Faced with Sengoku's scolding, Kuzan's lazy voice came through the Den Den Mushi.
"Ara ra, Fleet Admiral Sengoku, you're overthinking it. Do you remember the Warlord arrest files you gave me? There was something about Moria in there. Unfortunately, he escaped."
As Aokiji spoke, he looked toward the Kuja Pirates' ship across from his warship.
Hancock was shouting curses at him from the other side, leaving him feeling rather helpless.
Everyone present could practically hear just how filthy the Pirate Empress' insults were.
Aokiji, however, flipped through the documents as if nothing were happening and continued speaking into the Den Den Mushi.
"The file mentioned abnormal behavior from the Seven Warlords' Pirate Empress, Boa Hancock, during the war. I only stopped by to investigate on the way. This is a proper mission you approved…"
As he spoke, Aokiji suddenly noticed something wrong while looking through the papers.
"Uh… there's no stamp. Ahem! Anyway, I didn't go there to play 'on purpose.'"
"YOU BASTARD! IF YOU DIDN'T GO THERE 'ON PURPOSE,' DOESN'T THAT STILL MEAN YOU WENT THERE TO PLAY?!"
"Don't say that, Fleet Admiral Sengoku. Wasn't I just practicing my justice? Lazy Justice."
"JUSTICE ISN'T SUPPOSED TO BE USED LIKE THAT! HURRY UP AND FINISH THE MATTER. IF THERE'S NOTHING ABNORMAL, THEN GET YOUR ASS BACK HERE!"
After the Den Den Mushi hung up, Gloriosa stopped paying attention to Sengoku and the others and walked upstairs.
Shakky followed behind her.
Gloriosa's voice clearly came from the staircase as she spoke to Shakky.
"Actually, I didn't come here this time just to bring Luffy to see his brother. I wanted to meet Ace myself."
"I've seen his wanted poster. He looks exactly like Roger when he was young."
"I wonder if he's as charming as his father was back then? Although the Marines announced that Ace isn't Roger's son, I don't believe it! I just want to see him with my own eyes."
Cain felt a chill run through him.
'Ace still had no idea what was going on with Yamato and Isuka, so please, old lady, don't get involved too!'
Besides, that was all from the previous generation.
If she wanted to look for someone, she should be looking for Roger.
What was the point of going after his son?
Shakky, who had followed her upstairs, looked utterly speechless.
Rayleigh, Garp, Sengoku, and the others all wore awkward expressions as well.
...
Once Gloriosa and Shakky went upstairs and there was no one left to disturb them, Sengoku prepared to discuss the important matter.
Their purpose this time was to find clues about Ace.
Whitebeard's territories were spread across the seas. They could not possibly search them one by one.
After all, this matter had to be handled by the two of them personally, and time was critical.
Apart from them, there was no other combination in the entire Marine force who could take on this job.
Seeing that enough had already been said, Sengoku turned to Cain and asked about Ace's whereabouts.
Or rather, he asked about the agreed time and meeting place.
After all, Gloriosa had accidentally revealed a few details just now, and they had heard them clearly.
Cain, however, frowned and hesitated, unsure how to answer.
No matter what he said, he would end up stuck between both sides.
On one side was Grandpa Garp.
With all the trouble the brothers had caused, plus that bastard Morgans' newspaper, rumors targeting the Marine Hero were now spreading across the world, and everyone was waiting for the Marines to give an explanation.
On the other side were the Whitebeard Pirates behind Ace.
They had just lost their father because of the Marines, and now Cain was supposed to persuade Ace to join the Marine-aligned side and become a Warlord. No matter how he thought about it, it felt awkward.
Although Cain knew the Seven Warlords system would be abolished two years later after Doflamingo's crimes were exposed, he could not exactly say that right now.
So Cain turned his gaze toward Rayleigh.
After all, as a precaution, Rayleigh also knew the time and place where the brothers were supposed to meet.
After throwing this difficult decision onto Rayleigh, Cain immediately took Luffy and Uta and slipped away.
