"The Navy didn't come looking for trouble with you?"
After being happy for a while over the good news, Sherwin asked curiously.
Because newspapers couldn't reach the Calm Belt, he had no idea how far Morgans had gone with the report.
But considering that Akainu had even lost the position of Fleet Admiral because of it, Morgans clearly hadn't just "leaked a bit of information."
And that was indeed the case. When Morgans reported this news, he upheld his usual "fair and objective" stance, fully showcasing the traits of journalism and bluntly raising the importance of the matter by several levels.
He even gained the support of several other Seven Warlords of the Sea. In that report, he also included the attitudes of Doflamingo, Moria, and Cavendish toward the incident.
As a result, Akainu—who had originally been favored by the World Government—received no support at all from the upper ranks in this incident, and the entire process of the Fleet Admiral replacement went extremely smoothly.
It was precisely because Aokiji rise this time met no resistance that Sakazuki did not leave the Navy and continued serving as a Navy Admiral.
But considering Sakazuki personality, Sherwin felt that even if he had lost the duel to Aokiji, he wouldn't have left the Navy anyway.
And in the manga, if Kuzan hadn't been clearly recommended by Sengoku only to be forcibly vetoed by the World Government, he probably wouldn't have quit the Navy either.
So in the eyes of the World Government, even Navy Admirals were really no different from dogs.
"Hahahahaha! The Navy doesn't have the spare time to come after me right now. Besides, this failure on the Navy side needed an excuse and someone to take responsibility anyway. You can only say Sakazuki was unlucky enough to run straight into it."
Morgans spoke with undisguised smugness.
At first, Sherwin couldn't figure out what he had to be so pleased about, but it quickly dawned on him—
With that bird scheming nature, he had probably already coordinated with the World Government before helping him with that little favor. And as for the World Government, leaving everything else aside, their ability to dump blame was truly outstanding.
Just as mentioned earlier, they basically never considered the Navy feelings at all, and dragging Akainu out to take the fall was absolutely something they would do.
Sure enough, right after that Morgans continued, "Actually, at the very beginning, the one who was supposed to 'resign to take responsibility' was Sakazuki. It was Sengoku who voluntarily took the blame for him.
The World Government, considering that Akainu is younger and that it still necessary to preserve the Navy combat strength, simply went along with it and agreed. So even for Sengoku sake, there no way he'd come looking for trouble with me."
Only then did Sherwin finally feel completely at ease.
Whether the World Government or the Navy would come looking for trouble wasn't actually that important. Sherwin wasn't afraid of them at all.
What really mattered was that their attitude would determine whether the Dyna Stone he had already negotiated with Kody could actually be delivered.
After chatting idly with Morgans for a bit longer and picking up some intelligence on other matters, Sherwin ended the call.
However, he didn't leave right away. Instead, he rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
Should I give Uncle Koby a call and urge him about the Dynamite Stone?
He hadn't pressed the matter before for two reasons. First, they were in the Calm Belt, so there was no time to carry out the handover anyway. Second, when dealing with BIG·MOM, he really hadn't contributed much, so he felt a bit guilty about it…
Yeah, still too thin-skinned.
But now the situation was different. That unlucky Sakazuki had already taken the blame. Even though both sides clearly understood that it was just an excuse, the matter had already been settled, so there was no need for Sherwin to feel guilty anymore.
Still, after hesitating for a while, he ultimately didn't call Koby.
Morgans report about the Fleet Admiral replacement hadn't even been released yet. If he called now to press the issue, wouldn't it make him seem far too eager?
And at this point, Sherwin gradually realized something else as well…
Once the Dyna Stone ended up in the hands of those two Bomb Cats, Klee Meow and Jinx, who knew what kind of commotion they'd stir up. Naturally, the longer he could delay it, the better. Why rush to urge it himself?
Having figured this out, Sherwin decisively tossed the Dyna Stone matter to the back of his mind, then jogged back to the deck and started a new round of cat-petting.
"Meow?"
(°ω°≡°ω°)
Klee Meow, who had entered the forest together with the gathering team, was walking along when she suddenly shuddered and began looking around.
