326-330

Chapter 326: Esdeath, the Ice Storm General, Arrives in the World of One Piece! 

That's right. If my instincts aren't wrong, that pink-haired girl we just saw must be Jewelry Bonney. She's the daughter of Bartholomew Kuma and Ginny, and also the user of the Age-Age Fruit. 

Honestly, Uchiha Hikari is quite interested in that Devil Fruit. She's curious to see what would happen if she used the Age-Age Fruit to make Whitebeard twenty years younger, or perhaps make herself ten years older than she is now. Maybe she'd even grow taller? She still has some developing to do in the next few years, after all. 

"Hmm... What are you all just standing around for?" 

Hikari stepped toward a shop that had its doors open, grabbed a pack of sweets, tore it open, and took a few bites. Then she tossed another pack to Esdeath and Bulma. "Have some snacks. We've got a big fight coming up. These taste pretty good, wanna try?" 

"Oh, really?" Esdeath said, taking the sweet and starting to eat as well. 

Then there was Luffy. As the famously huge eater of the One Piece world, he wasn't one to overthink things. If there was food, he wasn't going to miss out. 

The only one truly worried about the current situation was probably Rayleigh. The old man was standing in the middle of the empty street, staring at the Celestial Dragon's corpse nearby, looking a bit like he was questioning his life choices. Seriously, are young pirates these days really this bold? Killing a Celestial Dragon in the Sabaody Archipelago? Even he, the so-called "Dark King," wouldn't dare to do something like that. 

"Sigh..." 

"It looks like from today on..." 

His peaceful, leisurely retirement life was probably over. 

Time ticked by. About fifteen minutes later, the street began to fill with the sounds of approaching footsteps. It sounded like a lot of people were heading their way. Hikari stretched her arms, cracking her knuckles, and casually glanced over. She saw a large number of Marine soldiers rushing toward them. Among them were several tall figures wielding equally large swords, staffs, and clubs, likely high-ranking Marine officers. 

"...They're over there!" 

"Surround them! Don't let them escape!" 

The Marine soldiers shouted, fanning out about a hundred meters away from Hikari's group and blocking off all the entrances to the street. These Marines weren't fools. An "attack on a Celestial Dragon" hadn't happened in years. Any pirate bold enough to do such a thing so close to Marine Headquarters must be formidable. Even if they couldn't defeat an Admiral, they'd easily handle ordinary Marines. With just a few thousand Berries as a monthly salary, there was no need to go all out. Their plan was to just stall for time until a Marine Admiral and the Pacifistas arrived. 

Seeing that Hikari's group wasn't trying to break through and escape, the leading Marine Vice-Admiral breathed a sigh of relief. 

However... 

Esdeath was already getting a bit impatient. 

"Are these guys this world's Marines?" 

"Is that Aokiji among them?" 

"Probably not," Hikari said, her eyes narrowed as she quickly scanned the area. "They're just regular soldiers. The strongest person here is probably about as strong as Jack the Drought... maybe even weaker." After all, Jack was one of Kaido's "Three Calamities," and only the Marine Vice-Admirals who were considered Admiral candidates could compare to him. 

"...Whether they're strong or not, we'll find out by testing them!" 

As soon as she spoke, Esdeath raised her hands, interlocking her fingers into a pyramid shape. With this movement, the "Demon's Extract" mark on Esdeath's chest shimmered faintly, and then a fierce, biting cold wind erupted, centered on where Esdeath stood, spiraling out in all directions. 

Whoosh— 

The first feather-light snowflake drifted down. Then the second, the third... 

"...What's going on?" 

"Why is it suddenly snowing? Is it a Devil Fruit ability... the Snow-Snow Fruit?" 

Whispers ran through the Marine ranks, but they didn't last long. Because just a dozen seconds later, a second wave of bone-chilling wind surged forth, engulfing the entire area! Massive blizzards spread like a surging tide, quickly covering hundreds, thousands, even tens of kilometers around them, turning the entire Sabaody Archipelago into a vast expanse of white! 

This was her Secret Technique: Ice Storm General! This move, which once defeated ten thousand Imperial soldiers in the Akame ga Kill! world, was now unleashed again in the world of One Piece! 

"It's so cold!" Nami, dressed lightly, was already hugging herself and shivering. 

