Chapter 53: Hans: I Feel All Warm and Fuzzy Inside
Puru-puru-puru... Puru-puru-puru...
On the warship, the Transponder Snail rang continuously.
Only when the snail looked like it was getting tired of ringing...
Click.
Hans's trembling hand finally picked up the receiver.
"H-Hello?"
"Hans! You bastard! Why did it take you so long to pick up? How is Roy!?"
The snail roared, its face contorted in rage, looking exactly like Vice Admiral Viroth.
"I've already reported the situation! Put 'Lizard King' Hanafuda on the line right now! Tell him if anything happens to Roy, I will absolutely..."
"V-Vice Admiral Viroth... It's not necessary anymore!"
Hans interrupted him, a rare occurrence.
"What do you mean 'not necessary'? What happened? Don't tell me Roy is..."
Viroth's voice dropped, filled with dread.
Even through the snail, Hans could feel the old man's fury building.
"No, no—Vice Admiral, don't misunderstand!"
Hans quickly explained.
But his voice was still shaking. "I mean it's not necessary because... the battle is over."
Hans gulped, instinctively looking into the distance.
Even now, he couldn't quite believe the reality before his eyes.
"The Captain... he won!"
"...Huh?"
Just as the connection seemed about to drop from sheer confusion...
On the battlefield.
The scene was exaggerated beyond belief.
The vast ice field Roy had created was now completely transformed.
In the center of the ice, a massive rift valley had appeared.
Seawater churned violently at the edges of the rift, ice shards floating on the surface.
At the end of the rift was a frozen tidal wave.
A figure was embedded in that wave—Hanafuda.
The Warlord's limbs were twisted at unnatural angles. His dinosaur-head helmet was shattered and deformed.
Embedded in the ice, covered in blood, his breathing was faint. Yet, unbelievably, his eyes were still open.
Standing before him was a figure.
Sunlight reflected off the ice, casting a long shadow that silently declared the victor.
Roy Amos had won.
"Phew... As expected of an Ancient Zoan close to awakening. Tough bastard."
Roy's breathing was heavy.
For him, who had just barely grasped the basics of the 'Black Body Style,' that punch had placed a massive burden on his own body.
But without a doubt, he was satisfied with the result—the destruction around him was proof enough.
What surprised him was Hanafuda's resilience. Even after taking that punch head-on, the Warlord was still alive.
His vitality was truly monstrous.
Just as Roy was reflecting...
"Captain!" "Captain!" "Wait up!"
Voices from behind made Roy pause.
He turned to see Hans and Fal leaping from the warship and sprinting toward him.
And besides them...
"Moore? Lanster?"
Roy clearly saw two bandaged Marines on the deck, waving at him.
They were the two crew members who had gone missing in the initial bombardment.
"Captain... hah... hah..."
Soon, Hans and Fal reached him, panting heavily.
"We found Moore and Lanster in the bilge... they hid in the water tank room. No fatal injuries. And this... is a call from Headquarters..."
They handed Roy the Transponder Snail.
Hearing their report, Roy relaxed slightly.
He took the receiver. "Hello? Old man Viroth..."
He spoke casually, assuming it was his direct superior.
"Major Roy."
But the voice on the other end made him pause.
It wasn't Viroth. It was a voice far more authoritative and solemn.
A voice Roy recognized.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku?"
Roy had seen Sengoku at the annual mobilization meetings and demonstrations—that was how he'd gotten the Daibutsu fruit, after all.
"It's me."
Sengoku confirmed his identity.
Then...
"I've heard the situation from Viroth, but for confirmation... I'll repeat it."
"You defeated 'Lizard King' Hanafuda. Is that correct?"
His tone was calm—but the snail's serious expression betrayed his true feelings.
"Yeah."
Roy didn't deny it. "He's right in front of me. Still breathing."
"..."
Silence.
Even through the silence, Roy could feel the Fleet Admiral's shock.
After a moment...
"Major Roy, I'm afraid I have to tell you..."
Sengoku's voice was grave. He got straight to the point. "You cannot kill him."
Hearing this, Roy's expression remained unchanged. "Because he's a Warlord?"
"Exactly."
Sengoku declared. "The Seven Warlords of the Sea are one of the 'Three Great Powers' chosen by the Government. The Marines cannot attack them..."
Roy cut him off.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, I think you're mistaken about something."
"I didn't attack him. He attacked me. He fired on my ship, allowed 'Fire Fist' Ace to escape, critically injured two of my subordinates, and attempted to ram my vessel..."
