Chapter 535: The Navy Arrives, Fujitora Restores His Shichibukai Status
While the battles in this sea still raged, a new presence pushed in from the horizon.
A line of Marine warships cut through the waves, white sails rising high, justice banners snapping in the wind.
If the Seven Warlords of the Sea were already gathered here, how could the Marines possibly be absent?
Especially in the New World.
They had arrived at full speed.
"Fleet Admiral, the fighting on Laugh Tale's perimeter has already ended," a lookout and intelligence officer hurriedly reported to Sakazuki. "The former Shichibukai are still gathered in the same area. Captain Ryuunosuke and his crew left three people behind and headed off in another direction."
He paused, then asked carefully, "Should we pursue Captain Ryuunosuke, or advance straight toward Laugh Tale?"
"They already left?" Sakazuki frowned. "And the battle there is over?"
He sounded genuinely surprised.
From his perspective, the clash had only just begun. Hearing that it was already finished felt unreal.
"I told you, you were too slow," Borsalino said lazily at his side. "If you had not insisted on giving your lecture before departure for several hours, we would have arrived long ago."
Sakazuki's mouth worked soundlessly for a moment.
"Nonsense. I only said a few words in passing," he grumbled. "Who says it took several hours?"
Borsalino did not bother arguing. Those who knew the truth did not need to discuss it.
"Follow Captain Ryuunosuke," Sakazuki ordered in the end. "Since the battle over there is over, there is no point in us arriving late to the scene."
He narrowed his eyes.
"If we stay on his trail, there will definitely be a place where we can help."
They had not come to pick a fight.
They were here to support the Dragon Hunter Pirates.
They were simply late because of Sakazuki's "few words."
"Fleet Admiral, may I go and speak with the Seven Warlords?" Fujitora asked as he finished slurping his soba. "Their strength is still needed on the seas."
"Mm?"
Sakazuki looked as if he wanted to ask more, but in the end he gave up. He had long since accepted that he would never fully understand Fujitora's way of thinking.
He was, however, a cautious man. Fujitora would not act recklessly.
"Go," Sakazuki said at last.
Fujitora swallowed the last bite, stood, and lightly jumped to another warship. That vessel turned, breaking formation as it headed toward Laugh Tale's outer waters.
The warship reached the vicinity in short order.
"An Admiral?"
"What is the Navy doing here now?"
"Do they want to get involved as well?"
The pirates present noticed the Marine flags quickly. Confusion rippled through them, especially among the former Shichibukai.
Doflamingo, in particular, narrowed his eyes.
He had been left behind here specifically to cooperate with Meliodas and the others. After all, Meliodas and his group no longer had a ship of their own.
On the surface, he was "assisting" them.
In truth, he was their transport.
"Admiral Fujitora, what brings you here?" Doflamingo stood at the bow of his ship, a grin on his face as he greeted the Admiral.
He was no longer an underground broker for the underworld.
He was now an official member of the Dragon Hunter Pirates.
Because of that, Doflamingo was fully aware of the current relationship between the Dragon Hunter Pirates and the Marines. Fujitora's presence did not worry him.
What he wanted to know was why Fujitora had come.
If it had anything to do with harming the Dragon Hunter Pirates, then even if the man was an Admiral, Doflamingo would not hesitate to act.
That was how much confidence he now had.
"Doflamingo, is it?" Fujitora's expression remained gentle. "I came to have a proper talk with the former Seven Warlords of the Sea."
"Some have not arrived yet, but with you here, we can begin."
He stepped off his warship and landed steadily on Doflamingo's deck, cane sword tapping lightly.
Doflamingo's brows furrowed.
They were already former Shichibukai. By what right did the Marines want to "talk" to them now?
Still, as Fujitora's voice carried across the decks…
Hawkeye, the Empress, Crocodile, and the others all boarded the same ship.
Law was already present.
Aside from Buggy, every former Warlord had gathered.
"Hahahaha, so the treasure the captain left behind is around here, huh!"
Just as Fujitora was about to speak again, an obnoxiously familiar laugh sliced through the air.
A figure came flying over the sea.
