The invitation letter was long, packed densely with text.
Blah blah blah blah blah...
Liam's gaze wandered lazily up and down the page. Once he locked onto the key points, his eyes sharpened.
"So the person you're inviting is me?"
He pointed at the recipient's name on the document: "Chopperna Giorno."
Aokiji scratched his curly hair.
"Ah la la... You should know that when we invite someone to become a Warlord of the Sea, what we value is their strength and reputation..."
Liam shook the document in his hand.
"So you think my captain is weaker than I am."
Aokiji replied flatly: "One has a bounty of 400 million, the other 330 million."
"You're actually judging by bounty size?" Liam said. "How shallow. I look down on you."
Aokiji chuckled.
"You didn't say anything about the reputation part. Looks like you're pretty self-aware, aren't you?"
Liam neither confirmed nor denied it. He tossed the document back.
"I refuse. You actually skipped over my captain and invited me to be a Warlord. You're obviously trying to stir up conflict within our crew. These are some truly sinister intentions..."
He shook his head repeatedly, looking thoroughly unwilling.
"...It's only an invitation." Aokiji adjusted his small, round sunglasses. Reflected in the lenses was a dancer across the street. She had been dancing passionately for who knew how long, sweat pouring off her like rain, yet she still hadn't stopped.
The dancers of Dressrosa really were something else.
"You have half a month to bring this invitation to Marine Headquarters. If you have any requests, you can negotiate directly with the Fleet Admiral, including whether your captain should become the Warlord instead of you."
"Oh, that's acceptable."
A lock of Liam's long hair moved as if alive, stretching across the table and retrieving the invitation again.
"..."
The scene was reflected clearly in Aokiji's sunglasses.
Anyone with eyes could tell that the true person in charge of the JOJO Pirates was Chopperna Giorno. Even if the title of Warlord were officially given to Jolyne Kujo, anyone who understood the situation would know who truly deserved the credit.
Aokiji suspected the Fleet Admiral probably wouldn't reject Giorno's request anyway.
In any case, these were all minor details, and he wasn't particularly concerned.
Liam casually asked, "Why do I have to go to Marineford in half a month?"
Aokiji was speechless.
"This is a Warlord of the Sea appointment."
Liam put on an attentive expression. After waiting a while and hearing nothing else, he said helplessly,
"And?"
"This isn't something that can be decided casually."
Aokiji's long fingers, wrapped in icy cold air, tapped lightly against the table.
"According to procedure, invitations will be sent to the other Warlords as well. Officially, they're supposed to attend as witnesses. Whether they actually show up doesn't matter much."
"The most important thing is getting a photograph of a pirate standing at Marine Headquarters and accepting the Warlord appointment. Reporters from the newspapers will be there too..."
Blah blah blah blah blah...
Liam barely listened to the rest.
Not that it mattered. Even if he forgot, he could always have B.I.B replay the memory later.
Instead, he found himself wondering whether the other Warlords would come to Marine Headquarters as witnesses.
He didn't know about the others. But if Hancock learned that the invited candidates were him and Jolyne, she definitely wouldn't miss it.
It had been a long time since he'd seen that girl. She had probably grown even more beautiful by now… Liam maintained an utterly serious expression.
'I wonder if I'll be able to resist temptation when the time comes?'
"Giorno, are you listening?"
"I am, I am." Liam calmly came back to reality.
"What were you saying just now?"
"..."
A trace of cold mist leaked from the corner of Aokiji's mouth. He looked as though he wanted to blow a freezing breath at the kid across from him and turn him into an ice sculpture.
"I was saying that since we're about to become something like half-colleagues..."
"Half-colleagues?"
"Let's call it that." Aokiji continued: "I'm heading out to deal with a group of pirates. Interested in coming along?"
"Warlords count as colleagues?"
"Close enough."
"Nope." Liam rejected the offer immediately.
"Why would I go with you… wait a second!" He eyed Aokiji suspiciously. "You still have another mission while delivering a Warlord invitation? You can just conveniently do both at the same time?"
That story would have to start with another Vice Admiral who was even lazier than Aokiji himself...
Just thinking about explaining it felt troublesome.
"So anyway... ah... more or less... something like that." Aokiji waved the matter away absentmindedly.
"Don't worry about it."
Liam snorted.
"Delivering my invitation was secondary. Getting me to work for you was your real goal, wasn't it?"
Although he was somewhat interested in the pirates that required Aokiji's personal attention, he had no intention of working for the Marines for free.
He stood up decisively.
"Forget it. I need to go find my captain."
Sweeping the area with Observation Haki, he sensed Robin's presence and the Stand's presence on the opposite coast of Dressrosa. They hadn't moved for quite some time.
They were probably hiding and observing people connected to history, relics, and similar matters.
Liam turned and left.
Behind him came Aokiji's voice: "Is that really a good idea?"
Liam turned around.
Reflected in his sunglasses was Aokiji, wearing his own pair of small round shades.
Aokiji said calmly, "They're a very formidable pirate crew."
Liam sat back down.
"How formidable?"
"Extremely formidable."
Aokiji pinched two fingers together. As he pulled them apart, an icicle formed between them.
"They are only about this much weaker than me..."
Liam deliberately looked disappointed. "That's not very impressive, then."
Aokiji wasn't so easily provoked. He replied breezily, "You'll understand when you see them."
After thinking for a moment, Liam asked, "Are they far away?"
"That's hard to say."
Aokiji stood up, both hands tucked into the pockets of his white suit trousers. The man was nearly three meters tall, a monster of a human being. He had been taller than Liam years ago, and he still was.
"If things go quickly, we might find them tonight. If not, we may have to pursue them for two or three days."
"You can bring your captain along as well..."
"No need. My captain is busy."
Liam ignored the suggestion.
Letting Robin stay around Aokiji for too long would be asking for trouble. He had worked hard to help her recover from her PTSD; spending extended time near Aokiji might cause a relapse.
Aokiji then watched as Giorno paused to think for a moment before jogging over to a roadside Dressrosa soldier. He grabbed the soldier and began whispering something into his ear.
"...Find her, then tell her: 'I went out with Articuno to farm some experience points. Don't worry.'"
Liam waved his hand in front of the soldier's eyes.
The soldier's expression immediately became dazed. He blinked several times and looked around in confusion at the tall young man wearing sunglasses before him.
"Strange... why am I here? I should be heading to the northwestern coast..."
"Huh? Why was I going to the northwestern coast?"
"Whatever. I'll go take a look..."
"Hypnosis?" Aokiji watched the Dressrosa soldier gradually walk away.
One hand rested on the handlebars of his bicycle as he slowly approached.
Tilting his head, he asked, "And 'Articuno'?"
Liam grinned.
"It suits you, doesn't it?"
Aokiji neither agreed nor disagreed.
"We don't have much time. Since you've agreed to come, let's get moving."
Liam looked down and immediately felt speechless.
"This? Seriously? You're a Headquarters Vice Admiral, and you're riding a bicycle to hunt pirates?"
"Didn't I just say we don't have much time?"
Aokiji swung one long leg over the bicycle and sat down.
"Even a battleship might not get there in time."
You're unbelievable.
Your bicycle is faster than a battleship now?
Liam leapt into the air and landed on the bicycle's rear rack. Standing upright with his arms crossed, he declared:
"Let's go!"
"I never said I was giving you a ride..." Aokiji looked exasperated.
This kid really had no shame.
Still, he couldn't be bothered arguing.
Pressing down on the pedals, he began wobbling away toward the sea.
And so the two of them rode off into the distance.
(End Of This Chapter)
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