Then there were the Marines. Faced with the onslaught of the blizzard, they were completely dumbfounded. Even desperately wrapping themselves in their clothes and swinging their long swords, they couldn't stop the ice and snow from spreading. Some of the weaker ones were quickly covered in ice, frozen like statues, becoming rigid, solid blocks. Only a few stronger individuals managed to wrap themselves in Armament Haki or use their Devil Fruit abilities to avoid being directly frozen. 

"Everyone, come inside!" Bulma threw a small house from her Capsule Corp. capsule and stood at the entrance, calling out loudly to Naruto, Nami, and the others. "This house is specially made, and it has a super complete heating system! Come hide in here..." 

Nami happily agreed and was the first to head towards Bulma. Chopper followed suit. 

Hikari paid little attention to this scene. She simply continued eating her sweets in small bites, then sensed the direction from which the Marines had come—likely the direction of Mariejois, the Holy Land. At a certain moment, her heart stirred. 

"They're here!" 

At that instant, Uchiha Hikari, Esdeath, and even Rayleigh felt a significant presence rapidly approaching from afar. Then, under everyone's gaze, it appeared in the sky above the island. 

—Marine Six Powers: Moonwalk! 

It was a tall, slender man. He looked to be in his fifties, with short, curly black hair, a wrinkled face, and dark brown sunglasses. He wore a yellow and white striped suit and impeccably clean white shoes, looking like a salaryman with decades of slacking off experience, just waiting for retirement. 

However, the white "Justice" cloak on his back clearly announced his identity— 

Marine Admiral, Kizaru Borsalino! 

Chapter 327: Have You Ever Been Kicked at Light Speed? 

At this very moment, the long street had become utterly deserted, shrouded in a pristine layer of frost and snow, transforming into a silver-clad world. Kizaru, who had rushed over, stood in mid-air, looking down. His expression grew grim as he noticed the frozen, shattered remains of a Celestial Dragon in the middle of the street. 

"He's really dead, huh..." 

The Sabaody Archipelago is quite close to Marine Headquarters, practically the Marines' and Celestial Dragons' backyard. For years, even the Four Emperors, notorious pirates as they were, wouldn't dare cause trouble here, let alone openly kill a noble Celestial Dragon in broad daylight. The severity of this incident was almost comparable to the Fisher Tiger event from years ago! Pirates who dared commit such an outrageous act were no ordinary pirates; they had to be dealt with decisively! 

Despite the heavy feeling in his heart, Kizaru spoke with his usual flippant tone: "Oh my, such terrifying killing intent. Are you the villains who killed this Celestial Dragon? You're so young, yet... huh?" 

Kizaru spotted Rayleigh. As a Marine Admiral, he naturally recognized Rayleigh and knew that he had been living in seclusion on the Sabaody Archipelago. But... what's going on with you? After hiding your identity for so long, you come out and cause such a massive stir? And that black-haired kid with the straw hat... isn't that Luffy, the one who defeated Gecko Moria and is Garp's grandson? Why is he here too? 

Of course... the one with the most intense killing intent, and the one who made Kizaru feel the most pressure, was Esdeath, whom he didn't recognize. 

"Hmph..." Esdeath exhaled a puff of cold air, her gaze locking onto Kizaru in mid-air. "Though your appearance is a bit lecherous, your aura is indeed the strongest among these people... Come on, let me see what kind of caliber these so-called 'Marine Admirals' really are! Extreme Cold: Ice Hell!!" 

Bang, bang, bang— 

As Esdeath's words fell, the surrounding blizzard suddenly intensified. Then, countless towering ice spikes, forged from snow and ice, shot up from all over the street, traversing hundreds of meters in an instant, like a volley of spears piercing towards Kizaru in the sky! The latter's figure flickered, moving like lightning to a hundred meters away, letting out a sigh: "Oh dear, that was close." 

"...I feel like this guy's tone is a bit annoying," Esdeath narrowed her eyes slightly, then stomped the ground, launching herself into the sky like a cannonball. In that instant, nearly a hundred massive ice cones, each as large as a small mountain, formed around her, like a giant ice throne or stars orbiting the moon, surrounding her as she flew towards Kizaru's position! 

"Leave this guy to me; you all handle the others!" 

Boom—!! 

