The Return Of Joyboy!

Marine Headquarters, Marineford

The large, high ceilinged chamber of the Marine HQ were echoing with the sound of boots and orders but the real chaos was being ensued in the middle of the room.

A marine, with sweat dripping from his brows and gritted teeth was strangling one of his own comrades who was shouting in pain and agony, trying to grasp his breath.

"It's not me! My.. my hands are moving on their own!" The marine shouted, his voice trembled like a leaf.

"DON'T BE STUPID! THIS IS NO TIME FOR JOKES!" Another marine who was trying to separate the strangled marine shouted out.

"Fufufufufu!" Donquixote Doflamingo, one of the seven Warlords of the sea with a former bounty of 340,000,000 belly, giggled hysterically as he watched the show from the balcony, where he was perched lazily. His fingers twitched mysteriously, controlling the invisible strings that danced the marines around like his puppet. "This is just too much fun!" He cackled, leaning forward with a grin stretched wide across his face and his glasses reflecting the light.

"Doflamingo!" A sharp, commanding voice though frail but holding authority cut through the chaos as Vice Admiral 'Great Staff' Tsuru entered the room. "Be a good boy now and cease your games this instant!"

"Fufufufu! 'Be a good boy now?' Can't get a thing past you, Tsuru, can I?!" Doflamingo repeated, barely able to contain the amusement behind his words but he let go of the marines who dropped on their knees. "Fine, fine," Doflamingo said with mock reluctance, hopping down from the balcony. He strolled to the table at the center of the room. Ignoring the chair assigned to him, he sat directly on the table, crossing his long legs.

"You're insufferable." A low voice muttered as Doflamingo stolled to the table at the center of the room and sat directly on the table ignoring the chair assigned to him.

"And yet, here I am. The life of the party." Doflamingo chuckled, glancing at the owner of the voice who was seated a few chairs down and didn't even bother looking at him. "Still as lifeless as ever, Mihawk." Doflamingo taunted. "I wonder if the strongest swordsman in the world even knows how to enjoy himself."

"I don't waste my energy on frivolities. Unlike someone." Mihawk said in his casual calm, as his golden eyes flicked towards Doflamingo. He wouldn't even have bothered to come to a meeting if not for him to be interested in a rookie that's the center of today's discussion.

Doflamingo's grin widened. "Frivolities? Is that what you call keeping yourself entertained in a dull world like this? Perhaps you're afraid of a little fun, Hawkeye. Or perhaps.. you're just afraid of losing control." His fingers twitched for emphasis.

Mihawk's hand rested lightly on the hilt of his sword, a subtle movement that didn't go unnoticed by those in the room. "You'd do well to mind your tongue before I cut the strings on your little games."

The air grew heavier, the marines seated nearby visibly tensing

At the far end of the table, Delphic Nero with a former bounty of 270,000,000 belly, another one of the seven warlords of the sea, observed the exchange in silence. Though his calm demeanor gave nothing away, his sharp eyes took in every detail. He was wearing an all black suit as if he's going to a funeral, which most of the time belongs to his enemy's. His hair is covered by his black british-style fedora which has a black Dahlia placed neatly in the band. Another flower the young man is seen with is an Aconite peeking from his medieval thigh bag hanging from his waist, rumoured to hold flowers. He is known to leave a flower behind after every major battle for the victim as if leaving a sign of respect, but anyone who has talked to the man longer than 5 minutes knows that he is cold and has a sharp tongue, so respect is quite unlikely.

"Hard to believe any of you are Warlords and we're supposed to trust either of you to uphold the law," Nero remarked, his tone dry. "One plays with lives like toys, the other cuts through anyone who annoys him. Truly, the paragons of justice."

Doflamingo turned his attention toward him, his grin twisting into something darker. "And what's your deal, rookie? You've got quite the sharp tongue for someone so... mysterious."

"Mysterious suits me just fine." Nero, whose face was partially shadowed by his hat, smirked. "Better that than someone whose legacy is being a glorified puppet master."

The grin faded slightly from Doflamingo's face, his gaze narrowing. "Careful now, Nero. You might find yourself at the end of my strings if you keep talking like that."

Nero's eyes gleamed beneath the shadow of his hat. "Try it. I'm curious to see if your strings can hold someone who doesn't dance to anyone's tune."

The marines exchanged uneasy glances, the tension at the table thick enough to cut with a knife. Before the exchange could escalate further, Mihawk interjected.

"Leave the boy, Doflamingo," Mihawk said, his voice a low warning. "He's not worth your time. Or mine."

Doflamingo let out a low chuckle, leaning forward. "Oh, but he's feisty. I like that. Maybe I'll play with him after we're done here."

"Do that," Nero said, his voice eerily calm. "And I'll make sure your laugh is the last sound you ever make."

