The marine warship's engines hummed steadily as the outline of Warmwave Island slowly vanished beyond the horizon.
Kizaru lay back on a deck chair, opening the insulated lunchbox Sanji had packed for him. He scooped a spoonful of molten chocolate cake, the warm filling melting across his tongue, and couldn't help closing his eyes in contentment.
This taste was so much better than the bitter coffee served during meetings at headquarters.
"Admiral, should we contact headquarters first?"
His aide asked cautiously, "Otherwise Fleet Admiral Sengoku might worry."
Kizaru waved lazily. "No rush~ We'll call when we're almost there~"
He was already scheming.
If he reported now that they'd "just left Warmwave Island," Sengoku would definitely ask why they'd stayed three days, and that would lead to a long lecture.
Better to wait until they were close. By then, time would be tight, and Sengoku wouldn't have the chance to press for details.
The aide sighed and stepped aside.
He'd long gotten used to the admiral's "slacker style." As long as the mission got done, nobody dared complain about a little delay.
Inside the cabin, Garon and Lia were bound to iron railings with seastone chains, both looking pale and miserable.
Lia leaned against the wall, eyes closed, her mind filled with the memory of Renzo's bizarre ability.
He hadn't even moved a muscle, yet somehow made her shadow blades too lazy to stay sharp. That kind of power was more despair-inducing than any admiral's attack.
"Are we really going to be locked up in Impel Down?"
Garon's voice was hoarse, thick with frustration. "No one ever escapes from that place!"
Lia opened her eyes, voice cold. "What else did you expect? You think we still have a chance to fight back?"
She saw things more clearly than Garon did: facing an admiral like Kizaru, even thinking about escape was pointless.
The warship sailed for a full day and night before finally arriving at Marine Headquarters.
When Kizaru led Garon and Lia down the gangway, the marines waiting on the dock froze in shock.
These two were infamous New World pirates with bounties totaling nearly one billion berries, and yet the admiral had captured them so easily. They didn't even have visible injuries.
"Admiral Kizaru, thank goodness you're back!" Sengoku's adjutant ran over, looking anxious.
"The Fleet Admiral's been waiting for you in his office for quite a while. Also… Morgan's news ship has already arrived! The story about you and Commodore Renzo has spread across the entire sea!"
"Oh?" Kizaru raised a brow, thinking:
'That bird works fast. Hopefully, he didn't mention that we spent three days slacking off on the island.'
Without further questions, he marched the two pirates toward Sengoku's office.
As soon as he entered, Sengoku was there behind his desk, face dark, gripping a newspaper tightly. The bold headline screamed:
{Marine Commodore Renzo Defeats Two New World Pirates Alone – Combined Bounty: 930,000,000 Berries"}
"KIZARU! You'd better explain this to me!"
Sengoku slammed the newspaper on the table, his voice shaking with fury.
"Why did it take you three days to bring them in? And Renzo, wasn't he supposed to be on vacation? How did he end up defeating two New World pirates?!"
Kizaru leisurely fanned himself and chuckled. "Weeell~ those two put up quite a fight~ Commodore Renzo had to put in some effort to subdue them~ We stayed on the island two extra days to make sure we could bring them back safely~"
He conveniently left out the parts about hot springs and gourmet food, focusing only on the "mission details."
Sengoku looked ready to keep pressing, but Vice Admiral Tsuru entered with a cup of tea and smiled. "Enough, Sengoku. The mission's done. That's what matters. That boy Renzo has given us quite the surprise."
Her gaze softened as she looked at the newspaper. "To subdue two New World pirates so quietly and efficiently, he's a promising one."
At that moment, Akainu walked in. Seeing Garon and Lia, he snorted. "If Renzo's that powerful but still spends his days napping, he's going against the Marines' ideals of justice. Send him to the New World!"
Kizaru quickly smoothed things over. "Now, now~ Commodore Renzo was only protecting Warmwave Island~ Besides, he's caught his fair share of pirates already~"
He definitely didn't want Renzo transferred to the New World, then who would join him next time for another "relaxing mission"?
Renzo was his comrade in the Slacker Alliance.
Sengoku shot Kizaru a glare, then finally sighed. "Forget it. First, send these two pirates to Impel Down."
Kizaru exhaled in relief and promptly escorted Garon and Lia toward the underwater prison.
The Impel Down guards were terrified when they saw who was being brought in. They immediately locked the two up in Level 6, reserved for the most dangerous criminals alive.
When Kizaru finished, he was just about to sneak off to his office for a nap when Sengoku called out behind him.
"Hold it right there!"
Kizaru froze, heart skipping a beat. Had Sengoku found out something?
Sengoku pointed at the chocolate stain on his coat and said wearily, "Next time you goof off, at least clean your clothes properly! And don't think I don't know you spent three days soaking in hot springs on Warmwave Island!"
Kizaru blinked, then chuckled. "Weeell~ I guess I can't hide anything from the Fleet Admiral~"
"Get out of here!" Sengoku snapped, waving him off with exasperation. "Next time you delay a mission like that, I'll assign you to the frontline of the New World!"
Kizaru nodded furiously and hurried away.
As he walked, he muttered to himself: Next time, I'll be more careful. No more chocolate stains.
Meanwhile, in Dressrosa's royal palace atop the King's Plateau,
Doflamingo sat on a sofa, gripping that same newspaper, his expression dark as thunder.
In the photo, Renzo lounged lazily beside a hot spring, yet even in that relaxed pose, an unmistakable aura of menace radiated from him.
This was nothing like the "easy-to-handle slacker" Doflamingo had imagined.
"Fuffuffuffu…"
Doflamingo's low laugh echoed through the hall as his fingers crushed the newspaper into a wrinkled ball.
"Didn't expect… a mere Marine Commodore to be this powerful…"
He'd assumed Renzo could, at best, defeat one strong pirate. Never had he imagined the man could subdue both Garon and Lia at once. That strength surpassed many Marine vice admirals.
"Young Master, should we keep watching Warmwave Island?" Trebol's slimy voice wavered nervously.
Doflamingo lowered the paper, eyes sharp as blades. "Of course we watch it! Why wouldn't we?"
The stronger Renzo was, the more useful he became.
If Doflamingo could discover his weakness, Renzo could become a valuable pawn.
And if not, he could still turn the man into a thorn in the side of both the Marines and the Four Emperors.
"Still…" Doflamingo's lips curled into a cold smile.
"Let him enjoy his peace for a few days. Once he drops his guard, then we strike."
Trebol nodded and slimed away, leaving Doflamingo alone with his thoughts.
He stared out at the sea, calculation gleaming in his eyes.
That Marine Commodore named Renzo…would soon become the most crucial piece on his chessboard.
"Commodore, message from headquarters, Admiral Kizaru has delivered the prisoners to Impel Down!"
Potts grinned. "And your story's all over the seas! Everyone's talking about how you defeated two New World pirates!"
Renzo simply hummed, looking entirely unbothered.
Sanji walked over, handing him a freshly baked cookie. "Don't just eat mochi all day. Try this one, I added some freshly picked herbs. Smells great."
Renzo took a bite. The crisp texture and faint herbal sweetness made his eyes narrow slightly in satisfaction.
Warmwave Island's peaceful days continued, but beyond its shores, the whole world was beginning to stir.
.....
If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.
[email protected]/DaoistJinzu