Chapter 391: Banquet Break & The Abolishment of the Seven Warlords
"Banquet, banquet~~!!"
After a big battle, it's "tradition" to have a feast to celebrate.
After sleeping for an entire day and night, Luffy led the charge, and everyone started eating and drinking like crazy. With all kinds of "talent" performances, the inn quickly turned into…
To put it nicely, it was lively. To put it bluntly, it was a public disturbance. But Roman had already booked the entire inn in advance, and most of the town's residents were out checking the newly formed "battlefield remains" on the island, so it didn't really matter.
Even though the innkeeper, the glasses-wearing girl Adoa, had no memory of mysteriously passing out two nights ago and waking up outside town, she still found Roman's explanation—"Some pirates tried to raid the inn at night, but we fought them off. No need to thank us"—a little suspicious. However:
"Roman, how exactly did you convince Adoa?"
"I was actually planning to alter her memory..."
But the innkeeper acted like nothing had happened. Not only did she prepare rooms for the entire Straw Hat crew, but she also provided a massive amount of food with a cheerful attitude, showing no signs of being forced.
Seeing Pudding looking at him with genuine curiosity, Roman simply smiled.
"There's nothing money can't solve. If there is, you just don't have enough of it."
?! "Don't listen to his nonsense,"
Nami pulled Pudding aside and said,
"He can knead solid cannonballs like they're clay and casually pull out millions of Berries. Any normal person would know which option to pick, right?"
Basically, it was a mix of the carrot and the stick—nothing special.
Behind the inn, there was a "man-made hot spring" that Nami had created with her ability, perfect for relaxing after the battle.
"Phew~~ Nami's ability is really convenient."
"Actually, it's not my ability…"
On the girls' side, only Nami, Robin, Pudding, and Carrot were soaking in the hot spring, making the 10-square-meter space feel spacious. They enjoyed Pudding's homemade desserts while chatting about girl stuff—and even had room to swim around.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the wall—
"Hey, hey, hey! Anyone who knows would call this a hot spring, but to someone who doesn't, it looks like an all-you-can-eat buffet!"
Technically speaking, a 10-square-meter hot spring should be big enough to fit ten guys, but…
Jinbe and Franky were both over three meters tall with matching three-meter waistlines! The others weren't as extreme, but they were still all muscular guys taking up a lot of space. In contrast:
"Yohoho~~ I think it's great!"
Brook lay floating on his back in the hot spring, while the slime-like "Little Soft" wriggled around between his ribs. Since Little Soft was also a Devil Fruit user, it hated water. If not for Brook being three meters tall with most of his body above the water, it probably would've tried to hide in his afro by now.
"Ah, Nami didn't consider how many of us would be here…"
Four slim girls on one side, ten muscle-bound men on the other... Chopper protested—
"Paper Dance: Swamp Ground Shift!"
As Roman activated his "Swamp Pages" ability, a ten-square-meter pit immediately sank into the ground beside the hot spring. Then:
"Ice,"
A huge chunk of ice started forming.
"Fire,"
Flames wrapped around the ice, rapidly turning it into steaming hot water.
Splash—
As the second hot spring filled up, Roman nodded in satisfaction. Now they could squeeze into the crowded one while he enjoyed his own space—
Splash!
One person suddenly jumped into the hot spring Roman had just created, followed by a second, then a third…
"You guys… whatever."
Lying back in the hot spring—now turned into a chaotic soup by Luffy, Usopp, and the others—Roman sighed and muttered,
"Don't bother me."
Then he closed his eyes and focused on controlling the White Knight stationed at Marine Headquarters.
A strategist's life is never easy!
—————
"Animal-Type: Bat Fruit, Mythical Beast Model: Vampire?"
"That's right."
Inside the Fleet Admiral's office, everyone listened to Roman's report. Not only Akainu, but even the usually laid-back Kizaru, the carefree Garp and Sengoku, and Vice Admiral Tsuru all had serious expressions.
"The Devil Fruit from 300 years ago that can absorb life and adjust a person's age?"
Tsuru, the Marine's chief strategist, frowned. The Bat Mythical Beast Fruit's ability to restore youth was different from the Reverse-Reverse Fruit—it was a built-in ability of the Animal-Type and couldn't be blocked by Armament Haki. In other words, "If Red the Aloof really got that fruit, then this is going to be a big problem…"
Everyone here knew just how powerful Red the Aloof was in his younger days. He was a monster who could take on a former Fleet Admiral head-on and win. On top of that, with the help of his pet, the raccoon Padong, he could summon an army of ability users with a simple wave of his hand! It was like having a highly mobile Four Emperors crew, and he was even more troublesome for the Marines than the current Four Emperors.
"These old monsters just won't die!"
"Huh?" x3
"I-I wasn't talking about you guys…" Realizing his slip-up, Akainu quickly changed the subject. "Roman, tell us about Red the Aloof's next move so we can gather our forces…"
"No need."
"Huh?"
"Even though Red the Aloof got the Bat Mythical Beast Fruit, he hasn't absorbed anyone's lifespan to regain his youth. Instead, he plans to challenge the Pirate King's throne while staying in his old, aged form. —At least, that's what he says. But I think he just wants to travel the world with his pet…"
"Hahahaha!!!"
Garp laughed loudly from the couch, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye before turning to Sengoku.
"I told you, Red the Aloof isn't someone who will leave his mark in history. He may be strong, but he lacks ambition."
"Hmph, even so, we can't just ignore him…"
Hearing Akainu's firm stance, Garp simply shrugged.
