"Yo~ Kenpachi!"
A lively voice came from the Den Den Mushi.
On the other end, Onigumo let out a long sigh of relief. It had already been more than twenty-four hours since Lindemann infiltrated the enemy forces. Although the Vice Admiral had analyzed the strange personality of Beast Kaido for the two of them, there was still a very high possibility that the fox would end up dead on the spot.
Lindemann had always served as a staff officer under his command, and Onigumo had always regarded him as just another subordinate, a navy officer with potential to cultivate.
However, Onigumo had never treated the fox as a true companion, even after Lindemann was temporarily transferred to Sakazuki's command and was promoted by one rank.
The seasoned Rear Admiral still categorized this subordinate of his as someone barely recognized within his ranks.
Compared to fellow alumni like Dalmatian and Stainless, the ever-smiling fox still held a slightly lesser position in Onigumo's heart.
But now, for the first time, Onigumo placed this subordinate on the same level as his other colleagues. The fact that he still stepped forward to take on a mission of almost certain death—it was a sense of duty that deserved the respect of every soldier.
No matter the outcome of this operation, Onigumo would remember Lindemann.
Though the seasoned Rear Admiral had worry and respect mixed in his heart, the role he had to play in this matter did not allow for such emotions.
Kenpachi's rough and impatient voice, full of disdain, was transmitted to the other side, where "Ichimaru Gin" was.
"What? So you're still not dead?"
"Oi! Kenpachi! What kind of attitude is that!" The silver-haired fox immediately flared up.
The Third Division Captain was sitting in a perfect seiza posture on a tatami mat. The Beasts had enthusiastically treated him to a feast and arranged for this so-called Ambassador of Wano to stay in the best inn in the island town.
Night had fallen, the darkness swallowing everything, leaving only a few scattered streetlights in the town. There seemed to be shadows lurking outside the inn, prowling back and forth. No one noticed them, as if they were real ghosts.
After politely declining Kaido's offer to arrange a few warm-bed beauties, "Ichimaru Gin" was left alone in this ultra-luxurious suite of nearly 170 square meters.
"What do you mean I'm still not dead! You idiot!" The fox's voice carried a hint of anger.
"You're just a Third Division underling working for me. What's there to be so proud of?" Kenpachi sneered dismissively.
"You brainless brute!" Ichimaru Gin forced a smile. "Forget it. Is Master there? I have a report for the old man."
The shadow outside the door seemed to shift slightly before going still again in the next instant.
"Old man Yama? He's currently in talks with the head of the Kozuki family—Kozuki Oden." Kenpachi answered impatiently. "That damn daimyo of Kuri actually dares to question the Shogun's squad reform! If his family's influence wasn't so strong, I would've cut him down long ago!"
Ichimaru Gin scolded in annoyance, "Cut, cut, cut! Can you use your brain for once? If you kill Kozuki Oden, Roger's old crew, Whitebeard, and even the Mink Tribe, who have deep ties with the Kozuki, will all turn against Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni, the Shogun!"
Kenpachi's tone turned playfully mocking.
"And that's why Old Man Yama sent you, a weakling whose mouth is sharper than his sword, to rope in outside forces!"
"You—!"
"Alright, alright! I'm done wasting words with you! You go ahead and keep licking the Beasts' boots! Best if you get them to immediately send their army to attack the Navy's G1 branch so we can—"
Kenpachi was about to end the call.
"Mind your words! Zaraki!" Ichimaru Gin suddenly cut him off, his tone tinged with caution. He tilted his head slightly, listening intently to his surroundings. After a long moment, he lowered his voice and scolded into the receiver.
"The Commander-in-Chief's plans are classified! Do you have a death wish?"
The fox abruptly hung up the call and stood up, heading toward the bedroom.
He muttered curses under his breath.
"That damn idiot… how did Master Yamamoto choose such a reckless brute as his disciple?"
The figure outside the door had long since vanished into the night, yet Lindemann had never noticed their presence.
The Beasts Pirates should have been dozing off soundly, huddled together atop a mountain peak, sitting on a massive boulder. Two figures quietly accompanied him.
Suddenly, a burly figure shifted his gaze toward the end of the mountain path, his deep, muffled voice sounding even heavier beneath his steel mask:
"All settled? He didn't notice you, did he?"
"Shut up, Jack. Do you think I'm as brainless as you?" The figure remained standing in the pitch-black night.
He shook his head:
"The other party is indeed vigilant, but the gap in strength is right there. The so-called 'Kenpachi' he mentioned might be able to sense my presence, but that Third Division Captain? Hah, too weak."
Kaido didn't interrupt the bickering between his subordinates. Instead, his gaze was fixed on the darkness ahead:
"So? Since you personally went, did you discover anything?"
