Chapter 298
Before Vergo could continue, Zaraki appeared directly in his path.
One moment Zaraki had been behind the others; the next, raw physical speed had carried him between Vergo and Shirahoshi.
Zaraki glanced once at the bloodied Neptune behind him.
Then he punched.
BOOM—!!
Vergo disappeared.
His body tore through the outer wall of one tower, smashed through another section of ruined coral architecture, and finally vanished beneath collapsing stone farther down the street.
Silence returned.
...
One hour later, the worst of the rubble around the Hard-Shell Tower had been cleared into a temporary command area.
Smoke and blood still hung in the damp air while surviving royal guards rebuilt their defensive lines.
Neptune sat against a broken pillar under heavy bandages, with Fukaboshi nearby directing the cleanup despite his own injuries.
Zaraki stood a short distance away, studying a document that a CP0 courier had delivered to the Ryugu royal family only minutes earlier.
It was not addressed to him.
Across the top sat the name of one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
Knight of the Sea Jinbe.
The copy had been delivered to Neptune because the order directly concerned Fish-Man Island's existing political arrangement with the World Government.
"Warlord summons..."
Zaraki flicked the paper with one finger.
The old bastards' scheme was obvious enough that he could practically hear the gears turning from ten thousand meters above them.
"There are essentially two choices," Yamakaji said.
A fresh cigar rested between his teeth.
"Jinbe answers the summons and travels to Mary Geoise to reaffirm the existing agreement while the Reverie debates the future of the Warlord system."
He paused.
"Or he refuses, and the Government immediately begins the process of revoking his title and the protections attached to it."
Gion rested one hand on Konpira.
"If Jinbe refuses now, they can use that as justification to reopen the entire question of Fish-Man Island's protection."
Her expression hardened.
"Vergo has already proved that someone deliberately manipulated the situation here. We should report everything to Fleet Admiral Sengoku immediately."
Zaraki could already imagine the headache waiting on the other end of that call.
Before anyone could move—
Pururururu...
Pururururu...
A Den Den Mushi began ringing.
Zaraki raised an eyebrow and answered.
The snail's face immediately took on Ace's familiar expression.
"Zaraki."
Ace sounded unusually serious.
"Jinbe contacted Pops."
That immediately explained the call.
"He received the summons directly too," Ace continued. "The wording matches the copy they delivered to Neptune."
Everyone nearby grew quiet.
"They gave him the same two choices. If he refuses, they revoke his Warlord title."
Ace's voice became heavier.
"If he accepts, the notice says the Government will preserve Fish-Man Island's existing nonaggression arrangement while the Reverie decides what happens to the Warlord system."
Leverage.
Nothing more.
Zaraki leaned against the broken pillar.
"So they're tying the island to his neck."
"Pretty much."
Gion looked toward Yamakaji.
"We need Sengoku and Garp informed before this goes any further."
Yamakaji was already reaching for another Den Den Mushi when Zaraki raised a hand.
"Send the report."
Both Marines paused.
Zaraki's mouth curved faintly.
"But don't expect Headquarters to solve it for us."
His gaze dropped briefly toward the World Government document.
"If those old men are moving this many pieces at once, they're not planning to let the situation end with a polite meeting."
Gion frowned.
"That is exactly why you should be careful."
"I am."
Zaraki sounded almost offended.
She stared at him.
He stared back.
Neither said anything.
Yamakaji quietly decided not to become involved.
Then Zaraki turned his attention back to the call.
"Ace."
"Yeah?"
"There's something else."
The amusement disappeared from Zaraki's voice.
For a long time, he had deliberately avoided meddling too deeply in certain events he remembered from his previous life.
Changing too much, too early, could make future knowledge useless.
But the board had already been kicked apart.
The Five Elders were accelerating the Reverie, manipulating Warlords, sacrificing Vergo, and openly positioning forces around him.
Allowing another known disaster to develop untouched no longer seemed particularly clever.
"Tell Whitebeard to keep an eye on his own ship."
