"Once my sister eats this Devil Fruit, she'll become the most important person in our pirate crew," Mina pouted playfully.
The Paramecia-type Sense-Sense Fruit is not a Devil Fruit that significantly boosts one's fighting strength, but rather a powerful support-type ability.
It is considered powerful because it grants the user extremely heightened sensory abilities, essentially turning them into a human radar, much like Enel. Most importantly, it can also sense people's hearts, being highly sensitive to malice. Although it isn't mind-reading, the user can understand the fundamental character, good or bad, of the person they are sensing.
Of course, it is somewhat similar to the Glare-Glare Fruit's ability, but it doesn't require a specific gesture and can be activated at any time.
It means that even if Enel is not in Nakor City, Millie can fully monitor the city's movements and can also purge spies within the Chris Pirates, which is her duty as the Director of the Chris Investigation Bureau and the Minister of the Internal Affairs Department.
"What's that? Am I not important now?"
Suddenly, a teasing voice came from behind Mina. Mina quickly turned around and saw Millie approaching, dressed in a black business suit skirt and black high heels, her beautiful eyes fixed on Mina.
"Sister! Of course not. You're the most important!" Seeing Millie's arrival, Mina quickly shoved the box into Aeridar's arms, and, trying to please her, grabbed Millie's hand, shaking it in a spoiled manner.
"Alright, stop shaking. You're making me dizzy!" Millie rolled her eyes helplessly.
Aeridar chuckled and shook his head. He placed the Sense-Sense Fruit back into the box, handed it to Millie, and smiled. "Your package has arrived. Sign for it!"
…
Red Line, Holy Land Mariejois.
"You clearly found that heinous criminal, so why are you still hiding it?" Sakazuki smoked his cigar, looking displeased at the Gorosei across from him.
"Watch your tone, Sakazuki!"
The curly-haired Gorosei glanced at Sakazuki.
"The future backbone of the Navy died in that incident! A heinous criminal who committed such a grave crime should be immediately brought to justice! Otherwise, what justice is there left in the Navy? Where do I put my face as Fleet Admiral?" Sakazuki retorted angrily.
"What good is your 'face'?" The curly-haired Gorosei said disdainfully. "You Navy are nothing more than the outer face of the Government!"
"That man cannot be touched yet. He may still be useful to us," the blond-haired Gorosei said gravely.
"Useful? Wait, you're not planning to bring him into the Seven Warlords of the Sea, are you?" Sakazuki guessed the Gorosei's idea and immediately objected fiercely. "I strongly disagree! Allowing Golden Ring Aeridar to join already disheartened Vice Admiral Syrons. Now, are you trying to force Zephyr-sensei to leave the Navy as well?"
"Stop speaking such insolent nonsense!" The kimono-clad Gorosei, clutching his katana, snapped.
"The authority to decide the Seven Warlords of the Sea is in our hands," the straight-haired Gorosei said dismissively. "As for Zephyr, given the severe situation, I believe he will understand."
In the eyes of the Gorosei, the Navy was merely a tool in their hands. When does a person ever care about the feelings of their tools?
"Hmph. If you insist on having your own way, then you will bear the consequences you unleash!" Sakazuki sneered. "Don't come crawling back to the Navy to take the blame when it all goes wrong!"
…
The first half of the Grand Line, Sandy Island Sea.
Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom...
Scorching cannonballs shot out of the barrels, slamming heavily into the sea surface and splashing up waves several meters high.
"Quick! Quick! Hard to port!"
"Fire back! Fire back!"
Powerful cannonballs made the seawater surge violently. A pirate ship in the distance shook uncontrollably in the turbulent waves, constantly dodging the heavy ordnance.
Rumble…
A 24-pound cannonball struck the pirate ship's starboard side. The violent explosion immediately blew a large hole in the hull, and the resulting powerful blast wave overturned two cannons, killing and injuring several pirates.
"Two 18-pound cannons on the starboard side are damaged!"
"Four dead, three injured!"
"The hull has a gap over one meter in diameter!"
Fiery flames burned on the starboard side of the hull, and the pirates aboard were in a panic.
"Captain! It's the Pirate Assault Squad led by the former Navy Admiral, 'Black Arm' Zephyr! We can't escape!" A pirate wailed, pointing to the three warships with sharp, giant axe figureheads a few hundred meters away.
Slap!
"Shut your mouth!"
A fat man with a large head and big ears slapped the pirate, shouting angrily. "He's just an old man with a severed arm! Fire all the cannonballs! Reduce the ship's weight!"
"Y-yes, sir!"
The pirate covered his swollen face and hurried away.
Boom, boom, boom, boom...
The cannon fire intensified immediately. Cannonballs were fired as if they were free, causing the sea to churn violently.
On the largest warship in the middle, a few hundred meters away.
"Hmph. Firing so wildly. They're trying to empty the cannons to lighten the ship's weight and increase speed to escape," Zephyr stood at the bow, sneering at the pirate ship opposite him.
He had served in the Navy for decades and was rich in naval combat experience, instantly seeing through the pirates' plan.
Tap, tap, tap, tap... Tap, tap, tap, tap...
Suddenly, a rush of footsteps came from behind. Zephyr turned his head to see that it was Ain hurriedly approaching.
"Zephyr-sensei, Fleet Admiral Sakazuki has called. He requests you return to Headquarters immediately, saying there's an important matter to discuss!" Ain handed over a document.
"Important matter?"
Zephyr raised an eyebrow, took the document, and glanced at it, scoffing. "When did that Sakazuki fellow ever have something to discuss with me? Hmph. The sun must be rising in the West!"
Ain, seeing Zephyr's reluctance to bother, ventured a guess. "Zephyr-sensei, since Fleet Admiral Sakazuki personally sent the message, it might truly be something important."
Hearing Ain's words, a hint of hesitation appeared on Zephyr's face.
After a moment, Zephyr said with annoyance, "Fine. Have Shuzo and Binz quickly finish off these pirates, then return to Headquarters."
Not long after, the sails of the three warships billowed, and they suddenly increased speed.
"Geppo!"
Boom, boom, boom, boom...
A tall, dark-skinned Longarm Tribe man from the warship on the right jumped into the sky. White steam burst from Shuzo's feet as he quickly ran through the air, arriving above the pirate ship.
"Grow! Grow! Grow!"
On the warship on the left, Binz swayed back and forth as if dancing. The small grasses on the deck turf rapidly grew into massive vines that shot out from the warship and latched onto the pirate ship's mast.
"How can a person walk in the air?"
"Those giant vines... It's a Devil Fruit user!"
"Shoot! Quick, shoot them!"
"Cut the vines!"
The pirate ship erupted into chaos and panic, with many pirates attempting to resist.
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