Having one of the All-Stars personally take action—even someone like Kaido, who constantly thought up new ways to die, felt reassured on a subconscious level.
"Indeed, I found quite a lot."
"First, our previous suspicions about the envoy from Wano appear to be true."
Kaido grabbed his gourd of sake, about to take a swig:
"I knew that little fox was telling the truth!"
"No drinking! Listen to my full analysis first!" The executive hidden in the darkness seemed to have a headache.
"With such a detailed and well-structured division system, if it were completely fabricated, I wouldn't believe it. I also wouldn't dare believe that such a logically meticulous and comprehensive lie could exist in this world. Either he is a perfect master of deception, or he truly belongs to this military organization."
Kaido furrowed his brows.
"Then?"
"Although we know little about the secluded Wano Country, the Gotei 13 should be real." One of the All-Stars made his judgment from within the shadows.
"Then isn't that it? What's the problem?" Kaido had already started pondering which method of suicide would be the most thrilling.
"No." The executive who had just returned from eavesdropping outside the Wano envoy's quarters sneered.
"Nine truths, one lie—he genuinely has conflicts with that Eleventh Division's Kenpachi. That's true. He and Kenpachi both being disciples of Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni? That's also true."
He glanced toward the direction of the inn at the foot of the mountain:
"But that little fox deliberately left out the fact that the Shogun of Wano and the country's daimyos are at odds with each other."
The previously insulted "brainless brute" of an executive suddenly sprang to his feet:
"I'll go kill him right now!"
"Hold it! Jack!" Kaido's expression darkened as he barked at his subordinate.
He turned to the figure in the shadows:
"What's your plan?"
"We play along! Do you know Kozuki Oden?"
"!?"
Kaido was momentarily stunned, but then a cruel smile crept across his lips.
"Of course! He traveled to the very end of the New World with Roger!"
The figure clapped his hands and laughed:
"Though the other party is extremely cautious, he has no idea what information we've already obtained! Isolationism only leads to this kind of fate!"
"Queen, let's give him a grand performance!"
——————————————————————————
"Old man, the Marines really put on quite a show at Fish-Man Island!" Fourth Division Commander Thatch combed his pompadour with a brush in his left hand, carefully maintaining his hairstyle.
He turned to look at his captain, who was drinking heartily.
For him, compared to the somewhat hierarchical relationship between a captain and his crew, the bond between a father and his sons was the most important connection.
"Gurararara! That Sakazuki—you all know him. He used to follow Sengoku and has fought against us many times before! Looks like the Marine strategists have a strong successor!"
Edward Newgate lifted a massive barrel of sake and commented on the new generation of Marines.
Thatch was a little confused, but within the Whitebeard Pirates, they were family. That was what made them different from other major pirate crews.
All forces under Whitebeard were comrades, were kin. They were Whitebeard's family.
This meant there wasn't the usual level of caution and suspicion that many pirates had toward their own crewmates.
Thatch had always been straightforward, never wary of his family members. This would later be an important factor in his downfall.
"Old man, do we still need to make a trip to Fish-Man Island? After all, that Marine did do some good things in the broadcast!"
Whitebeard burst into laughter:
"Gurararara, my foolish son! Precisely because of that, we need to see it with our own eyes. What you hear from others or see on a screen—those things can deceive you!"
The moonlight reflected on the sea as Whitebeard gazed at the shimmering waves:
"I might be able to trust the Marines, but I will never trust the World Government! My friend Neptune once requested my help, and because of that, as Whitebeard, I have the obligation to go!"
"But what if Neptune doesn't need our help? He seemed to trust those Marines a lot in that broadcast." Thatch mimicked his old man's style, picking up a bottle of beer and drinking straight from it.
"That's Neptune's business. As a king, he has his own difficulties. Whether it's the World Government or a major pirate crew, to his people, both are like mountains—there's no difference."
The recognized overlord of the New World, Edward Newgate, patiently taught his sons.
"No matter whether he leans toward the Marines or toward us, it's all for the sake of his people's stability. Whether he accepts our help or not is his choice. But choosing to help a friend—that is my decision."
Maybe that Marine is a good one—but I must confirm it myself!
Whether they have the strength and the determination to truly protect that land, which has endured so much suffering and hardship—that is for me to decide!
The world's strongest man lifted his barrel of sake and downed it in one go.
As the father of the Whitebeard Pirates, as the captain of the Moby Dick, Edward Newgate gave his order:
"Marco, Jozu, and Vista will stay on the island. Everyone else, let's pick up the pace! After we check out Fish-Man Island, we'll head home! Drink up!"
"OOHHH YEAHHH!"
The members of the Whitebeard Pirates roared with spirit.