Nami and Usopp looked at the increasingly dangerous gazes of the people around them and hurriedly shook their heads, about to deny it three times in a row. But then—
"Yeah, we know."
"Luffy!!!"
Ignoring the expressions on Usopp's and Nami's faces, which looked like they were about to cry, Luffy said directly, "We know, but I won't tell you."
"Is that so? Then there's nothing we can do."
Bellamy, who had been crouching on the ship's gunwale, shrugged. Then he stood up and said calmly, "Captain Gin did say that once the target appears before your eyes, you have to take action at all costs, right?"
The next instant, part of his right arm transformed into a spring.
"Spring Snipe!"
...
On a small boat quite some distance away from the Straw Hat Pirates—
"Buru-buru."
"Click."
A Transponder Snail rang, and a large, callus-covered hand picked up the receiver.
"What is it?"
"Captain Gin, this is Blue Gilly. We found people who know about the Millennium Dragon, but they aren't exactly cooperative. They're a bit troublesome."
"Coordinates."
"They're at..."
After receiving the exact location, Gin hung up immediately, then looked toward Daz, who was walking over to him while reeking of blood.
Behind Daz lay row after row of Marine corpses. Among them were East Blue Marine Commodore Nelson, who had been searching for the Millennium Dragon all this time, and Eric the Whirlwind, who had been at his side.
"Taken care of?"
"Taken care of. But those Marine wastes didn't know anything useful."
"That's fine. Bellamy's group has already found people who know the information. We'll just go straight to them."
"Mm."
...
Half a day later, on Raijin Island, inside the Golden Palace.
"It's time to end this."
A low voice sounded. Roy stood up and stretched. After the blue color on his head quickly faded away, a red light flashed through his eyes.
"I've spent just about enough time in the One Piece world. Though I spent over ten years training, judging from the flow of time, barely a dozen days have passed outside. It was worth it."
Roy muttered to himself, then took out a Transponder Snail.
"What is it, Captain? Bon."
"Notify everyone to assemble quickly. The day of the final battle against the World Government has arrived."
"..."
The other side of the Transponder Snail immediately fell silent.
But looking at the exaggerated, stunned expression displayed by the Transponder Snail, Roy knew that Tamago had been shocked speechless by the news.
"...Yes! Yes, Captain! I'll arrange it right away!"
After taking quite a while to digest the news, Tamago immediately became so excited that he could barely speak coherently and prepared to go make the arrangements.
The clash between the Raijin Pirates and the World Government was an inevitable trend.
Because of that, over the years, the Raijin Pirates had always been secretly accumulating strength, ready at any moment to shock the world in a single move.
"There's no need to rush. Although the timing is almost right, the specific date hasn't arrived yet. Right now, one small move from us affects the whole body. The Raijin Pirates are too enormous, so it would be easy for news to leak."
"Right, right! I got too excited. Then, Captain, when do you think...?"
"At most, within a year, a major event that shocks the world will occur. When that happens, we can gather our forces, and the World Government won't be suspicious of our actions. After all, we've been quiet for more than ten years. They may have long since forgotten how terrifying we are."
...
"Iron Body: Flying Ball Cane!"
"Foaming Daisy Slash!"
"Bang!"
"Hiss!"
"Zoro!"
"Sanji!"
However, no matter how loudly Nami and Usopp shouted, the two of them lay limply on the deck, struggling even to stand.
"Damn it! Is the gap really that huge? Just now, for an instant, I clearly felt like I could cut through steel."
Zoro coughed up a mouthful of blood. His body was covered in wounds sliced open by blades, and blood gradually formed a pool beneath him. His eyes were filled with unwillingness.
"That's true. Although you just reached the realm of cutting iron, my bladed body is already different from ordinary steel."
Daz withdrew his bladed arm and stood together with Gin, watching Luffy as he was being surrounded and attacked by five people.
...
"Gum-Gum Gatling!"
Even though he had learned Haki and the Six Powers, the current Luffy had not yet developed Gear Second. Under the joint assault of these five capable fighters from the Grand Line, he still found it difficult.
"He should be a Gum-Gum Fruit user. He isn't afraid of blunt attacks, but he is very weak against slashing attacks. I can counter him. Should I step in?"
Daz folded his arms across his chest and spoke calmly.
"Cough, cough. No need, Captain. Leave this guy to the five of us."
Bellamy, who had taken a punch to the face, coughed once, then joined the battle again.
After that, Daz simply sat cross-legged on the ground.
...
"Heh-heh. Straw Hat Luffy, with your strength, your bounty is definitely more than thirty million. We only want information about the Millennium Dragon. We're not interested in anything else. Look at our captain. He didn't kill your crewmates. He only gravely injured them."
The blue-haired Blue Gilly spoke up to remind him.
However, his words made Zoro and Sanji, who had fallen to the side, clench their fists tightly.
That powerless feeling of being spared because the other side had held back was the most painful thing of all.
"That's right. Captain Gin once said that no matter when it is, achieving the objective is the most important thing. Extra killing only creates unnecessary complications."
Bellamy added another line.
"That's also one of the principles our Raijin Pirates follow when operating outside."
"Raijin Pirates?!"
"Raijin Pirates?!"
Nami and Usopp shouted at the same time.
"Are you the Raijin Pirates Tiger-aniki is with?"
Nami hurriedly spoke up.
Usopp opened his mouth, but in the end, he swallowed back what he wanted to say.
He knew that his father, Yasopp, was a crewmate of the Raijin Pirates. But if he had to rely on his father's name to get out of danger, then what kind of brave warrior of the sea would he be?
"Hm? You know Tiger and the others?"
Gin, who had been silent the entire time, finally raised his head and looked at Nami.
(End of Chapter)
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