Chapter 301: Waves Beneath the Calm, The Choice of the Elderly
Over an hour had passed since Zephyr left the sea.
"Captain, are you really just going to let him go like that?" Najenda asked, closing her notebook with a soft snap, confusion flickering in her eyes. "We finally secured a promise from soone as strong as Zephyr... isn’t it a waste to let him walk away so easily?"
"If he keeps his word," Ryuunosuke replied calmly, his tone as composed as ever, "he’ll contribute significantly when we go to war with Mary Geoise."
"But still..." Najenda trailed off, clearly hesitant. The weight of letting such a powerful ally go unsettled her.
"There’s no need," Ryuunosuke said flatly, brushing her concern aside with a faint smile tugging at his lips. "When it cos to the war against the Celestial Dragons, the Dragon Hunter Pirates alone will be enough."
He paused for a mont, then added, "Honestly, I’d prefer if the Whitebeard Pirates didn’t get involved at all."
Najenda’s eyes narrowed. "Because you’re not completely confident?"
"Exactly," Ryuunosuke admitted with surprising ease. Even when acknowledging his own uncertainty, he spoke with the sa quiet confidence that always surrounded him. That unwavering aura — calm, fearless, sure — was sothing Najenda had only seen in one person: him.
"I understand," she said softly.
"Should we begin preparations?" she asked after a beat. "There’s less than a month left before our planned strike on the World Governnt. Or... should we move up the schedule?"
Ryuunosuke had been preoccupied lately with other matters — political moves, alliances, consolidating power — but not much had been done to prepare for the actual war. This inconsistency had left Najenda puzzled. He had said he wasn’t confident in victory... shouldn’t that an they needed to prepare even more?
Ryuunosuke shook his head slightly. "There’s still one thing I need to take care of first. We’re going to find Gild Tesoro."
He pulled out a rolled-up nautical chart, spread it across the table, and tapped a red-marked location with his finger — Grand Entertainnt City, the golden capital of Gild Tesoro.
Najenda gave a firm nod, understanding without needing further explanation. She left the room and headed straight to Nojiko — all navigation matters aboard the ship were now in her capable hands.
---
anwhile, the New World had grown unusually quiet.
The silence wasn’t reassuring — it was the silence before a storm.
The Dragon Hunter Pirates had been moving in secret, their trail covered, their presence almost invisible to outsiders. Yet anyone with a sharp mind could sense that chaos was approaching. The World Governnt, for one, had certainly noticed.
Marijoa was buzzing with nervous energy. The governnt was frantically stockpiling weapons. Even the usually untouchable Holy Land was being fortified. Guards patrolled in unfamiliar uniforms — soldiers no one had ever seen before. Reinforcents from hidden branches of the World Governnt, perhaps?
The Celestial Dragons were rattled.
Fisher Tiger and Rocks D. Xebec had already proven that people were willing — and able — to challenge their divine status. Now, with the Dragon Hunter Pirates poised to strike, even the most arrogant of the world nobles had begun to move... or rather, run.
Because when death cos knocking, titles an nothing.
At the sa ti, the captains of the Dragon Hunter Pirates had begun to converge in the New World.
Surprisingly, the World Governnt didn’t dispatch forces to intercept them. Perhaps they couldn’t afford to. Most of the naval resources were tied up defending Mary Geoise. Sending fleets to chase scattered pirates would only weaken their main line of defense.
Warships now lined the waters beneath the Holy Land. A living wall of steel, prepared to serve as the first blockade against the Dragon Hunter Pirates. Admirals and vice admirals were already gathering at the capital. The Navy’s forces in the New World? Left with only basic garrisons.
No one else dared to challenge the Navy — not now, not with this looming war on the horizon. Everyone was waiting to see who would survive this clash between titans.
---
At Navy Headquarters, the mood was heavy.
"Hey, Garp... are we really just going to sit this one out?" Sengoku asked, pacing the room, his brows furrowed in concern. Though he had stepped down as Fleet Admiral, his heart still beat for the Navy.
"What’s the alternative?" Garp replied, voice nonchalant as he leaned back in his chair, chewing on a rice cracker. "Even if I went, I’d be no match for that brat Ryuunosuke. And worse, I’d put him in a tough spot. He wouldn’t go all out against ."
He glanced at Sengoku. "I’m not about to use our relationship to shield those celestial trash."
Only Garp could call the World Nobles "trash" out loud and not get executed on the spot.
"He’s right," said Tsuru, her tone cool and asured. "We already saw enough in our last encounter with the Dragon Hunter Pirates. Even that old monster Fengyue was forced to retreat. Whether we join or not won’t change the outco."
She hesitated for a second, then added, "I just hope our neutrality earns the Dragon Hunters’ rcy... at least for the Navy."
That last statent surprised even her.
As the Navy’s forr Chief of Staff, Tsuru had never shown pirates any sympathy. She’d despised even the Seven Warlords. But after several run-ins with Ryuunosuke’s crew — especially how they spared Gion multiple tis — her rigid stance had... softened.
It was a strange feeling.
"That red-haired brat seems to be stirring things up in the East Blue," Garp said suddenly, mouth full again. "Wanna co with and check out what Shanks is planning?"
"Shanks?" Tsuru raised a brow. "That man is... dangerous. And his stance is always so unclear."
"Exactly," Sengoku muttered, thinking aloud. "He’s the only pirate who can walk straight into Marijoa and talk to the Five Elders. That level of influence... there’s more to him than just a Yonko title."
"Let’s go then," Garp stood up, stretching. "Could be interesting."
"By the way, is that old guy Yakos still in East Blue?" Sengoku asked, recalling soone from the past — a forr comrade who had once rivaled Garp in fa during the days of chasing Roger.
"Who knows," Garp said with a shrug. "And I don’t care."
If Yakos had heard that, he’d have probably blown a fuse.
But Sengoku and Tsuru rely smiled, used to Garp’s bluntness.
"Alright then. Let’s get moving before the World Governnt tries to summon us," Tsuru said, pulling out a Den Den Mushi to prepare their ship.
"Beru... Beru... Beru..."
At that mont, Garp’s own Den Den Mushi rang.
"Hm? Kuzan?" he answered casually. "Aren’t you off doing your own thing? Why call now?"
"Mr. Garp," Kuzan’s voice ca through the line, calm but serious. "I’ve found Blackbeard’s trail."
Garp straightened. "...And?"
"I plan to join them."
The words dropped like a bomb.
Even Garp, who rarely showed surprise, froze.
Join Blackbeard?
No matter what Kuzan’s motives were, this was massive. The Whitebeard remnants and the Dragon Hunters were still hunting Blackbeard. If Kuzan joined him — infiltrating or otherwise — it would cause waves throughout the entire sea.
"...Why?" Garp asked quietly, not scolding, not judging — just trying to understand.
Because he knew Kuzan.
And Kuzan never did anything without a reason.
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