With his usual lazy smirk, Admiral Borsalino, better known as Kizaru, strolled slowly toward the scene, hands in his pockets, golden light flickering faintly around him.
Kizaru had become increasingly convinced that Boa Hancock had some sort of connection to Luo Ye. It wasn't just a passing suspicion. The moment Hancock arrived at Marineford, she didn't ask about Whitebeard, the war, or the Warlords—she asked about Luo Ye directly. The urgency in her voice was telling. Then, the instant he told her Luo Ye was at the competition stage, she dashed off without hesitation.
Kizaru had heard plenty of rumors about Hancock. The Pirate Empress, Warlord of the Sea, captain of the Kuja Pirates—said to despise all men, untouched and untouchable. Yet her demeanor toward Luo Ye was anything but indifferent. That alone was enough to make Kizaru pause.
What surprised him more was Luo Ye's reaction. This was the same Luo Ye who had no tolerance for pirates, who had personally taken down threats like Crocodile and Doflamingo—and yet, he didn't make a move against Hancock. He let her stand by him without a hint of hostility.
And now, just to make things even more dramatic, Vice Admiral Momousagi (Gion) was here as well. Kizaru found the entire setup amusing. Gion, the elegant and powerful Vice Admiral who had long held the closest rapport with Luo Ye within the Navy, now stood face-to-face with the Pirate Empress herself. The tension between the two women crackled like lightning.
"What kind of fireworks will spark from this?" Kizaru thought, grinning to himself.
Luo Ye shot Kizaru a sharp glare. Of course, it was Kizaru who had informed Hancock where he was. That man loved chaos more than order—he was always playing both sides of the storm. The two women he brought together now turned their glares toward the admiral with thinly veiled fury.
Kizaru raised both hands and took a lazy step back. "Oh my, looks like I've become the villain again," he murmured. "Women like these… best not to get involved when they're like this."
He turned his gaze to Luo Ye, curious to see how he would handle the mess. "So what now?" Kizaru asked aloud. "You planning to let this turn into a lovers' duel at Marine HQ? Should I grab the popcorn?"
Luo Ye narrowed his eyes. "Enough. What do you two think you're doing?"
The power behind his voice immediately made both women falter.
Momousagi quickly came to her senses. She was a Vice Admiral. She knew better than to pick a fight over personal feelings—especially not in front of the man she respected most. Hancock, however, took the words a different way. To her ears, Luo Ye's rebuke didn't sound like anger—it sounded like concern. Her heart fluttered. She cast a dismissive glance at Gion, convinced that she had already won this invisible battle.
"So dreamy…" she muttered under her breath. "Luo Ye-sama hasn't changed at all. If that woman dares raise her hand again, I'll fight her, and I know he'll side with me."
Despite the tension, Kizaru couldn't help but chuckle softly. "So he's not just strong… he's got the face, the charisma, and the admiration of women like them. Honestly," he thought, "it's hard not to be jealous."
Luo Ye, catching the strange glint in Kizaru's eyes, simply looked away.
A shadow loomed behind them. "Heeheehee… So you're the new Admiral—'Silver Eagle' Luo Ye."
Gecko Moria, the eerie and grotesque former Warlord, stepped forward, eyes flicking across the group. His tone was casual, but there was an edge behind it.
Luo Ye didn't answer—he simply gave Moria a cold glance. The gesture alone made Moria scowl.
Even though he was technically invited here by Marine HQ, he didn't appreciate the disrespect. Still, Moria wasn't a fool. He had no delusions of taking on an Admiral, even a newly promoted one. He had been a Warlord once—but so had Doflamingo, and that flamboyant tyrant had fallen to Luo Ye like a puppet with cut strings.
After a moment of tense silence, Moria asked, "Is it true? You killed Crocodile and Doflamingo. Does that mean the Marines are coming for the rest of us now?"
His words hung heavy in the air. Though he asked calmly, the pressure in his gaze betrayed the seriousness. If Luo Ye gave even a hint that it was true, Moria would fight here and now, even if it meant death.
But Luo Ye responded with chilling composure.
"If I wanted you dead, do you think I'd waste time with strategy?"
Moria flinched. "Could you even touch me where I stand?"
It was blatant disrespect. And yet, the implication behind Luo Ye's words—swift, absolute destruction—made Moria exhale in uneasy relief. He wasn't ready to give up the name of Warlord just yet. That title still held value, and if Luo Ye truly meant to destroy them, he'd have done so already.
Luo Ye's attention shifted away. The real battle—the one he cared about—was still happening on the stage: Ace vs. Sabo.
The two brothers clashed, fists imbued with Armament Haki, trading blows that made the arena shake. Each knew the other's strengths intimately, their movements sharp and fluid. Luo Ye never expected one to defeat the other—this was a trial to keep them sharp, to test their limits. If he hadn't told them there'd be a winner, they might have pulled their punches.
Now, they gave everything.
"Fire Fist!" Ace launched a barrage of flames toward Sabo, but Sabo, trained under Luo Ye himself, evaded with precision. He launched himself forward with a powerful kick, closing the gap.
He knew: if he could get close, he had a chance.
Their fists collided again—both coated in Haki. The resulting blast sent shockwaves into the crowd, making Moria step back. He had to admit: these weren't your average Marines.
Even Kizaru raised an eyebrow as he turned to Luo Ye.
"Good thing I didn't take you up on that offer back then," he said dryly. "With disciples like this, I'd have ended up frozen in a block like Aokiji."
Luo Ye smirked but said nothing. He knew Sabo and Ace had potential—but not yet enough to challenge an Admiral.
Kizaru nodded toward the stage. "Those two… are they your brothers?"