"And how do you plan to handle him?"
"With his ability to read minds using Observation Haki, along with his speed and power—even before eating the fruit—who exactly do you think can keep him in check?"
For a moment, everyone turned to the slacker Admiral, Kizaru.
"Oh my, I'd love to go, but a monster like Red the Aloof…"
Unless Red the Aloof willingly let himself be caught, capturing him would be nearly impossible. And unlike other notorious pirates who had massive crews and territories, Red the Aloof was a lone wolf. At most, he had a pet. Finding him was about as easy as finding a needle in the ocean.
"So we're just going to let this go?"
"..."
Akainu's question was met with silence. Tsuru remained deep in thought, Garp and Sengoku stayed out of it, and Kizaru just continued slacking off… In the end, everyone's eyes landed on Roman.
"With Red the Aloof's personality, it's actually fine if we just leave him alone."
"This was just bad luck for the 16th Division—they happened to run into Red the Aloof while he was searching for the Bat Mythical Beast Fruit. There haven't been any reports about him for the past two years, so we might as well pretend he doesn't exist. After all, he's not our priority right now."
Roman pointed at the stack of documents on Akainu's desk—the resolution from the World Government to abolish the Seven Warlords system.
That's right, the World Conference had officially begun!
And this year, the meeting was led by… not Lincoln from America—cough, I mean, King Han Bal of the Bollywood Kingdom. The first agenda item was granting Amazon Lily the status of an official World Government member nation and allowing them to participate in the World Conference.
Unsurprisingly, what would normally be a long debate was passed in an instant! After all, Amazon Lily was practically the Marines' backyard and bank at this point. Who would dare oppose it? The most anyone would do was abstain. Otherwise, the mere rumor of opposition would send a wave of pirates crashing down on their country! Even the Five Great Nations wouldn't bother causing unnecessary trouble over this.
The second agenda item didn't take long to pass either.
On one hand, the royal families of Alabasta and Dressrosa had set a precedent, and no one wanted another "legal" pirate coming in to seize their thrones. On the other hand, they knew exactly who was backing this proposal—a Marine Admiral!
A Marine Admiral wasn't just the highest military force of the Marines; they also held enormous authority. Take the most well-known example: the Buster Call!
Marine Admirals had the absolute authority to initiate a Buster Call without approval. As long as they deemed a target "evil," they could order a Buster Call on an entire region or nation instantly—without needing any justification or explanation. And when that happened, the Marines would immediately dispatch battleships, elite soldiers, and Vice Admirals from Marine Headquarters to the scene.
Then… total destruction.
Two years ago, when Spandam used the golden Den Den Mushi that Aokiji gave him, the Marines wasted no time in wiping Enies Lobby off the map. Part of it was because the Marines resented a mere intelligence agency acting like their equal, but more importantly, it showed how ruthless a Buster Call could be.
With a Marine Admiral backing this proposal, and the abolition of the Seven Warlords turning them into regular pirates, it was now the Marines' problem to deal with them.
So, the moment the proposal was passed, plans for operations against the former Warlords were immediately placed on Akainu's desk.
"Dracule Mihawk, Buggy, Edward Weevil."
Right now, there are only three people left holding the title of "Seven Warlords of the Sea." The rest have either been sent to prison by the Straw Hat Crew or ended up joining them. With Kuma under the Marines' control and the Empress aligning with the World Government, this is the weakest the Seven Warlords have ever been.
"Edward Weevil is being hunted down by Teacher Zephyr's squad, along with the latest 'Pacifista 2.0.' There's no way he'll escape!"
The reason Zephyr lost to "Whitebeard Jr." back then was purely bad luck—his asthma acted up at the worst time. This time, with the Marines' science division supporting the mission, there's no chance of such a ridiculous mistake happening again. So there's nothing to worry about.
"Now, Mihawk is the 'World's Greatest Swordsman,' and 'Clown King' Buggy is Red-Haired Shanks' brother. Neither of them will be easy to deal with. You guys..."
"I'll handle Buggy."
Garp, munching on his rice crackers, was the first to respond, catching Akainu off guard. Usually, this old geezer wouldn't move unless he was forced to.
"...Then I'll go for Mihawk."
Sengoku sighed, rubbing his forehead, but quickly added:
"Even if I go, it'll just be for a few exchanges with Mihawk to make a show of it. If we push the 'World's Greatest Swordsman' too hard, the Marines will suffer an unimaginable loss!"
"Besides, Mihawk is more of a farmer than a pirate. He grows his own food and lives off his own land. He's probably taken down more pirate crews than anyone else each year. I'll try to keep him neutral, but convincing him to join the Marines? Forget it."
"Alright."
Two years ago, Akainu would have never agreed to such a "soft" approach. But after being Fleet Admiral for two years, even the most hot-tempered person learns that sometimes, you have to pick your battles. Even absolute justice requires turning a blind eye at times.
For example: the Holy Land of Mariejois.
"Now, the last issue—Kaido and Big Mom's alliance, and the Straw Hat Crew..."
Akainu shot a glare at Garp, who was casually munching away without a care in the world.
"This situation needs to be taken seriously!"
"I'll handle it."
?!
Hearing Roman volunteer again, Akainu scanned the room. Sengoku and Garp, always thick as thieves, were a given. Tsuru gave a small nod, and as for Kizaru... well, as long as he could slack off until the day was over, that was a win for him.
"Fine. But going up against two Emperors at once—"
"Be careful out there."
(End of Chapter)
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