Roy's voice was calm.
"A guy who tries to hurt my comrades... If you think a title like 'Warlord' is enough to make me back down—I don't remember joining that kind of Navy!"
By the end, his voice had risen to a shout.
Hans and Fal froze, then looked at Roy with eyes full of emotion.
Their Captain had taken down a Warlord for them, and now he was shouting at the Fleet Admiral for them. Who wouldn't be moved?
"..."
Sengoku fell silent again.
Faintly, Roy thought he heard the sound of boisterous laughter in the background on Sengoku's end. (Likely Garp.)
A moment later, Sengoku's voice returned, sounding a bit helpless. "Major Roy, I understand your feelings... The Marines are not as heartless as you say."
"Asking you to spare Hanafuda isn't just because of his title. There are other reasons."
This was clearly as much as he could reveal.
"I guarantee that if Hanafuda dares to retaliate against you, the World Government will strip him of his title and send an Admiral to hunt him down!"
His words were righteous and firm!
Then, he added quickly, "As for the two injured men on your ship, Seaman First Class Moore and Seaman Apprentice Lanster... Since their lives are not in danger, Headquarters will provide compensation and extra merits."
Hearing this, Roy shook his head. "No, Fleet Admiral. Even if there's compensation, it shouldn't come from Headquarters. Besides, you don't know the half of it. Aside from my two dear friends, my brothers-in-arms... my ship and I also suffered damage in the battle..."
As he spoke, the snail's expression grew stranger.
Finally, Sengoku interrupted Roy's exaggerated claims about having "twenty broken ribs and a comminuted fracture in his arm that might lead to permanent disability."
"Major Roy. Just state your demands."
He knew exactly what Roy was doing. This kid had this planned all along.
Hearing this, Roy smiled.
"The 'Lizard King' Hanafuda attacked me first and caused serious consequences. I hope he can provide adequate compensation."
"I heard he has a hobby of collecting Devil Fruits. So I hope he can offer two Devil Fruits... and, say, 2 billion Berries in cash as medical expenses for me and my brothers."
The dagger was revealed.
Hearing this, Sengoku seemed speechless again.
After a long pause, he said, "You are Zephyr's disciple. As far as I know, ability users cannot practice his 'Black Body Style'..."
"I know."
Roy interrupted him again.
He knew he couldn't eat a Devil Fruit openly, both to hide his identity and to continue his training with Zephyr.
But not being able to eat them didn't mean he couldn't acquire their abilities.
So...
"I'm asking for my subordinates."
Roy said righteously. "They want to become stronger. As their commander, it is my duty to help them!"
As his words fell, Hans and Fal were struck by lightning.
They looked at Roy in disbelief.
"Captain... you..."
What kind of care was this?
Yes—they had felt their own weakness deeply in the battle just now.
In that moment, they had indeed wished for strength.
But they knew they weren't geniuses.
And now... Roy had guessed their thoughts and was demanding precious Devil Fruits—treasures of the sea worth over 100 million each—for them?
Feeling this level of care, they felt warm and fuzzy inside.
"Captain! Don't worry! Even if I eat a fruit and become stronger than you, I definitely... cough... probably won't beat you up! You'll always be my Captain... Ouch!"
Hans's touching confession was cut short as Roy kicked him to the ground.
After dealing with the treacherous Hans, Roy continued speaking to the snail. "Anyway, as I said... Fleet Admiral Sengoku, these are my demands."
He looked up at the dying Hanafuda. "Do you think this request is excessive?"
Excessive?
Silence on the other end.
Then...
"Give the snail to Hanafuda. Let me speak to him alone."
The Fleet Admiral said softly.
"No problem."
Roy had no objections. He leaped into the air and tossed the snail onto Hanafuda's shoulder.
Landing back on the ice, he waved to Hans and Fal. "Come here. The Fleet Admiral wants a private chat with him. And Hans... you and I need to have a private chat too."
As the trembling Hans was dragged away by a gloating Fal, they could clearly hear Hanafuda's defiant voice.
"Sengoku! Don't be delusional! I will never..."
He clearly still had his pride as a powerhouse.
Even though he lost, he refused to compromise.
But...
"..."
As the voice on the snail continued to speak, Hanafuda's expression changed visibly.
Until finally.
The ferocity and malice vanished from the Warlord's face, leaving only a sullen gloom.
☆☆☆
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