Lingling's Invitation! A Ruthless Rejection!

"Executive Linlin!" Luo Tian jumped up abruptly, moving with such agility that he flashed directly behind Shiki and Newgate.

Then, he pointed a finger at the two men, who were first stunned and then realized something ominous was afoot:

"Look at them—how robust and imposing their physiques are! How peerless and formidable their strength! How seasoned and profound their experience!

Most importantly, they are currently in the golden age of their prime, with the most vigorous energy!

The children you have with them will definitely have superior genes and innate talent; they will be born as seeds of the strong!

Truly, they are the best candidates!

By comparison, I am still too young, not mature or stable enough, and might not be to your taste! You really must choose someone like them!"

Luo Tian put on a sincere expression, as if to say, "I am only thinking of you and your future children."

Sure enough, after hearing this "well-reasoned" analysis from Luo Tian, Charlotte Linlin blinked, feeling that it made quite a lot of sense.

A physique as sturdy as a mountain and strength that stood at the pinnacle of the sea were indeed the hard metrics for cultivating excellent offspring.

Although Luo Tian was young and handsome, compared to Newgate and Shiki, his strength was indeed slightly "thin."

Could handsomeness be eaten as a meal? Charlotte Linlin cared more about strength.

Her eyes lit up, and her scorching gaze immediately shifted from Luo Tian to Newgate and Shiki.

The look in her eyes was even more intense and aggressive than when she had been staring at Luo Tian!

Shiki and Newgate had been about to settle scores with the brat Luo Tian, intending to demand why he had "diverted the disaster" onto them, but they suddenly felt Charlotte Linlin's famished gaze.

Both men shuddered, their complexions changing instantly.

The terrifying memories of being "pursued" by Linlin back in the day flooded their minds in an instant.

Almost simultaneously, they sprang from their seats with a "whoosh," not daring to look back, and erupted with astonishing speed, charging toward the open gates of the castle.

"Shiki! Newgate! Don't run! Don't you think what Luo Tian said makes a lot of sense?

Now is the golden age for reproduction; if you miss these few years, the quality of the genes won't be guaranteed!"

Seeing this, Charlotte Linlin hurriedly picked up her pace to chase after them, shouting as she ran.

"Linlin! Go find Shiki! He has more experience!" Whitebeard's voice drifted from far away, as he passed the buck to Shiki without a moment's hesitation.

"Bullshit! Newgate, you're talking nonsense! Linlin, look at Whitebeard's build and his muscles—one of him is worth two or three of me!

Finding him is definitely the right choice! The children you have will surely be even sturdier than both of us!"

Shiki's frantic, indignant voice came from another direction, refusing to be outdone.

"Neither of you is allowed to escape! Get back here and have a few children with me before you leave...!"

Soon, a chase was underway on Beehive Island.

Listening to the sounds fading into the distance, Luo Tian couldn't help but swallow hard, wiping the non-existent cold sweat from his forehead with lingering fear.

On the other side, John, Silver Axe, Ochoku, and the others, who hadn't said much throughout the ordeal, all had deep sympathy and a hint of schadenfreude in their eyes.

"Hahaha... you kid are really something.

It took Shiki and Newgate quite a while to finally shake off Linlin's entanglement by going out to sea to plunder, and now you've ruined it all with one sentence! There's going to be a good show to watch now!"

Silver Axe slapped his thigh and laughed heartily.

Back in the day, they had all refused Charlotte Linlin's invitations without hesitation, using every means possible.

Even though Linlin possessed great strength and was a stunning beauty, these ambitious men had no "interest" in her in a romantic sense.

They only chased after tangible wealth, power, and strength; even if they were to look for a woman, they wouldn't choose someone like Charlotte Linlin, who was so goal-oriented and potentially involved in complex entanglements.

Luo Tian took a deep breath to calm his nerves, picked up his wine glass, and walked toward Silver Axe, a helpless smile on his face:

"I've made a fool of myself in front of Executive Silver Axe. I didn't expect that just after joining, before I could even settle in, I would be 'specially focused' on by Executive Linlin in such a way."

Silver Axe raised his glass in response: "Understood, understood! Everyone has been through it.

You kid are quick-witted and sharp! Come, have a drink!"

Although he had previously opposed Luo Tian becoming an executive directly, he had gained a bit more recognition for Luo Tian's strength and wit.

After drinking a few more glasses of strong liquor and chatting briefly with Silver Axe, John, and the others.

Luo Tian figured it was about time, so he stood up to take his leave and exited the boisterous central castle hall.

He still intended to find Shiki.

He remained very interested in staying on the other man's ship and sparring in swordsmanship.

He hadn't had the chance to agree earlier before being interrupted by Charlotte Linlin.

Presumably, with the skills and speed of Shiki and Newgate, they should have successfully shaken her off by now, right?

Perhaps they were hiding in some corner, drinking to calm their nerves.

As he pondered, Luo Tian headed toward the harbor where the flagship of Shiki's pirate crew, the Flying Fleet, was usually docked.

The open-air banquet venue outside the castle was even more chaotic and noisy than the interior, with bonfires blazing fiercely.

Pirates moved from table to table, drinking heavily, arms slung over each other's shoulders as they boasted and joked, the air thick with the mingled scents of roasted meat and alcohol.

Not long after Luo Tian departed, one of the executives glanced at the comrades beside him who had already passed out and were snoring like thunder, his eyes flickering with a hidden intent.

Feigning the effects of the alcohol, he stood up unsteadily, claiming he needed to relieve himself, and made his way out of the bustling, noisy center of the banquet.

He took a winding path, and after confirming that no one was following him, he arrived at a secluded, wind-sheltered stretch of coastline.

Under the moonlight.

He scanned his surroundings vigilantly once more before quickly ducking behind a massive boulder, then pulled an encrypted Den Den Mushi from his robes.

He took a deep breath and skillfully dialed a specific number...

At the same time, at Marine Headquarters, Marineford.

The Fleet Admiral's office was brightly lit.

Kong was discussing urgent matters with the current golden generation of the Marines—Garp, Sengoku, and Zephyr.

"The expansion of the Rocks Pirates in the New World has become increasingly rampant lately, reaching a point of near-total recklessness."

Sengoku used a baton to point at several Marine bases marked in red on the map:

"Our G-1 through G-5 branches in the New World are under unprecedented pressure; supply lines are frequently raided, and the morale of the base garrisons is plummeting.

The reach of the Rocks Pirates is constantly squeezing our living space, and many nations and factions that were previously on the fence have begun to waver.

Our presence in the New World has become almost nominal."

"Sengoku is right," Zephyr nodded, his expression grave:

"The Rocks Pirates possess not only that monster, Rocks D. Zebek.

Their subordinates, such as Edward Newgate, Golden Lion Shiki, and Charlotte Linlin, among others.

Each of them possesses the terrifying strength to stand alone or even destroy entire islands.

The gap between us in terms of the quality and quantity of high-end combat power is gradually widening.

What is even more troublesome is their recruitment of fresh blood.

Top-secret intelligence previously sent back from the G-3 branch indicates that the new recruit the Rocks Pirates have taken in, a monster named 'Kaido'.

His bloodline is suspected to be of the Oni Race, and his physical durability is unfathomable.

He was able to withstand a siege by three vice admirals of the New World branch single-handedly.

They are still constantly absorbing monsters of this caliber!"