The two locked eyes for a moment, the air between them crackling with hostility. The marines in the room sweated nervously, seeing the chances of clashes between the Warlords, who on their own were monsters to be scared of. But before the tension could further escalate, the doors slammed open and the Fleet Admiral Sengoku strode in with his hands in his pockets. "Cease this." He bellowed, silencing the retorts which the Warlords were sure to throw to each other. "Put an end to this silliness at once." He didn't give a fuck about the Warlords killing each other but not here in the HQ.

Nero let out a sigh of relief seeing Doflamingo's attention finally averted from him, though his fists were clenched beneath the table. It was taking every ounce of his control to keep the disguise of 'Nero' and not reveal his true identity, especially with the recent knowledge of Doflamingo doing something horrible in Dressrosa.

"Ah, forgive me for not greeting you all first." Sengoku started with a taunting voice as his gaze swept over the three warlords in the room. "I'd like to thank you all for coming today, scum of the seas."

"Fufufufu! Well, aren't you pretty high minded for a man surrounded by 'scum', Fleet Admiral." Doflamingo stated, his grin widening mockingly. "But tell me, what does that make the one who chooses to work with us? A saint? ...Or just desperate?"

"Well, scum or not, it's nice to know where we stand." Nero commented with a faint smirk, his tone light but laced with hidden sarcasm and a sharp glint in his eyes. "Though I'd argue that some of us are here to clean up the messes that others fail to handle." He cast a subtle glance toward the marines, earning a few narrowed eyes in return. His remark was carefully veiled, ambiguous enough not to draw direct suspicion while still cutting deep.

Meanwhile, Mihawk's golden eyes met Sengoku's, steady and unnerving. "I find your judgement irrelevant." He said simply, his voice cutting through the tension like his blade. "The seas are ruled by power, not moralities. And power is why we're here, isn't it?"

Sengoku's fists clenched in anger at the retortion but he didn't revel in replying to the scums of the seas as he moved to the front of the room to address the gathered marines and Warlords. "Let us begin the meeting. I doubt any more will show up. Even having 3 out of 6 Warlords show up was more than I had anticipated."

"Sound judgment. I wasn't planning to come either." Doflamingo shrugged. "But my business has been going so smoothly as of late, I came here out of boredom."

"Same here." Nero shrugged when the Fleet Admiral's eyes fell on him. He was not willing to let anyone be suspicious of him.

"I am merely an interested observer. I happen to be interested in a few of the pirates at the center of today's discussion.. That's all." Mihawk stated.

"Ah, then may I also participate as an interested observer?" An unknown voice finally made its presence known in the room. "Ah, then again, perhaps it's not entirely accurate to describe myself as an 'observer'."

All eyes turned towards the figure which was casually seated on one of the large windows with a staff in his hand.

"WHO ARE YOU?! WHERE DID YOU COME FROM?!" Some of the marines shouted out, having not seen the guy enter.

"Greetings, esteemed company," The guy said, his voice smooth as silk. He ignored the tension in the room, striding to the center with an air of confidence. "I have come here today in the hopes that I may be allowed to participate."

Nero didn't so much as flinch as the others but beneath his calm exterior, his senses were on high alert. He had noticed the pale guy, Lafitte, one of the members of the Blackbeard crew, sneaking in moments before anyone else due to his Haki picking up the man's unusual presence.

"Forgive my presumptuousness, but in the light of Crocodile's title revocation and Straw hat Luffy's declination to the Warlords, you must be looking for a replacement, are you not?" Lafitte continued on.

"You must be Lafitte, right?" Tsuru stated with disinterest at the man.

"Ah, you are aware of my name. I am most honored." Lafitte tipped his head mockingly.

"Who is he?" A marine commented, looking at Lafitte with wariness.

"An infamous sheriff of West Blue who crossed an acceptable level of violence in his means. He's since been chased out of his country." Tsuru answered with distaste towards the criminal.

"Hoho.. All in the past, and of no concern in the current discussion." Lafitte's smirk widened as he addressed the room. "I have only come to nominate a certain man to the position of Warlord."

Murmurs broke out among the marines, confusion rippling through the room.

"Marshall D. Teach, also known as Blackbeard." Laffitte declared, his voice carrying above the noise. "I nominate my captain for this illustrious title."

"That man's a nobody!" "He doesn't even have a bounty!" "Who does he think he is?"

The room erupted in murmurs once again.

"Never heard of him before." Sengoku's voice rose above all the whispers and comments. "Appointing an unknown person to Warlord is hardly going to make any pirate tremble."

Doflamingo, however, let out a low chuckle. "Now that sounds interesting! I say give 'em a chance, Sengoku."

Mihawk's gaze remained impassive, while Nero's jaw clenched imperceptibly. The mention of Blackbeard's name was enough to stir hatred deep within him and let his mask slip but he managed to keep his expression neutral.

