pirate ship already docked there.
Its prow was shaped like a giant, snarling beast with its mouth wide open.
Lancelot frowned slightly, for this pirate ship gave him a very familiar feeling.
And any pirate crew that could evoke such familiarity must be one with a name and reputation in the original story.
Yet, for a moment, he couldn't quite recall which one.
"Boom, boom, boom..."
At this time, the pirate ship had naturally spotted Lancelot's approaching warship and began launching attacks, with cannonballs raining down like hail.
Lina and Zoro simultaneously drew their swords, then leaped onto the railing of the warship, intercepting all the incoming cannonballs with contemptuous ease.
"Hmm..."
But Lancelot's gaze, enhanced by Observation Haki, fell upon the small island itself, where a violent collision had just occurred, generating a powerful shockwave that he could feel even from the port.
The impact even reached this far, a testament to the intensity of the battle taking place there.
Lancelot grew intrigued and turned to Gin, saying.
"Deal with those pirates on the ship. I'm going to check out what's happening over there."
Gin replied, "Yes, Rear Admiral Lancelot!"
"Geppo..." Lancelot pushed off with his legs, soaring into the sky, then rapidly stepped through the air, heading straight toward the source of the battle.
Soon, Lancelot arrived above the battlefield and looked down.
'Well, well! What a sight!'
He actually recognized both sides of the fight, as they were all characters from the original story.
But... how did these two groups end up crossing paths here?
It was only then that Lancelot fully realized that, because of his interference—taking Zoro, killing Arlong, dismantling Baroque Works, and now the 3-billion-Berry rumor—the original plot had likely been thrown into absolute, irreversible chaos.