If they didn't make a run for it now, they would be fools.
However, as Lancelot passed through Wano Country, he took Ace along with him.
At the same time, he waited in Wano for a few hours.
Soon, Denjiro, Kikunojo, and Ashura Doji returned to Wano with Kawamatsu.
Along with them came a group of Kozuki retainers, including Raizo, Hyogoro of the Flowers, Omasa, Tsunagoro, and Gyukimaru.
True to their word, Denjiro, Kikunojo, Ashura Doji, and Kawamatsu followed Lancelot and joined the Marines.
As for Raizo, Hyogoro of the Flowers, and the others, they stayed behind to assist Komurasaki.
That is, Kozuki Hiyori, in restoring Wano Country to its former glory.
...
Marine Headquarters.
Sengoku wore a grave expression, as he had received intelligence that a great battle had taken place in Kaido's Wano Country.
Shortly after, Kaido, Charlotte Linlin, and Whitebeard began communicating closely.
Although he didn't know exactly what had happened among the three, Sengoku understood one thing: when these three were in such close contact, it couldn't mean anything good.
Moreover, if they were planning something, it would undoubtedly be something major.
How could he not be tense?
At this moment, he was truly restless.
Vice Admiral Tsuru reminded him from the side, "Why not contact Lancelot? By my estimate, he should have reached the New World by now. Perhaps he knows something."
Sengoku's eyes lit up—this was a great idea.
He immediately contacted Lancelot.
"Purupuru…"
Lancelot, who was already on his way to G-5, was somewhat surprised.
He quickly took out his Den Den Mushi and answered, "This is Lancelot!"
The Den Den Mushi immediately transformed into Sengoku's face.
"This is Sengoku."
Lancelot: "Fleet Admiral Sengoku."
Sengoku didn't beat around the bush and asked directly, "Have you reached the New World?"
Lancelot: "Yes!"
Sengoku: "Then do you know what happened on Onigashima? And what are Kaido, Charlotte Linlin, and Whitebeard up to with all their close communication?"
Lancelot: "…"
How should he explain this?…
Denjiro, Kikunojo, Ashura Doji, Kawamatsu: "…"
'Wow, so you went to Wano and Onigashima to stir up trouble without even consulting the Marine higher-ups?'
Yamato, Sasaki, Ulti, Page One: "…"
'How bold is he?'
The two groups couldn't help but exchange glances, momentarily at a loss for words to describe their leader.
"Ahem…"
Lancelot coughed twice to ease the awkwardness.
Then he said, "Well, you were the ones who told me to investigate Vergo's whereabouts… I discovered that the last place he disappeared was connected to the Beasts Pirates, so I went to Wano Country and Onigashima, which are under their control, to search him."
"What?!" Sengoku leaped up from his seat in shock, exclaiming loudly.
Beside him, Vice Admiral Tsuru: "…"
Even with all her wit and strategy, she had never anticipated that Lancelot was the one behind all this.
She couldn't help but facepalm, feeling utterly overwhelmed.
Sengoku took a moment to process the information, his expression darkening to an extremely unpleasant degree as he angrily demanded.
"What exactly did you do in Wano Country and Onigashima? How could you possibly drive Whitebeard, Charlotte Linlin, and Kaido to consider joining forces?"
Lancelot rubbed his nose casually. "Nothing much... I just happened to run into Ace while investigating information about Vergo in Wano Country. You tell me—I'm a Marine, he's a pirate. When we crossed paths, could I just let him go?"
Sengoku: "..."
Vice Admiral Tsuru: "..."
With just a few words, he had rendered both of them speechless.
Exchanging glances, they finally understood why Whitebeard would align with Kaido and Charlotte Linlin.
'So he had captured Ace—the Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates.'
'No wonder Whitebeard was desperate!'
However, being strategic thinkers, while internally criticizing Lancelot, they immediately began calculating how to leverage Ace's capture.
After all, when you capture someone of such importance, you must make full use of the opportunity.
But soon they remembered there were more important matters Lancelot hadn't explained.
At this thought, Sengoku asked, "Then what did you do at Onigashima?"
Lancelot glanced at Yamato, Sasaki, Ulti, and Page One before shrugging.
"Nothing much either. After arriving at Onigashima, I discovered that Kaido is utterly inhuman! He even imprisons his own daughter like a criminal. As a Marine, if I witnessed such injustice and did nothing, how could I live up to the word 'Justice' on my back? So I intervened to rescue her."
"Unexpectedly, that beast Kaido not only imprisoned his daughter like a criminal but also planted a bomb on her... It detonated while I was disarming it, which alerted some people. Fortunately, they weren't important figures, so I dealt with them casually..."
"Kaido's daughter? Kaido has a daughter?" Sengoku looked both shocked and puzzled.
They couldn't understand why Kaido would imprison his own daughter if she existed.
And why install a bomb on her?
"Alerted some people? Dealt with them casually???" Vice Admiral Tsuru focused on another point, asking.
"Who exactly did you alert and deal with?"
Lancelot let out an eerie laugh, "Hehehe... Just people like King, Who's-Who, Black Maria, and such."
Sengoku: "..."
Vice Admiral Tsuru: "..."
They were rendered completely speechless.
Leaving aside Who's-Who and Black Maria for now—who was King? He was the right-hand man of the Beasts Pirates, second only to Kaido himself.
With a bounty of 1,390,000,000 Berries, he was also the last survivor of the Lunarian race.
Such a figure would be considered top-tier worldwide, a second-tier powerhouse just below the Emperors.
And he dealt with such a powerhouse casually?
Just then, Lancelot added: "Oh, and I've recruited Yamato, Sasaki, Ulti, and Page One under my command. They're all Marines of G-5 now."
Sengoku and Vice Admiral Tsuru were utterly stunned.
Combined with the earlier mentions of King, Who's-Who, and Black Maria, this meant Kaido's entire roster of top officers was now done for!
'Did he just round up all of Kaido's subordinates?'
At this moment, they were no longer questioning how Lancelot managed to recruit pirates into the Marines.
Instead, they were stunned by Lancelot's actions.
It was just too… too… too… They couldn't find the right word to describe their feelings at this moment, no matter how long they thought.
'Gulp…'
Sengoku and Vice Admiral Tsuru swallowed hard in unison, then exchanged another glance.
Finally, Sengoku muttered, "Did he just turn Kaido into a captain with no crew?"
---------
Read 40 chapters ahead and support me on patreon.
patreon (.)com/Newbietranslator