"Mayor Iceburg."
Before he could react, Luffy had already ignored all formalities and thrown himself lazily onto the couch with a heavy thud.
"I've got a ship that needs some repairs. Can your company handle it?" he asked, as casually as if he were requesting a favor.
Business, then?
Iceburg let out a small sigh of relief. No trouble... for now. He was about to respond when his eyes, unintentionally, met those of Nico Robin.
His body instantly stiffened.
His pupils contracted as if he'd been shocked.
The Devil's Child?!
No... maybe just a coincidence? A similar face?
But the more Iceburg looked, the less room there was for doubt.
The woman in front of him was almost a living copy of the girl from the wanted posters two decades ago.
The age matched. The face matched. Even her calm yet dangerous aura matched.
There was no doubt. She really was Nico Robin.
His hand, holding a pen, began trembling slightly, nearly spilling the ink.
"We'll pay, alright? We're not here to pull any scams," Nami said, sitting down beside Luffy, as if she could read the panic on the mayor's face.
She took out a photo of the Ark Maxim and slid it across the table.
"Here are the specific requirements..."
And so began the long, long list of modifications.
The power system? Untouched — it was a masterpiece crafted by Enel, and they knew it.
What they needed were external adjustments: a new appearance, remodeled internal compartments... and maybe a nicer paint job too, because vanity was power in its own way.
Iceburg listened in silence, his mind still reeling from the revelation about Robin, but he kept a firm expression. When they finished, he cleared his throat and said:
"Kalifa, please serve our guests some tea."
"At once, Iceburg-sama."
Within minutes, Kalifa returned with three cups of black tea, setting them down in front of the visitors with practiced movements.
Iceburg took a deep breath, regaining some composure, and smiled with the professional calm of someone who had negotiated with even worse pirates.
"Since we're discussing business, let's do it properly. The modifications don't seem too complicated. I'll send someone to inspect the vessel. We'll discuss the price based on their report."
He paused for a moment, evaluating them with his eyes.
"Where is the ship?"
"South coast. You can't miss it, it's pretty flashy," Nami said with a shrug.
"Understood. Kalifa, have Kaku take a look."
"Yes!" Kalifa replied, leaving with the same efficiency she had shown earlier.
The room calmed for a moment, until Iceburg leaned forward with a polite smile and suggested:
"Mr. Luffy, may I have a word with you in private?"
Luffy let out a lazy sigh — he already knew exactly what Iceburg wanted to talk about — but gestured for Nami and Robin to leave the room. Without protest, they exited.
As soon as the door closed, Luffy grabbed his cup, took a noisy sip of tea, and said:
"Go ahead."
Iceburg looked at him seriously.
"About the two women with you..."
Before he could elaborate, Luffy cut him off:
"Nami is my navigator. Robin is my archaeologist."
Straightforward, as if he were stating that the sky was blue.
"I imagine you're worried because she's wanted by the government, right?"
Iceburg frowned, surprised by the bluntness.
"So you do know!" he muttered, mentally confirming Robin's identity.
"She is Nico Robin, a Devil Fruit user, a criminal wanted by the World Government. If the government finds out she's here, it could... cause problems."
"The government already knows," Luffy said casually, as if commenting on the weather. "They even sent Aokiji after me not too long ago."
"...Aokiji?!" Iceburg went pale.
A Marine Admiral had been sent... and they were still alive and free?!
Iceburg's mind spun.
The capture attempt had failed.
Robin was here, unharmed.
Had the government given up? No, impossible.
Before he could form another question, Luffy set his cup down with a clank and laughed.
"Instead of worrying about me, you should worry about your own problems, Mayor... Like those little 'projects' you've been hiding, hmm?"
The light teasing tone carried something sharper underneath, and Iceburg grew serious.
But before he could respond, a sound interrupted the tension:
Knock knock~
Someone tapped on the door.
"What is it?" Iceburg asked, voice firm.
From outside, Kalifa's professional voice replied:
"Iceburg-sama, a Vice Admiral from Marine Headquarters is here to see you."
A heavy silence filled the room.
Iceburg shot a quick glance at Luffy. The latter just shrugged, as if to say, "your problem."
Finally, Iceburg took a deep breath and said:
"Let him in."
The door creaked open carefully.
A man entered — tall and broad-shouldered, his expression permanently stern as if the world owed him an explanation.
His dark, neatly cut and slightly spiky hair made his severe face even more pronounced.
He wore a dark-striped suit under the traditional Marine Justice cape, draped over his shoulders, swaying slightly with each step. His sheathed sword, always within reach, made it clear that he carried not just authority, but the strength to enforce it.
His sharp eyes revealed the experience of a veteran who had faced sea monsters and bloodthirsty pirates without so much as flinching.
The man stepped forward, gave a slight bow, and announced firmly:
"Mayor Iceburg, it's a pleasure. I am Vice Admiral Momonga."
Momonga, huh?
Luffy, still sunk into the couch, raised an eyebrow, as if inspecting a strange dish before taking a bite.
The Vice Admiral, wasting no time, turned directly toward Luffy:
"Forgive me for the interruption. This matter is urgent. I am here specifically to find you."
Iceburg, who no longer knew whether the day was real or a Marine-sponsored nightmare, just nodded with a forced smile.
"Vice Admiral, huh?" Luffy repeated lazily, as if trying to remember where he'd heard the title before.
Momonga, maintaining his stern expression, crossed his arms.
"Shichibukai, Monkey D. Luffy. Marineford is organizing a meeting of the Shichibukai to discuss a matter of utmost importance. I have been sent to personally fetch you."
What the matter was, was clear as day, but no one there was naïve enough to ask out loud.
Luffy scratched his head and asked:
"How long have you been waiting for me?"
"Since yesterday," Momonga replied, as if that were the most natural thing in the world.
"Our warship is ready. We can depart at any time."
Luffy let out a short laugh, leaning even further back into the couch.
"Heading to headquarters, huh? Can I refuse?" he asked, half joking, half challenging.
Momonga's face hardened.
"Don't joke about that."
He clenched his fists.
"As a government-recognized Shichibukai, you are obligated to respond to official summons. Refuse this time, and your title will be revoked immediately!"
The weight of the threat hung in the air.
Luffy paused to think, frowning.
There was still a month before the Marineford War, wasn't there?
Why were they in such a rush?
From what he remembered of the story, the war would involve 100,000 Marine soldiers, Vice Admirals as far as the eye could see... and now they were rushing?
Momonga, noticing Luffy's hesitation, softened his tone slightly. After all, this kid was the grandson of Garp, the Marine Hero.
If he treated Luffy badly, Garp might toss him into the ocean like a sack of potatoes.
"We urgently need to gather all the Shichibukai," he explained.
"We still have to fetch the other members. Time is short."
Luffy snorted, crossing his arms.
"So... I'm just another stop along the way?"
"Yes," Momonga confirmed gravely.
"The Pirate Empress, Boa Hancock, is next."
At the mention of that name, Luffy's eyes lit up instantly, like a child spotting a giant piece of candy.
The most beautiful woman in the world, huh?
It would be rude not to at least sneak a peek.
"Then it's decided," Luffy said, springing to his feet, all laziness forgotten.
Momonga, seeing the sudden change, nearly sighed aloud.
If he had known that mentioning Hancock would work so easily, he would have done it from the start.
But deep down, he could only think:
"I hope he doesn't get his hopes too high... That woman hates men more than sharks hate fishermen."
---
(End of Chapter)
"Hmph. If you really want to be useful, then entertain me, try to throw those pathetic power stones at me. Let's see if even your insolence can amuse a king."