"If I told you they had their reasons, would you believe me?"
"Tsuru... do I look like Garp to you?"
"Tch, I won't say much, but I can give you one assurance..." Tsuru sighed before continuing. "In short, don't concern yourself with this. I guarantee everything will resolve perfectly... As for killing their own... you'll likely see Shu and T-Bone again soon."
With that, she hung up.
Then she picked up her teacup and took another sip.
"Tch, that brat Michael stirs up trouble, and I'm left covering for him."
"That was your choice, wasn't it?" Kozuki Toki smiled. "Father's trust in you has never wavered, after all."
"...Honestly, every time I hear you call Michael 'Father,' I feel my scalp itch—like my brain is about to grow."
"You'll get used to it," Kozuki Toki waved her hand dismissively before her expression gradually turned serious.
"Father is getting closer and closer to the New World... But why has the World Government been so active lately? Could they be planning something big again?"
"This time... it's hard to say," Tsuru shook her head. "Though they've been making a lot of noise across the New World, stirring up trouble, the reality is that each time, it's been all thunder and no rain—no substantial action. It's hard to tell if they're just trying to wear down our forces."
Kozuki Toki nodded.
The World Government's recent actions were truly baffling.
At this thought, she sighed.
Ever since she followed her father's footsteps into the future and settled in this era, much had changed.
After managing Wano Country for so many years, Kozuki Toki was no longer the Toki of old, who knew nothing but how to swing a sword.
Now, one could say she was full of schemes and cunning—and that wouldn't be wrong.
Running a nation was no child's play.
And the growth of the Angel Alliance was even less so.
Especially with the World Government as their sole formidable enemy...
Ever since Kozuki Toki reunited with Lily, who now acted as "Imu-sama," seven years ago, she seemed to have developed a competitive streak against her.
So, over time, Kozuki Toki transformed from the Shogun's wife of Wano into the Angel Alliance's behind-the-scenes overseer, becoming one of its top decision-makers.
Because of Lily... she seemed to have reverted to her old self—the "Lionheart Princess" who once wielded twin swords and thrived on the battlefield.
This time, however, the battlefield was the entire world.
And the Angel Alliance was her sword.
Thus, she would even ponder the deeper implications of every move the World Government made, sometimes waking in the middle of the night to mull them over.
"What's wrong? Why are you spacing out?"
"No... I was just considering a possibility," Kozuki Toki lifted her head, her brow furrowed slightly in doubt.
"Perhaps... they're trying to hide their true intentions amidst all this noise."
"But we don't have any evidence to support that theory yet."
"Evidence... will come," Kozuki Toki shook her head, then a glimmer of something like "hope" appeared in her eyes.
"Once Father enters the New World, everything will become clear sooner or later."
...
"Yamato-nee! You're back!"
When Yamato returned to the pirate ship, she saw Ulti rushing toward her.
"So, any new intel?"
"...Shu and T-Bone... have fallen in battle."
"W-what!?" Ulti's breath hitched the moment she heard those familiar names paired with "fallen," her face twisting in disbelief.
"Yamato-nee, you must be joking! Shu and T-Bone were members of the SWORD Classified Special Forces—they were Michael's direct subordinates!"
"But... that's exactly what happened," Yamato said coldly, her killing intent palpable. "They died in battle against a pirate... a pirate known as the 'Golden Thief,' whose crew is the recently infamous Old Geezers Pirates."
Though the pirate crew's name was absurdly ridiculous, Ulti couldn't bring herself to laugh.
Over the years, while the Angel Alliance had remained largely opposed to most pirate crews, pirates at least wouldn't—and didn't dare—target the Angel Alliance directly.
After all, the gap in overall strength was far too vast.
Not to mention, within the Angel Alliance's ranks were legends revered by pirates—Whitebeard, Charlotte Linlin, Rayleigh, and Gaban.
In a sense, the Angel Alliance held a certain bloodline suppression over pirates.
Yet, at precisely this moment, someone had emerged bold enough to rob Alabasta, assault Enies Lobby, and even kill the stationed vice admiral...
At the very instant she learned this information, eliminating the Golden Thief had momentarily taken higher priority in Yamato's mind than tracking down Blackbeard.
But after calming down slightly, she dismissed the idea.
She wasn't truly a pirate, after all—not the type to act on impulse...
The reason she had become a pirate wasn't just because her strength posed a lethal threat to Blackbeard, but also because Fleet Admiral Sakazuki and Alliance Commander-in-Chief Monkey D. Dragon intended to use her identity as the "Daughter of Kaido" to consolidate the vast yet fragmented pirate forces.
Sending Ulti and Page One to accompany her made it clear that both the Fleet Admiral and the Commander-in-Chief still wanted her to stick to the original objective.
She had a mission.
Now, Yamato finally understood just how carefree those days following Michael had been.
With a sigh, Yamato patted Ulti on the shoulder.
"So... what should we do, Yamato-nee?" Ulti gritted her teeth. "We... we have to avenge them."
"Our mission is to pursue Marshall D. Teach, Blackbeard, and unite the pirate forces across the seas... so we can't go after the Old Geezers Pirates for now," Yamato shook her head. "But... once the Old Geezers Pirates enter the New World, I swear the Angel Pirates will fight them... to the death."
Ulti nodded firmly.
Back then, she had joined simply to escape the Beasts Pirates with Yamato—whether it was the Marines or the Revolutionary Army didn't matter.
But after all these years, Ulti had long since fully embraced her role within the Angel Alliance.
And she had truly come to understand...
what it meant to bear the hatred of a nation and a family.
"Alright, Ulti, let's focus on the task at hand. Since the Fleet Admiral and the Commander-in-Chief sent you and your brother here... does that mean the expansion is about to begin in earnest?"
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