"He tripped?"
Everyone's facial muscles twitched.
They'd seen people lie with a straight face before—
But never with skin this thick.
—
A future Warlord of the Sea—
Tripped on flat ground, broke both legs, and ended up wrapped like a mummy?
Who would believe that?
Even Momonga probably didn't believe himself.
—
Only Garp's eyes lit up. He was the first to speak:
"This Warlord really is just a kid. So clumsy! Must've fallen from quite a height. Sengoku, better get the medics—can't let him suffer long-term damage!"
—
Sengoku froze, his face twitching.
But at this point, he had no choice but to play along.
"Ahem. Garp's right. Kids fall all the time. Momonga, go fetch a doctor."
—
"Yeah, yeah! That old lady said he's a child. Mischievous, that's all."
"Haha, just a normal accident! Nothing serious!"
"Looks treatable to me!"
—
The crowd erupted.
Hundreds—thousands—joined in.
—
Watching the tide turn, even Miss Bakkin was stunned.
Spandine looked like he might cough up blood.
—
Was this… a live-action gaslighting session?
—
"Sengoku! You've gone too far!" Spandine shrieked.
"If falling can do this, then show me! Fall like that yourself!"
—
"And what about Zephyr gathering ten thousand Marines in the plaza? If you can't explain that, I'll report you to the Five Elders!"
—
Miss Bakkin, seeing an opening, jumped in:
"CP0, you must stand up for Weevil! He's the Five Elders' chosen Warlord! They're spitting in the Elders' faces!"
—
Sengoku and the others froze.
They could lie with a straight face, sure.
But under scrutiny?
They had no answer.
—
Then Luoyu took a sip of his liquor and said calmly:
"Square dancing."
—
"That many people in the plaza? Obviously preparing for a square dance."
"As for how he fell—I can use you as a demonstration."
—
BOOM.
The air trembled.
Time itself seemed to pause.
—
A crushing pressure descended like an invisible hand.
—
Multicolored magic circles bloomed beneath Luoyu's feet.
Nine layers of radiant sigils spiraled into the sky.
—
Spandine looked up, breath caught in his throat.
He hadn't expected Luoyu to go off-script.
—
Thousands gathered… for square dancing?
What kind of madness was this?
—
Even Sengoku's face twitched.
But at this point, they had no choice but to let Luoyu handle it.
—
"CP0, you saw it. Weevil got crushed under this kind of pressure. You want justice? Be my guest."
—
Miss Bakkin screamed in terror.
Spandine and the CP agents turned pale.
—
If even the Five Elders' chosen Warlord couldn't survive this—
What chance did they have?
—
The magic above grew heavier by the second.
Spandine felt like he was about to be crushed.
—
"Ready?" Luoyu asked, taking another swig.
"Better activate your Armament Haki. Otherwise, you might end up paralyzed."
—
The CP agents turned ashen.
Spandine trembled.
Staring at the sky-splitting magic, he cracked.
"No! Admiral Luoyu, Vice Admiral Momonga was right! He really did trip!"
"I'll report everything to the Five Elders. If there's nothing else—we'll be going now!"
—
He turned and bolted.
So fast, so smooth, it stunned the crowd.
—
Was this… surrender by gaslight?
—
The remaining CP agents didn't wait.
They scattered like rats.
—
In seconds, over a hundred agents vanished.
—
Miss Bakkin, who had just found her "lifeline," was left speechless.
She hadn't expected it to snap so fast.
—
Then Luoyu looked at her.
She shivered.
"He really did trip!" she blurted.
—
With that, the magic circles dissolved.
The crushing pressure vanished.
—
Sengoku and the others felt a weight lift from their chests.
They glanced again at Weevil on the stretcher.
—
For the first time, they realized—
Lying in the name of justice… felt kind of good.
—
Ain stepped forward.
"Master Zephyr, I'm sorry. I was too slow. I didn't mean to mislead you…"
"But… if you're still set on leaving, I won't stay behind."
—
Zephyr looked at the broken Weevil, stunned by how far things had gone.
He saw the anxious faces around him.
Then he laughed.
"Why are you all looking at me like that?"
"Luoyu gave me such a generous gift—why would I leave now?"
"Luoyu, you little brat. You lie with a straight face better than anyone I've met. I like it. I chose well."
—
The crowd erupted in relief.
—
Luoyu adjusted his glasses.
"Old man Zephyr, I wasn't lying."
"You gathered ten thousand people. You still owe us a square dance."
"Bring Sengoku along. What if the Five Elders ask him to lead the first number?"
—
Sengoku's smile froze.
Once again—
He was the one left holding the bag.
—
But before he could respond, Tsuru's aide came running, face pale.
—