The moment Zephyr saw Loa's expression, he knew what Loa was thinking. "You little punk, I know what's on your mind! But I'm warning you: you're not getting involved this time!"
"Huh?! Why?"
Loa asked, baffled, "Teacher Zephyr, you're not even going to consider an opportunity this good?"
"Consider my ass!" Zephyr snorted. "Stay out of this. All you need to know is that once you finish this mission, that family won't have another chance to come after you. They're in for a rough time."
Zephyr couldn't tell Loa about the Buster Call or Kizaru. He even had to keep the other senior officers in the dark. Jade Street was one thing: everyone could sit down to a game of chess, with one side playing Jade Street and the other playing Loa. Whoever lost would have no grounds to complain.
But bringing in a Buster Call and Kizaru was another matter entirely.
That would be like playing chess with a Pistol pressed against your opponent's forehead, making a move, then asking, "If I hand you my dragon to capture, won't that fill you with Motion?"
All your opponent could say was, "I won't Motion. I won't Motion."
Inside, though, he would already be cursing you out.
After that, both sides would have dropped all pretenses.
Neither the Dragon People nor the World Government wanted an open break with Marine Headquarters, and Marine Headquarters didn't want one either. Sengoku had made this concession for Zephyr. If word got out, Jade Street would certainly be destroyed, but the trouble that followed would be no small matter!
Loa gave him a dead-eyed look. "Whatever you say."
But he had made up his mind. The important figure he was supposed to assassinate was no weakling, but still fell well short of a powerhouse on