A few minutes later, the Rocks Pirates' council chamber.
"Rocks! You were looking for us?"
Kaido's loud voice rang out before he even entered the room, calling Rocks by name without the slightest hint of respect or fear.
Carlo walked behind him.
Today, he was wearing the standard "powerhouse three-piece set."
A floral shirt, beach shorts, and leather flip-flops.
Stepping into the council chamber, Carlo noticed a new face today.
A woman with golden, ear-length short hair, a petite frame, and a beautiful face that was easily a match for Charlotte Linlin and Gloriosa.
She was pressed close to Whitebeard, occasionally reaching out a fair little hand to toy with his white beard.
Compared to Whitebeard's massive 6.66-meter height, this woman, who was less than 1.8 meters tall, looked so tiny next to him that she wasn't even as long as half of his arm.
The massive size difference was even greater than that between an adult and a five-year-old girl.
The usually heroic Whitebeard now had a look of disgust on his face, occasionally muttering, "Get away from me, Stussy!"
"Hehehe, Newgate, are you shy? And you still say you don't like me?" The blonde woman giggled coquettishly, forcing her body closer.
Byrnndi World, Senior Combatant of the Rocks Pirates, Chief Scientist, and Intelligence Captain.
Her bounty from the World Government was 555 million Berries.
Carlo's eyes narrowed slightly.
This woman was the future dwarf-like mother of Weevil.
Compared to Stussy's current charming and delicate appearance, her elderly self was simply unbearable to look at.
Of course, the other two women sitting nearby, Charlotte Linlin and Gloriosa, would be the same once they aged decades later.
Even uglier.
As a transmigrator, Carlo once again deeply felt Oda's twisted sense of humor.
Rocks, sitting in the main seat, saw Carlo and Kaido enter and grinned. "How was your rest? Have your injuries healed?"
"Those little scratches? They healed long ago!" Kaido thundered, pounding his chest as he looked at Rocks expectantly.
"What is it? Got a mission for us? Speak up, what do you want me to do? Raid an allied nation, or attack a Marine base?"
Rocks didn't speak, but Byrnndi World, who was teasing Whitebeard, let out a soft laugh.
"Newbie, you sure talk big. So you're the Kaido who destroyed Rocky Port?"
"So what if I am? You want to fight me? I'm ready anytime!" Kaido shouldered his spiked club, looking down at Stussy with a bloodthirsty glint in his eyes.
Stussy raised an eyebrow and shook her head in disappointment. "Sigh, another battle-crazed lunatic. Forget it, I don't like all that fighting and killing."
She then looked over at Carlo, her gaze filled with scrutiny.
"So you're the one who defeated Gan Sui and left him unable to get out of bed for days? I heard you were a Marine?"
Carlo glanced at her but didn't respond.
Stussy's brow furrowed. "I'm talking to you, newbie."
"Enough! Let's get down to business!" Rocks shot her a look. "Stussy, tell us the intel you've gathered."
Stussy giggled and finally looked away from Carlo.
"Alright, alright."
"Look at how impatient you are. Haste makes waste."
She tucked her blonde hair behind her ear with a feminine flourish.
"It's like this: I've received intel that three ships carrying the celestial tribute are currently on their way to Mary Geoise through the New World. And there's good news—they don't seem to have any Marine warships escorting them."
"Oh? Ships carrying the celestial tribute? From which kingdom? Where are they now?" Rocks grew interested.
Stussy said, "They're from the Prodence Kingdom. They should have passed Dressrosa by now and are about to transit through the waters around Punk Hazard."
"Rocks, if you're going to act, you'd better hurry. If they sail any further, they'll enter G1's patrol waters. If those guys stationed at G1 come out to escort them, seizing the celestial tribute will be a real headache."
"Hmm, indeed." Rocks pondered for a moment before looking up at Carlo. "Carlo, I'm giving this mission to you. Can you handle it?"
"Prodence Kingdom..." Carlo narrowed his eyes and thought for a moment before nodding. "No problem, leave it to me..."
"Hey, hey, hey! What about me?" Kaido shouted, jumping out in dissatisfaction.
Rocks pointed at Carlo with a smile. "You, of course, will be operating alongside Carlo."
"Huh? With him?" Kaido was even more displeased upon hearing this, looking at Carlo with a face full of disdain and shaking his head like a rattle.
"No way! I don't want to work with him! Rocks! Just give the mission to me, I can handle it alone!"
However, Rocks simply shook his head.
"You can't handle it."
Hearing Rocks dismiss him so decisively, Kaido bristled.
He glared, swinging his spiked club. "What do you mean? You looking down on me? Rocks! If I can't handle it, this kid definitely can't!"
He pointed at Carlo, who was less than half his height.
The council chamber fell silent.
Pairs of eyes, looking at him as if he were an idiot, converged on Kaido.
The meaning in their gazes was self-evident.
Even Linlin, who had spoken up for him a few days ago, remained silent.
Rocks stood up, grabbed a box of expensive cigars from in front of him, and tossed it to Carlo.
"It's settled. Carlo, you and Kaido set out immediately. Take a thousand men and intercept the Prodence Kingdom's fleet. You must secure the celestial tribute!"
"No problem."
Carlo took one out of the cigar box and lit it directly.
He was just worrying about running out of smokes and was planning to take a stroll around the island.
He was about to turn and leave when Whitebeard, sitting on a nearby sofa, suddenly spoke up with a warning.
"Hey! Carlo, Kaido, don't be too careless. Although the intel says there's no warship escort, that often means they have their own trump card."
Charlotte Linlin, reclining nearby and revealing her breathtaking curves, also said with a light laugh:
"Mamamama~, Newgate is right. After all, that's the Prodence Kingdom. Little Kaido, this is your first mission; don't go and fail in such a simple task."
Before Carlo could speak, Kaido said with a face full of disdain:
"Isn't it just an allied nation? Never mind a few ships they sent out, even if you let me charge into their royal capital alone, I could capture their king for you!"
He looked at Carlo. "If you're scared, I'll be the first to charge in later!"
Carlo shrugged. "No problem, it's all yours."
"Worororo, then let's go! I'm already getting impatient!"
Watching the backs of the two as they left, Rocks, sitting back on the sofa, pulled out a cigar and looked at Wang Zhi, who was sitting in the shadows nearby.
"I'm still a bit uneasy. After all, it's a shipment of celestial tribute, and from the Prodence Kingdom at that. It might be worth over a billion Berries. If we don't get it, the loss would be huge."
"Just to be safe, Wang Zhi, you go along too."
"If they can handle it, just watch and don't interfere."
"If they can't, then you step in."
Wang Zhi stuck out a long, gecko-like tongue, licked his lips, and stood up with a grin.
"Alright, Rocks."
"I will certainly carry out your instructions to perfection."