"Recovering quite fast, are we? Able to move in just two days?"
Sage said in a deep voice, "Honestly, I have no interest in you. I've already let you go once before, and the sensible thing would be for you to scram far away."
He truly had no interest in these people, nor had any involvement with things like being Whitebeard's son, as it didn't clash with his intentions.
Whether it was with Ace, Smoker, or Straw Hat, it was all the same.
As Pirates, they're all peers; apart from their differing goals leading to conflict and battle, nothing much really happens.
As for the Navy, that's a matter of position—it's normal for the Navy to capture Pirates on the vast sea.
Sage's view of the Navy is to run if possible, fight if not, and run again once the fight is over.
He is a Pirate who does whatever he wants, dreaming of amassing wealth to become a landowner, not some ultimate destructive killer.
It's not that he has to fight to the death over whoever he encounters.
Supreme King doesn't appear on a lunatic.
Otherwise, the Four Emperors would have waged a great war against the Navy long ago.
"I don't have much interest in you either, especially since you seem to know that old guy. Compared to you, I've got more important things to do."
Ace laughed, "About Dad, I can't beat you, so I'll come correct you after I've completed my business. But for now, my little brother needs to defeat his enemies, and as his big brother, I can't have anyone getting in his way."
Smoker bit his cigar, raised his head, and said, "You're not one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea. The Navy capturing Pirates is only right."
Regardless of whether it's the Disaster Pirates or Straw Hat, they don't take precedence over Crocodile.
He naturally hated the Seven Warlords of the Sea, especially Crocodile, who's always been a shrewd guy.
Now his purpose is exposed, but as part of the Navy, he can't even wait for his superiors to react. By the time they do, perhaps that Sand Crocodile will have already devoured this country.
But due to protocol, he couldn't act against the Seven Warlords of the Sea, and placing hope on a Pirate was humiliating enough. Logically, he shouldn't even be here.
But the Disaster Pirates being here gave him a reason. As long as he entered Albana under the pretense of capturing them, no one would say anything.
He doesn't know what Sage's plan is or his cooperation with Crocodile, but stopping him here is enough!
The rest must be trusted to Straw Hat!
"Your brother, Straw Hat Luffy?"
Sage turned his head to glance in the direction of the Royal Palace, then shook his head, "Are you guys mistaken about something? I'm not interested in Crocodile's plans. Whether he wins or loses doesn't matter to me. What he does is his business; what I do is mine."
Just as a precaution, it's better if that Crocodile's plan succeeds. That would somewhat stabilize his investment plans.
But if it actually fails, it doesn't really matter to him, as long as Crocodile doesn't get caught.
It was originally something outside his plan; his initial plan was just to rob Rain Land and Albana.
"However..."
Ssn!
A puff of white gas sprayed from Sage's nose, spreading on the ground. At this moment, his figure suddenly expanded, muscles turning into a menacing armor-like presence, gradually transforming to about three meters tall in the eyes of Ace and Smoker.
"With you putting so much effort to seek me out, not accepting the challenge would be somewhat disrespectful. My mood isn't great, so let me entertain you for a while. If you die here, I won't care much!"
Sage pointed at the two, "80%, enough to deal with you."
"What is this?!"
Smoker was slightly taken aback; he had never seen Sage in this form before, earlier in Nalohara, he passed out quite early...
But regardless of what it is, now is not the time to be shocked!
"White Fist!"
Smoker's right arm emitted smoke, directly shooting it out.
"Fire Fist!"
Ace's left hand ignited, transforming into a pillar of flame firing horizontally.
The smoke and fire intertwined with each other during the blast, coiling around each other, with the flames lending high temperature to the smoke, and this high temperature fed back to the flames, increasing their power.
Smoke and fire against an enemy appear equally matched, yet when combined, their power becomes stronger!
As for Sage...
He looked somewhat familiar.
"Do you take me for Barrett?!"
Sage's hands coiled with pitch-black flowing fire-like Haki, merging his palms, compressing the Haki within it, and forcefully pushing forward.
