Then he let out a manic laugh. "If you hide, you might survive. But now, Grado will only be destroyed, and you will be killed along with it!"
Ace and Gini: "...?!"
Ace and Gini exchanged a glance.
Gini flicked the ash from his cigarette. "Something's not right! Knowing that my boss is so strong, and yet your Brando Family dares to act... Tell me, how many are backing you? Have the other Three Major Families intervened?"
"Hahaha, you bastard who only uses a gun, do you think I'll tell you?"
Cole laughed arrogantly. "I'll watch with my own eyes as the Grado Family is being destroyed!"
"Wait a minute!"
At that moment, Ace raised his hand and cheerfully said, "We're not the Grado Family anymore. We're now called the Umbrella Corporation!"
Cole: "..."
Upon hearing this, the previously arrogant Cole fell silent, then angrily shouted, cursing, "Who cares about you! Do you really think changing your name saves you? Don't worry, those terrifying guys will never let you off..."
Bang!
However, before he could finish speaking, a gunshot rang out. Cole suddenly leaned back and fell onto the deck.
"I told you, I shot in the open, just that you didn't see it."
Gini elegantly blew on the smoking gun barrel, then looked at Ace with a troubled expression.
"Umbrella Corporation? When was that formed? How come I didn't know?"
"A few days ago... Oh, right! Also, this is from Mr. Zephyr; he wanted me to give it to you!"
"Candy?"
Gini looked at the candy Ace handed over, confused. "Why are you just giving me candy?"
"Mr. Ian's son was born. Zephyr held a three-day, three-night banquet."
Ace said cheerfully. "Since you didn't come, he asked me to bring it to you on the way."
"Boss's son? Mrs. Ain had a baby?!"
Gini was so surprised that he raised his voice as he popped the candy into his mouth. "How come I didn't know? Why didn't anyone tell me?"
…
"Because it was so sudden, Instructor Zephyr held a banquet that night, and since you were handling things, we didn't tell you."
"Okay, okay, next time I'll definitely be informed."
"The Brando Family? Maybe other families as well? Got it, don't worry. Also, Ace will be training with you for a while. Keep an eye on him, don't let him go wild."
"Alright! I misspoke. You won't go wild, you won't go wild, that's settled."
"Click… Gacha!"
Ian touched his ear, surprised that Ace had overheard the previous conversation, then he grumbled a few times in dissatisfaction.
"Looks like something happened over at Grado's side again!"
Instructor Zephyr said cheerfully while holding a baby. "Could it be that the Four Major Families of the West Blue acted against Grado again?"
Ever since the child was born, whenever Zephyr had free time, he would hold the child, sometimes even longer than the baby's mother.
"I don't know, but according to the information Grado obtained, it seems there are others behind it!"
Ian shrugged helplessly. "Grado is investigating over there."
"Others behind it? Could it be Marine Headquarters?"
Hearing Ian's words, Zephyr frowned and pondered. "Impossible! At this time, Marine Headquarters wouldn't act recklessly. Especially since you've already demonstrated your strength, Sengoku won't easily disturb the current balance without absolute certainty."
For Marine Headquarters, the situation at sea was more important. Everything else was trivial in comparison.
"Could it be the World Government? That shouldn't be it either; the World Government cares more about its own position. It's not yet the time for them to act. Oh, I see now."
Seeming to have thought of something, Zephyr grinned and spoke disdainfully: "It's probably those hyenas under the World Government taking matters into their own hands again!"
"The CP organization?"
"Exactly. Those guys just exploit situations like this to appease their masters."
Ian: "..."
Hearing Zephyr's speculation, Ian thought it was indeed possible.
After all, Robin was his wife; how could those guys remain indifferent?
But which CP unit, exactly?
CP9 or CP0?
While Ian was deep in thought, Zephyr, making the child laugh, casually said, "Don't worry too much. Those hyenas only act behind the scenes. Without orders from the World Government, they wouldn't dare attack an organization capable of defeating an Admiral head-on."
That battle had indeed been well-fought!
An organization that could defeat an Admiral carried a different significance; no one dared provoke them recklessly.
Even Marine Headquarters wouldn't declare war on such an organization lightly. One wrong move could spark a large-scale war.
"The only thing to watch out for is spies. Those hiding in the shadows love doing this sort of thing."
"Spies?"
Hearing Zephyr, Ian nodded. "Got it, I'll make sure my subordinates are careful."
"Alright then. If there's nothing else, get lost!"
Once the discussion was mostly over, Zephyr impatiently dismissed him. "I still need to take the baby for sunbathing!!"
Ian: "..."
Ian looked speechlessly at Zephyr, who had been lying down for several days, then sighed and said, "What about your fleet? Not forming it anymore?"
"Who said I'm not forming it? Didn't I send that kid, Binz, to organize it?"
Zephyr replied cheerfully. "Right now, I need to spend more time with my family. Looks like you have something on your mind. Speak!"
"Indeed, I have one thing to ask."
Ian nodded and, without hesitation, said: "Do you know about Divine Departure?"
"Divine Departure? The technique of King of the Pirates, Roger?" Zephyr looked slightly surprised. "Why are you asking about this?"
"I have an idea, I want to develop a new technique."
"A new technique?"
Zephyr didn't question further.
After some thought, he frowned. "Divine Departure is a technique using Conqueror's Haki, with a very wide attack range. It would suit you. If you can master it, that would be great. But it's very difficult. Back in Roger's crew, others could use Conqueror's Haki, but besides Roger, no one mastered Divine Departure... No, now there's someone who has."
With a tone of amazement and admiration: "That guy's Conqueror's Haki is equally astonishing!"
"Shanks, the captain of the Red-Haired Pirates?"
"Exactly."
Zephyr nodded, frowning. "I'm not very familiar with Divine Departure. Perhaps you should ask Garp."
He smiled again. "That old guy chased Roger most of his life; he knows Roger's techniques very well."
"Garp?"
Ian pondered and said, "Got it!"
Then he stood up and glanced at Zephyr and his sleeping son. "I won't disturb your sunbathing any longer."
"Go on, go on! Oh, right, now that Ace has left..."