Time flies, and a year and a half has passed in the blink of an eye. Time is flying by, and the day they agreed on is getting closer and closer.
At this moment, on an unnamed island in the New World, in the top floor of a magnificent villa palace located in the very center of the island.
"How's it going? Has the Little Shrine Maiden completed the kill orders as instructed?"
In the office, Luo Chen sat upright at his desk directly opposite the door, asking his two timid, black-clad subordinates a question.
"Yes, according to the kill list, Little Shrine Maiden has single-handedly defeated the Cannibal Van Das, who has a bounty of 50 million, completing the mission assigned by the client. She is now on her way back to headquarters!"
The two men straightened up, saluted, and reported meticulously.
"Okay, I understand. Oh, and recall the Staff King, the Butterfly Woman, and Violet. Tell them I need to speak with them!"
Luo Chen was not surprised by this, nodded, and continued to give instructions.
"Yes!!"
The two men dared not be disrespectful to Luo Chen. As his closest associates, responsible for recording and reporting, they were acutely aware of how formidable this man was.
Since its inception, the guild has only made a few moves, but each time it has been Thunderbolt. Among those killed were assassins sent by various dark forces, as well as spies from the government and navy. Their strength far exceeded their expectations, yet even these individuals fell to Luo Chen. How could they not be terrified?
After explaining the situation, Luo Chen waved for them to leave.
"Okay, everyone, you can all leave now!"
Click...
After the door closed, the two walked for a while longer and left the place. Only after a long time did one of them breathe a sigh of relief and say...
"Hmph... Don't you feel the leader's imposing presence growing stronger? I feel like I'm suffocating just being around him..."
He asked his colleague, but the person he was asking remained calm, as if he hadn't felt anything, and shook his head.
"No, the leader is the same as always. You're overthinking it..."
"Is that so? Maybe I'm being too sensitive, but it's not my fault. Just thinking about the leader's strength and methods makes my skin crawl."
"That's just in your mind. Once you overcome it, you'll be fine!"
"Hmm, probably. Never mind, let's not think about that anymore. Let's hurry up and get going. We still need to relay the leader's message to Staff King and Butterfly Woman!"
"Okay, let's go!"
The man who had spoken first walked ahead, unaware of his companion's actions. He secretly slipped his hand into his pocket, pressed a special button on a Den Den Mushi (a type of Den Den Mushi), and immediately withdrew it, pretending to be nonchalant as he followed behind.
Dududu...
Dududu...
Meanwhile, at the Marine Headquarters fortress in the New World, in the Fleet Admiral's Office, a Den Den Mushi number directly connected to him was dialed.
Click...
"Moshi Moshi, I'm Sakazuki!!"
"It's us, the Five Elders, Sakazuki!!"
" The Five Elders?! What business do you have with me?!"
Sakazuki, now Fleet Admiral, didn't think these people would call for no reason. If they were calling now, it could only mean one thing: they had something to ask the Navy to handle, and it must be something very important to have them involved. So Sakazuki got straight to the point and asked.
"Yes, we do have something to discuss with you. We need you to activate the Buster Call, targeting Luo Chen, a former Shichibukai!"
" The Buster Call?! Luo Chen?! What are you old fogies trying to do by going overboard again? And wasn't Luo Chen killed by Charlotte Linlin, one of the Four Emperors? How is he involved in this whole affair??"
Upon hearing such a momentous order to activate the Buster Call, it was impossible for Fleet Admiral Sakazuki not to be aware of it. Moreover, upon hearing a long-unseen name from them, Sakazuki couldn't help but loudly question them about the general situation.
"Hmph, watch your place, Sakazuki. If you speak to us like that again, you can forget about your military budget this year!!"
Before Sakazuki could even hear the answer he wanted, the other person gave him a cold snort as a reminder.
"Damn it... Speak! What is your purpose? Why did you have to use the Navy's Buster Call?!"
Having his weakness exploited by the Five Elders, even Akainu, with his stubborn temper, had no choice but to bow down to them. Although his tone wasn't exactly respectful, it was much better than before.
"Hmph, the person you're talking about isn't dead yet!!"
"Not dead? How come?"
"Our World Government's spy, Hua Fei, spent nearly a year infiltrating the newly emerging mercenary guild in the Underworld. After many hardships, he finally discovered the true identity of their leader, Shura."
Unexpectedly, the person who dared to provoke the Charlotte Family over a year ago and was personally killed by Four Emperors has changed his appearance and is continuing to cause trouble right under the government's nose. If it weren't for the spies keeping a close watch on them when they were first formed, they might not have been able to discover them at all!
Sakazuki listened intently, clearly sensing the other person's anger, but this interrupted him as the other person continued speaking.
"January is the date of the marriage between the Celestial Dragons Gustav and Glücksburg. The current head of Gustav's clan, Norris, in order to completely extinguish that little girl's hopes in Glücksburg, has requested permission to eliminate them. That's why we've asked you to activate the Buster Call!!"
The Five Elders ' words completely cleared up Sakazuki's doubts. No wonder a mere person who had been abolished and presumed dead would cause such a stir. After understanding this, Akainu nodded in tacit agreement.
"By the way, the Vice Admiral dispatched on the Buster Call must be extremely powerful. Judging from the intelligence gathered by my men, that guy's strength might exceed the level of Headquarters Vice Admiral, and is approaching that of Admiral."
Although it sounds a bit exaggerated, to be absolutely sure, you should still send those two out. The Seven Deadly Sins will also go to assist you. You must end his life before that happens, otherwise..."
The Five Elders didn't say it explicitly, but Sakazuki understood. Although the Celestial Dragons couldn't directly interfere with the headquarters' affairs, they could target their military spending and create obstacles for him. It was conceivable that if he couldn't deliver a decisive blow, the Navy would face unimaginable retaliation from the two most powerful families.
"Understood. I will assign Vice Admiral Gion and Vice Admiral Chaton to guard them, and to take action to encircle and annihilate them if necessary!!"
"Then get ready quickly. My men have reported that they'll be recalling the key personnel soon. This will be the perfect opportunity. We'll let you know the exact time of action then; you just need to strike at that time..."
"Uh, I understand. Is there anything else you want to say?"
"That's all! Quickly, gather the soldiers and generals!!"
Click...
"Someone come here!!"
After Akainu other party hung up the phone, Akainu called out to the guards outside.
"Yes, Fleet Admiral Sakazuki! Did you need something from me?"
"Go and summon all the generals. I'm holding Fleet Admiral's meeting!"
"Yes!!"
Sakazuki looked at his subordinate, but in his mind he was thinking about who to appoint to take the stage.
Turning his gaze back to the villa's office, Luo Chen glanced outside, a slight smile playing on his lips as he muttered to himself.
" Storm is brewing. Will the Luo Chen Pirates rise from the ashes in this tempest, or will they be utterly destroyed? It's something to look forward to!!"