"Thirty million Berries?"
Luo Yu was genuinely surprised.
He had thought squeezing 20 million out of them was already a good deal.
He never expected Sengoku to be this generous.
This was practically free money!
As Luo Yu fell silent, Sengoku tensed, preparing to probe further.
But before he could speak, a loud, unexpected laugh echoed through the Den Den Mushi.
"Hahaha! Who would've thought a so-called Warlord is worth more than the four of us special combatants?"
"I'm dying to see what this guy looks like!"
"Fujitora, Nagli—you've been outpriced!"
"As for us two giants who haven't shown our faces in a century… well, I guess pride is optional!"
The hearty laughter reverberated through the strategy hall, and everyone's expression changed instantly.
CRACK!
Sengoku crushed the Den Den Mushi in his hand.
Even Tsuru looked visibly shaken.
That voice had come out of nowhere—but the implications were staggering.
Two giants from a hundred years ago.
Nagli, the man who once challenged the Pirate King and was thought dead for decades, now confirmed alive and wielding top-tier Conqueror's Haki.
And Fujitora—previously declared a failed recruitment by Akainu himself, a man Sengoku had ranked as Admiral-level.
Perhaps the first three special combatants Luo Yu had recruited weren't familiar to everyone.
But Fujitora? No one in the room could pretend not to know that name.
And now, Luo Yu's ship had three confirmed special combatants aboard.
Even if they weren't all on Fujitora's level, each one was a monster in their own right.
Six days ago, Luo Yu had claimed he'd find eight or nine special combatants.
Most had dismissed it as a joke—even Sengoku.
They thought if he found half, it would be a miracle.
But now, in just six days, he had nearly half the list.
And even brought aboard Fujitora—the one Sengoku himself had failed to recruit.
The war room fell into stunned silence.
Staring at the shattered Den Den Mushi on the table, Tsuru finally spoke:
"Sengoku, are you going to call him again?"
"Because honestly… his face seems more valuable than a Warlord's."
As Chief Strategist, Tsuru had already pieced it together.
A century-old giant. A man who once challenged the Pirate King. An Admiral-level swordsman.
No matter their strength, gathering such monsters onto one ship required more than just power.
It required presence.
Even Sengoku couldn't have done it.
Everyone turned to look at Sengoku.
Even Akainu, face dark as ever, had a flicker of shock in his eyes.
But this time, he said nothing.
Because Tsuru's words left no room for rebuttal.
Feeling the shift in the room, Sengoku rubbed his temples.
"That brat… he really is the most unpredictable man on the seas."
"Four monsters in six days. I thought his 'eight or nine' claim was a joke."
"Turns out I underestimated him."
"Tsuru, prep two or three hundred million in bounty funds. I want to see what kind of demons and devils he brings to the battlefield."
"As for calling him again? Forget it. His face might really be worth more than a Warlord's."
The gathered admirals and vice admirals were stunned.
They never expected the Fleet Admiral himself to say something so… irresponsible.
But somehow—it felt good to hear.
"Vergo, why are you sweating? Is that coat too hot?"
Fire Fist Vice Admiral chuckled, cigar in mouth.
"Or are you just scared of the lineup on Luo Yu's ship?"
"I really want to see Doflamingo's face when he meets Admiral Luo Yu."
Vergo's teacup cracked in his hand.
He was doing everything he could to stay composed.
But even Sengoku had lost his cool and crushed the Den Den Mushi.
That alone said everything.
Luo Yu's ship was now a floating den of monsters.
If his young master Doflamingo didn't realize what he was walking into…
Vergo didn't even want to imagine the consequences.
"Vergo," Tsuru said suddenly, "you'll be staying with me for now. I need someone to help manage intel on the Yonko. You won't be leaving HQ's intel division until further notice."
She quickly named a few others as well.
Vergo's face turned ashen.
Being assigned to the intel division meant he wouldn't be able to contact Doflamingo before the war.
He had no choice but to accept.
All he could do now was pray that his young master would know when to back down.
As the meeting concluded, Sengoku issued a gag order.
The identities of the four special combatants mentioned during the call would be kept under wraps.
He wanted to preserve the mystery surrounding Luo Yu's growing crew.
He was genuinely curious—what kind of monsters would that brat gather by the time war broke out?
Three days later, over a hundred nautical miles from Dressrosa…
Vice Admiral Momonga stood at the lookout, eyes scanning the horizon.
When he spotted the massive silhouette of a warship approaching, his face lit up with joy.
"Men! Prepare to receive Admiral Luo Yu!"
"And send another Warlord Summons to Doflamingo. I want to see if he still dares act tough when Luo Yu arrives in person."
His adjutant, watching the usually stoic Momonga now grinning like a child, couldn't help but chuckle.
"Vice Admiral… this is a matter of life and death for Marine HQ. Admiral Luo Yu may not follow the rules—but for the sake of the Navy, he might just break them in the right direction."