"What wrong, Klee?" Haibara Meow, who was nearby digging up herbs with a "hnng, hnng," looked over and asked curiously, "Did you notice something, meow?"
"Mm… Klee suddenly had a bad feeling just now… it feels a bit like when someone wants to trick Klee, meow."
(=ˇˇ=)
The little ragdoll cat pursed her lips and looked at Haibara Meow with a face full of vigilance.
"Could it be that Big Sister Ai, you're planning something bad again?!"
"I'm busy collecting herbs right now! I don't even have the time to trick you, meow!"
(=`へ=)
The wronged little milk cat protested indignantly.
"But here, other than Big Sister Ai, there no one else who'd be this malicious, meow."
(ω)
Having been fooled too many times, Klee Meow didn't easily believe Haibara Meow explanation and remained in a cautious, guarded stance.
Faced with the little ragdoll accusation, Haibara Meow really lacked the confidence to refute it—after all, she had indeed tricked Klee Meow quite a few times before.
However…
The little milk cat glanced around at their surroundings.
The Kuja gathering team, Huamei, Link Meow, and…
"Isn't there also Sanji Meow?! He often teases you too, meow!"
(=`ω=)σ
Haibara Meow swiftly locked onto a perfect "scapegoat."
"Meow?"
σ(°ω°=)
The little yellow cat who was collecting ingredients he had never seen before, but suddenly got called out, looked completely confused.
"But Sanji Meow didn't have any bad intentions just now, meow. On the contrary, Big Sister Haibara Meow, it seems like you were plotting something bad, meow."
Klee Meow remained unmoved.
The little ragdoll who could sense other emotions wasn't casually framing Haibara Meow—she had clearly felt it. Just now, Haibara Meow really had been calculating how to do something bad.
The little ragdoll perception was, of course, never wrong. It was just that…
"I wasn't targeting you at all!"
(=н=)
Haibara Meow pulled out a strangely shaped mushroom and explained, "I was just thinking about how to feed this thing to that idiot Sherwin, meow."
Hearing that Haibara Meow was planning to mess with Sherwin, Klee Meow immediately got interested. She trotted over eagerly and carefully examined the mushroom in Haibara Meow hand.
"If Klee remembers right, that big sister said this is a 'Cry mushroom ,' meow?"
(=ω=)
"That right, it a Cry mushroom . After eating it, you can't help but cry. Its effect is exactly the opposite of a 'Laugh mushroom,' meow…"
Haibara Meow shook the mushroom in her hand, then tempted her in a voice like a devil whisper. "Don't you want to see what that idiot Sherwin looks like when he crying, meow?"
The little ragdoll, who had already been very interested in messing with Sherwin, nodded her head furiously at this point.
"Yes, yes! Klee wants to see it, meow! Just imagining Sherwin crying already sounds really funny, meow!"
(=＞＜=)
And so, the little ragdoll tossed that earlier strange premonition to the back of her mind and huddled together with Haibara Meow, whispering and scheming about how to mess with Sherwin.
Off to the side, Sanji Meow wore a conflicted expression.
Messing with Sherwin was certainly something he enjoyed seeing, but using food to prank someone was something this chef cat found hard to accept.
However, the Investigation Team hierarchy had always been Lord Huamei first, the kittens of the children group second. Sanji Meow also understood that he couldn't stop them, so after a brief struggle, the little yellow cat wisely chose to pretend he hadn't heard anything at all…
Anyway, if Little Sister Haibara Meow was the one doing it, she would probably turn the Cry mushroom into a potion. That way, it wouldn't count as wasting food, meow!
Sanji Meow silently found a justification for Haibara Meow in his heart.
...
"Huh?!"
Sherwin, who was on the ship petting cats, suddenly shuddered, feeling a chill creep up his back…
[What wrong, meow? Brother Sherwin?]
(=ω=)
Dodo curiously poked at him, and Shermie Meow beside him also lifted her head to look over.
"I don't know why, but I suddenly have a bad feeling."
Sherwin rubbed the back of his neck, which had inexplicably turned cold, and answered with a serious expression.