The atmosphere aboard the gibecks sword was stifling.
The joy of recruiting Patrick Redfield and his companion had vanished.
Even these two new Executives had to join the frantic rowing.
The two CP0 Agents never imagined that their first task after infiltrating the Rocks Pirates would be to row.
Isn't that grunt work for underlings?
They hadn't done such menial labor since their promotion to CP0.
Why did infiltrating the world's most notorious pirate crew still involve such low-level chores?
But for the sake of the mission, they could only row on in misery.
Besides, first mate Kozuki Fang Huo's status seemed higher than their intel suggested.
Even Rocks, the most evil of pirates, had lost his composure because something happened to Fang Huo.
What shocked the CP0 Agents even more was that the Gorosei—the world's supreme authority—had personally descended to hunt Fang Huo.
Such a thing had never happened before!
At least in the memory of CP0 Agents of their generation, the Gorosei had never left Holy Land Mary Geoise for the lower world.
They hoped the Gorosei had already captured the Rocks first mate, Kozuki Fang Huo.
They also hoped the Marineford force could eliminate the deserters like Golden Lion Shiki.
Then the World Government and Marine HQ could focus entirely on the monsters in Rocks' main crew.
Only then would their infiltration be worthwhile!
"Fang Huo, you bastard! Don't you dare die!"
Rocks cursed nonstop—Fang Huo had claimed he could see the future and would flee at the first sign of trouble.
So how had the Gorosei still caught him?
He'd even been forced to split up and run with Charlotte Linlin and Stussy.
"The World Government values the first mate so much that even the Gorosei moved…"
Marlon and Kiel Bastard, rowing with all their might, couldn't hide their lingering shock.
If the Gorosei had targeted Rocks himself, it would've been understandable.
But they came specifically for first mate Fang Huo.
Did that mean, in the Government's eyes, Fang Huo was more important, more valuable—or more dangerous—than Rocks?
Marlon, the Mafia boss with some cunning, sucked in a cold breath.
Perhaps the secrets hidden in first mate Fang Huo were greater than he'd imagined.
"first mate, you absolutely must escape safely!"
The Fish-men Babel and Sanbel were equally anxious; Sanbel even felt guilty.
If he'd stayed on Ohara, he could have spirited Fang Huo away through the sea.
"Fang Huo!"
Whitebeard Newgate felt awful; it was like losing family all over again.
If Fang Huo really died, he'd make the World Government regret it!
Aboard the gibecks sword, a bunch of tough men rowed like mad, speed skyrocketing…—In a rushing current, Fang Huo shot out of the deep sea and into the sky.
"Whew~"
"The deep-sea express sure is thrilling!"
Fang Huo tossed aside the oxygen mask and gulped fresh air.
Even with limited oxygen, a powerhouse like him could stay submerged for days.
The blood he'd consumed with his Vampire Ability held plenty of life force, letting him last even longer.
"What the—? I've actually reached Reverse Mountain?"
Seeing the towering Red Line ahead, the swift current had delivered him right to Reverse Mountain.
"In that case, let's cruise the Grand Line for a bit."
He remembered the Logia Rumble-Rumble Fruit he hadn't had time to hunt; now that he was temporarily away from the Rocks Pirates, he could search for it.
He also wanted to try his luck on Drum Island and see if he could find the Gulp-Gulp Fruit.
And he planned to hunt Byrnndi World—he'd coveted the Paramecia Momo Fruit for ages.
"First, let them know I'm alive!!"
Fang Huo spread his devil-bat wings and flew toward Reverse Mountain, pulling out a transponder snail.
The first call he placed was to Stussy.
"Fang Huo!! You're okay—thank goodness!"
As soon as the call connected, Stussy's delighted scream came through.
"I'm fine. You and Linlin safe?"
Hearing Stussy pick up told Fang Huo the Gorosei hadn't gone after them.
"Fang Huo, where are you? Once we regroup with Rocks we'll come rescue you!"
Charlotte Linlin's anxious voice burst from the transponder snail.
"More enemies might be on my tail; I'll enter the Grand Line first. After you meet up with Rocks, don't rush— I'm not that easy to kill."
Fang Huo chuckled; he was a master of staying alive and had plenty of escape plans.
"Got it! We'll regroup with Rocks and then head to the Grand Line—even if it's the Gorosei, we'll take them down!"
Charlotte Linlin, feeling her own weakness for the first time, resolved to grow stronger.
She would become as powerful as Rocks himself!
Only then could she protect Fang Huo.
"Fang Huo, please be careful."
Stussy's worries melted when she heard Fang Huo's calm tone.
"Tell Rocks not to hurry; I'll probably hunt some Devil Fruits in the Grand Line."
You and Rocks can head straight back to the New World and wait for me there."
Fang Huo rode the Reverse current up the Red Line, awestruck, and reminded Stussy.
He couldn't be bothered to call Rocks himself.
After all, he might roam the Grand Line solo for a long while, and Rocks would only chew him out.
"No! We're definitely coming for you!"
Charlotte Linlin and Stussy spoke in unison; waiting idly in the New World was unbearable compared to searching for Fang Huo.
"I'm hitting the Reverse current—talk later~"
Fang Huo hung up the transponder snail and shot up to the summit of Reverse Mountain.
Watching the currents from the four Blues crash together and merge into the Grand Line, he marveled at the world's natural wonders and illogical rules.
"Beyond here is the back half of the New World. If I fly over, could I reach Wano Country and Elbaf quickly?"
Fang Huo gazed at the far side of the peak—shrouded in perpetual gray and extreme weather.
His Gravity Ability could feel the chaotic magnetic field; even Gravity itself was distorted there.
"If I go to Elbaf, might I obtain the legendary fruit passed down through the giant royal line?"
"And in Wano, is the guardian deity's fruit—the Mythical Zoan Model: Ookuchi no Makami Fruit—really there? The Mythical Zoan Great-Nyudo Fruit should be on the island too…"
"Have the Kurozumi siblings found the Eight-Forked Serpent Fruit yet?"
Fang Huo's eyes glinted; the thought of so many Mythical Zoan fruits made him itch to act.
He hesitated between the two paths, then firmly chose the Grand Line side.
Mythical Zoan powers? The Vampire and Azure Dragon abilities were enough; the rest weren't priorities.
A sentient Sun God Nika Fruit might even try to possess him…—