The turbulent seas did not affect Blake's plans for this trip.
Blake already possessed the Vampire Fruit and pure gold, and his attitude towards the Ope-Ope no Mi was similar to that of the Gorosei—
"I may not want it, but no one else should get their hands on it."
The sanctuary had now arrived in North Blue.
This time, Blake did not head directly to the target location.
Although Barrels had already defected from the Marine, the Ope-Ope no Mi had not yet appeared.
The World Government's emphasis on the Ope-Ope no Mi was not low, and Blake also wanted to use it to complete some experiments. Afterwards, many people might thoroughly investigate, so getting involved too early was not wise.
Thus, the sanctuary was currently pretending to drift aimlessly, wandering all over North Blue.
In reality, every country Blake landed in was not far from Barrels' current location.
At the beginning of the Barrels Pirates' formation, Aramaki had already sent CP Agents to infiltrate them.
Blake would also occasionally go to check through Stella's Other Space to ensure everything was foolproof.
At this moment, he was leaning back on the sofa, toying with a peculiarly shaped Devil Fruit—
It was precisely the Ope-Ope no Mi that Kalifa had been instructed to create earlier, one that could perfectly mimic the real thing.
This "Ope-Ope no Mi" was heart-shaped, predominantly red, with deep red swirling patterns covering its surface.
These patterns intertwined and spread from the bottom of the fruit to the top.
At the top of the fruit was a green stem, its end curled into a spiral.
Blake held it in his hand, examining it carefully, his fingertips tracing the deep red patterns.
He had indeed never seen the Ope-Ope no Mi with his own eyes, but he had seen many other Devil Fruits.
It could be said that she was truly the most meticulous and diligent maid by his side.
From Blake's perspective, the Ope-Ope no Mi created by Kalifa was indistinguishable from a real Devil Fruit.
Kalifa stood by, pushing up her glasses:
"Your Highness, as per your request, this counterfeit Ope-Ope no Mi is identical to the genuine article in appearance, weight, and even tactile sensation."
She bowed slightly, her tone professional and calm:
"Following your instructions, I embedded three miniature bombs inside the fruit."
"As long as it receives a specific signal…"
Kalifa took out a remote control device:
"It can be instantly reduced to dust."
"Well done, Kalifa, how should I reward you?"
Blake reached out and placed Kalifa on his lap, teasing her.
Kalifa's face flushed slightly, and her body stiffened, twisting uncomfortably a few times:
"Your Highness, I'm not yet an adult, you're sexually harassing me!"
"Impudent woman!"
Hancock, whose eyes were practically spitting fire, finally found an opportunity. She pulled Kalifa aside and added fuel to the fire:
"Saint Blake, she dares to be so rude! Please send her away!"
Blake shook his head and chuckled, soothingly stroking Hancock's head, and refocused his attention on the Ope-Ope no Mi:
"Are the bombs definitely okay?"
"I need to ensure that when necessary, it can disappear without a trace."
When it came to business, Kalifa instantly reverted to her astute and capable demeanor:
"The bombs were specially manufactured by Dr. Fran at my request. The material is largely the same as the fruit itself, effectively preventing Observation Haki from prying."
"If Your Highness is still concerned, I can supervise him to produce several more for testing according to the process."
Blake thought about it and decided not to bother further.
Given Dr. Fran's current mindset, he shouldn't have the guts to play tricks on something like this.
Besides, the bombs were just a safeguard, and it was uncertain whether they would even be used in the end.
Time thus passed quickly, and half a month went by in a flash.
There was still no movement from Barrels' side, but the Red Hair Pirates had already arrived at Red Port, following the CP0's light sailing ship.
Beckman stood at the bow, a cigarette between his fingers, his gaze fixed on the direction of the dock.
The steel fortress of New Red Port gleamed coldly under the setting sun, and Shanks' figure had long disappeared into that metal jungle.
He didn't waste words, directly beginning to deploy, his voice steady and clear:
"Yasopp, keep an eye on the elevator and the port."
"Snake, the lookout tower is yours. Watch the sea and sky closely."
"Hongou, check the weapons and lifeboats."
"Lucky Roux, inventory the supplies."
Beckman gave his orders one by one, then scanned the crew, whose expressions were complex, and suddenly smiled:
"Don't panic!"
"Shanks was invited up, maybe he's going to acknowledge his ancestors."
This not-quite-a-joke joke, like a sea breeze, dispelled the gloom on the deck, and everyone began to move:
"That's right! Don't let those big shots up there underestimate our composure!"
Just as the Red Hair Pirates were preparing for the worst, Shanks had already followed the CP0 and taken the elevator to Mary Geoise.
The air was thin, and the white jade corridor was so quiet that he could hear his own footsteps.
Shanks looked around with interest at the completely different scenery; it was like two different worlds compared to the bustling Red Port below.
The CP Agent leading the way stopped in front of a giant door depicting a world map and bowed, saying:
"Saint Shanks, the five adults are waiting inside."
Along the way, Shanks had become accustomed to the CP Agent's address. He wasn't timid, and without waiting for the agent to act, he stepped forward and pushed open the door to the Room of Authority.
Five imposing figures stood in the center of the empty hall, but an un-dispersed anxiety permeated the air.
St. V. Nusjuro merely glanced at him, and did not launch into a lengthy discussion about his heritage as expected, but instead sternly instructed the attendant beside him:
"Take him to see Saint Garling."
Shanks raised an eyebrow. The question, "So what exactly do you want to talk about by bringing me here?" which was already on his lips, was swallowed back.
He looked at the mountain of documents piled in front of the Gorosei, and the undisguised fatigue and irritation on their brows, a smile in his eyes.
"It seems Sakazuki's matter has kept these old guys quite busy."
"No wonder they don't have much hair left…"
Muttering to himself, Shanks raised a hand to press down on the straw hat on his head. Without another word, he followed the attendant and left.
Shanks didn't care who explained it to him; in any case, he had no intention of staying in Mary Geoise.
The purpose of this trip was merely to clarify his heritage and to avoid the endless stream of Celestial Dragons.
After passing through several corridors, the two stopped in front of a manor.
"Saint Shanks, Saint Garling is inside."
Shanks glanced at the attendant, who, after speaking, retreated to the side, clearly not intending to enter with him, feeling a surge of suppression in his heart.
Having grown up on the high seas, he found it hard to imagine what it felt like to be bound by so many rules every day.
In reality, he was overthinking it; rules were for subordinates. If he truly returned to the Holy Land, there wouldn't be many things that could restrain him.
Shanks entered the manor. Garling was sitting on a chair in the garden.
Beside him, Shanks finally saw the legendary Shamrock—the man who had caused him to wander the seas for so long.
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