After the battle ended, Sanji, who had been hiding in a corner the whole time, was drenched in cold sweat. His cigarette fell from his mouth, which hung open in shock.
What kind of monstrous freaks just showed up?!
Wasn't that Crocodile?!
And the others looked even more terrifying, what the hell was going on?!
The sheer chaos and spectacle had overwhelmed Sanji, making him forget all about chasing the Sea Train. When he finally came back to his senses, only the unconscious Usopp was left behind. Even Franky had been taken away.
Steadying himself, he knew there was no point in overthinking. What mattered now was finding his crewmates. Without hesitation, he picked up Usopp and hurried off.
"Iceburg, right? You okay?"
Shiranami Hakusei strolled confidently into Iceburg's office, completely at ease. With his knowledge of future events, he knew everyone's location down to the last detail.
Seeing the wrecked office and the injured Iceburg, Hakusei didn't need to ask what had just happened.
"…You are?" Iceburg blinked. One wave of chaos had just ended, and now another stranger walked in. He was too mentally drained to deal with this.
"Don't misunderstand. I'm not from the World Government. I'm here to commission a ship," Hakusei said with a calm smile.
Iceburg's expression immediately turned dark. Was this guy here to mess around? Didn't he see the state of things? And now he wanted to talk about shipbuilding?
"Sorry, I don't think any shipwrights will be working for a while. Try somewhere else."
But before his words finished echoing, Iceburg's pupils shrank. He noticed the people behind Hakusei, Crocodile and Waldo, and his heart filled with unease.
"What the hell? Why are a Warlord and that madman here?"
Though he didn't recognize Hakusei or Redfield, Iceburg was well aware of Warlord Crocodile and the infamous Waldo. As the mayor of Water 7, he'd studied up on the major players.
Hakusei, understanding the current situation in Water 7, got straight to the point.
"We're not asking you to work for free. I'll grant you one request, and I guarantee I can make it happen."
Iceburg's body stiffened.
"I… I don't have any requests. Please just leave."
"You don't need to hide anything from me. I know all about you… and your relationship with Franky."
Hakusei wasn't interested in dragging things out.
Iceburg's eyes widened in shock.
"Who the hell are you?! What do you want?!"
"You don't need to know who I am. All you need to know is this, our deal is simple. You make me a ship, and in exchange, I'll grant you one wish. That's it."
Iceburg's expression shifted rapidly. He glanced at the silent Crocodile and Waldo behind Hakusei. Despite their power, both seemed to follow this young man's lead.
Finally, as if making up his mind, or gambling everything, he nodded.
"Fine! I'll build your ship… but on one condition: help me rescue Franky! Can you do that?"
"I can," Hakusei replied without hesitation.
He had already guessed this would be Iceburg's request, so it didn't surprise him at all.
Iceburg now looked at Hakusei in a new light. Since this young man clearly knew everything, he must also understand the danger, and yet he still agreed so calmly. That confidence, Iceburg hadn't expected.
He wanted to mock this youth for overestimating himself. But with the strength radiating from the silent monsters behind him… Iceburg just couldn't bring himself to say it.
Because deep down, he had a gut feeling, these people really could do it.
With a heavy breath, Iceburg stood up.
"Alright then, follow me."
He led Hakusei and the others to an abandoned shipyard that had sat unused for over a decade.
Soon, they arrived at their destination: a dilapidated, dust-covered factory.
Without a word, Iceburg walked straight to a long-idle sea train named Rocketman, picked up his tools, and got to work.
When Hakusei agreed to Iceburg's condition, the other three, Crocodile, Redfield, and Waldo, were dumbfounded.
What kind of captain had they signed up under?
Wherever there was trouble, he ran straight for it. Wherever the Marines were strongest, that's where he wanted to go.
What kind of logic was this?! Wouldn't it be easier to just rob someone or make a threat?
But they didn't know, Hakusei had no interest in that. Those so-called "troubles" were nothing to him. Solving them was a minor effort at best. And besides, he was planning to check in at Enies Lobby anyway.
Sure enough, not long after, the mermaid Granny Kokoro showed up with the Straw Hat crew, just as Hakusei predicted.
The moment the Straw Hats laid eyes on Hakusei's group, their expressions turned to horror, each one reacting in their own way.
As they stepped through the door, Zoro was the first to notice an overwhelming aura coming from a certain cursed blade.
Sure enough, there stood Redfield holding the sword Thunderstorm. His instincts screamed: this man and that sword were terrifying beyond reason!
Next was Crocodile.
Luffy and his crew recognized him instantly. Naturally, seeing Sir Crocodile here threw them into a panic.
"Crocodile?! Weren't you captured? Why are you here?!"
Luffy's expression darkened.
Crocodile glared at them, his fury bubbling just beneath the surface. His fists trembled with suppressed rage. But… as a seasoned pirate, he still knew to show respect to the captain.
Since Hakusei hadn't given the order, he wouldn't make a move.
He forced his hands still and looked away.
But his restraint didn't ease the tension, quite the opposite.
Luffy, the hot-blooded idiot, immediately charged.
"JET PISTOL!!"
No words, just violence.
Hakusei was slightly irritated.
Seriously? Attacking one of his people right in front of him?
In a flash, he disappeared from view.
And in the next instant,
BOOM!
With a single punch, Hakusei gently pulled back his fist… and Luffy was gone.
Moments later, SPLASH!
A body hit the raging sea outside.
The Straw Hats were stunned.
Sure, their captain was reckless and silly, but when it came to combat, he was a beast!
And he just got one-shot?!?
Was this a joke?!
The power of a single punch, it silenced the entire crew!
Zoro recovered first. Without a word, he dove into the water and dragged Luffy back from the brink of drowning.
Once Luffy came to, the Straw Hats immediately assumed battle stances, staring at Hakusei's group like they were facing a demon.
Crocodile couldn't take it anymore. He fully activated his powers, ready to bury them in a sandstorm.
But Hakusei casually raised a hand to stop him.
"That's enough. We've got more important things to do."
As for the current Straw Hat crew? Hakusei didn't even consider them a threat.
Not worth using his lightning shield. Not worth activating Haki.
Just the raw durability of the Third Raikage's body was more than enough to handle them.
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200 P.S = 1 Extra Chapter