Seeing this, Sengoku shook his head.
He was just about to continue asking when Garp suddenly raised a hand to stop him.
That was because he had suddenly remembered something important, and he immediately asked Rayleigh.
"You were Cain's training teacher during this period. After training with you, how did my grandson's strength become so ridiculous? This old man couldn't take him down even after several rounds."
"I know Cain didn't go all out during that war. After all, he didn't kill a single Marine, so he was obviously holding back on purpose. That's why we came to ask you."
"Just how strong is Cain right now?"
Hearing Garp's question, Rayleigh instantly remembered Cain attacking him.
That brat had used every technique of the Six Paths of Reincarnation, and he had been in a completely berserk state too.
Rayleigh thought for a moment, then suddenly shook his head.
In the end, he neither praised Cain too highly nor underestimated him. He gave a moderate evaluation.
"Well, he's strong enough already… strong enough to fight an Emperor, at least."
"It's just a shame that he always seems worried about something. He keeps feeling that his strength isn't enough and always asks me to add more training. These old bones of mine were almost worked to pieces."
"So? Regret letting Cain become a pirate now? Hahaha."
"No, no, no."
Sengoku shook his head and said,
"With you saying that, we now know what we should do next. Thank you."
Rayleigh froze.
So they had set him up.
As expected of Sengoku the Buddha, the resourceful general.
After realizing that, Rayleigh spoke bluntly.
"All right. Let's talk business. Regarding Fire Fist Ace, to be honest, I don't really want him getting involved in your Marine matters…"
"But…"
"Then again…"
"Or perhaps…"
"Maybe…"
"It might be worth trying…"
"But if you do that…"
Rayleigh's twists and turns made Garp's scalp tingle.
Sengoku's veins bulged, and he looked as if he wanted nothing more than to step forward and beat him up!
…
Meanwhile, Cain and Uta were strolling through the streets.
Because Uta's fame was too high, both of them wore masks, tilted sideways on their heads so that only half their faces were exposed.
The two of them took this outing very seriously.
After all, this was their first date in their own bodies.
Garp had given them plenty of money earlier, so they bought whatever they wanted without holding back.
They carefully experienced every little thing a couple should do together.
Although some of it was clichéd, for Cain and Uta, this ordinary, simple kind of life was the best thing of all.
Cain accompanied Uta as she bought all kinds of clothes, as well as various ingredients.
They were all preparations for tomorrow's meeting. After all, in Cain's memory, there were quite a few people there who could really eat…
Shopping with a girl was normally supposed to be tiring, but Cain found it unusually relaxing.
The reason was—
"HEY, CAIN! UTA! WAIT FOR ME!"
Hearing the voice, Cain and Uta turned around.
They saw Luffy carrying a mountain-like pile of food in his arms, with several clothing bags hanging from him as well.
The towering stack of food completely blocked his vision, and his mouth was stuffed with several huge pieces of meat.
His words came out muffled, and because he could not see the road clearly, his steps were unsteady.
Seeing him like that, the two stopped.
Looking at his clumsy yet familiar appearance, they felt as if they had gone back to childhood.
Back then, Luffy had been just like this too, happily trailing along behind them.
Only some things really had changed from the past.
"Cain, Uta, why are you two standing so close together?"
Luffy finally steadied himself, placed the food in his arms to the side, and chased after the question again before even swallowing the meat in his mouth.
"And didn't you buy two cups of juice? Why are you drinking from the same cup? Isn't it better for each person to have one?"
Cain shook his head.
"Luffy, you're still too young. You wouldn't understand."
"Exactly."
Uta looked at Luffy with great interest and rubbed his head.
"Come on, call me onee-san."
"I'M NOT LITTLE ANYMORE!"
Luffy refuted her with a serious face.
"And Uta is Uta. Why would I call you nee-san?"
Cain and Uta looked at each other and smiled without saying anything, leaving Luffy with question marks practically floating above his head.