"This is ridiculous," Nero said curtly, his voice even. "No one here is foolish enough to support such nonsense."

"Oh, but I assure you, Blackbeard is more than qualified," Laffitte countered, his tone smug. "And as proof of his value, I'll reveal something you'll find quite.. intriguing."

The room quieted as he continued.

"My captain knows the true identity of one of the 3C's, the 'Red Maniac' Cyra," Laffitte said, his smirk growing.

The effect was instantaneous. The room erupted into chaos, the sharp clatter of chairs and shouted voices ricocheting off the walls. Marines exchanged stunned glances, their disbelief evident.

Some marines gathered there shouted in disbelief, them having an infinite amount of scores to settle with the 3C's, especially Cyra, while some others wanted to dismiss it as a bluff, not believing that some unknown person found out the identity of Cyra and not them.

"That's absurd! How could this Teach guy possibly know Cyra's identity!?" One of the marines barked, his voice tinged with disbelief. He didn't want to believe that some unknown person—a wannabe warlord at that—found Cyra's identity before them.

Another, more cautious, murmured, "But if he does... this could compromise more than just Cyra. The balance—"

"It's a bluff! He's trying to manipulate us!"

The officers were divided. Some furrowed their brows, trying to piece together the implications, while others outright dismissed the claim as a pirate's ploy. Yet the undercurrent of fear was undeniable—Laffitte's smug confidence was unsettling.

Meanwhile, Sabo, under the disguise of the 'Arcanum' Delphic Nero, spoke sharply. He was trying his best to calm his racing heart and the storm of emotions brewing beneath his composed exterior. 'Damn it!' He thought, cursing and glaring at Lafitte. He knew Laffitte was no fool, and the confidence oozing from the pirate wasn't entirely baseless. He forced his expression to remain neutral, but his sharp eyes darted between the marines and Laffitte, calculating his next move. Inside, panic clawed at his thoughts. 'If this gets out.. if they even begin to suspect Luffy.. No, I won't let it happen!'

"Bold words." Mihawk said, as he leaned back in his chair, his unreadable gaze locked on Laffitte. "But words alone mean nothing."

"Fufufufu! What a delightful mess you've stirred, Lafitte. I'd almost believe you... if it weren't so amusing to think you'd risk lying in this room." Doflamingo grinned widely, discarding the words of Lafettite. Though he would love to know who are the 3C's and make them his personal puppets.

Sabo felt his jaw tighten despite himself, the faintest movement betraying his frustration. 'This can't spiral further.' He leaned forward slightly, his tone cold and dismissive. "There's no way anyone could know Cyra's identity," He said, cutting through the noise with a commanding edge. "The very idea is laughable. Even if Blackbeard thinks he knows something, I assure you, he's mistaken. Or dead."

That last word carried a weight that silenced some of the murmurs. The pointed remark earned him a smirk from Doflamingo, who seemed to enjoy the growing hostility in the room.

Sengoku's sharp voice brought the chaos to a halt. "Enough!" He barked, his gaze sweeping the room. "Laffitte, if your captain truly knows Cyra's identity, prove it."Sengoku narrowed his eyes. "If you want us to take this claim seriously, provide evidence. We won't entertain baseless rumors."

Laffitte's smirk widened as he produced a denden mushi from his coat. "Proof, you say? Oh, my captain can confirm it in just one call. Let's settle this, shall we?"

Sabo's stomach churned. His sharp instincts screamed at him to act, but he remained still, his fingers itching for action. The room held its collective breath as Laffitte dialed.

And then—silence.

The snail remained motionless. Laffitte's confident expression flickered, if only for a moment, as he dialed again.

Once more, silence.

Nero seized the moment, his voice cutting like steel. "Looks like your captain's not picking up. What's the matter, Laffitte? Cat got his tongue, or perhaps he's already met his end?" Sabo leaned on his chair as he spoke. "Or perhaps he never had this information to begin with." He slightly smirked, knowing that this was over and would be soon over for forever. "Either way, it seems this little charade is over."

"You have wasted our time, Lafitte." Sengoku's voice dripped with threat. "If your captain does know who is behind the mask of Cyra, reveal now, or.." Sengoku didn't even have to order as the marines surrounded Lafitte in an instant with guns and swords pointed at him.

Lafitte frowned, but his smirk returned quickly. "Only my captain will answer that and I assure you, he's alive and well. More than that, Cyra is already in his grasp. You'll all see soon enough."

The declaration and intention behind the words set the room ablaze once more, with shouts and arguments overlapping as marines barked orders and some speculated about Lafitte's claims.

The Warlords, each seated or standing with their own aura of untouchable menace, watched the commotion unfold with varying degrees of amusement or disdain.

Amid the frenzy, Sabo's sharp eyes glinted. His finely honed instincts told him that the pirate had made his escape during the confusion. Exactly as expected, he thought.

