Gojo, after dropping off Jinbe in front of Dr. Kureha and Chopper, left Drum Island and appeared directly on his ship, where Vivi and Igaram were waiting anxiously for the result of the battle. The cold sea wind brushed across the deck, carrying the faint scent of salt.
As soon as Gojo appeared, Vivi stepped forward. "How did the battle go? Should we immediately escape from here? Is the Warlord Jinbe chasing after you?"
Gojo looked at her strangely, one brow slightly raised. "Why would he chase after me? I defeated him and injured him severely. He's busy getting treated. How will he get the time to chase after me?"
For a moment, the only sound was the creaking of wood beneath their feet.
Vivi and Igaram were both stunned. They knew Gojo was powerful—very, very powerful—far beyond them on a completely different level. They had seen glimpses of his abilities, the terrifying calm in his eyes during combat. But when they witnessed him clashing with one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, Jinbe, they had not truly believed he would win.
Deep down, it had already been decided in their minds: Gojo would lose. They would either have to flee in panic, or worse—Gojo might be captured by the Warlord and handed over to the Marines. That outcome had felt inevitable.
Yet now—
He had defeated a Warlord.
The weight of that realization pressed down on them.
Gojo didn't bother observing their shocked expressions. He had been fighting Jinbe for a long time, and the battle had consumed a great deal of his stamina. His breathing, though controlled, was slightly heavier than usual. Not to mention, his Six Eyes were open—fully uncovered—constantly draining his energy like a silent leak.
Without another word, Gojo took out his blindfold and tied it back over his eyes. The familiar black cloth settled into place.
"Prepare lots and lots of food for me," he said calmly. "Use the meat of the sea beast I killed yesterday. You can move the ship slowly, I don't care—but prepare the food fast."
His tone was casual, but there was no room for argument.
After giving the order to Igaram and Vivi, Gojo turned and walked toward his quarters. The door slid shut behind him with a soft thud.
As soon as he disappeared below deck, Igaram let out a restrained breath and said, "I was telling you, Princess, we should have escaped. If we had escaped, then he wouldn't have been able to order us around like this."
Vivi shook her head slowly, her eyes still lingering on the door he had entered. "Although he is demanding money from us, and your life is technically on the line… he has always treated our partnership as just a trade. Nothing more."
She folded her arms lightly, thinking.
"Not to mention, with his strength, he will be a huge help if we want to fight Crocodile. If he can defeat one Warlord…" Her voice lowered slightly. "Then there is a high chance he can defeat another."
If that's true… then Alabasta might actually have hope.
Listening to her deduction, Igaram straightened, nodding firmly. "What you are saying is absolutely fantastic, Princess. You have thought everything through." His expression softened. "Even if later I die… if he can help Alabasta come out of its current predicament, then I will die happily—even if it is by his hands."
Vivi immediately shook her head. "You don't have to be so negative. Yes, we are struggling—but it's not as if we don't even have fifty million to spare. Using that money, you will definitely be saved."
Igaram instantly slipped into his usual tone. "Ma-ma-ma! You are so kind, Princess."
Vivi gave a small nod, though her thoughts were clearly elsewhere. "Now let's get to work. Or else he will be angry."
The two of them moved without further delay.
Igaram hauled out the massive sea beast carcass, placing it heavily on the deck. The blade flashed as he began cutting the thick meat in orderly sections, each slice precise and deliberate. The metallic scent of fresh meat mixed with the briny sea air.
Beside him, Vivi gathered the ingredients, already preparing the fire. The faint crackle of flames soon joined the rhythm of chopping.
Above them, the ship drifted slowly across the quiet waters—carrying with it the weight of a future of princess Vivi that suddenly felt just a little less hopeless.
Gojo returned to his room. After entering, he placed his sword—still sheathed—on the table with a quiet clink, then shrugged off his jacket.
The fabric slid from his shoulders, revealing his left chest. It was red.
The mark was from Jinbe's final, powerful fist attack.
Although Jinbe had said he hadn't become any stronger than when they first began fighting, that was not true at all. During the battle, Jinbe's Armament Haki had sharpened—subtly, but undeniably. It had improved compared to the moment their clash began.
And that slight improvement had made all the difference.
Because of that increase, Jinbe had managed to tear through Gojo's Limitless with his immense punch speed. The strike had pierced through the infinite buffer and reached his chest. Of course, the resistance from the Limitless had drastically reduced the power behind the blow—but it had not nullified it completely.
The fist had connected.
Gojo had reinforced his chest with Armament Haki at the final moment, layering defense over defense. Even so, the impact had slightly damaged his left side, leaving the skin red and throbbing. Beneath that surface, he could feel it clearly—fine cracks along a few ribs.
A dull ache pulsed with each breath.
Still, Gojo wasn't too worried.
"This much…" he muttered under his breath.
This kind of injury would heal after eating enough meat and proper food. His physique was monstrous—abnormal even by this world's standards. Recovery was simply a matter of time and nutrition.
He changed into an ordinary shirt, the cloth brushing lightly against his sore chest, and sat down on the chair. The wooden legs creaked faintly under his weight as he leaned back.
His mind shifted immediately to analysis.
His final and most powerful attack against Jinbe—Limitless Azure: Event Horizon.
In that technique, he coated his sword in Blue. The principle was similar to how his fist functions when wrapped in Blue. When his fist is covered in Blue, it attracts the surface it is about to strike. If the target is immovable or resistant, the attraction effect accelerates the fist even further, drastically increasing its speed. And when contact occurs between that accelerated fist and a resisting surface, the power behind the blow is amplified explosively.
The same concept applies to the sword.
When he coats the blade in Blue, its speed accelerates drastically. The attraction effect pulls the target toward the cutting edge while simultaneously propelling the blade forward. The result is a strike that can easily cut through almost anything. And the faster the sword moves, the greater the destructive force becomes.
Ultimately, speed is strength.
The faster the sword attack, the more powerful it becomes. And that is exactly what happens in Limitless Azure: Event Horizon.
There is also a group-attacking variation of this technique. In fact, perhaps its best use is against multiple enemies at once—where the attraction field manipulates positioning and accelerates strikes in rapid succession, turning the battlefield into a vortex of cutting force.
But until now, Gojo had not gotten the opportunity to use this sword attack against a group.
His fingers tapped lightly against the table.
He hoped he would find that opportunity soon—on Alabasta.
He was no fool.
By taking Vivi with him, he had technically marked himself in the eyes of the head of Baroque Works—Crocodile. The moment Vivi became his responsibility, a line had been drawn.
Sooner or later, he would clash with Crocodile.
Either during their direct confrontation…
Or when Crocodile makes a move against Vivi.
Gojo leaned back in the chair, blindfold covering his eyes, lips curving slightly.
The sea outside rocked the ship gently.
"Let's see," he murmured quietly.
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