Chapter 120: Ozz Sets Sail, and Garp "Steals the Baby"

Buggy had guessed right.

Well half right.

Indeed, ever since setting out to sea, Ozz had always carried the identity of a pirate, but had never once confirmed an official Jolly Roger. Nor had he ever declared any formal pirate crew.

The Black Gun Pirates?

The Freebooters?

None of that. Most of the time, people just referred to them as "Ozz's crew."

And in most cases, just the name 'Black Emperor Ozz' was enough to shake the seas.

From Ozz's perspective, he really had no interest in founding a formal pirate crew. He wasn't out chasing the One Piece. He had no grand dream that required a team effort.

Even taking in Mihawk and Crocodile had been little more than indulgence just another way to enjoy life.

Pirate King?

Sure, maybe one day, just for the fun of it, he'd join the twelve contenders.

But when that time came, it probably wouldn't be Monkey D. Luffy that he supported.

In fact, Ozz was already scheming with all the mischief of a final boss behind the scenes, wondering just how "invincible" the protagonists in the movie arcs really were.

In the year 1501 of the Sea Calendar

The conference at Sabaody Archipelago concluded. Yet for Ozz, life remained largely unchanged.

After everything that had happened from Ohara to Dularmos, Alabasta, Whole Cake Island it had been several months of drifting across the seas. And now, finally, he had reached adulthood.

Time for a reward.

Wine and women?

Lavish excess?

Those words didn't even come close.

With more money than could ever be spent and power over half the world, Ozz indulged in every luxury he could imagine.

And he stayed lost in it… for a long time.

Truly, a hero's grave is a bed of roses.

Wrapped in a bathrobe, Ozz stood on the rooftop of the grandest hotel on the archipelago, gazing down at the entire island with a detached emptiness in his heart.

He swept his Observation Haki across the archipelago.

The nightlife was winding down. Nobles, pirates, and elite guests were leaving the red-light district, the casinos, and the auction houses.

Thanks to Ozz's protection, the black market had been booming in recent days. With no one daring to cause trouble, the business climate had never been more stable.

In the courtyard in front of the hotel, Mihawk was already engaged in his daily sword practice. A maid stood nearby with a towel and a bottle of water. They were long used to this routine.

Meanwhile, Nico Sand and Sammy were busy organizing reports, calculating the "tributes" each underworld boss owed for the month.

Both women were brilliant strategists, managing everything down to the smallest detail.

Sand, especially

She had both brains and strength. In Ozz's absence, she practically made executive decisions for the entire underground empire.

Everything was running like clockwork. And yet, Ozz knew he couldn't keep indulging in pleasure and excess.

It was time to set sail again.

Because Ozz understood no matter how gifted a monster you were, once you gave in to comfort and lost your fighting edge, you were finished.

Moriah was the perfect example of that.

He took one last, reluctant look at the luxurious suite behind him then vanished in an instant, teleporting downstairs.

"You bastard… finally crawled out from under your pile of women, huh?"

Sensing his sudden arrival, Sand and Crocodile barely even blinked. Sand gave him a scornful side glance, cigar dangling from her lips.

Sammy was more refined. She simply gave him a knowing smile, propping her cheek on one hand.

"Well, I'm glad to see you were satisfied with our… services, Lord Ozz."

"…"

Ozz scratched his head.

He really had planned to go after the Pure Gold. But there'd been no urgency, and he'd… gotten a little too comfortable lately.

"You're heading out again, aren't you?" Sand asked flatly, tossing her documents onto the table.

"Yeah. Time to get back to work. There's a treasure out there I've got my eye on. Gonna go take it."

Ozz conjured an ice-cold glass of orange juice as he spoke, sipping leisurely.

"Treasure?"

Sammy and Sand exchanged curious glances. What kind of treasure could tempt a man who had already seen the One Piece?

"Will there be enemies?" Sand asked. She cared more about the fight than the loot. With a bounty far below Ozz and Mihawk's, she was eager to make her name.

"Who knows… maybe, maybe not."

If this had been Ozz at fourteen or fifteen years old, just the rumor of this treasure might have brought major powers rushing in for a bite.

But now?

There were still factions that could stand against him but not many.

"If there's a fight, I'll let you two have a go. Once we've got the treasure, you'll both get a cut."

Ozz didn't mind sharing. He was heading out to gather the Pure Gold in bulk. And with so much of it, even a bean-sized fragment was worth a fortune.

To him, it wasn't even useful.

"Once that's done… I'm thinking a trip around the world."

The protagonist crew had already begun to emerge. The seas were about to get lively again and Ozz had always loved a bit of chaos.

So, after a quick round of preparations, Ozz set sail once more.

He brought Mihawk, Sand, and a mountain of Berries and supplies. Thanks to the life card he'd obtained, he could lock onto his destination directly.

The Oro Jackson, like a ghost ship, quietly vanished from the harbor and soared into the skies, heading for the New World.

News of Ozz's departure couldn't be kept secret.

Though his exact route remained unknown, the fact that the giant red ship had left Sabaody soon reached every corner of the sea.

The Navy took note, of course, but did little else. They had no reason to provoke him.

After briefly mentioning it in internal meetings, the admirals moved on.

Everyone knew this voyage of Ozz's was likely to be another headache for them. But no one dwelled on it.

No one… except for one man.

A scruffy old veteran in a dog-head hat.

As soon as he heard the news, the snot bubble in his nose popped with a loud pop, and he opened his eyes with a snort.

Even Ozz hadn't expected it.

Just as he reached the New World, a call came in from Sabaody.

Sammy?

Had someone dared to strike at his home the moment he left?

Frowning, Ozz picked up the Den Den Mushi only to hear something completely different.

"So… what exactly did Lady Rouge mean by that?"

"She said, and I quote: 'Whatever he says goes.'"

"…I see."

The line grew noisy dozens of voices speaking at once. The Den Den Mushi's face changed faster than the weather, flipping expressions with each new speaker.

But in the end, it all came down to one thing.

"Oi!!! You brat from Roger's ship! I'm taking Ace with me. That's what Roger wanted anyway!!!"

On the other end of the line, the Den Den Mushi had morphed into a gruff face with a dog hat, one finger up a nostril, tone completely casual.

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