"Hadoken: Celestial Fierce Charge!!"
Boom!!
The black fire-like beam clashed fiercely with the intertwining pillar of smoke and fire, erupting with a tremendous noise while scattering the smoke and fire around, spraying outwards.
It was like a dazzling fireworks display.
"What a brilliant firework, huh, Sabo-san... no, Ace-san, Smoker-san!"
Frieza Sage grinned fiercely, leaning forward forcefully with both hands, pushing the Haki shockwave against the smoke and fire pillar, gradually advancing towards them.
Even when facing a smoke and fire pillar with power slightly superior, against his rapidly regenerating near-infinite Haki, it's of no use!
In clashes, he's exceedingly confident!
...
"Lady Marika! We've found it!"
On the other side near the Royal Palace, a few Pirates found some gold and silver treasures in a lavishly decorated house. One Pirate, clutching a handful of necklaces and beads, ran outside excitedly, yelling to Marika from the opposite house.
Marika emerged her head, smiled, and said, "That's great, please keep up the good work."
The buildings close to the Royal Palace are naturally rather luxurious, likely the residences of the nobility and wealthy, so it's perfectly normal to find money inside.
Seven or eight subordinates rummaged through that house, stuffing valuables into a box and trotting out, just about ready to search another building.
But just then, two figures swiftly rushed in.
Bam!
Ssst!
Just the sound rang out, and blood sprayed from the chests of two Pirates, falling to the ground.
The Pirate carrying the box was punched in the face by a fist clad in an Iron Fist Glove, almost embedding it into his face, scattering a few teeth, and he collapsed to the ground.
"Put those things down, darn Pirates, fall to 'Iron Fist' Fullbody-sama's fists!"
A pink-haired man wearing a Navy Hat stomped on the Pirate on the ground, brandishing his fist and shouting.
"And me, Jango!"
Behind him, a man with heart-shaped glasses quickly approached, both hands still holding sharp rings.
A team of Navy swiftly approached from behind them.
At the forefront was a woman with light pink hair, smoking a cigarette.
"Captain Tina! No need to come over; we'll handle them for you!" Fullbody shouted excitedly.
"Yes, Captain Tina, watch us perform for you!" Jango shouted loudly.
"Hmm!!"
As they were speaking, Mute dashed out from the house, drew the Great Tachi from his back, and swung it with force towards them.
Clang!
The sharp blade struck Fullbody's Iron Fist Glove, the tremendous force sending him and Jango flying back, causing them to retreat.
"A strong man, but it's useless; you can't handle our Dancing Brothers!" Fullbody's heels landed, quickly adjusting his stance.
"Yes, partner, let's give him the Navy's punishment, let's dance!" Jango twisted his body and yelled excitedly.
"No, Tina thinks it's quite troublesome."
The pink-haired woman walked past the two of them towards Mute, "The Pirate from the Disaster Pirates, with a bounty of six million Belly, Mute, right?"
"Grr!"
Mute let out a threatening growl, bending slightly, swiftly charging towards the woman.
The woman adjusted her right-hand glove, completely unfazed by Mute's charge. As he approached and wielded his blade, she stretched out her arm directly towards the blade.
"Go through..."
When her hand contacted the blade, it swiftly elongated, enveloping Mute's huge figure, directly passing through it and slamming upwards.
Bang!
A black ring encircled Mute's upper body, tightly binding his arms; even the back of his sword, due to the binding, pressed against his face, making him fall.
No matter how forcefully he struggled to break free, the black ring wouldn't budge.
"Don't bother; Tina's ability is harder than steel."
She exhaled a wisp of smoke, looking at the woman standing by the window, "Shouldn't you surrender too, officer of the Disaster Pirates, with a bounty of thirty million Belly, Marika?"
Marika's expression didn't change a bit, still smiling, "Oh my, it's the Navy, how surprising, an Ability User?"
Navy Headquarters Captain, 'Black Threshold' Tina!