The Third Party Profits (Three-Way Melee, Part Two)

The door opened in the warehouse on Hachinosu. Kaido stepped out, slamming his Iron Club on the ground, creating a crack. Bullet, Kuma, King, and Moria followed closely behind, each carrying several boxes of Seastone. On the last trip, Lin Yuan carried ten boxes himself, filling a corner of the warehouse to the brim.

Ginny stood at the warehouse door, holding the ledger in her hand, her eyes wide open. "So much?"

"All Three Transport Ships are empty." Lin Yuan dusted himself off. "Rocks and the navy are currently in a standoff in the Waterway; they won't be chasing us."

How did you know?

"Because they hate each other more." Lin Yuan walked out of the warehouse, stood on the steps, and looked at the distant sea. "Rocks hated the Navy for blocking his way. The Navy hated Rocks for killing Celestial Dragons. We were just taking advantage of the situation."

Ginny quickly jotted down notes in the ledger. "120 tons of Seastone, weapons and food valued at approximately 600 million Beli. Adding what we had stored before, that's enough for us for three years."

"It's not about using it for three years, it's about investing for three years," Lin Yuan said. "Seastone is a strategic material, it's not for sale."

The Ghost Sea, the eastern exit of the Safe Waterway.

Rocks's giant ship was anchored in the Waterway, its bow facing Ochoku and Silver Axe's wrecked vessel. Rocks stood at the bow, the hem of his black overcoat billowing in the sea breeze. His face was grim—not because Ochoku and Silver Axe had been defeated, but because Three Transport Ships had lost their Seastone.

"Who did it?" His voice was calm, but those who knew him well knew that this calmness was more terrifying than a roar.

Ochoku lowered his head. "Lin Yuan... he came out of the door with Kaido, Bullet, Kuma, King, and Moria."

"Empty house?"

"It's all gone."

Rocks was silent for a moment. Then he laughed. Not a loud laugh, but the kind of chilling, amused laugh that sent chills down your spine. "That brat... he's at it again. Last time he stole the Fish-Fish Fruit, Model: Azure Dragon in God Valley, this time he's stealing my goods on the Seastone transport line."

Silver Axe stood to the side, clutching his chest. "Captain, should we give chase?"

"Can't catch up." Rocks turned to look at the naval fleet. Sengoku's Flagship was at the Waterway entrance, twenty warships lined up in a fan shape, all their cannons aimed at Rocks's fleet. "Take care of the navy first."

Marine Fleet.

Sengoku stood at the bow of the Flagship, holding a telescope. He saw three damaged Transport Ships at the Waterway's exit, Rocks' giant ship, and the door through which the people of Hachinosu had disappeared.

"Lin Yuan was here." He put down his binoculars. "The goods have been moved out."

Crane stood behind him, holding a teacup. "Aren't you surprised?"

"Not surprising. He only robbed God Valley once. This time, knowing that Rocks was going to hijack the Transport Ship, there was no way he wouldn't come." Sengoku was silent for a moment, "But he helped us."

"You helped us?"

"If Rocks steals the Seastone from the Transport Ship, he'll use it to arm his fleet, making it even harder for the navy to deal with. If Lin Yuan steals it, at least he won't use that Seastone against the navy."

He took a sip of tea. "You're just trying to comfort yourself."

"Perhaps." Sengoku did not speak further.

Lin Yuan stood on the roof of the Hachinosu Castle, looking into the distance. Ginny stood beside him, making a circle with her finger. "Rocks and the Navy are fighting."

Who has the advantage?

"Rocks has fewer ships, but stronger men. Ochoku and Silver Axe are injured, but they can still fight. The navy has more ships, but ordinary soldiers are no match for Rocks' officers. Sengoku and Garp haven't made a move yet, Rocks himself hasn't made a move either."

"What about Slow Heartbeat?"

Ginny's fingers paused for a moment. "Slow Heartbeat... not on Rocks' ship."

Lin Yuan's pupils contracted slightly. "Not here?"

"I haven't seen him since. He might have left early, or—" Ginny's voice tightened, "He might have known you were coming and gone somewhere else beforehand."

Lin Yuan remained silent for a long time.

"Keep watching. Tell me immediately when you see him."

In the Ghost Sea, the battle on the water is growing increasingly fierce.

Although Ochoku and Silver Axe were injured, they were still more than capable of dealing with the naval Rear Admiral. Ochoku's broadsword cleaved open the deck of a warship, and Silver Axe's axe severed the mast of another warship. Naval soldiers jumped into the sea to escape, and the surface of the sea was filled with people struggling for their lives.

Sengoku's face turned ashen as he watched this scene.

Where's Garp?

"Mr. Garp has gone after Roger," a soldier said cautiously.

Roger? Roger is here too?

"No. The intelligence said Roger was spotted in the nearby waters, and Mr. Garp went to confirm it."

Sengoku took a deep breath, refraining from cursing. He took off his coat, revealing the golden light characteristic of Human-Human Fruit, Model: Daibutsu user. "I'll do it."