Without hesitation, Sabo slipped out of the meeting room unnoticed, his every move precise and calculated. While the marines scattered, scrambling to organize search efforts, Sabo had already locked onto Laffitte's presence. His mastery of Haki allowed him to sense the subtle disturbance in the air—Laffitte was swift and skilled, but no match for someone like Sabo.

In the shadowed corridors of Marineford, Sabo moved like a phantom, his steps soundless and deliberate. His target wasn't far. Laffitte's presence lingered like a faint trace of smoke, weaving through the base's labyrinthine halls.

And finally, he found him.

Laffitte stood at the edge of a darkened alley near one of the lesser-used exits of Marineford, his back turned. Sabo's lips curled into a tight smirk, his gloved hands flexing.

"You've caused enough trouble for one day," Sabo muttered under his breath.

Laffitte barely had time to register the shift in the air before Sabo struck. A single, swift blow to the back of the head rendered the pirate unconscious, his body crumpling unceremoniously to the ground.

Sabo stood over the fallen man, his heart pounding. The fury he'd kept bottled up during the meeting threatened to boil over. But now was not the time to lose focus.

Kneeling down, he grabbed Laffitte by the collar, hoisting him with ease. "You're not going anywhere," Sabo muttered, his tone laced with cold determination. He slung Laffitte's limp body over his shoulder and disappeared into the shadows once more, leaving no trace of his presence.

Laffitte groaned as he came to consciousness, his head pounding and his body heavy. The dim light of the room flickered against cold, damp walls, and the rhythmic creaking and swaying told him he was aboard a ship. Blinking away his grogginess, he tugged at his arms, only to find them shackled tightly to the table before him. His legs, bound to the chair, barely budged, he felt so tired. Across from him, a blonde haired man stood with his back turned, arranging tools on a nearby tray.

Meanwhile, Sabo was humming a light tune, his fingers gliding over a pristine pair of gloves. One by one, he pulled them on, snapping the leather against his wrists. After that, he finally turned around, offering Lafitte a polite, almost cheerful smile, which contrasted sharply with the gleam in his sharp eyes.

"Ah, you're awake. Excellent," Sabo greeted warmly, as though they were old friends. He picked up a small blade from the tray and inspected its edge with idle curiosity. "You're quite the slippery one, aren't you? Took me a bit of effort to track you down."

Lafitte's eyes widened slightly as he recognized the voice of the man from that of Nero from the meeting. He had seen the bounty poster of the 'Arcanum' Delphic Nero and knew what he looked like and hence seeing the sharp and complete contrast, he was soon to realize that the original Nero was dead and the guy, who could be none other than a revolutionary, was feigning like Nero to be a warlord. Though, that didn't unsettle him much but the sickeningly too polite smile, which was screaming to be fake, was making his stomach churn. He needed to find an escape route. Now. But his body felt too weak, making him realize that he was cuffed with sea-stone handcuffs around his wrists, which were drastically draining his strength and his shaft was nowhere to be seen.

"Now, now," Sabo said, noticing Laffitte's wandering eyes. He pulled up a chair and sat down, his smile never faltering. "No point in looking for a way out. This room was designed to hold much nastier people than you."

Laffitte's gaze narrowed, but he kept silent.

Sabo leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table, his voice dropping into a silky murmur. "Let's get to the point. You mentioned something interesting back at the meeting. Something about knowing who Cyra really is. That caught my attention. So, why don't we make this easy? You tell me everything you know, and I promise, I'll make it quick for you. Or perhaps even let you go if I found the information satisfactory."

Lafitte refused to answer, keeping his unnerving gaze locked to that of his about to be torturer.

Seeing Lafitte silent, Sabo chuckled softly. "You're loyal. Admirable, really. But you should know—I'm very good at getting people to talk."

Laffitte gritted his teeth and finally spoke, his tone calm but defiant. "You're not who you say you are, Warlord Delphic Nero. Or should I call you... Revolution—"

Before Laffitte could finish, Sabo's fist collided with Lafitte's face, breaking his nose with a crunch sound. His calm smile remained, but his eyes burned with cold fury. "I'll be asking the questions, thank you."

The room went eerily silent, save for the faint creak of the ship as it swayed with the waves. Sabo stood by the tray of tools, his fingers hovering over an array of sharp implements, heated rod, needles, pliers, vials of unknown liquids and other materials. He selected a slender blade, testing its edge with his thumb before turning back to Laffitte, who sat slumped in the chair, his breathing ragged.

"You know," Sabo began conversationally, "I didn't want it to come to this. I was hoping we could have a pleasant little chat. But, alas..." He gave a mock sigh, his polite smile still firmly in place. "It seems you've left me no choice."

Laffitte tugged futilely at his sea-stone shackles, panic beginning to creep into his normally calm demeanor. "You won't get anything from me," He rasped, his voice filled with pain but defiant.

