After the dust of battle settled, Ryuunosuke vanished from the battlefield.
Three figures remained behind, standing silently amidst the chaos, the weight of recent events pressing down on them.
"Garp, what Ryuunosuke said... it wasn't just a warning," Tsuru said solemnly.
"It was also advice," Sengoku added.
Garp shook his head and stood slowly. "Let make myself clear first," he said, brushing dirt from his cape. "If you're expecting to protect those Celestial Dragon scumbags, forget it."
His voice was gruff, unwavering.
"I'm just a consultant now. I hold no real power. And even if the Celestial Dragons want to strip of that title, I couldn't care less. I'm heading back to the East Blue."
With that, Garp turned and walked away, his departure as resolute as his words.
Sengoku and Tsuru exchanged glances. Neither spoke, but their expressions conveyed the sa emotion: helplessness. Garp's stance had sparked sothing within them—a reluctant understanding.
Protecting the Celestial Dragons... How could they justify it?
If it weren't for the Celestial Dragons' reckless actions, they would never have provoked the wrath of the Dragon Hunter Pirates.
Worse, two new and formidable faces had erged among the crew: Captain liodas of the Fourth Division, and a man nad Ban.
One could absorb attacks, store the energy, and release it in devastating counterattacks.
The other? Practically immortal.
Ban had survived not one but two full-force blows from that Man.
Just how many secrets did the Dragon Hunter Pirates hold?
One thing was certain: the Navy could no longer stop them.
"Let's go," Sengoku said with a sigh. "We're just consultants now. Let Sakazuki deal with this ss."
He turned and walked away. Tsuru followed, her silence saying more than words.
Though pride still clung to their seasoned hearts, Garp's refusal had made their choice clear. Still, years in command made it difficult to simply walk away.
But denial would change nothing.
---
At the frontlines...
"Stop."
Ryuunosuke stepped forward, slamming the Blue Blade into the ground.
A wave of icy wind burst outward, chilling the battlefield in an instant.
At once, the mbers of the Dragon Hunter Pirates obeyed. They fell back, regrouping behind their captain.
"Sakazuki!" Ryuunosuke called, voice calm yet nacing. "If you still want to fight... then I'll gladly entertain you."
A wicked smirk crept onto his face.
"Oh, and one more thing. If you don't retreat now, the entire Navy Headquarters will go down with you."
He stood tall, gaze condescending. Every word was designed to provoke.
Overhead, a News Coo circled, cara rolling.
No matter what Sakazuki chose, it would play in Ryuunosuke's favor.
If Sakazuki insisted on fighting, he'd be seen as a warmonger, endangering thousands of lives.
If he backed down, he'd appear weak.
Sakazuki's face turned crimson. He knew he was being played, but couldn't do a damn thing about it.
Ryuunosuke's presence here ant he had defeated—or at least escaped—the three forr Fleet Admiral advisors.
There was no more fight left in this battle.
"Enough!" Sakazuki barked. "If anyone still wants to fight, they can fight first!"
Just then, a powerful voice echoed from the edge of the battlefield.
"That won't be necessary."
A new group strode in, led by none other than the man with the Face Fruit—Shanks.
"Hmph. So even the Four Emperors are joining in now?" Sakazuki muttered. "Withdraw!"
Shanks' arrival gave him the perfect excuse. Facing two emperor-class pirate crews was suicide.
"Well well... you're right on ti, Shanks," Ryuunosuke said, smirking.
He could guess why the Red-Haired Emperor had co.
Not that it mattered.
The steady flow of system notifications in his mind told him all he needed: his reputation was skyrocketing.
He had no intention of destroying the Navy. This was enough.
As the last Navy ships disappeared over the horizon, Ryuunosuke plopped down on the ground.
"Najenda, break out the good stuff. Make sure Shanks and his crew are treated like honored guests."
"On it, Captain," Najenda replied, already organizing the feast.
"I brought so, too Ruoz, fetch the wine and at from the ship! Let's throw a proper celebration!" Shanks added cheerfully.
Soon, only Ryuunosuke and Shanks remained at the center of the battlefield. The others dispersed to prepare the banquet.
This was how pirates celebrated.
Victory ant food, laughter, and overflowing drinks.
"Ryuunosuke, I need to ask you sothing..."
"No."
Shanks blinked.
"If this is about the World Governnt, save your breath. You can't stop , Shanks."
The red-haired emperor chuckled, scratching his head. "Fair enough. I figured you'd say that."
He sat down across from Ryuunosuke.
"In that case, let ask sothing else. Do you know about the secret of the East Blue?"
Ryuunosuke's smile faded.
The secret of the East Blue?
It was widely mocked as the weakest of the four seas—a pirate retirent ho.
Rookies from the East Blue were seen as jokes compared to veterans from the Grand Line or New World.
But Ryuunosuke, a ti traveler, had heard whispers of another theory.
The East Blue was not just the starting point. It was also the end.
A place that held deep, ancient secrets.
And then there was the Sea King—the one that had bitten off Shanks' arm.
That wasn't just any sea beast.
In theory, Shanks, with his Haki, could've scared off or even killed most Sea Kings just by standing still.
Yet he lost an arm.
He had once claid that he staked his future on the East Blue... with that very arm.
The popular interpretation was that it was a symbolic act, a warning to Luffy about the dangers of the sea.
But Ryuunosuke never bought into that.
One arm for a lesson? From an Emperor?
No, sothing was different about that Sea King.
And now, with Shanks asking this question...
"Is this about your arm?" Ryuunosuke asked quietly. "Or about that unusual Sea King?"
Shanks didn't answer imdiately.
But his eyes told the truth.
Ryuunosuke was right.
Whatever was hidden in the East Blue... Shanks was part of it.
Check my Pâtreon for (40) advanced chapters
Pâtreon /Fanficlord03
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