Before her words even finished, the pristine white ice cones collided in mid-air, exploding into a massive fireworks display. Then, Esdeath manipulated the shattered ice and snow, reforming them into a forest of blades, spears, and swords, all striking at Kizaru! 

In just a few seconds, their figures became blurred and indistinct in the high sky. 

"So... so strong!" Luffy shaded his eyes, watching for a while, unable to help but exclaim in awe. At this point, he wasn't yet the "Son of Prophecy" who had awakened the "Nika-Nika Fruit." Although he had defeated Moria, a Warlord, his overall strength was still only at a mid-tier level in the pirate world, better than some but not as good as others. Either Esdeath or Kizaru, if they got serious, could instantly defeat him with a single move. 

It was only then that Luffy realized what kind of existence this "Dimensional Pirate Crew," whom they had been hanging out with for days, truly was. 

Rumble, rumble— 

The ground began to subtly tremble. From the direction Kizaru had arrived, the burly figure of Sentomaru, carrying his axe, strode forward, followed by even more massive "Pacifistas." 

"It's those guys..." Zoro's pupils constricted, recognizing the Pacifistas. These things were modified based on Bartholomew Kuma, and the former had encountered them at Moria's place, leaving a deep impression, so he recognized them at a glance. 

"Hey, who exactly are you people?!" 

"Aren't you afraid of death, causing trouble on Sabaody Archipelago?" 

Listening to the shouts from afar, Uchiha Hikari smiled, slightly stretched her neck, then closed and opened her eyes. The Mangekyo Sharingan appeared. Then, streaks of purple-blue lightning sizzled in mid-air, like wild, dancing snakes, illuminating her cheeks and hands as if they were transparent. Even Rayleigh and the others, who were allies, felt an intense pressure surge at that moment, permeating every corner of the air. 

Spirit Weapon: Fire-Thunder God, "Light Form"!! 

"Big guy over there, a question for you." 

"Have you... ever been kicked at light speed?" 

"?!" Sentomaru's pupils contracted. 

And Uchiha Hikari's figure vanished into thin air the moment she spoke, appearing like a phantom behind him. Before the big guy could react, she raised her leg for a flying kick! 

Boom—!!! 

Even though Sentomaru tried to block with his axe, he couldn't keep up. The kick sent him flying like a cannonball, soaring hundreds of meters through the air before crashing into a dense forest. 

At that moment, the nearby Pacifistas extended their palms, attempting to grab Uchiha Hikari. Although they were artificial humans, they all possessed the abilities of the "Paw-Paw Fruit," capable of creating pressure cannons and highly destructive shockwaves, theoretically equivalent to a tireless group of Marine Vice Admirals. 

But... 

Whoosh—! 

Uchiha Hikari's figure flickered again, then she stepped and leaped into the air, her body splitting into seven in an instant, appearing beside the shoulders of seven Pacifistas— 

This wasn't a Shadow Clone, nor an illusion. These were seven physical bodies! When moving at extreme speeds, Uchiha Hikari's every leap and kick happened within milliseconds, so much so that an ordinary human retina simply couldn't discern the sequence of these actions. Thus, visually, it looked like one person appearing in seven places simultaneously, delivering a side kick! 

Thump, thump, thump... 

In just an instant, seven Pacifistas were simultaneously sent flying, with massive, circular clouds of dust erupting from where their necks and ankles made contact, spreading outwards! These dust clouds had no effect on the seven figures of Uchiha Hikari. A second later, all the afterimages vanished, replaced by Uchiha Hikari herself, suspended in the air, gently exhaling. 

"So weak... mere dust, not even half of me!" 

Chapter 328: The "Ki-Powered Attack"! 

The powerful fighters in this world, while they might not be strong in every way, are definitely tough. Uchiha Hikari hadn't hit them too hard, so it wasn't long before Sentomaru and the Pacifistas crawled out of the wreckage, dusted themselves off, and got ready to fight back. 

This time, Uchiha Hikari just used the Shadow Clone Jutsu hand sign, splitting herself into four. Three of her clones shot down to face the seven Pacifistas. While they were outnumbered and couldn't use her "Fire Thunder God" Jutsu, fighting a group of biotech cyborgs was no trouble at all. 

