Reunion

Marine Headquarters - Admiral's Office

Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the heavy curtains, dappling the tabletop with golden light and shadow that illuminated the neatly stacked documents.

Roy sat in his office chair, focused, his fingertips lightly turning the pages of the latest confidential intelligence report.

A moment later, a meaningful smile slowly appeared on his lips.

"Heh... Shanks' brother isn't as stupid as I thought."

Across from him, Vice Admiral Luo, dressed in a neat military uniform, stood ramrod straight, holding several documents in his hands, and couldn't help but chime in:

"Loki, the new king of Elbaf, is notoriously short-tempered."

"I heard he mocked the Celestial Dragons on the spot... How could Saint Shamrock have tolerated it?"

Roy raised his eyes, his gaze deep and calm. "Holding back doesn't mean he's afraid."

"However, even if Shamrock dares to make a move in Elbaf, he won't gain anything."

He closed the file and tapped the table lightly with his knuckles, making a crisp sound.

"Don't forget—that's the land of giants."

"Loki Ji's strength, momentum, and spirit are all extraordinary. If a fight really breaks out..."

"I'm afraid even I'll have to take this a little more seriously."

Luo was taken aback and looked up in disbelief.

"Even Roy says so? If this really goes to war, the World Government will be in serious trouble."

Roy leaned back in his chair, a hint of helplessness and sigh crossing his face, "If Headliners breaks out, even the Five Elders will have a headache."

The Elbaf —this is not a place they can easily set foot in.

A brief silence fell over the office, broken only by the turning of pages and the howling sea breeze outside the window.

A moment later, Roy casually flipped open another document and asked in a flat tone, "By the way, where are Ace and Luffy? They've been gone for days, still no news?"

Luo Ming paused, as if organizing his thoughts, before finally giving a wry smile and forcing a reply, "Um... Roy, it seems Ace took Luffy... beat up Blackbeard."

"I also made plans with Zoro and Kuina."

The air froze instantly.

"..."

The Fountain Pen Roy was about to sign was suspended in mid-air, the ink even trembling slightly at the tip.

A full three seconds of silence.

Then he raised his head, raised an eyebrow slightly, and repeated in a low voice:

"Ah?"

Luo swallowed hard, his back ramrod straight, beads of sweat sliding down his temples, his voice slightly strained:

"I... I just received the intelligence too... They seem to have already arrived in the Hachinosu Waters..."

--silence.

Roy paused slightly, then gently closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

His expression was complicated, the muscles at the corners of his mouth twitched slightly, and his whole demeanor oscillated between "wanting to laugh" and "wanting to punch someone."

"Those damn brats--"

He finally sighed, rubbed his temples, and spoke in a low, helpless voice.

"Sigh... It seems Ace's patience with Blackbeard has indeed reached its limit."

Luo remained silent and could only stand cautiously to the side.

Roy leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingers lightly on the table, and murmured thoughtfully, "However... if the four of them are together, their safety shouldn't be a problem."

Then, the images of the four young monsters appeared in his mind.

Ace, combined with the high-temperature suppression provided by the Heat-Heat Fruit Ring, created flames whose temperature far exceeded the common sense of nature;

Luffy's Mythical Zoan Fruit has fully Awakening;

Zoro and Kuina...

They were a swordsmanship duo that even Hawk-Eye admired; their combined swordplay was enough to cleave the island in two.

Thinking of this, Roy's temple throbbed slightly, and the corner of his mouth twitched violently a few times.

"... That bastard Teach, they didn't really beat the shit out of him, did they?"

Luo was trying so hard to suppress his laughter that his shoulders were shaking, but he didn't dare to make a sound.

Roy rested his chin on his hand, his expression becoming subtle. "But—with 'that thing' as a backup, he won't die."

His tone suddenly turned serious, and his brows furrowed slowly.

"Only--"

"If those kids fight too hard... and sound the 'Drums of Liberation'..."

That's going to be interesting.

He slowly rose to his feet, and the moment his cloak fell to the ground, the air pressure in the entire office suddenly plummeted, as if the air itself vibrated with his breath.

"Luo."

"Hmm? Roy?"

Naval affairs are temporarily entrusted to you.

"I should also stretch my muscles."

Before he finished speaking, his aura suddenly dissipated, distorting the air as if it were being twisted.

"Roy! You... you're not going yourself, are you?!" Roy exclaimed, quickly putting down the documents in his hand.

"Leave this to me!"

Roy smiled and said casually, "It's nothing. I haven't been out for a stroll in a while either."

As soon as he finished speaking, his figure suddenly blurred, and in the next instant, he vanished into the air as a Spatial Ripple, leaving only a ripple of air currents.

When the air calmed down, only Luo remained in the room.

He paused for a few seconds, took a deep breath, and sighed helplessly, "One by one, really..."

In the end, Roy still has to make the trip himself.

After saying that, he shook his head, decisively sat down in the adjutant's seat, opened the file, and his fingers flew across the intelligence terminal.

Outside the window, naval flags Hunting Roar in the sunlight, and the wind blew from the distant sea.

Waters near New World Hachinosu

A fierce wind swept across the sea, and dark clouds pressed down overhead.

A small Warship cut through the waves, with Zoro and Kuina standing side by side at the bow, exuding a fierce aura.

Kuina glanced into the distance, her tone calm. "Truly worthy of the Hachinosu Waters, the atmosphere here... it's utterly chaotic."

Zoro's lips curled into a slight smile, "It's in chaotic places that things get interesting."

The words had barely left his mouth--

"Boom!!"

Suddenly, blazing flames erupted on the distant sea, and a small boat sped towards them like a comet! The flames soared into the sky, and the waves were vaporized into white mist.

"That is—" Kuina's expression changed.

The next second, the small boat suddenly leaped into the air, bursting into flames, and crashed straight onto the deck.

As the Smoke dissipated, Ace and Luffy out side by side.

"Long time no see--!" Luffy waved and greeted him. Ace dusted himself off and smiled casually.

"Luffy, Ace." Kuina smiled and nodded.

Zoro raised an eyebrow. "What are you two up to by suddenly calling us here?"

Ace crossed his arms and smiled, "This time—I'd like to ask you guys for a favor."

Kuina raised an eyebrow. "Oh? You'll ask for help too?"

Zoro's lips curled into a smile, a fighting spirit surging within him. "Looks like a tough nut to crack."

Luffy chuckled, "Ace is going to take us to attack Hachinosu!"

"Hachinosu?" Kuina and Zoro's expressions tightened.

Ace's eyes blazed with fury, his fighting spirit burning brightly. "I've been wanting to get back at that Black Fatty for ages! Now that his men have crossed the line, it's the perfect opportunity to beat him up."

The four men exchanged glances, their expressions a mixture of smiles and fighting spirit.

The next moment, flames, sword energy, and Haki rose up simultaneously.

Their gazes all turned in the same direction—

Hachinosu.