Chapter 273: Guess!
When Mars spoke, the other Four Elders montarily froze.
Then, slowly, they shifted their attention back to the ongoing battle.
Sothing was off.
None of the Dragon Hunter Pirates were fighting in their usual way. Their coordination, tempo, and rhythm—everything was out of sync. Even their snipers, once feared as ghostly reapers on the battlefield, were now little more than bystanders watching the fight unfold. If they did engage, it was only against the Beast Pirates’ common foot soldiers.
They were still winning—but it looked exhausting. Forced. As if sothing critical was missing.
If Mars was right...
"Perururu..."
Saturn, deep in thought, imdiately pulled out his Den Den Mushi and made a call.
"Morgans."
The other elders looked over as he spoke into the snail’s receiver.
"Tell . Have the Dragon Hunter Pirates entered an abnormal state?"
"What do you an abnormal?" ca the squawking reply of Morgans, a mix of curiosity and caution lacing his tone.
"Are they no longer fighting in the way they’re best at?" Saturn asked directly.
There was silence on the other end, and even Morgans—always quick with a retort—was montarily stunned.
Where the hell did they get that idea?
But after watching the footage of the battle between Ryuunosuke and Kaido, Morgans couldn’t help but feel a sense of eerie confirmation.
"Lord Saturn, I can’t confirm sothing like that," Morgans finally said with a nervous chuckle. "I wasn’t there in person for their fight with the Beast Pirates. I just sell information, you know that. This is beyond my pay grade."
His tone suggested ignorance, but the quick pivot and denial spoke volus. Morgans already had a hunch what the Five Elders were planning.
But he didn’t care. If the World Governnt made a move against the Dragon Hunter Pirates now, it would just give him more headline-worthy chaos to profit from.
Saturn hung up the call without another word.
"You heard him," he said, folding his arms. "Morgans conveniently claims ignorance and suggests we stand down. That alone confirms he’s involved—or at least has ties to the Dragon Hunter Pirates."
He looked at the others with sharp eyes.
"This is the mont. The Dragon Hunter Pirates are vulnerable—especially their captain, Ryuunosuke."
"Are we going to strike?"
The question hung in the air like a storm cloud.
Mars sighed. "Strike? With who? The Navy?"
Everyone knew how that would go. The last encounter between the Navy and the Dragon Hunters ended in complete humiliation.
Sending them again would not only risk morale but also shake the Navy’s internal unity.
And as much as they disliked relying on the Navy, it was still a tool they couldn’t afford to break.
So who else?
"Use that." Topman said suddenly, his voice low but resolute.
"They’ve been prepared specifically for the Dragon Hunters. Now’s the ti to test them."
"If the gamble works, we could win this war without even fighting. And if we fail, at least we’ll understand the Dragon Hunters’ limits better."
"I’m in," Mars nodded. "It’s a worthy trade for the information we’ll get, win or lose."
The rest of the elders exchanged looks, then nodded in agreent.
It wasn’t the perfect move—but it was the best card they had to play right now.
---
anwhile, in the East Blue.
Makino’s Bar, Foosha Village.
A familiar hum of conversation filled the air as Shanks poured himself another drink. News of the fight between Ryuunosuke and Kaido had just reached him, and he was grinning from ear to ear.
"This kid never stops making headlines, huh?" he chuckled, raising his glass.
Across from him, Ben Beckman sat silently, frowning as he stared at the article. His silence spoke louder than words.
"Ryuunosuke?" Makino walked over, drying her hands with a towel. Her voice was tinged with warmth and disbelief. "He’s the one fighting Kaido now?"
She smiled fondly. She rembered watching Ryuunosuke set off to sea years ago—just a wild kid with big dreams and a bigger heart.
Now, he was going toe-to-toe with one of the Four Emperors.
"Yup," Shanks laughed. "Hand-to-hand, no less! This guy’s crazy!"
"And you’re what? Just another Emperor drinking on credit?" Makino raised an eyebrow. "Speaking of which—your tab’s overdue."
The smile vanished from Shanks’ face like a popped bubble.
"Ah... can I, uh, pay next week?"
Makino rolled her eyes. Beckman just smirked.
---
Elsewhere, on Mt. Colubo in the Goa Kingdom.
Garp munched on senbei, eyes locked on the screen showing Ryuunosuke’s battle.
"So... this brat finally realized he was heading in the wrong direction?"
He let out a loud crunch.
"Not bad. At least he’s adjusting."
But deep down, even Garp was shaken by Ryuunosuke’s progress. The speed at which this kid improved—it wasn’t normal.
"Garp!" called Dadan as she erged from the house. She looked at the screen and gasped. "That’s Ryuunosuke, isn’t it?! He used to live here! How the hell did he get so strong?! If he cos back, I’d gladly hand over my bandit crew to him!"
"You? The great mountain bandit, handing over your legacy?" Garp burst out laughing. "Forget being a bandit, this brat is halfway to becoming Pirate King!"
Dadan scowled, but she knew she couldn’t argue.
Even though Garp joked, there was a weight behind his words. A hidden concern.
He knew the world was watching Ryuunosuke now.
More importantly—the World Governnt would definitely act.
And when they did, they wouldn’t hold back.
This wasn’t like the old days, when he and Roger tead up to fight Rocks. Back then, the balance of power was still intact.
Now? Roger was gone.
And Garp himself—he wasn’t the man he once was.
"If the Dragon Hunters rise..." he muttered, more to himself than anyone, "...who will be there to stop them?"
The Celestial Dragons were scum in his eyes, but they maintained a delicate balance in the world.
If Ryuunosuke truly upended that system—if the old rules were shattered—then the world would plunge into chaos.
Would it all repeat again? The fall of the Void Century? The cries of revolution?
The wheel of history didn’t stop turning. And when it moved, it crushed the unprepared beneath it.
Garp said nothing more.
Dadan, sensing the weight in his silence, turned away and went back inside.
Check my Pâtreon for Advanced Chapters
Pâtreon /Fanficlord03
Change (â) to (a)
sdiscord.gg/MntqcdpRZ9
Reviews
All reviews (0)