Sabo tilted his head, feigning disappointment. "You say that now. But everyone has a limit, Laffitte. Shall we find yours?"

He moved with measured precision, placing the blade against Laffitte's exposed forearm. With a deliberate slowness that sent shivers down his captive's spine, Sabo dragged the blade across the skin, not deep enough to be lethal but enough to draw blood and leave a burning sting.

Laffitte flinched, his teeth gritting to suppress a groan.

"That's just the start," Sabo said cheerfully, dabbing the wound with a piece of cloth soaked in a pungent liquid. Laffitte hissed as the pain flared. "Stings, doesn't it? Now imagine this... a hundredfold."

Sabo reached for the heated rod next. The glowing metal hissed ominously in the cool air as he brought it close to Laffitte's face, allowing him to feel the intense heat radiating from it.

"Tell me," Sabo murmured, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "Who is Cyra? Who knows their identity? You give me those answers, and this stops."

Laffitte's breaths came in shallow gasps. His usually composed mask was slipping, cracks forming as fear took hold. "You think this will break me?" He spat, though his voice wavered.

Sabo arched an eyebrow. "Oh, you're tougher than most. But no one lasts forever."

With that, he pressed the rod lightly against Laffitte's shoulder. The sizzling sound was drowned out by Laffitte's strangled scream as the searing pain tore through him. He thrashed against the restraints, but the sea-stone cuffs rendered him weak and powerless.

"Stop! Stop it!" Laffitte choked out, his voice breaking.

Sabo pulled the rod away, inspecting the blackened mark with clinical detachment. "You're starting to sound reasonable. Ready to talk?"

Panting heavily, Laffitte glared at Sabo through bloodshot eyes. "Never."

Sabo's smile widened, but it didn't reach his eyes. "I admire your loyalty. Truly, I do. But let's see how long it lasts."

He swapped the brand for a pair of needle-like instruments, holding them up for Laffitte to see. "These are particularly nasty," he mused. "A tiny prick here... and here..." He pressed the needles into pressure points on Lafitte's arms, sending jolts of sharp, localized pain through his nerves.

Laffitte thrashed again, letting out a guttural cry.

"Just say the name," Sabo coaxed, his tone sweet and almost kind. "Save yourself the pain."

"I—won't—betray him!" Laffitte gasped, his voice barely audible.

Sabo leaned in close, his breath brushing against Laffitte's ear. "You already have, by letting yourself get caught. So tell me, and maybe you'll leave here with most of your limbs intact."

Laffitte's resolve finally crumbled under the relentless torment. Blood dripped from his mouth as he rasped out the words, each one a struggle. "It's... Monkey D. Luffy. Cyra is... Monkey D. Luffy."

Sabo froze, the calm facade slipping for the briefest moment. Then he straightened, his smile returning, sharper than ever. "Who else knows?" He demanded, his tone now ice-cold.

Lafitte coughed, spitting blood on the floor. "Blackbeard's crew," Laffitte stammered, his voice trembling. "Just... the captain and his crew—Burgess, Doc Q, Van Augur. No one else."

Sabo stared at him for a long moment, then nodded. "Thank you for your cooperation." He said softly with a smile.

Laffitte slumped in his chair in relief, exhausted, thinking the ordeal was over.

Until he saw the gun in Sabo's hand.

"You shouldn't have known this," Sabo said, his tone almost regretful. "No one threatens my baby brother or Ace." Sabo said, his voice soft and almost fond. Without hesitation, he pulled the trigger.

The shot rang out, silencing Laffitte forever.

Sabo wiped his gloves clean on a cloth, his expression cold and detached as he turned to one of his Revolutionaries waiting outside. "Dispose of the body. And sound Code C. We have a breach. Find Blackbeard."

The revolutionary base erupted into chaos the moment Code C was announced. Operatives scrambled to their posts, messages were sent out across the network, and plans were hastily drawn to track down the Blackbeard Pirates.

Amid the frenzy, Sabo retreated to a quiet corner to make two crucial calls.

The first went to Ace.

"Code C. Blackbeard knows about Luffy," Sabo said bluntly the moment Ace picked up the call.

Ace's voice exploded from the other end. "That bastard! I knew I should've finished him off when I had the chance! I'll go out after him this instant. Damn it, Sabo, this is my fault—"

"It's not your fault," Sabo interrupted firmly. "And for what it's worth, Teach won't be a problem anymore, now that he knows that. We will deal with him. Together."

After that, the second call went to Dragon, who listened in grim silence before giving his own orders to find the Blackbeards and move to finish him.

Finally, Sabo dialed Luffy, his heart still racing from the events of the day.

"Luffy! You won't believe what happened! Blackbeard—"

"Yeah, I already dealt with them," Luffy said, his tone as casual as if he were discussing lunch.

