Chapter 64: The Navy Closes In — Admiral Kizaru Arrives
Itachi carried Momonosuke by one leg, the boy's head dangling inches from the ground. Chopper peered from the bag on Itachi's back.
"Brother Itachi... don't you think that's a little rough?"
"It's fine." Itachi gave the unconscious boy a slight shake. "He won't wake for a while anyway."
In the research room, the search party had returned. Zoro, Sanji, and Brook had successfully located the samurai's missing upper body, and Kin'emon was now fully assembled—head attached to torso, torso attached to legs, everything in its proper place.
Itachi entered, still carrying the limp boy.
Kin'emon's eyes went wide. Tears erupted.
"MY SON! MO—MY SON!"
He lunged forward, arms outstretched.
Itachi, without ceremony, tossed the boy toward him.
Kin'emon fumbled the catch. Momonosuke hit the ground face-first.
"SON!"
Kin'emon whirled on Itachi, face contorted with rage.
"WHY ARE YOU SO BRUTAL?!"
Sanji's kick connected with Kin'emon's face before he could take another breath.
SMACK.
"Idiot samurai! How was Itachi supposed to know it was your son?! He saved the brat, didn't he?!"
Kin'emon rubbed his swelling cheek, shame replacing anger.
He's right. They saved us both.
During the search, he'd fallen into the frozen lake. Sanji—half-frozen himself—had dived in to retrieve his body, risking monster attack.
He bowed deeply to Itachi.
"Forgive me! I should not have spoken so rudely to my savior!"
Itachi inclined his head slightly, but said nothing. His first impression of this father and son remained... complicated.
At that moment, Luffy and Law—who had been scouting from the laboratory roof—teleported back via Shambles.
"EVERYONE! WE'RE LEAVING!"
Law immediately briefed them.
The giant poison slime—Shinokuni—was approaching the laboratory. It would consume everything.
And worse—the G-5 sailors who'd escaped earlier had alerted the Navy. Warships were already surrounding the island, using Seastone-coated hulls to traverse the Calm Belt.
"We can't stay. We need to flee NOW."
"What about Nami and the children?!" Sanji demanded.
Luffy grinned. "TRA-GUY and I already told them where to go! His ability is amazing!"
Law's eye twitched. "I can't maintain a massive Room forever. It drains me."
He headed for the exit. Sanji and Itachi followed.
Franky hoisted Caesar's unconscious body. "Alright! Let's—"
He stopped.
Luffy stood before Smoker and Tashigi, still bound in chains.
"Hey Luffy! They're MARINES! Leave them!"
Luffy's brow furrowed in thought.
Then his arms shot out—stretching past Franky, past the doorway, grabbing Law and hauling him back.
Law appeared with an expression of profound bewilderment.
"Straw Hat-ya?! What—"
"TRA-GUY! Unchain them! Let them go!"
Law stared.
"These are MARINES, Straw Hat-ya."
"I know." Luffy shrugged. "But they're not bad people. At least... I don't hate them."
Law's jaw worked.
This idiot...
To avoid further delay, he raised Kikoku.
"ROOM."
"SHAMBLES."
Souls swapped back. Chains fell away.
Smoker rose slowly, his expression unreadable.
"Trafalgar... Straw Hat..."
Law held up Smoker's heart.
"White Hunter. A reminder. I hold this. Whether you get it back depends entirely on your actions."
Smoker's face darkened to thundercloud levels.
Tashigi grabbed his arm.
"VICE ADMIRAL! The children! Our priority must be rescuing the children!"
Smoker's jaw worked. Then—reluctantly—he nodded.
A temporary truce. They would all escape together. Law would return Smoker's heart once safety was assured.
With no other choice, Smoker agreed.
Outside the laboratory, Nami and Usopp had successfully guided the children through a mountain pass toward the port. The Thousand Sunny waited in the distance.
Usopp's long-range vision—sharpened by two years of fear-driven vigilance—caught something terrible.
One of the warships Law had warned about had already reached the port.
And from it, figures were descending.
Pacifistas. The bear-based weapons from Sabaody.
But worse—
A flash of light erupted from the ship, arcing into the sky. It coalesced into a human shape: tall, thin, with black curly hair and orange-yellow sunglasses over a weathered face. A yellow-striped suit. A Marine coat of justice.
Usopp's blood ran cold.
"N-Nami..."
"What?"
Nami followed his pointing finger.
Her face went white.
"That's..."
"THAT'S—!"
"ADMIRAL KIZARU!"
High above Punk Hazard, Borsalino—Kizaru—floated lazily, observing the island below. A Transponder Snail buzzed in his hand.
"—within Kva... how troublesome this is, really."
He'd been reviewing the situation. The poison. The pirates. The scientist.
"If I may say so, activating a Buster Call might actually be necessary."
His tone was languid, unconcerned.
"That escaped scientist... hiding here all along, developing such terrible things. How dreadful."
Akainu's voice crackled through.
"Headquarters warships are en route. They'll support you shortly. In the meantime—capture the Straw Hats and that scientist!"
A pause.
"And the Warlord—Trafalgar Law. His status is irrelevant now. Capture him too!"
Kizaru's lips curved slightly.
"Understood."
He pocketed the snail and lazily surveyed the chaos below.
Down on the island, Usopp trembled.
An Admiral. Here.
How did things get THIS bad?!
(End of Chapter)
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