Uchiha Hikari herself used the Sky Dance Jutsu to fly nearly a thousand meters above the Sabaody Archipelago, looking out into the distance. "So that's the entrance to Marijoa..." 

The Sabaody Archipelago has 79 groves, each with its own number. For example, Grove 1 is where the Human Auction House is, which is where the Celestial Dragon incident happened in the original timeline. Grove 66 is the Marine base and the gateway to the World Government. 

In Hikari's opinion, while the Marines have their own problems, they at least hold on to a semblance of "justice" compared to the pirates who plunder and pillage. 

—Of course, it’s only a semblance. 

—If the Marines were truly as just as they claimed, there wouldn't be so many slave traders and criminals on the Sabaody Archipelago. It's likely that some high-ranking Marine officers even have slaves they bought from the auction house. 

But compared to that... 

The World Government is the real powerhouse of trouble. 

After all, to please the Celestial Dragons, they've normalized "human hunting" as a form of entertainment, regularly wiping out small nations. From that alone, you can imagine their true nature. 

"Whew—" 

"I was planning to face you head-on during the Great War, but since I'm here... I guess I'll make a little declaration of our presence." 

Uchiha Hikari took a deep breath. 

In mid-air, she spread her legs slightly, crouched down, and brought her palms together, her fingers spread out like a lotus flower. As she did this, the "ki" inside her began to stir, forming a fiery aura that gradually enveloped her body. This "ki" merged with her crimson "Fire Thunder God Chakra Cloak," giving off an unstable sizzle, like water on the verge of boiling. 

"What is that woman doing?" Sentomaru, who was being beaten by the shadow clones along with the seven Pacifistas, looked up in confusion. He'd never seen a technique like this and didn't understand it, but his gut told him it was incredibly dangerous. 

Farther away, Kizaru also seemed to sense something. He turned his head, a feeling of dread washing over him. "What is she doing?" 

In that brief moment of distraction, Esdeath appeared in front of him and landed a powerful punch to his face, sending him plummeting from the sky. He smashed through several trees before crashing into a dense forest a thousand meters away, kicking up a huge cloud of dust. Even with a Logia-type Devil Fruit, he couldn't completely block a punch coated in Armament Haki. 

"You're fighting me and you dare to get distracted? Do you really think a Devil Fruit makes you invincible?" Esdeath gave Kizaru's landing spot a cold look, then stopped and turned her attention back to Uchiha Hikari. The two were several kilometers apart, but with Esdeath's keen eyesight, she could see every movement and the change in aura clearly. 

"...I see." Esdeath stared intently at Hikari, a small smile appearing on her lips as she seemed to remember something. "Is she going to use that technique?" 

"Ka..." Uchiha Hikari's lips parted, and she spoke the first syllable. 

Then came the second... 

"Me..." 

That's right. The technique she was about to use was one she had copied from Master Roshi during her time at the World Martial Arts Tournament in the Dragon Ball world, his famous signature move— 

"HA-ME-HA-ME-HA!!!!!!" 

In that moment, Uchiha Hikari thrust her hands forward. The ki blast, now solid and dense, tore through the air with a piercing sonic boom! Because of the incredible speed, a sonic barrier formed the moment the blast left her hands, creating a long, milky-white trail that shot straight toward the entrance of the World Government's stronghold! 

BOOM—!!! 

A blinding flash of white light! 

Aside from Bulma and Esdeath, who had been to the Dragon Ball world, everyone else's eyes widened in shock, feeling as if they were watching a meteor fall. Then, with a deafening explosion, their vision was completely filled with white. 

RUMBLE RUMBLE— 

A milky-white mushroom cloud rose into the sky. 

The moment the energy blast hit, the entrance to Marijoa was gone. All that could be heard was a thunderous roar echoing across the land. The powerful gale that followed, a force-12 storm, swept out from the entrance of Marijoa, spreading for dozens of miles! The entire Sabaody Archipelago was shaken to its core! 

The land around Marijoa's entrance began to crack, crumble, and sink. Towering waves rose hundreds of meters into the air before crashing down, turning into a massive torrent that slammed into the surrounding Marine bases. 

"Gulp..." 

Inside the Capsule House in the middle of "Frozen Street," Bulma wore a strange-looking eyepiece that showed a half-body image and numbers. She swallowed hard as she watched the footage on her tablet. 

