Gloriosa did not argue with Streusen. Instead, she leaned even closer to Annika.
This time, she covered her mouth with one hand, lowered her voice, and whispered beside Annika's ear. "See? People like him are the narrowest-minded. You can't say the slightest bad thing about him."
Annika nodded gently, her face written with a serious expression that said, 'I understand.'
Streusen: "????"
Although he could not hear what Gloriosa had said this time, that disgusted look and sneaky movement alone were enough to prove it definitely was not anything good.
"Hey, Gloriosa, you bastard, don't teach people bad things," Linlin suddenly stood up and said a word for Streusen.
Streusen abruptly turned to Linlin, a trace of emotion in his eyes. Linlin... You finally stood up for me.
"Streusen may be short, look a bit creepy, not have much ability, and cook only so-so, but he is still a decent person," Linlin continued.
The emotion on Streusen's face froze before it could fully bloom.
He stiffly turned his neck and looked at Linlin in disbelief. After a long while, he squeezed a sentence out through his teeth. "Linlin... you bastard, are you on their side?"
The moment Streusen's words fell, a figure leaped high from below and landed on the deck with a heavy thud.
All the arguing sounds were cut off as if someone had pressed pause.
Then everyone turned at the same time, their gazes gathering on that figure.
"Stussy?"
"Why are you back?"
"Where are Rocks and the others?"
Stussy patted the snow from her clothes and casually said, "Rocks? They robbed Harald's treasure and are being hunted down by Harald right now."
"Treasure???"
The moment the word treasure appeared, most of their eyes instantly lit up.
They silently exchanged glances, looking left and right at everyone else's movements. Their toes were already quietly adjusting direction, each of them ready to sprint at any moment.
"That's right," Stussy nodded, her tone relaxed. "I couldn't help, so I came back first."
The moment her voice fell, the Saber of Xebec trembled slightly. The bow changed direction, and the ship began sailing toward deeper waters at extremely high speed.
"W-what happened?" Gloriosa looked around warily, puzzled. "Why is the ship moving?!"
"Bastard, who's sailing the ship?!" Marlon cursed at once and turned to rush into the cabin.
But after taking two steps, he suddenly stopped.
It was as if he had figured something out. He turned and looked at Shiki. "It's you, Shiki, you bastard!"
"Jihahaha!"
Shiki suddenly laughed and shot up into the air.
"Shiki!" John looked up and cursed at his figure. "What are you trying to do?!"
"What else could I be doing?" Shiki spread his hands with an innocent expression. "For everyone's safety, I'm simply moving everyone a little farther away."
"Bullshit!" John cursed and waved his fist at him. "You bastard, you're clearly trying to go split the treasure by yourself!"
"Bye-bye." Shiki did not explain and did not stay. He turned and floated toward the island.
However, simply moving the ship away could not stop the others.
At most, it only delayed them.
Soon, most of the people on the ship chased after him in a storm, cursing as they ran. "Shiki, you son of a bitch, just you wait!"
Stussy stood on the deck and watched the nearly emptied ship. She gathered her wind-tossed hair with one hand and sighed softly. "The Rocks Pirates are really getting more and more united. When the captain is in trouble, everyone rushes to help."
Marlon, who had run slower, had just lowered his body and was about to leap into the air. His toes had already left the deck when Stussy's words made him suddenly stop. Both feet landed on the floor again.
He slowly straightened, turned his head, and looked at Stussy. "What? What do you mean, rushing to help? Didn't you say there was treasure?"
Stussy shifted her body slightly, tilted her head, spread her hands, and said lightly, "Treasure? What treasure? Where?"
Marlon stared at her for two seconds. First he frowned, then the corner of his mouth slowly rose. "You sinister woman. Good thing I ran slow."
In the Underworld, on Rocks's side, after an intense exchange, neither side had suffered any real injuries. The surrounding Underworld, however, had already been riddled with holes.
Broken walls and ruins were covered in thick frost and scorched marks. Rolling smoke rose from the shattered rock layers, mixing with the snow flying through the air and dyeing everything a grayish white.
"Father!"
A loud shout suddenly pierced through the snowstorm and smoke, making Harald and Rocks stop their movements at the same time.
Both of them turned toward the source of the voice.
"Loki?" The moment Harald saw the person coming, his brows knotted sharply. His voice carried urgency and anger. "What are you doing here? Leave!"
As soon as his words fell, he suddenly swung his giant sword in a sneak attack at Rocks, who was still stunned. But Rocks moved very quickly. His body flashed and easily avoided it.
