Sengoku and the others stood frozen in place.
That answer had completely blindsided them.
Sengoku had even steeled himself for the possibility of sacrificing personal ties for justice.
It felt like throwing a punch into cotton—nowhere for his anger to land.
And yet, the heavy weight on his chest quietly lifted.
The panic that had just clouded his face vanished. He glared and barked:
"Luo Yu, you reckless brat! How could you make that decision on your own? He's the Ope Ope no Mi user—you have no idea what he represents!"
"But… since this is your first offense, I'll let it slide."
"Still, you did manage to bring back a Warlord. That's impressive. I didn't expect that from you."
"So, I'll raise your bounty from 30 million to 50 million Berries. Just make sure you keep doing your job well."
Fifty million?
Luo Yu blinked.
So that's how high-ranking officials "discipline" people—by giving them a raise.
He glanced at Doflamingo, still playing dead in the corner, and chuckled as he took a swig of liquor.
"Much appreciated, Fleet Admiral Sengoku."
"Next time you need a Warlord brought in, you know who to call."
"Though I should warn you—Doffy's bounty might need to double next time. Better keep him from doing anything stupid."
Sengoku's face darkened slightly as he looked at Doflamingo being carried past on a stretcher.
As they passed, Sengoku sighed:
"Doflamingo, you heard that. Try staying on the right side of the law."
"Next time, I don't want to spend another fortune on you."
Doflamingo's eyelid twitched.
If not for the setting—and the fact that he knew he couldn't beat Luo Yu—he would've jumped off that stretcher and pummeled him.
What stunned him most wasn't being captured.
It was watching Trafalgar Law, whom he'd hoped to drag down with him, suddenly become the "grandson" in a touching family reunion.
And then, to top it off, Luo Yu was praised for "recruiting a Warlord" and got a 20 million raise.
To Doflamingo, it was like having his face dragged across the floor.
Brrrrrring! Emergency alert! Emergency alert! World Noble Saint Charlos has been attacked by pirates on Sabaody Archipelago! Marine HQ is requested to dispatch top-level Admiral forces immediately for deterrence!
The Den Den Mushi's urgent call rang out without warning.
Luo Yu raised an eyebrow, surprised.
In the original timeline, there was only one group bold enough to attack a Celestial Dragon on Sabaody.
If he remembered correctly, this was when the Supernovas made their debut.
But this time, the request specifically demanded an Admiral's presence.
Was this because the Celestial Dragons' prestige had been shaken after the incident at the Gates of Justice?
"A Celestial Dragon was attacked—and they're demanding an Admiral?"
Sengoku's expression shifted.
Tsuru's aide stepped forward with a report:
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, the attackers include several Supernovas. If our intel is correct, it's Monkey D. Luffy, Eustass Kid, and Trafalgar Law."
"Other Supernovas have also been spotted on Sabaody's Grove 1. If we want to capture them all, we'll need an Admiral."
"Also… eyewitnesses claim to have seen Silvers Rayleigh inside the auction house."
Silvers Rayleigh?
Sengoku's face changed dramatically.
If it were just the Supernovas, he wouldn't be too concerned.
But if the Dark King was involved, an Admiral was absolutely necessary.
"Sengoku, Akainu and Aokiji have already been dispatched to mobilize forces. Kizaru is coordinating with the science division and will need about an hour to deploy."
Tsuru said gravely.
"Luo Yu is closest to Sabaody. He could arrive in minutes. But… we'll need to prepare his bounty first."
"Another bounty?"
Sengoku's cheek twitched.
He glanced at Luo Yu, who was sipping his drink with a grin.
Gritting his teeth, Sengoku muttered:
"If I'd known this, I wouldn't have raised Doflamingo's bounty."
"This time, for the Celestial Dragon incident, I'll give you 10 million Berries. If you don't accept, I'll go myself."
"But listen carefully—you absolutely must not lay a hand on the Celestial Dragon. I won't be able to cover for you if you do."
Ten million Berries?
Smoker and the others were stunned.
If the world found out that a Celestial Dragon was being priced like a slave in the auction house—at just ten million—they couldn't imagine the reaction.
Luo Yu took another sip, raised his gourd, and grinned:
"Deal, Fleet Admiral Sengoku. Ten million it is. Better than nothing. I'll be back soon."
"Smoker, wait for me at Dock No. 1."
With that, Luo Yu stepped forward and vanished like a ghost.
In the blink of an eye, he reappeared hundreds of meters away, shooting through the air like an arrow.
Watching him disappear in just a few breaths, Sengoku's cheek twitched again.
"Turns out, nothing motivates that brat like bounty money."
"I thought he'd haggle," Sengoku muttered.
"But he was surprisingly quick to accept—especially with Law and the Celestial Dragon involved. That's a first."
"Ahem. Sengoku," Tsuru coughed.
"Seeing how generous you were with the bounty earlier, I wasn't going to say anything, but… I should probably tell you."
"Tashigi just reported that five days ago, Doflamingo called the Five Elders for help. Luo Yu… beat him up again right in front of them."
"So that brat probably wants you to take the heat for it."
"He hit someone in front of the Five Elders? And now I'm the one taking the fall?"
Sengoku's face froze.
He'd been sold out—and even thanked the seller while counting his money.
And he'd been so cheerful about it, too.
Remembering how smug he'd been just moments ago, Sengoku exploded:
"That damned brat! Garp, you heard that! He's bold enough to sell me out—who knows what he'll do next?"
"And what are you counting on your fingers for? Spit it out before I lose my patience!"
"You really want to know?"
Garp blinked, then scratched the back of his head and coughed awkwardly.
"Ahem… Sengoku, your tastes are getting weird. But since you insist…"
"I was calculating—if I'm Luo Yu's honorary grandpa, and you're his honorary grandson, then what does that make you to me?"
"GET OUT!"