Chapter 599: Bakin's Suicide, and the Strange Crowd!
Ryuunosuke stood there, staring at the system panel floating in front of him, completely stunned.
These kinds of surprises always arrived the same way.
No warning.
No buildup.
Lilith had disappeared without explaining anything, and now the system had casually tossed him a mission as if it were a lunch bill.
He had wondered about it for a long time.
What did it actually take to break through the limitations of this world?
After all, his current strength was already brushing against the realm of gods.
And the strongest existences native to this world, Adam, Lilith, and their kind, were roughly at that same level.
In Ryuunosuke's eyes, that should have counted as breaking through the world's limits.
Yet nothing happened.
No response.
No confirmation.
Now a system quest appeared out of nowhere, as if someone had finally remembered to flip the sign from Closed to Open.
"Captain, what do we do next?"
Gaino flew to Ryuunosuke's side and asked immediately.
"And how do we deal with this huge thing?"
At this moment, Nirvash's corpse was still lying on the Eternal Ark.
"Send it back first," Ryuunosuke said after stowing the panel. "Let Dr. Asie and his team study it."
"There should be key information inside it about how to create a god."
He had originally thought working with Vegapunk would let him obtain that information directly.
But Vegapunk was dead.
And his body had been taken away by Lilith.
Ryuunosuke could not help feeling a faint irritation.
Whenever he tried to cooperate with someone, things always went sideways.
It had happened with Keshia before.
It had happened with Roy too.
Maybe he really was not suited to partnering with anyone.
They headed back to Navy Headquarters at once.
Turtle Island was also anchored here now.
Because of the Laugh Tale incident, Turtle Island had come directly to this location.
And now Yahiko had awakened the Voice of All Things and could communicate with Turtle Island directly.
Dr. Asie, Judge, and Heracles were all present.
Nirvash's massive corpse was transported straight inside.
"Captain Ryuunosuke, thank you."
Before the Navy even finished docking procedures, Bakkin approached him with a grateful look.
She looked almost… delighted.
It seemed Carmel's soul had been separated from Nirvash.
"You're welcome," Ryuunosuke replied evenly.
"Our relationship is a transaction, not charity."
"All you have to do now is fulfill what you promised before."
His tone did not soften.
He had no fondness for the woman in front of him.
What they had done during their time under the World Government was unforgivable.
And their positions had always been opposed.
That was why he made his decision without hesitation.
"I know," Bakkin said quietly.
"Don't worry, Captain Ryuunosuke."
"I will keep my promise."
Then she drew the dagger from her waist and drove it straight into her own heart.
Her body toppled backward and fell into the sea with a heavy splash.
Ryuunosuke watched her sink, then turned away without another glance.
At the same time, Kun was ordered to keep watch until Bakkin was confirmed to have stopped breathing.
Those people were scientists.
And scientists were frighteningly clever.
If she tried to pull anything, Kun would strike immediately.
Ryuunosuke did not consider Bakkin a threat anymore, but he hated the feeling of being played.
Once the situation was settled, he headed toward the naval defense base.
"Is it resolved?"
"And those people who showed up, were they the Guardians?"
Garp was already walking toward him the moment he returned.
"Yes," Ryuunosuke answered. "Old man, how much do you know about them?"
Roger's arrest had hinged on one man more than anyone else.
Monkey D. Garp.
If there were secrets involved, Garp should know something.
"Guardians?" Garp scratched his head, frowning. "They invited me once. I turned them down."
"What long lifespan, what eternal life… none of that matters to me."
"I don't chase power or influence. I'd rather live simple and peaceful."
He shook his head again.
He truly did not seem to know much.
"Roger is the leader of the Guardians," Ryuunosuke said with a faint smile.
"So, if you remember anything, I hope you'll tell me."
Garp's expression turned strange.
He had chased Roger across the world, but the two of them had always felt more like rivals who understood each other, or even friends in their own way.
Hearing this now left him visibly shaken.
"Kid," Garp asked after a deep breath, "what are you planning to do next?"
At that question, the other Marines all looked toward Ryuunosuke.
If the Dragon Hunter Pirates had once been a troublesome crew, now they were a monster of the sea.
The Navy could not contend with them.
Could not pursue them.
The Dragon Hunter Pirates' actions were already influencing the future direction of the entire ocean.
The World Government was now a shell in all but name.
It had not officially disbanded, but the fact that even the Five Elders were moving alongside the Dragon Hunter Pirates' handyman squad was enough to prove the crew's weight.
"Next," Ryuunosuke said calmly, "I may continue searching for the remaining Road Poneglyphs."
"After that, we take it one step at a time."
"The Guardians and the Evictors are always a threat. As long as they exist, the sea will never be stable."
"I want the ocean to become a world where everyone can be free."
"A world where people don't have to fear the powerful and the wealthy."
"So I'll deal with them first."
"Then I'll leave."
Yes.
He would leave the world of One Piece sooner or later.
And before he did, he had to take responsibility for the impact he had carved into this era.
Silence settled over the room.
Even Garp's eyes shimmered with tears.
"Thank you," Garp said slowly, his voice heavy with sadness. "For everything you've carried all these years."
Ryuunosuke paused, thrown off by the weight behind those words.
What did that mean?
The Navy had pursued the Dragon Hunter Pirates before, sure, but he had never taken it personally.
He was a pirate.
The Navy hunting pirates was normal.
So why was Garp acting like this?
Was there some other reason?
"Well… it hasn't been that hard," Ryuunosuke said, forcing the mood away from the edge.
"The Navy is still necessary. Don't slack off on your training."
"I believe that before long, you'll have another chance to shine on the ocean."
"We know," someone answered.
Then Sakazuki spoke, voice low and steady.
"If you stay in this world, we will protect it."
That only made the strange feeling sharper.
Garp's attitude had already made Ryuunosuke suspicious.
Now even Sakazuki was saying things like this.
Did they know something?
Or had his words just now caused some misunderstanding?
Either way, the atmosphere was getting weird.
"That's good," Ryuunosuke said, keeping his expression smooth.
"Then we're heading out."
"There's still a lot to do."
With that, he waved once and returned to the Eternal Ark.
One by one, the Dragon Hunter Pirates followed, leaving the Marines behind with eyes that lingered far longer than they should have.
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