Seeing this, Ryuuto was more than happy to let it play out. While he could have used the Drum of Oblivion, there was no guarantee it would actually kill Saint Saturn. After all, as one of the Five Elders, Saturn's body was covered in Imu's runes.
If he used the Drum of Oblivion and Imu teleported directly to his location, he would be completely finished.
Thus, Ryuuto simply sat atop the white building known as the Revolutionary Army Headquarters and quietly watched Saint Saturn's performance.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
To help Saturn sell the act, Ryuuto would occasionally swing his Wyrmfang Slash, adding a bit of pressure.
The air crackled with the sound of their intermittent clashes.
"Why does it seem like Ryuuto is intentionally letting me leave?" A hint of confusion flickered across Saint Saturn's scarred face.
Still, this was a good thing.
A wave of relief washed over Saint Saturn, and he couldn't even be bothered to launch any more attacks.
The five-pointed star on the ground took shape, and a pillar of purple light shot into the sky. In an instant, Saint Saturn's massive form vanished, and the swirling black and red lightning dissipated with him.
"Ryuuto, you won't get away next time!"
Even as he left, Saturn couldn't resist firing off a parting threat.
A gust of wind blew past, scattering the dark clouds in the sky.
If not for the countless fallen soldiers and collapsed buildings on the ground, one might think nothing had happened at all.
"That was so sudden. It almost messed up my plans to return," Ryuuto said, shaking his head lightly. His figure flickered, and he reappeared beside Ashiru.
Just then, Sabo and the others ran over.
"Mr. Ryuuto, thank you so much! If it weren't for you, Baltigo might have been wiped off the map," Koala said, her eyes filled with adoration.
Doot-doot-doot...
Suddenly, the Transponder Snail in Ryuuto's coat began to ring.
The snail had a proud, tsundere-like expression and wore a pair of golden, snake-shaped earrings, making it instantly recognizable as Hancock's.
"Ryuuto, are you okay? We were trying to reach you all day yesterday, but we couldn't get through!" The moment Ryuuto took out the snail, Hancock's anxious voice poured out.
Ashiru wore an awkward expression. She had heard the snail ringing yesterday but had intentionally ignored it so as not to disturb Ryuuto's rest.
"Hancock, I'm fine!" Ryuuto immediately replied.
"Captain, it's so good to hear you're okay!" Two chirpy voices immediately followed Ryuuto's.
It was Nami and Vivi.
"Hancock, Nami, don't worry. I'll be back soon. A place like Mary Geoise is nothing to me," Ryuuto said with a faint smile, his tone relaxed and confident.
To Ashiru and the other three revolutionaries, this statement carried a completely different weight.
"So Mr. Ryuuto can already come and go from the Holy Land of Mary Geoise as he pleases?" Ashiru's beautiful eyes widened. After witnessing the earlier battle, her understanding of Ryuuto's power had reached a new level.
As the Vice Commander of the Revolutionary Army's East Blue forces, she was well aware of Saint Saturn's identity.
He was one of the five individuals holding the highest authority in the World Government, known as the Warrior God of Science and Defense. A monster rumored to have lived for 800 years, his power was immeasurable.
Yet, a being of such stature had chosen to flee upon seeing Ryuuto.
Ryuuto's strength was simply terrifying.
"As long as you're okay! I knew nothing could ever stop you, Ryuuto." With her love-addled brain, Hancock naturally chose to trust Ryuuto unconditionally.
Sabo's eyes sparkled. From this day forward, Ryuuto had likely become his new idol.
After chatting for a little while longer, Ryuuto hung up the Transponder Snail.
"Ashiru, now that the World Government knows Baltigo's location, I suggest you relocate," Ryuuto said, turning his gaze to the four of them.
After all, both the Ancient Weapon Uranus and the Five Elders possessed the power to annihilate this place.
"Paradise is no longer safe. I recommend establishing your new headquarters in the New World. Momoiro Island—the Kamabakka Kingdom—would be a good choice."
Ryuuto pondered for a moment before offering his suggestion.