"...What?"

"I put them to sleep. Eternal sleep."

There was a long pause.

Disbelief was the first emotion to make it through Sabo's face. Then Sabo's lips stretched into a wide grin and his laugh started small, then grew uncontrollable. He leaned against the wall, clutching his stomach. "You—You dealt with them already?! And to think I spent all that time torturing Laffitte when the problem had already been taken care of. Luffy, you magnificent, reckless idiot."

Luffy's confused voice came through the line. "Yeah. Why wouldn't I? That bastard started it first."

Sabo groaned, wiping tears of laughter from his eyes. "I swear, you're the only person who can turn the worst-case scenario into just another Tuesday."

"Shishishi!"

With that Sabo finally disconnected the call, and wiped away the last of the laughter-induced tears from his eyes, and stood up straight. The Revolutionaries, who had been nervously awaiting the fallout or any news of the Code C, were still in a haze, their minds racing as they prepared for action. But Sabo had something else to say.

"Alright, everyone. Listen up," Sabo said, his tone cutting through the chaos. The room quieted, all eyes on him. "Code C is resolved. The Blackbeard Pirates—specifically, Teach and his crew—they're no longer a problem."

There was a collective pause, as everyone in the room tried to process what Sabo was saying. Some of them even blinked, looking confused, unsure whether they had heard correctly.

"What do you mean, 'no longer a problem?'" One of the senior operatives finally asked, his brow furrowed. "Sabo, are you saying—?"

Sabo gave a small chuckle, shaking his head. "Luffy. He dealt with them."

The response was immediate and full of relief. A few Revolutionaries exchanged knowing glances, knowing this wasn't some joke or an insane exaggeration.

"Luffy?" Another operative echoed, his once stress filled voice now alleviated. "You mean, he actually dealt with Blackbeard and his crew already?"

Sabo's grin returned, a mixture of awe and amusement in his eyes. "Yeah. The kid handled it. Didn't even break a sweat."

There was a stunned silence that spread across the room, everyone still processing the sheer audacity of Luffy's actions. For a few seconds, no one knew whether to laugh or cry. Then, a deep, almost nervous chuckle started from one of the Revolutionaries at the back of the room, which quickly spread to others. The absurdity of the situation wasn't lost on them. Luffy had once again outdone everyone, handling an existential crisis like it was just another walk in the park.

One of the Revolutionaries let out a laugh, shaking his head. "I can't believe it. The kid's only what—17? And he is so powerful that he can take down devil fruit wielding crews on his own? That kid is going places!"

Sabo gave a slight nod, his smile growing wider. "Yeah. The entire crew. Apparently they tried to capture Luffy but failed horribly." Sabo's mood slightly got worse remembering what Lafitte said at the warlord meeting.

The room broke into a mix of disbelief, laughter, and relief, mostly because Code C had put them on edge, but it turns out it had already been dealt with.

Sabo stood a little taller, then raised his voice again, rallying the room. "Now, here's what we're going to do. I'll contact Ace and Dragon and keep them in the loop. You guys need to spread the word. Get everyone in the network informed. Luffy's actions today could shake things up in ways we can't even imagine. Oh, and don't forget we need to cover up. Send someone to Jaya asap and deal with the carnage there."

The Revolutionaries nodded, some of them already moving toward their communication devices to send word to the higher-ups. But Sabo didn't miss the knowing smiles being exchanged between a few of them.

The sun had barely crested the horizon, casting a warm glow over the Going Merry, now with a newly fitted set of wings. The transformation was astounding. What was once a simple, dependable ship had been given a birdlike elegance, with large, sturdy wings extending from either side, turning it into the Going Merry's Flying Model. A chicken-like design, playful yet impressive, perched proudly on the figurehead.

Usopp, Chopper, Nami, and Robin stood outside the house, their eyes wide in astonishment. Usopp, ever the inventor, couldn't contain his excitement. Stars practically sparkled in his eyes as he marveled at the new ship.

"W-W-Wow! It's... It's so cool!" Usopp's jaw nearly hit the ground. He was in awe of the ship.

Chopper, his eyes gleaming with wonder, bounced around in excitement. "It's amazing! The wings, they'll let us fly, right?! I can't wait to see it in action!"

Nami, on the other hand, couldn't hide the unease creeping into her expression. Her hands were on her hips, and her brow furrowed as she stared at the ship. "It looks... strange. A chicken, really? I don't know about this, guys..."

Robin, always calm and composed, simply nodded, offering only a faint smile as she studied the ship. She had no real strong opinion, but she wasn't overly enthusiastic either. "Well, looks like it's ready to fly," Robin murmured, her gaze lingering on the ship for a moment before she turned to the others.

"Oi! Monster Trio, hurry up!" Nami called out, her voice tight with impatience. "If we want to catch the Knock Up Stream, we need to set sail immediately!"