Taking advantage of the gap while Rocks dodged, Harald leaped, adjusted his position, and placed his enormous body like a wall in front of Loki.
"Harald, you bastard!" After landing, Rocks held his long blade horizontally before him, his voice carrying anger at being insulted. "Do you think I would use a child to threaten you?!"
"Who knows what a madman might do?" Harald replied coldly. Then, without turning back, he growled at Loki behind him, "Leave now!"
"Father, stop!" Loki raised his voice with stubbornness.
Harald's gaze sank, his voice even colder. "Loki, this has nothing to do with you! Leave at once!"
"I won't leave!" Loki did not step back at all. He straightened his chest. "I won't watch you do something foolish!"
Harald's face darkened, anger spreading across it. "What does a brat like you understand?!"
"Father, I don't understand!" Loki's voice grew even louder, as if he wanted to pour out everything he had been holding back. "I don't understand why, just to let Elbaf join the World Government, you would curry favor with Celestial Dragons who have never treated us as people! I understand even less how you can praise peace while using someone else's sacrifice to buy it. What kind of peace is that?"
Loki's words were like a needle, precisely stabbing the part Harald least wanted to touch.
Harald suddenly turned, his enormous palm cutting through the air as he slapped Loki across the face.
Smack!
A crisp sound exploded through the empty ruins.
Loki's body flew sideways, rolling once across the ground. A trace of blood leaked from the corner of his mouth.
"Get lost!" Harald roared. "It is not your place to question me, Loki!"
Loki slowly stood up and wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. He laughed softly, then said, "In that case, treat me as your enemy too."
He raised his head, his cloth-covered face accurately facing Harald. "I will stand on Rocks's side. I will use my own strength to help Rocks become king of the world. I will believe that he can overthrow the World Government!"
Rocks stood where he was, quietly watching this scene. He had no intention of launching a sneak attack, nor did he interrupt. But in his eyes, a seriousness toward the boy named Loki appeared that had never been there before.
"You... are truly stubborn!" Harald angrily tightened his grip on his giant sword. He was about to move again when he suddenly sensed something and sharply looked in another direction.
From the side covered in rolling smoke, a line of figures slowly walked out.
On the far left was Whitebeard, followed by Silver Axe, Ron, and Kaido on the far right.
The four figures stood side by side in the wind and snow, walking at an unhurried pace.
"Captain!" Ron stopped, a faint smile on his face. "We aren't late, are we?"
"Rocks, we're here to help!" Kaido shouted after him, the kanabo on his shoulder swaying as if he was eager to begin.
"We were free anyway." Silver Axe kept both hands in his pockets and casually added, "So we came to take a look."
"I've been drinking your wine for free all this time. I should do something, right, Rocks?" Whitebeard carried his naginata, his gaze landing on Rocks. His voice was not loud, but it was clear.
Rocks paused, then threw his head back and laughed. "Wahahahaha! You bastards! I told you I could handle this myself. You really love meddling!"
"Ron?"
Harald's gaze landed on Ron, and the corner of his mouth slowly curved upward. What luck. He had been wondering how to shake off Rocks and hunt Ron down, only for the target to deliver himself to his door.
Perhaps... heaven was helping Elbaf. Helping the giant kingdom.
"Big idiot..." Kaido stepped forward. "Come on. We're not afraid of you!"
Whoosh.
Loki suddenly leaped from the side and landed in front of Ron's group. He spread his arms, blocking the two sides like a thin wall. "Father... if you won't stop, then get past me first!"
Bang!
Before Loki's words had even finished, Silver Axe had already kicked him in the butt and sent him flying to the side.
"What is this brat mumbling about? He's blocking my way."
"..."
Harald breathed a sigh of relief. He had been worrying about that stupid son getting in the way, and the other side had helped him deal with it.
He locked his gaze on Ron again, his voice sinking. "Ron, this incident began because of you. Why don't we settle it ourselves? If you can take three moves from me, you leave... and I will no longer stop you."
Ron tilted his head slightly and met Harald's enormous eyes. He was silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed.
"Aren't you mistaken about something? Do you think... if I wanted to leave, you could stop me?"
"Harald, Ron isn't stupid. That little trick of yours won't work on him," Rocks added from the side.
Harald ignored Rocks. His gaze remained locked on Ron, his voice carrying a trace of provocation. "Oh? You're that confident?"
Ron grinned and said unhurriedly, "If you want to play, no problem. How about I make the first three moves?"
Before Harald could speak, Kaido immediately yelled, "Hey, Ron, why waste words on him?! Let's just gang up on him!"