"The Kamabakka Kingdom?"
Hearing this, Ashiru began to stroke her chin thoughtfully.
"Regardless, thank you for everything this time, Mr. Ryuuto!" After a moment of consideration, Ashiru's eyes lit up, and she nodded in agreement before thanking him once more.
Hack looked at Ryuuto with curiosity. How did this man seem to know everything? News of Ivankov's return to Baltigo shouldn't have been public knowledge.
"Alright, I've said what I needed to say. It's time for me to leave," Ryuuto announced, bidding them farewell.
Crackle!
A flash of lightning enveloped Ryuuto, and in the next instant, he vanished from Baltigo.
"Mr. Ryuuto is so cool!" Sabo couldn't help but shout.
"He's so strong! If only he could join us," Koala said wistfully, looking up at the sky.
"Alright, don't just stand there. We need to contact Mr. Dragon immediately. Something we don't know about must have happened for Baltigo's location to be suddenly exposed," Ashiru said in a solemn tone as she quickly rushed into the massive building. Seeing this, Koala immediately started waking the soldiers who had been knocked unconscious by Saint Saturn.
The base quickly became a hive of activity.
Meanwhile, tens of thousands of meters in the sky, Ryuuto was holding Hancock's Vivre Card, flying at the speed of light toward the sky island, Spirid.
"Vivi, do you have any good wine?" Nami asked, boredly tending to a tangerine tree on the deck of the Ark Maxim. She had noticed Vivi bustling about.
"Huh? Is there such a thing as bad wine?"
Vivi froze for a moment, genuinely confused.
"Erm..." Hancock was speechless listening to their conversation. Vivi sounded like a total boozehound.
Crocus simply watched Vivi with an amused smile.
Crackle!
Suddenly, the sound of thunder echoed from the distance.
The sound grew closer and closer...
"Ryuuto!" "Captain!" Instantly, Hancock, Nami, and Vivi became ecstatic. As a bolt of lightning struck the deck and Ryuuto's figure appeared, the three of them shouted his name in excitement.
"I'm back! And I gave Imu a huge surprise this time," Ryuuto said with a light laugh as he described everything he had seen.
"Demons?"
Hancock's expression was one of shock. So that was the presence she had sensed back in Mary Geoise.
"What? Does that mean Imu commands the power of a whole host of demons?" Nami exclaimed in astonishment.
Vivi looked as if her entire worldview had been shattered. To think that the so-called World Government was filled with demons.
Crocus's expression remained calm; he had clearly entertained such suspicions before.
Finally, Jean Bart nodded thoughtfully. No wonder the first time he was sold as a slave to Mary Geoise, he felt as if the place was an abyss waiting to devour him.
"One day, I will defeat Imu!"
"But to do that, my strength alone isn't enough. I need partners—partners who can fight alongside me!"
Ryuuto clenched his fists, his voice filled with conviction.
"Captain, where are we heading next?" Nami asked.
"We're going to Beehive Island! We'll take it over first, solidify our position, and make a name for ourselves as one of the Four Emperors," Ryuuto announced, having already planned their next move.
"In that case, let's get going!"
"I've had enough of this damn place!"
"It's so boring here, nothing but monks meditating everywhere!"
"GO, GO, GO! Let's move out!"
Hearing that they were finally leaving, everyone erupted in cheers. It was clear they were all tired of this place.
With a surge of lightning, the Ark Maxim slowly rose from the sea of clouds. Under Ryuuto's control, it changed direction and flew straight toward Beehive Island.
"Let's have a little wine tonight!"
At dinner time, Vivi suddenly placed a massive jug of wine on the table.
Somehow, the crew began a feast of meat and wine, and a joyous mood filled the air.
However, it was clear that Nami and Hancock had overestimated their tolerance for alcohol.
Before long, both of them were slumped over the table, fast asleep.
"What's happening? Why am I so weak all of a sudden?" were Nami's last mumbled words before she went silent.
Hancock, meanwhile, was tightly hugging Ryuuto's right arm in her sleep.