His body began to swell. His skin turned golden, and a huge phantom of Buddha appeared behind him. Golden light shone everywhere, the thick fog was dispelled, and everything on the sea became clearly visible.

The Human-Human Fruit, Model: Daibutsu. Sengoku used it in actual combat for the first time after eating it in the God Valley.

Rocks's eyes narrowed.

"Sengoku..."

Sengoku unleashed a palm strike. A golden shockwave exploded from his palm, hurtling towards Rocks' giant ship. Wherever the shockwave passed, a deep trench was carved into the sea, and the seawater surged to both sides.

Rocks didn't dodge. He raised his right hand, palm facing forward. A black barrier appeared out of thin air in front of the bow of the ship, blocking the golden shockwave. The two forces collided, the sea exploded, and waves splashed dozens of meters high.

"Your fruit is good," said Rocks, "But not enough."

He took a step forward, leaping from the bow of the ship onto the sea. The hem of his black coat fluttered in the wind, his right fist was clenched, covered with dense Armament Haki, and dark red Conqueror's Haki lightning danced on his knuckles.

Sengoku leaped from the Flagship, and the two faced off on the sea.

"Rocks, you're not leaving today," Sengoku said.

"I don't intend to leave," Rocks said. "Although that brat emptied the Transport Ship of its Seastone, since we're already here, it would be a disservice to my ship not to kill a few sailors."

The two attacked simultaneously.

The clash of Conqueror's Haki caused a crack to appear in the sky. The waves on the sea were flattened by the shockwave, and warships and pirate ships within a 500-meter radius were rocking violently.

Garp isn't here. If he were, he'd say, "Those two lunatics are here again."

Hachinosu.

Ginny's fingers were trembling.

"Lin Yuan, Rocks and Sengoku are fighting. Their Conqueror's Haki clashes, and the sky cracks."

"I saw it." Lin Yuan stood on the rooftop, looking at the crack in the sky in the distance. Even though they were hundreds of kilometers apart, the aftershocks of that Conqueror's Haki could still be sensed.

"What about Slow Heartbeat?"

"I haven't seen it yet."

Lin Yuan was silent for a moment. "If he's not on Rocks' ship, then where is he?"

Ginny did not answer.

"Ginny, scan the waters around us."

Ginny's finger turned in a different direction. Her gaze shifted from the Ghost Sea to the area around Hachinosu. One thousand kilometers, five hundred kilometers, one hundred kilometers. On the sea were merchant ships, fishing boats, Sea Kings, and—a small boat.

The boat was small, only big enough for one person. A man sat on it, wearing a long black robe, with gray hair and his eyes closed. His heart was beating eight times per minute.

"He's—" Ginny's voice trembled, "He's off the coast of Hachinosu, less than fifty kilometers from here."

Lin Yuan narrowed his eyes.

What's he doing here?

"I don't know. He didn't move, he just sat on the boat with his eyes closed, as if he was waiting for something."

Lin Yuan turned and walked off the roof.

"Call everyone together."

In the Castle hall, all seven people were present. Kaido carried Iron Club, Bullet clenched his fist, Kuma's palm was slightly open, flames flickered behind King, Moria held scissors, and Inazuma's fingers traced lines in the air. Ginny stood next to Lin Yuan, holding Den Den Mushi.

"Slow Heartbeat is coming," Lin Yuan said. "Fifty kilometers away, a person."

Kaido frowned. "Alone? Coming to your death?"

"It's not about sending us to our deaths. It's a test," Lin Yuan said. "He wants to know how strong we are."

"Let him know." Bullet flexed his wrist.

"No rush," Lin Yuan said. "Ginny, keep watching. Let me know when he makes a move."

Slow Heartbeat sat on the sea Hachinosu all day.

From noon to evening, his boat did not move. He kept his eyes closed, his heart was beating eight times per minute, and his body temperature was five degrees lower than normal.

Ginny stared at the screen all day; her eyes were sore, but she didn't close them once.

He hasn't moved yet.

"Keep an eye on it."

At six o'clock in the evening, Slow Heartbeat opened his eyes.

He stood up and looked in the direction of Hachinosu. His eyes were gray, with pupils that slanted upwards like snakes. The corners of his mouth were slightly upturned, and then his ship began to move. Not towards Hachinosu, but in the opposite direction—towards the Ghost Sea.

"He's gone," Ginny said.

Did you say anything?

"No. He just glanced at it and then left."

Lin Yuan stood at the Castle gate, looking at the sea.

"He's evaluating it," Lin Yuan said. "Once he's done, go back and tell Rocks."

What were the evaluation results?

"I don't know." Lin Yuan turned and walked into the Castle. "But the fact that he didn't make a move means he feels it's not the right time."

Ginny breathed a sigh of relief.

Lin Yuan walked to the warehouse door and stopped.

Ginny.

"Um?"

That person will come again.

Ginny's fingers paused for a moment.

"Get ready."

(End of Chapter 60)