The Next Day
At breakfast, Kaya, Nojiko, and Makino exchanged puzzled glances.
Nami, for the first time, did not show up.
Meanwhile, outside the ship, Tashigi had begun her morning training, practicing sword techniques with newfound determination.
"Brother Bai Yu, where's Nami?" Kaya asked, tilting her head.
"Oh, she's… feeling a bit under the weather," Bai Yu replied casually, sipping his coffee.
"Why don't you go check on her? If she's too tired, just restore her body—though… maybe not before ten o'clock last night."
Nami (still in bed): Big liar… so bad…
How could you be so rough?!
If you use your power like that again, I'll cry for real!
As Kaya headed to Nami's room, Nojiko glanced at Bai Yu and asked, "According to Nami's navigation, if we keep this course, we should reach Reverse Mountain by tomorrow. Should we stop there?"
"Hmm…" Bai Yu thought for a moment.
There wasn't much to see at Reverse Mountain.
But it wouldn't hurt to fly over and leave a space coordinate—just in case.
"Let's stop there for a while," Bai Yu decided.
"Then we'll take the middle route out of the seven. It's more interesting that way."
"When Nami wakes up, we'll head straight for Whisky Peak and buy a permanent Log Pose to Alabasta."
Little Garden, Drum Island…
If they drifted near those islands in the future, Bai Yu would leave coordinates there as well.
But for now—
His goal was to spread space coordinates across the entire world, making travel as easy as snapping his fingers.
Suddenly, Bai Yu glanced toward the horizon, sensing something faint.
"What's wrong?" Nojiko asked.
"I thought I heard someone talking about me…"
"…But there's nothing out here," Nojiko pointed out, glancing at the clear, empty sky.
"Maybe it's just my imagination."
"I'll make you a cup of coffee," Nojiko said with a smile.
Meanwhile, at Marineford
In the Office of the Fleet Admiral—
Sengoku stood before a group of high-ranking Marines, his expression grim.
"This is an emergency meeting," Sengoku announced.
"The primary objective: capture Bai Yu—alive."
The room fell silent.
Some of the Vice Admirals exchanged curious glances—
Who's Bai Yu?
After all, Bai Yu had only recently made headlines.
And with so many dangerous pirates flooding into the New World, it was hard to keep track of every rising star.
"This is a direct order from above," Sengoku continued.
"The Marines will cooperate with CP to ensure this mission's success. Failure is not an option."
"Bai Yu possesses multiple abilities… and he is not weakened by seawater."
Sengoku's gaze swept across the room.
"The higher-ups find him very… interesting."
The room erupted into whispers.
The last time the Marines were ordered to cooperate with CP at all costs…
…Was the destruction of Ohara.
"This… this is scary…"
Kizaru, casually trimming his nails as usual, glanced up with his signature smirk.
But Sengoku's stern gaze pinned him in place.
"Polsalino, the higher-ups specifically requested you."
"This mission requires your cooperation—there are no exceptions."
"Ah… but wouldn't I be enough on my own?" Kizaru drawled, hoping to slip away.
"No."
Sengoku's voice was firm.
"We've allowed too many pirates to slip through our fingers—only for them to become unstoppable in the New World."
"This time, there's no guesswork. I can say with absolute certainty—"
"Bai Yu… the so-called 'Demon King'… has the potential to become a king."
"Perhaps… he's already grown into one."
Sengoku's eyes flashed with determination.
"This time—we cannot fail."
For once, Kizaru didn't have a witty comeback.
"Everyone—read his file."
Sengoku distributed folders to the assembled officers.
As they read through Bai Yu's background, abilities, and recent exploits—
The air in the room seemed to grow heavier.
After a long pause, Sengoku broke the silence:
"His potential is undeniable… but what proves his worth as a true powerhouse is this—"
"Morgans contacted me last night. Someone reached out to him directly and leaked the news—"
"The World's Greatest Swordsman—Dracule Mihawk—has officially joined the Bai Yu Pirates."
"Role: The Shield."
Bai Yu: …The sixth one?!
"WHAT?!"
The room erupted into chaos.
Even Kizaru put down his nail clippers, his usual lazy smile replaced with a rare look of seriousness.
"A SHIELD?!"
The significance of that title wasn't lost on anyone.
A "shield" wasn't just a bodyguard—
It was a title reserved for those strong enough and loyal enough to lay down their lives for their captain.
Like the strongest agents of CP0—
Once you became a shield, betrayal was unthinkable.
Throughout history, only a handful of pirate crews had ever earned the loyalty of a true shield.
And every single one of those shields… had died protecting their captain.
"Ching!"
The sudden sound of steel rang through the room.
Vice Admiral Gion—codename Momousagi—had drawn her sword without realizing it.
"A shield?!"
Her voice was sharp with disbelief.
"Bai Yu… What right does he have to command the world's greatest swordsman?!"
Her words carried more than disbelief—there was curiosity, too.
To make Hawkeye submit—
He must have shown the swordsman something worth dying for.
If Hawkeye had been forced into submission, then he was no longer worthy of his title as the world's strongest swordsman.
Because that title represented absolute power—
Not compromise.
But if Hawkeye had submitted willingly…
Then the question became—
What did Bai Yu have that was worth following?
"Bai Yu must possess something that Hawkeye wants—something he's willing to risk everything to obtain," Momousagi mused aloud.
"What could it be?"
From the corner of the room, Vice Admiral Chaton—codenamed Jiaji—casually picked his nose.
"Maybe Bai Yu's his son."
Silence.
The entire room stared at him.
"…What?" Chaton blinked.
"Think about it. How else could Bai Yu be so strong at such a young age? Everyone has a backstory, right?"
"Even if the strongest warriors are hidden among commoners, we usually have some kind of record of their existence."
"But Bai Yu came out of nowhere. CP couldn't find a thing about his past—so it must've been secret training."
"If the Golden Lion theory was wrong, then Hawkeye could be the real deal."
For a moment, his argument almost sounded convincing.
…Until the entire room collectively remembered that Hawkeye had never shown any interest in women.
No woman in his heart—
The sword swings naturally.
Unless someone had spiked his drink…
Sengoku massaged his temples, feeling a headache coming on.
"Focus, everyone."
"No matter the reason, the fact remains—"
"Dracule Mihawk has aligned himself with Bai Yu."
"And that makes Bai Yu an even greater threat than we imagined."
"Capture him—alive. No matter the cost."
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