"What are you doing?" Sengoku roared. "This is the Marine Headquarters!"
"Fufufufu, I'm just checking out the new guy's strength, Fleet Admiral Sengoku. There's no need to lose your temper." The Heavenly Yaksha spread his hands and gave his distinctive laugh.
"I'm so beautiful that I'll be forgiven no matter what I do." The Empress spread her legs, tilted her head back, and pointed downward with her left index finger.
"Auntie, you're exposing yourself." The kindhearted Rono kindly reminded her.
Hancock was twenty-five years old this year. Rono's use of "Auntie" dealt 10,000 True Damage.
"I'll kill you!" The Empress charged at Rono in a furious rage. Bang! A Golden Palm blocked the attack. It was Sengoku. "Boa Hancock, do you want to lose your title as one of the Shichibukai?"
"You... just wait!" Hancock ultimately gave up on beating Rono senseless. After all, she needed the title of Shichibukai to protect Nine Snake Island.
"We called you here today to announce that Wolf Rono has become one of the Shichibukai. Any objections?" Sengoku asked. Even if you have objections, keep them to yourself.
"No objections." Doflamingo spoke first.
"None." Kuma followed close behind.
"...None." The Empress hesitated for a moment before speaking.
None of the Shichibukai present were fools. Sengoku had summoned them to serve as witnesses. Wasn't it obvious? Three other Shichibukai had not even come.
"Since there are no objections, starting today, Wolf Rono will replace Crocodile as one of the Shichibukai. The Predatory Veto Power remains in Alabasta. Meeting adjourned!"
"Hey! It's over already? There wasn't even a ceremony." Rono was left wanting more.
"Fufufufu, you're quite interesting, kid." Doflamingo walked out of the meeting room. "Fufufufu, Wolf Rono, the Gongdongtalio Family... Fufufufu, Vergo, this information you gave me is explosive."
"..." Kuma walked out of the meeting room.
"Hmph!" Hancock walked out of the meeting room.
"..." Sengoku walked out of the meeting room.
Rono shrugged and walked out of the meeting room as well.
Vice Admiral Tsuru, who had been ignored the entire time, smiled and walked out too.
"Huh? Rono, why are you back so soon?" Sairona's tone was questioning, but his face remained expressionless.
"Call me Lord Rono, the Shichibukai." Taunt Skill activated.
"..." Sairona lowered the hand gripping his gun handle. "Looks like it worked."
"This could never fail. Even if someone objected, it wouldn't have mattered." Spandam spoke.
"Well then, since the appointment is over, why don't we go have a meal?" Huo Shaoshan invited them enthusiastically as their guide.
In a modest restaurant, the four of them sat in a private room. Spandam was clearly unaccustomed to this place. It was far too low-class. The moment Rono entered the room, he started causing a ruckus, running wild with excitement. The System Loli sat in her designated spot—on top of Rono's head—and curiously looked around. Sairona sat down in a chair, after which everyone forgot about him. His presence was simply too low. Sairona was clearly used to being ignored. He pulled out his Equipment Maintenance Pistol. There was no denying the strength of the Gongdongtalio Family. The pistol in Sairona's hand was a newly developed product from the Research Department, and one that couldn't be mass-produced because it was too expensive. Only a handful of people in the entire Navy possessed one, and Sairona was one of them—with two. His Sniper Rifle also...
After the food was served, Sairona calmly raised his hand. "I don't have any bowls or chopsticks."
"Hey! Sairona! When did you get here?" Rono exclaimed.
"Even if my presence is low, you shouldn't forget me when I came here with you, should you?" Sairona calmly complained.
Fortunately, Huo Shaoshan and Spandam still remembered that Sairona had come along. Huo Shaoshan gave an awkward smile. Forgetting a guest while treating them to a meal was painfully embarrassing.
After a set of bowls and chopsticks was brought over, the waiter entered and swept his gaze around. "If there are only three people, please don't waste the tableware."
"..." Sairona raised his hand to indicate his presence. The waiter let out a shriek, threw the bowls and chopsticks at Sairona, and ran away. "..."
"Pfft—hahahahahaha!" Rono could no longer hold back. Perhaps he had never even intended to. He burst out laughing.
After the meal, when Rono and the others went to pay, the owner kept apologizing and stubbornly gave them a twenty-percent discount.
Two years later
Rono's courtyard
A strange man covered in scarlet muscles but no skin and a figure shrouded entirely in black battled fiercely.
Nearby, a handsome young man watched the fight with great interest. Beside him was a small table covered with all kinds of fruits and snacks, which he occasionally ate. On the other side of the table sat a beautiful young woman, her hands folded over her knees, perfectly quiet.
Bang! Rono was struck in the abdomen by a punch. His entire body bent like a shrimp before he was sent flying backward.
"I'm done, I'm done. These old bones of mine can't take this kind of abuse." The black figure's darkness faded, revealing a muscular upper body covered in scars.
"Gah—your punches still hurt like hell, Mo." Rono climbed to his feet with a grin.
Mo put on his clothes and commented, "Do you use your Six Powers for massages? I didn't feel a thing. If your Haki weren't passable, you'd be complete trash."
"Come on! I've only been training for two years, haven't I? Besides, I'm much stronger at the Six Powers than Sairona." Rono complained. -3-
Sairona, sitting beside the table, was innocently caught in the crossfire. A banana peel flew toward him.
"Axia, show him your strength." Mo decided to let the facts speak for themselves.
"Uncle Mo, is this really okay?" Axia looked at Mo.
"Don't worry. This kid can take a beating." Mo remained completely calm.
"All right, then. Mr. Rono, be careful." Axia raised both hands, and Rono immediately got GG'd. He tripped on flat ground just walking. And as if tripping on flat ground wasn't enough, where had the cracks in the ground come from? Rono used Geppo to leap into the air, only to twist his ankle. It wasn't much of a problem for him, but Geppo stopped anyway. Bang! A human-shaped crater. A sharp stone pierced straight through Rono's chest.
Axia hurriedly withdrew her ability, and Rono finally stopped suffering from bad luck.
Sairona watched this scene and silently moved farther away. He didn't have Rono's constitution. If that happened to him, grass would probably be growing on his grave by next year.
Mo looked at Rono smugly. "See? That wasn't even my full strength. I only did it casually."
Axia could now control her Devil Fruit Ability perfectly. No one would suddenly have their luck stolen just by approaching her.
After hearing Mo's words, Sairona immediately stood up. "I'm going to check whether Gelu has woken up. You two carry on."
Mo watched Sairona's fleeing figure and laughed helplessly. "That kid."
Before you continue