"Is that so…"
"I see."
After listening to goon's report, Sengoku was silent for a moment before finally speaking.
"Then you should return to headquarters first. I'll arrange things after Marshal Kong is officially promoted."
It's easy to join CP0—but getting out is a different story. Sengoku knew this very well. After all, CP0 is an organization directly under the World Government. While many strong individuals operate within it, those who enter rarely ever leave. From that moment on, they must serve the World Government's will without question.
Still, even Sengoku couldn't deny that CP0 was highly effective in training its agents. That's because the World Government has collected a number of powerful Devil Fruits specifically for cultivating elite soldiers.
Over the past 800 years, in order to cement its rule, the World Government has spared no effort in building up its forces.
In the past, Sengoku would never have agreed to gion heading to Mary Geoise.
After all, the relationship between the Navy and the World Government has always been somewhat strained.
But with Kong about to become the new Commander-in-Chief, and with some level of influence within the World Government, Sengoku had reason to be optimistic.
That's why he agreed.
"What about Vice Admiral Aokiji…?"
Hearing this, Sengoku sighed. "Don't worry about him. He'll handle things on his own."
Since gion had relayed Aokiji's message, Sengoku no longer intended to send him back to the New World immediately. The Black Crow Pirates were simply too dangerous and full of potential. They must be captured.
As someone who came up under Zephyr and had been with Garp for a long time, Aokiji was well known to Sengoku.
He knew Aokiji's temperament. Operating solo suited him far more than working in a unit.
Otherwise, with Aokiji's nature, something like what happened with gion could easily happen again.
He was not like Akainu.
"Yes, understood. I'll return to headquarters immediately."
The Den Den Mushi call ended with gion's final words.
As she put the device away, she gazed in the direction Mio's ship had sailed and murmured with resolve in her eyes,
"I hope that when I return from Mary Geoise, you haven't been arrested and sent to Impel Down."
"Because next time, I'll be the one to catch you."
On the Sea
Mio's ship headed steadily toward Water 7.
On the deck, Hei Yan and Erica were wrapped tightly in blankets, still shivering from the intense cold.
Even after all this time, the chill from Aokiji's attack lingered in their bones.
Robin, who had hidden below deck during the battle to avoid being a liability, now sat beside Mio, looking worried.
"Captain, what's our next move?"
"Nothing much," Mio said with a grin. "We're still heading to Water 7."
They had to visit Water 7. Without a proper ship, navigating the seas would become too risky. Their current ship wouldn't survive the voyage to the New World.
But this time… they had truly experienced the terror of a top-tier combatant. The awakening of a Logia user like Aokiji was on a completely different level.
It made Mio pause.
"Maybe I should consider doing what Luffy did—train for two years before heading to the New World," he murmured, a thoughtful glint in his eyes.
The difference between admiral-level combatants and those below them was far too large.
If he entered the New World without proper preparation, would it be suicide?
"The issue is… our Haki still isn't strong enough," Mio muttered to himself.
If their Haki had been stronger, even if they weren't on Aokiji's level, they could've resisted the cold and escaped more easily.
No one on his crew had trained in Haki for long. If they could spend a solid amount of time focused on Haki training, they might not be able to defeat Aokiji—but escaping wouldn't be a problem.
Thinking that far, Mio made up his mind.
"After we're done in Water 7… we're heading to Impel Down."
"But this time, I might be there for a while."
After some thought, Mio picked up a Den Den Mushi and sent a text message to Vegapunk.
"Let's make a deal, Vegapunk."
Three Days Later – Water 7
Water 7. A floating city built on the ruins of an ancient underwater civilization. It's famous throughout the Grand Line for its shipbuilding prowess. Eight hundred years ago, the ancient weapon Pluton was said to have been created here by the master shipwrights.
Upon reaching the island, Mio and his crew docked at a remote, uninhabited shoreline.
Looking at his team, Mio gave out instructions.
"We'll be staying in Water 7 for the next few days. Don't wander off. Find a hotel and lay low. If nothing unexpected happens, Aokiji will still be chasing us. If we run into him now, we don't stand a chance."
"Understood, Master," Erica and the others nodded.
Mio took some gold from the ship and led the group toward the city.
After checking into a hotel, Mio left alone.
He had one goal: to find someone capable of building a new ship for the Black Crow Pirates.
Each year, Water 7 is hit by massive tsunamis known as the "Aqua Laguna." After every wave, the city's water level rises, and the locals are forced to build upward to survive. Because of this, the city depends entirely on sea creatures called "Yagara Bulls" for transportation.
Wearing a cloak, Mio rode a Yagara Bull across the canals toward his destination: Water 7's scrapyard.
As he approached the dump, Mio adjusted his hood and scanned the area. He spotted several individuals pretending to be ordinary citizens, but their eyes and demeanor gave them away.
The corners of Mio's mouth curled up into a subtle smile beneath his hood.
"The World Government sure is patient," he muttered.
With his strength, it was easy to identify these men for what they truly were—CP9 agents.
Not the CP9 of the future, though. Rob Lucci and the others were still in training. But just like in the original timeline, these CP9 agents were stationed here for one reason: Pluton.
In the future, CP9 would keep a close eye on Tom's apprentices—Iceburg and Franky.
But right now, their focus was still on Tom himself.
After all, Tom was alive, still working on the sea train for Water 7.
Mio wasn't here to ask Tom to build a ship—that would be suicide. Tom was under heavy surveillance by the World Government, who suspected he still had the blueprints to Pluton.
But they didn't dare make a move yet, fearing he might destroy the plans.
Asking Tom to build a ship now would put a massive target on Mio's back.
So instead, he had a different plan.
He would ask Tom to introduce him to someone else.