That's right. Before entering the capsule house, Bulma had released several mini-drones to fly above the island. The original plan was to provide Uchiha Hikari and Esdeath with vital information, but given the huge difference in strength between the groups, they hadn't been needed. 

But now... 

This plan allowed her and Nami to get a live broadcast of the event. 

This catastrophic scene left the entire Straw Hat crew speechless. 

After a long pause, Nami suddenly looked up at Bulma, a newfound look of respect in her eyes. 

Chapter 329: The Three Emperors Crew 

"W-why are you all looking at me like that?" Bulma seemed a little flustered by their stares. 

Nami put her hands together, saying with a slightly apologetic tone, "Captain Bulma, please forgive our rudeness. I truly thought you were just an ordinary pirate crew before, but I never imagined you'd be this strong... I bet even the legendary Four Emperors aren't this powerful!" 

"Oh, you mean that?" Bulma waved her hand, putting on a casual, understated expression. "That was just a minor skirmish, really." 

And she was telling the truth. After all, the "Dimension Pirates" had been fighting their way through the Four Emperors all along. Apart from Big Mom, who resided in Totland and whom they hadn't specifically sought out, the other three Emperors had all crossed paths with them and engaged in battle. 

The Dimension Pirates' current record remained undefeated. 

What's more... 

Not long ago, Uchiha Hikari and Esdeath had even claimed first and second place respectively in the martial arts tournament in the Dragon Ball world. Before that, in the Akame ga Kill! world, they had overthrown an army of a million by themselves... 

Compared to those astonishing feats, the commotion they had caused in the Sabaody Archipelago truly seemed ordinary. 

However... 

These words carried a different meaning for the Straw Hat Pirates. 

"If that's considered a minor skirmish, Ms. Bulma, are you planning to become the universally recognized Pirate King, just like Roger did?" 

"Ms. Hikari is already so strong, and she's only the vice-captain. So, Captain Bulma, you must be..." 

"Ahem!" Bulma's face flushed at Chopper's words. "I... I'm important too, of course! After all, I'm the one who brought everyone together to form this pirate crew. When the Marines can actually defeat Hikari and Esdeath, then they can come challenge me, the captain!" 

--- 

Meanwhile, in the sky... 

Uchiha Hikari let out a long breath, slowly relaxing her hands and recovering from her "Kamehameha" stance. 

Then, she gazed down like a monarch, surveying her surroundings. 

That last attack certainly wasn't her full power, but the might it unleashed was already astonishing. 

As far as the eye could see, everyone—whether it was the Marines who had accompanied Kizaru, the civilians watching the spectacle from the streets of various islands, or even the pirates hidden among the crowds—was stunned. They all stared up at the sky, mouths agape as if they'd seen a ghost, unable to utter a single word for a long time. 

—To be precise, it was more like they'd seen a "god." 

Killing a Celestial Dragon and clashing with an Admiral were rare and impressive feats, but some individuals were capable of them. 

However, the scene they had just witnessed completely shattered the understanding of these people from the pirate world, making them feel as if they had truly witnessed a deity. 

"...I feel like I look a bit like Pain right now." Uchiha Hikari mused from a thousand meters in the air, feeling like she was missing a black cloak with red clouds and Pain's classic line, "A world of pain." 

But even if she were to say that now, it would be useless. 

After all, the Marines were completely in disarray, unable to even maintain their basic formation. In this situation, only if Akainu and Aokiji, or the Five Elders themselves, were to appear, would she have anyone left to play with. But for now... 

"It's over." 

As Uchiha Hikari descended from the sky, Esdeath returned from a distance, stepping on ice platforms. 

"...Has that guy been dealt with?" Uchiha Hikari glanced back. 

She hadn't paid much attention to Esdeath's fight with Kizaru earlier. Because of the distance, it was hard to sense the situation on their end. 

But one thing was certain... 

Kizaru was no match for Esdeath, but killing the Admiral wouldn't be an easy task for her either. So, Kizaru was most likely still alive, just a matter of how badly he was injured. 

"More or less," Esdeath nodded slightly. "Fighting him wasn't very interesting; he just kept dodging with his Devil Fruit power, not satisfying at all... Are the other two Admirals not here?" 

"Probably not." Otherwise, with all this commotion, they would have shown up by now to help clean up the mess. 