"Gravity Blade Heaven's Fall."
Fujitora drew his sword cane in a smooth arc. A tremendous wave of gravity exploded from the blade, dragging the flying figure down as if the sky itself had turned heavy.
"Who attacked me? Are you tired of living?" the newcomer roared. "I am the great former Shichibukai, Captain Buggy of the Buggy Ship… Admiral Fujitora!"
He landed with a thud, ready to unleash a string of bluster, only to find himself face to chest with a tall Marine in a striped kimono, the very picture of calm authority.
Fortunately, Buggy was wearing an oversized coat and hat, which at least kept him from looking as comically small as he felt.
Even so, standing in front of Fujitora made his knees wobble.
This guy's first move had been to slam him out of the sky. Was he trying to kill him?
And why were the Marines here?
Questions tumbled over themselves in Buggy's head.
"Now that Captain Buggy has arrived…" Fujitora said with a smile, "let us sit down and talk properly."
"Our Marines want your help."
He let his cane tap lightly against the deck.
"As long as you refrain from burning, killing, and pillaging on the Grand Line and in the New World, we will officially recognize your status as Shichibukai again."
"Not Seven Warlords who exist only for their own greed," Fujitora went on, "but Seven Warlords who help maintain order on the sea."
"In return, you will not be hunted by the Marines."
"I imagine all of you have other ways to survive besides robbery, don't you?"
The others exchanged glances.
Boa Hancock did not even have to think it over.
She ruled over Amazon Lily, a completely independent nation. An official guarantee against Marine interference in exchange for not preying on others was. for her people, almost ideal.
Piracy was never her main source of wealth anyway.
Dracule Mihawk, the world's greatest swordsman, cared even less for such things. He had once lived alone among a bunch of giant baboons and seemed perfectly content with a simple, quiet life.
But the real headaches were always a few particular people.
Mihawk's gaze swept sideways to the woman standing on his ship, Perona.
If they were reinstated as Shichibukai, that would also protect her.
Doflamingo, on the other hand, had already become a pillar of the Dragon Hunter Pirates' trade network.
Plundering was beneath him now.
All he needed to do was help Ryuunosuke maintain his intricate web of business across the world. That alone brought him more power and wealth than random looting ever could.
The real variables were Crocodile and Buggy.
Buggy was a cowardly bully, always looking for weaklings to terrorize and strong enemies to flee from, even if he was somehow a "source of comedy gold" to fate itself.
Crocodile was ruthless, ambitious, and extremely hard to restrain.
"I have no objection," Mihawk said first, his answer simple and direct.
"I agree as well," Hancock added lightly. "As long as no one dares to threaten my country."
"The Joker has no interest in petty robbery," Doflamingo chuckled. "As long as the trade routes continue to flow, I am satisfied."
Crocodile folded his arms.
"I want a kingdom," he said flatly. "As long as that is not a problem, I have no issue with the rest."
"I am not interested in your so called plunder either," Buggy added quickly, trying to appear dignified. "I only love treasure."
He puffed himself up. "What can the Marines offer me?"
The question was directed at Fujitora, but in truth, Buggy was thinking about something else entirely.
Many of his subordinates were criminals who had escaped from Impel Down. To truly settle them somewhere, a stable source of income was crucial.
Because he loved roaming in search of treasure, Buggy had never bothered establishing a permanent territory.
If the Marines cut off his ability to rob and did not offer anything in return, his crew would be the first to rebel.
"Our Marines have no shortage of treasure maps in storage," Fujitora replied calmly. "We can hand them all over to you."
"But if you take the maps and fail to uphold your end of the deal…"
He tapped his sword lightly against the deck again.
"Then not only the Marines, but the other Shichibukai who have accepted the responsibility of maintaining stability on the seas will take action."
He paused, then added meaningfully, "Even the Dragon Hunter Pirates will not sit and watch."
Fujitora raised his head slightly and opened his eyes.
Empty white spheres stared straight at Buggy.
Even though Fujitora was completely blind, the sight of those pale, scarred eyes locked onto him made Buggy's hair stand on end.
That single "glare" was enough to silence him on the spot.
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