"Dragon, what exactly are you planning to do to my adjutant and my ship?" Kizaru's voice crackled over the Den Den Mushi, his signature lazy tone now laced with an undeniable killing intent.
"Is the Revolutionary Army preparing to declare war on the Marines?"
'It took me so long to find an adjutant who so perfectly suits my tastes,' Kizaru mused internally, a world away.
'That kid Mike, with his handsome looks... it's like looking at my younger self. Dashing, unrestrained, and a master of doing the absolute minimum.'
'Now, his man has been beaten up, and Dragon is about to sink my ship. Can I really let that slide?'
'Worst case, I head to Loguetown right now, tie Dragon down, and have him arrested.'
'Another great achievement for the record... and another perfect excuse to apply for a month-long vacation.'
"Borsalino..." Dragon's brow furrowed.
He had never expected Smoker to have a direct line to an Admiral.
But it didn't matter.
Even if Kizaru left from Marineford now, it would take weeks to reach the East Blue.
By then, he would be long gone, and Luffy would be safely lost in the chaotic currents of the Grand Line.
"The world awaits our answer," Dragon's voice was low and resolute. "Kizaru, I must ensure a man sets sail from this island without hindrance. As for your ship... my apologies."
His words carried an unshakable coldness, prepared to face any and all consequences.
On the other end of the line, a soft chuckle could be heard.
"You were born in the Goa Kingdom, weren't you, Dragon?" Kizaru asked lightly.
"What a coincidence..."
"..."
Dragon's pupils constricted abruptly.
A burst of noise crackled through the Den Den Mushi—the unmistakable clamor of a bustling marketplace, mixed with distinctive accents he hadn't heard in years.
The accents of his homeland.
'Kizaru... is in the Goa Kingdom. He's actually in the East Blue!'
"This..." Dragon's voice was a low growl, filled with disbelief and a hint of cold anger.
"Kizaru, what are you doing in the East Blue?"
"Well, of course, it's for something important," Kizaru's lazy drawl returned, laced with mockery.
"And I'm on my way now. I'll reach Loguetown within ten minutes. You, and the man you're so desperate to protect... won't escape."
With those final threatening words, Kizaru abruptly hung up.
A chill ran down Dragon's spine.
A miscalculation.
A fatal one.
With the light-speed abilities of the Glint-Glint Fruit, ten minutes was a generous estimate.
A surge of anxiety welled up in his heart.
If Kizaru intercepted Luffy's ship, all of this would be for nothing.
His sole purpose here was to see his son safely on his journey.
The best course of action was now the only course of action.
'I will escort you to the Grand Line myself, Luffy. The rest of the journey will be up to you.'
With that thought, Dragon took a deep breath.
A powerful gust of wind lifted him from the docks, and his body soared like an eagle, swiftly flying in the direction the Going Merry had disappeared.
Smoker watched him go, a grim look on his face. He exhaled a slow ring of smoke, then waved a hand to his men.
"Go! Rescue the Marine who fell into the water!" He then jumped onto his three-wheeled motorcycle "Billower Bike," and accelerated across the water's surface, chasing after Dragon.
(Can his bike go through water tho?)
If an Admiral was about to arrive, he could use the opportunity to finally capture the Straw Hat crew.
"Cough—cough!"
Kuro, having been pulled from the churning sea by a team of Marines, coughed violently, spitting out a mouthful of seawater and blood, his face deathly pale.
His glasses were cracked, but his eyes burned with an unusual intensity.
"Good..." he murmured weakly, a faint, relieved smile on his face.
"The warship... is safe..."
Then, the pain and exhaustion finally overwhelmed him.
His eyelids grew heavy, and he slipped into unconsciousness.
****
As the storm of the revolution briefly touched down and then vanished from Loguetown's docks, a very different, much more pleasant scene was reaching its conclusion elsewhere in town.
In a luxurious, dimly lit room in the Red-Light District, the air was warm and faintly scented with perfume.
Mike and the two beautiful women were sound asleep, tangled in silk sheets.
"Buru buru buru... Buru buru buru..."
The sharp, insistent ringing of a Den Den Mushi shattered the peaceful silence.
Mike's eyes snapped open, his mind instantly clearing from a deep, satisfying slumber.
He recognized the specific ringtone.
Commander Hayes and the other HQ members were in other rooms.
Kuro was on the warship.
No one from his immediate retinue would be calling him at this hour unless it was a dire emergency.
The only other person who had this number...
'Old Man Kizaru? What does he want?' he thought, his brow furrowing in annoyance.
'He knows better than to disturb my downtime unless it's urgent.'
Mike's gaze sharpened.
He enveloped the Den Den Mushi with a wave of Observation Haki, instantly muting its ringing before it could wake the twins.
With a swift, silent movement that didn't even rustle the sheets, he was out of the bed and across the room.
The two "kittens" sleeping beside him barely stirred, merely sighing contentedly in their sleep.
Mike smiled faintly as he picked up the Den Den Mushi, carefully closing the heavy balcony door behind him to seal the room in silence once more.
Leaning back on a plush lounge chair, he lit a fresh cigar and finally answered the call.
The moment the connection was made, the snail's face transformed into the likeness of a lazy old man wearing sunglasses.
"Yo, my dear adjutant~" Kizaru's voice drawled from the receiver.
"Your man got beaten up!"
'The fuck?'
Mike's eyes instantly turned sharp, the lazy, post-nap demeanor vanishing in a heartbeat.
He sat up straight, the cigar smoke freezing in the air.
"My man?" he repeated, his voice dangerously low.
"Got beaten up?"
"Yeees," Kizaru confirmed, his voice still infuriatingly casual.
-----------------------------
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