Given Jean Bart's large frame, this amount of alcohol was nothing to him. Crocus also showed no reaction at all.
The moon hung high in the sky as the massive Ark Maxim floated silently ten thousand meters above the sea. As the clouds drifted by, the temperature began to drop.
By now, everyone was resting in their respective rooms.
Under the dim electric light, Ryuuto was sleeping peacefully.
Suddenly, a figure flushed crimson like wine gently pushed his door open. A pale form then quickly slipped into his embrace.
Hmph! You two can bully me during the day!
But the night belongs to me!
Vivi snuggled into a comfortable position against Ryuuto, feeling a sense of triumph. She had tampered with the wine, which was why Hancock and Nami had gotten drunk so easily.
Vivi's face was flushed, and her actions grew bold, her desire evident...
Soon, Ryuuto was awakened.
Seeing Vivi in his arms, he immediately sprang into action.
A night of fiery passion followed...
The moonlight was soft, but Vivi was all heat. Time seemed to slow, yet it was tender.
As the first rays of sunlight streamed through the window, the two of them awoke simultaneously. A beautiful new day had begun.
"Captain, don't stare at me like that. You're making me blush," Vivi said, reverting to her demure princess persona now that the alcohol had worn off.
"Hahahaha, that's quite a change from last night!" Ryuuto laughed.
This caused Vivi to bury her head under the covers, refusing to come out. Left with no choice, Ryuuto walked out of the room and onto the deck.
Seeing the faint outline of the Red Line in the distance, Ryuuto controlled the Ark Maxim to ascend another few thousand meters. This would allow them to safely pass over it and enter the New World directly.
"Every time I see the Red Line, I can't help but be amazed. It's truly magnificent," Ryuuto thought, gazing at the massive, ten-thousand-meter-high cliff.
A short while later, Nami and Crocus emerged. Soon after, Vivi even brought a large spread of food out from the kitchen. It seemed she hadn't forgotten her duties as the ship's cook.
"We should reach Beehive Island today, right?"
The crew discussed their plans while eating breakfast.
During the meal, however, Vivi kept stealing glances at Ryuuto, which soon caught the attention of Hancock and Nami.
"Vivi, what did you do last night?"
Suddenly, Nami leaned in close to Vivi, sniffing the air around her with a scrutinizing gaze.
"Ah, what? I was sleeping all night!"
Vivi's face instantly turned bright red, and her voice became hesitant.
This only made Hancock and Nami more suspicious. The two of them then moved to Ryuuto's side, pinching his arms from both sides.
To avoid further torment, Ryuuto discreetly adjusted the Ark Maxim's altitude.
They flew for several more hours...
By now, the Ark Maxim was only one or two thousand meters above the sea, clearly visible to anyone on the surface.
"Van Augur, are we really going after the Op-Op Fruit? Could this be a trap?" Jesus Burgess said with a hint of resignation, standing on a crude raft made of four thick logs.
"I have already heard the whispers of fate."
Van Augur rested his sniper rifle on his shoulder, speaking in his usual cryptic manner.
After the two had gone their separate ways following the Summit War, they had unexpectedly run into each other again in the New World. At that point, even Van Augur had to admit that some kind of destiny connected them.
So, they teamed up once more.
They were heading to Beehive Island because they had heard rumors that the Op-Op Fruit—the legendary fruit with a 5 billion belly bounty—had appeared there.
The simple pirate raft continued its journey toward Beehive Island.
High above, the Ark Maxim was also drawing closer. As time passed, the ship's silhouette became clearer and clearer in Van Augur's sight.
"What is that thing up there?"
"A pirate ship?"
"Why is it floating in the sky?"
Van Augur wondered to himself as he lowered the sniper rifle from his shoulder.
Burgess, who had been sitting at the prow, heard the commotion and turned around. He too saw the Ark Maxim heading right for them.
"Van Augur, you don't think they're coming for us, do you?"
Burgess shouted, slowly raising his Seastone arm, the cannon at its center aimed squarely at the Ark Maxim.