Ace went quiet.
"Especially Marshall D. Teach."
Silence answered him.
Zaraki continued.
"The fat bastard with the missing teeth."
Ace's tone dried instantly.
"Teach?"
"Yeah."
"Zaraki, that isn't funny."
"I'm not joking."
The words were simple enough that Ace stopped arguing.
Zaraki stared at the Den Den Mushi.
"I'm not telling you to cut him down because I said so. Just watch him."
His golden eyes narrowed.
"On this sea, the knife that gets you is sometimes the one you never thought you had to guard against."
Ace did not answer for several seconds.
When he finally spoke, the humor had vanished completely.
"I'll talk to Pops."
"Good."
Zaraki ended the call.
Then he picked up his sake.
Gion stared at him.
"What was that about?"
"Family trouble."
Zaraki took a drink.
...
The fish-man guards surrounding the temporary command area exchanged confused looks.
None of them understood Zaraki's warning, but the tension that had entered Ace's voice made its seriousness obvious.
Far away, Ace stared at the silent Den Den Mushi in his hand.
Then he dialed another number.
Pururururu...
Click.
"Gurararara!"
Whitebeard's familiar laugh came through immediately.
Ace drew in a breath.
"Pops."
"What is it?"
"Things on Fish-Man Island are under control."
Ace hesitated.
"Zaraki gave me a warning."
Whitebeard's laughter faded slightly.
"About what?"
"Teach."
There was a pause.
Ace tightened his fingers around the receiver.
"He told me to keep an eye on Marshall D. Teach."
Whitebeard did not answer immediately.
The faint sound of sake shifting inside a bowl came through the line.
Eventually, he spoke.
"That brat has a sharp eye for dangerous people."
Ace's chest tightened.
"So you believe him?"
"I said he has a sharp eye."
Whitebeard's tone grew firmer.
"I did not say I'm condemning one of my sons because another man is suspicious of him."
Ace lowered his gaze.
Whitebeard continued.
"I'll remember the warning."
That was more than Ace had expected.
"But this family doesn't survive by making every brother sleep with one eye open."
His voice carried the immovable certainty that had held the Whitebeard Pirates together for years.
"If Teach has done nothing, then he remains my son."
Ace slowly exhaled.
"I understand."
The call ended.
Whitebeard's confidence should have settled him.
Instead, Zaraki's warning remained lodged in Ace's thoughts like a thorn.
He knew Zaraki well enough by now to understand one thing.
That man did not waste serious words.
...
At the same time.
Calm Belt — Amazon Lily.
An official summons lay on the redwood table before Boa Hancock.
The room was unusually quiet.
Hancock stared down at the World Government seal with naked disgust.
"A summons?"
Her beautiful eyes narrowed.
"Those filthy men actually believe they can order me around?"
"Then refuse it."
Marigold stood beside the table with both feet planted firmly on the floor, one hand gripping her weapon.
"Zaraki-sama is still tied up in whatever scheme they arranged around Fish-Man Island. If the Five Elders expect us to answer this summons and then use us against him, they can forget it."
Sandersonia nodded.
"This timing is too convenient."
Her gaze remained fixed on the document.
"They suddenly move the Reverie forward, summon the Warlords, and drag Zaraki into another Government assignment at the same time?"
She shook her head.
"They're planning something."
Neither sister knew the exact scheme being discussed in Mary Geoise, but the pattern was ugly enough without inside information.
Hancock said nothing.
The coldness in her eyes deepened.
Of course she did not want to go.
Even seeing the words Mary Geoise on the order made something old and sickening tighten inside her stomach.
Then came the heavy tapping of a cane.
Tap.
Tap.
Tap.
Gloriosa entered the hall.
"Snake Princess."
Her aged voice carried none of its usual patience.
"There are some matters you cannot decide according to your temper alone."
The snake-headed staff struck the floor.
Thump!
"Enough recklessness."
Hancock's gaze turned cold.
Gloriosa did not retreat.