"Lock onto them!"
Ian said to Viola, "Then have Enel follow up! Confirm whether Zephyr is on that ship!"
"We absolutely can't let them escape!"
After all the arrangements, it was time to move out.
Without hesitation, Ian transformed directly into a giant golden dragon, grabbed the Golden Dragon ship, and soared into the sky, flapping his wings as he swiftly headed toward that ship.
Whether Zephyr was on that ship or not, as long as they caught Gion, everything would be over.
Even if Zephyr wasn't on the ship, Gion definitely knew where he was.
No matter how much she pretended otherwise, it was meaningless — Viola could read minds.
Soon, as Enel caught up with the ship, the suspense vanished.
He called in to say Zephyr was indeed on that ship, and he heard many people calling "Zephyr-sensei."
Ian's motivation to hurry increased.
He flew forward almost like a streak of lightning.
...
Suddenly, Zephyr shivered for no reason, an ominous feeling rising sharply in his heart.
But when he turned around to carefully investigate where that feeling was coming from, he couldn't find a source.
So, he simply stepped out of the cabin.
"Zephyr-sensei!"
On the deck, after the crisis ended, the disciples all breathed a sigh of relief and were resting.
Seeing him come out, they quickly greeted him.
Zephyr nodded lightly in response.
But as a teacher, he couldn't help but scold them, "This isn't the end. It's not even the beginning of the end. It's only the end of the beginning!"
"A bigger storm is still waiting for us ahead!"
"Well then, Zephyr-sensei," Gion stood up from her lounge chair.
She wore a simple camisole and a very short skirt.
Her hair wasn't tied up, looking beautiful and full of energy.
She asked, "What should we do next?"
"Our primary mission remains unchanged," Zephyr said, "Our main enemy is the World Government. To face them, we need more and stronger forces!"
"We must expand our troops as much as possible and recruit more talented people. That's absolutely the right move."
He paused for a moment. "Also, I want to find Kuzan."
"Yes! And Kuzan-san too!"
Gion nodded eagerly, "He has already left the Navy. If we invite him, he definitely won't refuse!"
"Not exactly," Zephyr smiled slightly, "But it's worth a try."
At least, Kuzan wouldn't outright reject them now, right?
If Kuzan could join, NEO Navy's strength could even double.
A Navy Admiral represents such massive power.
"Also," Zephyr narrowed his eyes, "This recent pirate attack is likely connected to those Emperors of the New World."
"If they dare to make a move, they must be ready to face punishment."
"Oh?"
Gion said excitedly, "Are we finally going after those guys? Who will be the first target?"
"The Cross Guild headquarters is too elusive, and Wano and Hive Island are too far away,"
Zephyr sneered, "Let's send a warning to the Charlotte family first—"
Suddenly, he froze.
He looked up.
Someone was silently watching them from the sky.
Cold sweat immediately streamed down Zephyr's forehead.
That guy!!
The Rumble Rumble Fruit user under Ian's command!!
This is bad!
They've been discovered!
"Zephyr-sensei!!"
Gion's scream pierced the air.
"Look over there!" she shouted.
Zephyr instinctively followed the direction of her pointing finger.
In the next moment, his pupils sharply contracted.
In the distant sky, a massive creature with nearly a two-hundred-meter wingspan flapped its wings, clutching a ship and quickly approaching.
"Ian!!"
Zephyr certainly wasn't unfamiliar with this guy.
He clenched his teeth in rage.
The despair from a few months ago was something he would never forget in his lifetime!
But how? How did he manage to find them so fast?
What should they do now?
What was the right move?
Zephyr's eyes trembled with anxiety.
How could they escape after encountering the Golden Dragon ship in this vast ocean?
There was no time to think further.
The monster had already set the ship down on the distant sea, then shrank its body, shifting into a beast-like form, and sped toward them.
Flames blazed behind it, pushing it forward like a meteor.
There was only one way!
Zephyr gritted his teeth and turned, ready to run toward the ship's cabin.
Dyna Stone!
Only the Dyna Stone could reverse this situation now!
But then—
Crack!
A sudden lightning bolt crashed down from the sky, landing right in front of the cabin door, blocking Zephyr's path.
Enel's eyelids drooped lazily as he casually said, "No passage this way."
"Move aside!"
Zephyr clenched his mechanical right arm tightly and threw a powerful punch toward Enel.
"Discharge!"
Enel sneered coldly, then with a flick of his hand, a massive thunderbolt slammed down toward Zephyr.
Caught off guard, Zephyr raised his arms to defend himself.
"Zephyr-sensei, leave this guy to me!"
Gion rushed forward, her dark blade aimed straight for Enel's neck.
But Enel was clearly much faster.
In the blink of an eye, he was already in the sky.
With a snap of his fingers, countless thunderbolts began to fall like rain, striking precisely at many NEO Navy soldiers on the deck.
"Damn it!"
Zephyr gritted his teeth. Not everyone could withstand this guy's lightning wrath.
He clenched his fist and punched hard, sending out a massive burst of Armament Haki that shattered the falling thunder all around.
Just as the powerful shockwave was about to hit him, Enel transformed into lightning again and created distance.
He didn't attack this time because the main character had already arrived.
"Quiet!"
The golden dragon descended from the sky, black and red arcs of electricity crackling around him.
His overwhelming Conqueror's Haki made the entire ship tremble instantly. The deck and masts began cracking.
The sea around them seemed to boil, water droplets floated weightlessly, forming a thick mist over the waves.
The NEO Navy members on the ship fell like ripe wheat, one batch after another.
Only a few original Navy Vice-Admirals could barely resist Ian's Conqueror's Haki, but even they were almost collapsed, drenched in sweat.
"Ian!!"
Zephyr roared, looking up.
Why is it you again!?
You bastard, do you have to stand against my justice?
Ian ignored him completely and then threw Surtur, who was resting on his shoulder, straight at Zephyr.
Then, like a meteor, he plunged straight down.
The moment he landed on the deck, the wood beneath melted, and Ian easily pierced through.
"Don't even think about it!"
Zephyr shouted.
All the Dyna Stones were stored in the ship's hold — there was no way Ian could get to them so easily.
He lunged toward the hole where Ian had fallen.
But in the next moment, the crimson fire giant suddenly blocked his way.
"Your opponent is me, mortal!"
Surtur, the fire giant made of destructive flames, roared loudly.
Zephyr suddenly stopped.
Red flames!
Meanwhile, at the bottom of the ship's hold, Ian smiled brightly as he looked at the glass cylinders sealed underwater.
Inside those glass tubes were the Dyna Stones shaped like eggs, weren't they?
Now, there was nothing to fear.
**********
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