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Ian still shook his head with a serious look, and even changed to a solemn tone. "As a father, how could I steal my daughter's gift? I can't possibly tell Aria that you urged me to rob her of her present, right?"
Zephyr: "..."
Zephyr's mouth twitched, almost bursting out cursing that this guy was shameless, but in the end, he only rolled his eyes and didn't continue the topic.
Instead, he frowned and looked at Ian.
"So? What do you plan to do next?"
"Next? What next?"
"The East Blue! What other plans are you hiding for the East Blue?"
Zephyr looked at Ian speechlessly. "The East Blue is a complete mess right now! Don't tell me you're planning to toss the Devil Fruit out in the end and watch those guys bite each other like dogs?"
"No! I don't have any other plans, and as for watching dogs bite dogs, I don't have that kind of twisted hobby."
Ian shook his head at Zephyr's words. "I only nudged things a little. I just want to see how everything plays out."
"Then your plan..."
"There really isn't one!"
Zephyr: "..."
Looking at Ian's serious face, Zephyr finally understood that this guy wasn't lying. His expression instantly turned into a helpless one. "If Sengoku finds out you caused such a huge commotion just because you were curious, that old guy will definitely go after your life! And aren't you afraid the black market will blacklist you once they figure it out?"
"Look at you. Grado is already one of the kings of the underworld. How could they blacklist Grado over such a little thing?"
Ian said with annoyance. "And besides, the bounty I issued is a real bounty. If they find it, they can come collect it. If they can't find it, there's nothing to be done."
"What an asshole!"
Zephyr complained speechlessly, then said with a serious face: "If those guys come to besiege Umbrella Corporation, remember to tell me in advance so I can take Aria and Aikes and run!"
"Relax, relax."
Hearing Zephyr's cautious tone, Ian quickly reassured him. "As long as we don't say anything, who's going to know we have the Dark-Dark Fruit? And those pirates aren't exactly patient. Once they can't find anything for long enough, they'll leave."
They can't possibly abandon their dreams for a ten billion belly!
He knew full well that the King of the Pirates' treasure was waiting for them ahead. With that in sight, a ten-billion-belly bounty seemed much less important.
"But your rotten idea still threw the East Blue into chaos."
Zephyr sighed heavily. "If Garp finds out you've been messing around in his hometown like this, he'll definitely crack your skull open. Be more careful next time!"
"Don't worry! It's just a vague rumor."
Ian shook his head and continued: "Those big forces only need to send one fleet. Without confirmed information, the Four Emperors won't act easily."
He knew perfectly well that everyone was waiting for the exact moment the Dark-Dark Fruit appeared. Once it showed up, everything would explode into chaos…
But the problem was... The Dark-Dark Fruit was in his hands.
As long as it didn't show up, at most, there would be some scuffles and minor friction.
At this stage, pirates wouldn't start a war lightly. What if someone else took advantage?
Of course, he couldn't guarantee that no accident would happen in the end.
He was just a man with a wife and kids, no golden finger, relying entirely on himself.
Honestly, being able to control himself and protect his family was already good enough. As for being a savior, ruling the seas, and becoming king of the world, those dreams died the year he retired.
Dreams are dead. You chose this life, golden finger!
"If things get too bad, you can take your fleet and stroll around the East Blue. There are tons of pirates there. Whoever dares make trouble, you just catch them."
As soon as those words fell, Zephyr narrowed his eyes slightly. He felt it was a good idea, and was just about to say something when…
"Purururu!"
The Den Den Mushi on him started ringing.
Zephyr froze, then answered it and asked suspiciously: "Hello? What happened? Something appeared? What appeared?"
As he continued listening, he suddenly looked dumbfounded. "What the hell?! How did that show up? Hold on, don't go to the East Blue. Why are you running to the East Blue?! Stay put! Don't mess around! I'll ask and find out!"
After finishing, he hung up, still completely confused, and turned to stare blankly at Ian.
This strange reaction made Ian confused and curious as well. "What is it?"
"Binz and Enel heard about the bounty, and they took their fleet to the East Blue!"
"Let them go, what's the big deal anyway? Tell them to hurry up!"
"No, the moment Binz arrived, he received news, it appeared!"
Zephyr grabbed his head in disbelief. "That thing appeared!"
"Calm down. What thing?"
"You're really asking me what thing?!"
Zephyr looked at Ian like he'd seen a ghost. "The Dark-Dark Fruit! That fruit appeared in the East Blue, and someone already got it!"
As soon as he said that…
Ian: "...?"
What?
The Dark-Dark Fruit?
He stared at Zephyr in confusion. "The Dark-Dark Fruit showed up in the East Blue? Then what's the one Aria has?"
"How would I know? But what I do know is that the East Blue..."
Zephyr looked at Ian with complicated eyes.
"... The East Blue is about to go crazy."
Ian: "..."
Hearing this, Ian sucked in a deep breath while cursing in his heart.
Damn it, who's the blind idiot who misidentifies the Devil Fruit?!
...
A little earlier, in the East Blue, on some island.
At this moment, a shirtless guy wearing a straw hat grinned widely, showing his white teeth. With a happy smile, he shouted loudly to his companions ahead: "Hehehe, everyone run! I found it! I found it!"
In his hands, his removed red vest was wrapped tightly around something, as though holding a treasure…
It has appeared!
…
The Dark-Dark Fruit with the 10-billion-belly bounty has really appeared in the East Blue!
In an instant, the entire sea boiled again. The major forces that had been observing could no longer endure it this time…
New World, Whitebeard Pirates.
"It's really in the East Blue!"
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