Uchiha Hikari casually reassured Esdeath for a few moments, then walked a few steps forward, returning to the small street they had been on. 

At this point, Rayleigh and Luffy were still there, but their expressions towards her and Esdeath had become incredibly complex. 

Especially Rayleigh. 

As an old veteran who had once served with Roger, and a top-tier powerhouse in this world himself, he likely understood the true significance of Uchiha Hikari's recent actions. 

"Let's go," Uchiha Hikari gestured. "We've caused quite a bit of trouble this time. This isn't a good place to stay. Let's find a quiet spot and properly catch up." 

--- 

Just one day after the "Sabaody Incident" erupted, Uchiha Hikari and her group's mugshots appeared on the front page of the World Economy News Paper. 

The report dedicated almost an entire page to vividly describing their entire process: killing a Celestial Dragon, battling Kizaru and others, and finally, a super long-range energy blast obliterating the gates of Mary Geoise, as if the reporter had witnessed it all firsthand. 

Well... they might have actually witnessed it. 

"There must be Morgans' informants on Sabaody Archipelago, right? After all, it's right next to the World Government, so any little thing that happens there is big news..." Uchiha Hikari flipped back to the previous page and reread the news content, treating it like a novel. 

Bulma and the others, however, focused on the end of the report— 

Besides the report on the incident itself, the newspaper also published the bounties issued by Marine Headquarters for the "Dimension Pirates"— 

"My bounty is 3.5 billion, seriously?!" Bulma exclaimed in surprise. 

"Not just that, the newspaper is calling you the 'Fifth Emperor' now, and it says our pirate crew is the first ever 'Three Emperors Crew.' Three Emperors... well, besides me and Esdeath, the last one must be you, Bulma." Uchiha Hikari rubbed her chin, contemplating, and then made her assessment. 

It made sense. If even she, the vice-captain, was considered Emperor-level, then Bulma, as the captain, certainly couldn't escape that designation. 

However, if the Marines ever found out the true situation, then perhaps... 

"Uh..." Bulma opened her mouth, then closed it, hesitant. 

She did want to become famous in the pirate world, and when she first dragged Uchiha Hikari and the others to Sabaody Archipelago, she had some expectations about the potential outcomes. 

But... 

How could she, a non-combatant with a power level of 5—though potentially higher with Imperial Arms and various technological gadgets, her base self was still just an ordinary person—have gotten a 3.5 billion bounty and become the Fifth Emperor of the seas? 

Chapter 330: Bartholomew Kuma 

While Bulma was fretting over her sudden "Emperor" status, Esdeath was quite displeased with her bounty amount. 

"Only 2.5 billion?!" she exclaimed. "Didn't they say all three of us were 'Emperor' level? Whitebeard is an 'Emperor,' too, right? So why is his bounty 5 billion, and ours is only half of that?" 

"Well, Whitebeard is an old-timer in this business. He's got decades of experience under his belt, so it's only fair he gets paid more, don't you think? Look at Shanks; he's only got 4 billion," Uchiha Hikari explained. 

Hikari was currently staring at her own photo on the newspaper, marked with a 3 billion bounty, contemplating something else entirely: 

What if I created a bunch of Shadow Clones, packaged them up, and sent them to Marine Headquarters to surrender? Could I get 3 billion Berries for each one? 

Even if not... what if I made three Shadow Clones, transformed them into Bulma and Esdeath, and went to Marine Headquarters to claim 10 billion? 

Hikari was genuinely considering this. After all, if this method worked, it would be a much faster way to make money than simply robbing people. 

"Ahem..." 

Just then, Shakky, sitting behind the counter nearby, cleared her throat, looking like she wanted to say something. "Um... are you sure you don't want to hide in the back? The Marines have started a full-island search. If they find you here..." 

That's right. At this very moment, Uchiha Hikari's group hadn't left the Sabaody Archipelago. Instead, they were all hanging out at Shakky's Rip-Off Bar, watching the unfolding events firsthand. They even did a live update in their chat group. 

[Yondaime: ...So, Miss Hikari, you publicly shattered the symbol of a nation's government in a place called the Sabaody Archipelago, and now you've triggered a full-city search by thousands of Marines?] 

[Nameless: To be precise, it was the symbol of 19 nations' governments.] 