The Monster Trio, still nowhere in sight, had clearly taken their sweet time. But it wasn't long before they appeared.

Zoro walked up first, looking like he'd just woken up from a full night of drunken sleep. On his back was Luffy, sprawled out and barely conscious, his eyes half-lidded as he muttered in his sleep. Luffy was definitely not looking like his usual energetic self.

"Ugh, damn it," Zoro grumbled. "Honestly, you're a handful," He muttered under his breath. He shifted Luffy slightly, ensuring Luffy stayed steady. "I swear, I'm starting to feel like your personal babysitter," He muttered, but his tone was more resigned than annoyed.

Behind them, Sanji strolled up with a smirk. He took a playful jab at Zoro as he passed. "Heh, you can't even carry your own captain, huh? Guess you're not the great swordsman you think you are!" Sanji chuckled and held up an apple in front of Luffy's sleepy face. "Here, Luffy. Want some food to wake you up?"

Luffy, barely conscious, mumbled something incoherent, clearly still exhausted. His eyes were barely open, his face pale and tired. He hadn't even pushed himself far beyond his limits during the battle with Blackbeard, but using a percent of both Halad's and his own powers in unison, had drained him more than he realized. His body felt completely worn out.

Usopp turned his attention to Luffy's barely-conscious state, his usual cheeriness momentarily replaced by concern. "Luffy... What happened to you?"

"Don't worry about it, Usopp," Zoro grumbled, adjusting Luffy on his back. "He'll be fine. He's just tired."

Once they reached the ship, everyone had climbed aboard, except for Zoro and Luffy. Luffy looked up at Cricket, who was standing nearby.

"Get on the ship, you ain't got much time left." Cricket took a swig of his cigarette. "Or do you want to waste your only chance to go to the sky, you idiot."

"Thanks for fixing up Merry." Luffy spoke, his voice soft and a smile etched on his pale face.

"You should be thanking those guys," Cricket pointed to Mashira's and Shoujou's crew, who were already on their ship, ready to set sail and guide the Strawhat's to their destination. "They're the ones who did the real work. Now hurry up and get on board. Time's running out."

"Right." Luffy nodded.

"Luffy! Zoro! Hurry up!" Nami shouted, making Zoro finally trudge towards the ship and climb up.

Cricket's eyes remained fixated at the sleepy kid as he remembered the words excitedly spoken by him. He was in slight disbelief seeing that the kid looked so so weak currently but he couldn't help but only feel thankful and grateful towards the crew. "Saruyama Alliance!"

"Aye-aye sir!" "Uoho!"

The two crews shouted out, making monkey-like poses.

"Don't go slipping up now, y'hear?! No matter what, put every last ounce of energy you've got into getting them up in the sky! Don't fall like the Arethusa duchy!" Cricket shouted out. His words had a hint of appreciation behind them, knowing that the crew had been through a lot from them. They had protected him when the thieves had tried to steal his gold and had fought hard to defend it. He also truly hoped they wouldn't fall like the duchy of the Lvneel kingdom which he originates from, that family lost everything in a day.

"Alright, let's go!" Luffy smiled, letting the energy from everyone energize him, though he didn't get off Zoro's back. He also makes a small note on his mind to ask his mother about that family once he gets back.

"Kid, this is goodbye for you and me now." Cricket spoke, his face softening. "There's one thing, I know for certain at least..!" Cricket spoke, especially to Luffy. "Whether it's the City of Gold or Sky Island, there's never been a person who's proven they don't exist."

"Yup!" Luffy grinned, wiping away the sleep from his eyes.

"Sure, people might laugh, call it an absurd fantasy, but so what?!" Cricket uttered, his voice full of renewed confidence. "Isn't that fantasy, precisely what makes it romantic?"

Luffy's eyes sparkled as he grinned, his earlier exhaustion momentarily forgotten. "That's what I like about you, Cricket! You never give up on what you believe in!" Behind him the others smiled, listening to each word of Cricket.

Cricket chuckled, his eyes full of fondness. "And you, Luffy. Never lose that heart of yours. Thank you for protecting my gold, everyone. Now, don't go falling out of the sky."

"Shishishishi!" Luffy giggled, already looking forward to the skies. "See ya, mister!"

"Thanks for everything, Mr. Cricket!" "I am sure the city of gold exists!" "Don't push yourself too hard, mister!"

With the parting words, Cricket waved goodbye and the crew set sail along with the Saruyama Alliance.

"Sanji! Fooood~!" Luffy stretched lazily, his hands on his head as he leaned on the railings, with Zoro nearby to make sure that Luffy doesn't go diving into the sea in his drowsy state.

"Have some fruits for now." Sanji was quick to fetch some fruits from the kitchen and offer up to Luffy as the breakfast wasn't even made till now.

