High above, Nika-form Joy Boy was having the time of his life. His white rubber arms rained down like a storm on the half-hawk Gale, laughter mixing with the thunder of their impacts.
Gale held his ground with precise martial skill, sharp hawk claws, and Conqueror's Haki coating, countering the chaotic but devastating attacks.
The battle was reaching its peak. They had just collided and separated, ready to charge again—
"Brubrubrubru— Brubrubrubru—"
A completely out-of-place Den Den Mushi ringtone suddenly came from Gale's waist.
Gale froze mid-motion. A flicker of surprise and annoyance crossed his hawk-like eyes.
But he seemed to recognize the specific ringtone. Frowning, he raised a hand to signal "pause" to Joy Boy.
Rhett's mouth twitched. Every time he saw this, his worldview got shaken. This was the benefit of being a new kind of pirate. Roger couldn't stop Garp like this. But Gale could stop Joy Boy anytime, anywhere.
Roger and Garp? They lost to these two.
"Hey, Gale! Why'd you stop? We were just getting into it!" Joy Boy complained, his rubber body bouncing in the air. But he obeyed, tilting his head curiously.
Gale ignored his complaints and slapped Joy Boy's ear back into place as it stretched toward him.
"What? You don't have to hit me just because I was curious!"
Rhett's mouth was starting to twitch. You were eavesdropping on his call. What did you expect? Don't act like you're the victim here. Oh, right — you're a pirate. Never mind.
Gale quickly pulled the ringing Den Den Mushi from his belt and answered.
The Den Den Mushi mimicked a calm middle-aged man's voice, coming through clearly enough to reach the ships below.
Rhett: Hey, buddy, your phone's a little loud. Is there even a point in eavesdropping?
"Gale! Urgent report! Katcha Island was attacked half an hour ago. Eyewitnesses describe the attackers as a perfect match for your targets — Joy Boy and the 'Blood Reaver' Rhett! Heavy casualties. Requesting immediate support!"
Silence.
Gale in the sky: "???"
Rhett in the mist: "???"
Joy Boy, still annoyed: "???"
Three question marks appeared above three heads simultaneously.
The exaggerated smile on Joy Boy's rubber face froze. His giant white head was covered in question marks. "Huh? Katcha Island? What's that? I've been right here fighting the whole time!"
Inside the mist, Rhett paused mid-bite, his crimson eyes narrowing coldly. "Interesting. Framing? Or a copycat?"
Gale held the Den Den Mushi, his cool face showing visible confusion for the first time.
He looked at the innocent-looking Joy Boy, then at Rhett still casually eating below, and thought about what he'd been doing all day...
He turned to Joy Boy. "Hey, come here."
"No way. I'll lose face."
"I have a banana."
"Fine. I'm hungry anyway."
Gale grabbed Joy Boy's face and pulled it out, checking it, then let it snap back.
"You can go back now."
"What about my body, you bastard!"
He gave Joy Boy's lower half a light kick, sending it back into place.
Into the Den Den Mushi, he said, "Are you sure? The description matches a rubber giant and a man with blood mist? They're with me right now."
The voice on the other end paused, confused. "With you? But the reports from Katcha Island are very specific. Many witnesses. It happened half an hour ago. At that distance, they'd have to fly to be there."
Fly?
Gale looked at the blood mist shielding both ships from the chaos above, and at the rubber man who could launch himself into the sky...
Not entirely impossible.
But he dismissed the thought quickly. He'd been watching them the whole time. They never left.
"False report!" Gale said firmly. "I guarantee it on my rank. Joy Boy and Rhett have been engaged with me this entire time. Requesting immediate verification of the source. Investigate whether another ability user is impersonating them."
"Go check it out yourself, then. And stop playing around out there. Come back when you're done. I have other things for you."
"Yes, sir!"
Gale hung up and looked at Joy Boy. His battle spirit was replaced by deeper concern.
Joy Boy had dropped his playful demeanor too. He returned to his normal form and landed on the rubber ship, rubbing his chin. "Someone's pretending to be us? That's terrible!"
Rhett appeared on the deck, blood mist flowing around him. He looked at Gale.
"Looks like someone doesn't want us to have a peaceful fight."
"Or maybe they want the Navy to take care of us."
Gale's claws retracted into human hands. His Conqueror's Haki faded.
He looked at the pouting Joy Boy and the smirking Rhett. "I need to go to Katcha Island and verify this. We'll finish this another time."
He turned to order the ship's course.
"Hey, wait!" Rhett's lazy voice stopped him. "Take us with you."
Gale paused, frowning. "This is military business. I don't have time for your games."
"You can follow if you want."
"Oh? Things are getting interesting." Rhett wasn't angry. He was amused. "Impersonators already? Guess I'm more popular than I thought."
If he caught them, they'd die horribly.