This number referred to the 19 ancient kingdoms that formed the Celestial Dragons. As for the remaining 100-plus affiliated nations, they weren't involved since they didn't reside in Mariejois. Some of them might even be secretly rejoicing over the Celestial Dragons' demise. 

[Brand: That's incredible! We've only been apart for less than a week, and you two, Miss Hikari and Miss Bulma, have already done something so spectacular... It seems like we need to step up our game too.] 

[Nameless: Oh?] 

[Brand: We've found a place where the "Heavenly Tribute" is stored, heavily guarded by Marines. If nothing goes wrong, they should be setting sail from here in about a week, heading towards the New World... Yamato, Akame, and I originally planned a more thorough and secure scheme to swap out this "Heavenly Tribute," but now, perhaps we can try a more direct approach.] 

A more "direct" approach, of course, meant... robbing them! 

[Ogre Princess: Sniffle I really want to get a bounty of over 100 million Berries to prove myself to Kaido... No, I mean to Mr. Minato, Miss Hikari, Miss Kikyo, and Miss Bulma! I'll do my absolute best in this "Heavenly Tribute Heist" plan!] 

[Bulma: Uh... you really don't need to prove anything to me. After all, I just got this 'Emperor' title from Hikari.] 

[Nameless @Brand @Ogre Princess: I have something to remind you all.] 

[Nameless: Akainu and Aokiji didn't show up during our commotion at Sabaody Archipelago. These two Admirals are very likely involved in the "Heavenly Tribute" transport plan. Try to be careful when you make your move. If you need us, Esdeath and I can come over.] 

Speaking of which, Yamato is considered the fourth strongest in the "Dimensional Pirate Crew." Hmm... without counting Bulma, the "Fifth Emperor," she's actually the third strongest. As Kaido's daughter, her physical strength, Conqueror's Haki, and Devil Fruit abilities are among the very best in the One Piece world. If she had been present during the Sabaody Archipelago incident, the World Government's evaluation of the "Dimensional Pirate Crew" would likely have been even higher. 

But if the other two Admirals not currently at Sabaody Archipelago are indeed escorting the "Heavenly Tribute," then Yamato alone certainly won't be able to handle them. Yamato's current strength is essentially a low-cost version of Kaido, and even a full-strength Kaido might not be able to withstand a combined attack from both Akainu and Aokiji. That's why Uchiha Hikari was so deliberately cautious in her reminder. 

[Ogre Princess: Mmhmm, I will!] 

Yamato readily agreed. 

Finally, Uchiha Hikari tagged Kikyo in the group, casually asking about Whitebeard's situation and receiving confirmation that everything was going smoothly. 

After confirming all this, Uchiha Hikari pulled her attention back to reality. She casually stretched, then turned from the table to face the other side of the bar. 

Besides her and Bulma's group, there were two other parties in Shakky's bar. One was the entire Straw Hat crew. The other was just a single, uninvited guest: 

Bartholomew Kuma. 

Not one of the artificial human copies, but the real Warlord of the Sea. This individual had already returned to the Sabaody Archipelago yesterday when the fighting broke out. He originally intended to protect Luffy and the others, just like in the original timeline, but instead, he witnessed the "Dimensional Pirate Crew" wreaking havoc in the sky from afar. He had no choice but to change his plans and, after the incident, found his way to Shakky's. 

Initially, the Straw Hats thought he was in charge of the "Marine Full Search" operation and had specifically come to arrest Uchiha Hikari and her group. A small conflict even broke out. However, with Hikari's intervention, both sides temporarily ceased hostilities and calmed down. Then they sat on opposite sides of the bar, watching each other. 

The Straw Hats were still wary of Kuma due to their recent encounter at Thriller Bark. Kuma, for his part, showed no intention of speaking first, so they remained in a stalemate. As for Rayleigh, he didn't know Kuma's identity either; he just sat there, drinking from a bottle and observing with a cold eye. 

"Ahem..." 

Uchiha Hikari lightly cleared her throat, her eyes fixed on the mountain-like figure of Kuma, breaking the silence. "Nice to meet you. I'm Uchiha Hikari of the 'Dimensional Pirate Crew,' and this is my captain, Bulma." 

"What should I call you? Mr. Warlord, or... Revolutionary Army Executive Kuma?"