Luffy smiled happily as he grabbed some fruits. As he munched on it, Luffy suddenly froze, his body going stiff. His sharp senses, dulled as they were from his exhaustion, picked up on something wrong. A sinister, dark aura, ominous, chilling, and unmistakable, suddenly filled the air around Nami's plants. The feeling was almost suffocating.

Luffy's eyes snapped wide open, and he looked down at the fruit in his hand. His gaze quickly shifted to one of the nearby fruits nestled among Nami's plants. A dark, foreboding presence emanated from it, and he instantly recognized the Devil Fruit that was somehow embedded in the middle of a bunch of fruit.

The Yami Yami no Mi.

The devil fruit that had caused so much destruction, the very fruit that had belonged to Blackbeard. It was unmistakable.

Luffy's eyes widened with horror, and he could practically hear the fruit's panic, the dark energy swirling around it. His instincts screamed at him to get rid of it before anyone else touched it.

Before any of his crew could get the chance to question his panicked or shocked face, Luffy grabbed the disgusting fruit and tossed it far away to his mother. "Don't let anyone touch it! Don't give it to anyone!" Luffy shouted out towards the ocean, causing those of the crew who hadn't noticed him to look at Luffy in bewilderment.

As the fruit splashed into the ocean with a faint ripple, an eerie silence fell over the deck. The Straw Hats stared at Luffy in shock, their faces a mix of confusion and alarm.

"Luffy! What was that for?!" Nami demanded, her voice sharp and incredulous. She marched toward him, her hands on her hips, her face filled with worry and frustration. "You've been acting weird ever since we set off. And now you're throwing perfectly good fruit overboard?! What's going on?"

Usopp scratched the back of his head, his expression torn between bewilderment and concern. "Yeah, Luffy. That's not like you at all. I mean, I know you're not picky with food, but that's just wasteful!"

Chopper's wide eyes reflected his worry as he stepped closer to Luffy. "Are you feeling okay, Luffy? You've been acting strange all morning. And now you're just... throwing stuff away?"

Even Robin raised an eyebrow, her gaze calm but curious. "That was quite an intense reaction for a simple fruit, Captain. Care to explain?"

Zoro leaned against the mast, arms crossed as he gave Luffy a pointed look. "You've been out of it all day, and now this. Spit it out. What's going on, Luffy?"

Sanji, busy slicing vegetables in the galley doorway, paused mid-cut, his knife glinting in the light. "Oi, if there's something dangerous going on, you'd better say it."

Faced with the questions, Luffy hesitated for a moment, unsure if he should answer the questions of his worried and concerned crew. His strawhat tipped low to obscure his face as his hands clenched into fists.

"That was a devil fruit." Luffy chose the answer, his voice cheerful but strained. "A bad one at that. Didn't want anyone accidentally eating it." He shrugged, giving the half truth to his crew.

"That's all?" Zoro questioned, not buying it. What could, after all, terrify Luffy, a God? Something happened last night and he is sure that the fruit had its connection with it.

"Luffy, of all people, choosing to call a devil fruit, an actual devil fruit?!" Usopp questioned with wide eyes, remembering how Luffy got angry when someone called one of these mysterious powers a devil fruit. "Something's up." Usopp wondered out loud. He didn't want to know what was going on, but the curious part in him refused to let go. "Luffy, we're your crew. You should tell us, if something's bothering you."

Luffy raised his hands in mock surrender, his grin growing wider, though the beads of sweat trickled down from his face, clearly indicated the beginning of a lie. "I swear, there's nothing more!" Before anyone could probe further, Luffy suddenly brightened. "Now, Sanji! Food! I'm starving!" He bolted toward the galley with surprising energy for someone who had seemed so drowsy moments ago, leaving the rest of the crew to exchange skeptical glances.

"Do you believe him?" Robin asked, her gaze shifting to Nami.

Nami crossed her arms, her lips pursed in thought. "No. Something's definitely off. But if he's not ready to tell us, we can't force him." Nami's lips pressed into a thin line as a thought crossed her mind. "But still, Luffy might have another terrible secret which would be better for us to never know." Nami shuddered slightly with a nervous smile.

"Yeah, just like his own fruit powers." Usopp laughed jokingly, but the nervousness and fear were palpable in his voice.

Zoro shrugged, his usual nonchalant attitude in full display. "Whatever it is, he'll handle it. He's always been like that, keeping things to himself until he's ready."

"Yeah, but that's no excuse for wasting food!" Sanji grumbled from the galley doorway, glaring at Luffy, who was rummaging through the pantry with unrestrained enthusiasm.

The crew shared a small laugh at Sanji's complaint, though an unspoken concern lingered in their minds. Luffy's strange behavior couldn't be ignored forever, and they would be ready when the time came to face whatever he was hiding. For now, though, they had their sights set on the Knock Up Stream and the adventure that awaited them in the sky.