Alabasta had been saved.
But the atmosphere did not improve.
Even King Cobra of Alabasta had gone down, consciousness hazy, under the Conqueror's Haki that leaked out so casually.
And it was in that very moment that everyone truly understood something.
Alabasta's victory had never been a complete victory.
Still, peace had been won, at least for now. So Alabasta held a grand banquet for its heroes, the Straw Hat Pirates.
At the feast, Luffy was overjoyed, stuffing himself until he could barely breathe, grilled meat and rice balls disappearing into his mouth one after another.
He did not notice that, aside from him, not a single person looked like they had just won.
Everyone wore dark expressions, silent and stiff.
After a long while, perhaps because it felt too quiet, Luffy raised his head in confusion. Food was still stuffed in his cheeks, puffing his face out until it looked bigger than his body. He stared wide eyed at the others.
"What's wrong? This food's amazing. You guys aren't eating?"
He should not have spoken.
The moment he did, several anger marks practically popped above everyone's heads.
"You idiot!!!"
Nami's iron fist slammed straight into Luffy's skull. In an instant, she turned razor sharp and terrifying.
Even the rest of the crew looked like they wanted to punch him too.
Because that one line kept echoing in their ears.
"Then I'll punch Uncle Ozz into the sky too!"
Yes, Ozz was easygoing.
But that was only when he had something else to amuse him.
If he decided you were the amusement, then congratulations.
Zoro and Sanji, who had grown up watching Ozz's movements across the seas, knew the consequences better than anyone.
That was Black Spear, terrifyingly stronger than the Hawk Eyes they had met before, and with an even worse personality to match.
"Why? Why are you all looking at me like that?"
Luffy was bruised and swollen from Nami's punch, yet he was not angry at all. He just scratched his head, still clueless.
"You bastard!!!"
Zoro and Sanji grabbed him by the collar, roaring as they shook him back and forth.
"That line about punching Uncle Ozz… he heard it himself!!!"
"…!"
Luffy froze for a beat, then his mouth fell open.
"Huh?! Uncle Ozz was in Alabasta too?!"
But unlike the others, his expression did not turn exaggeratedly pale. He was surprised for a moment, then he recovered, face serious.
"But… if Uncle Ozz really is like Crocodile said, if he really let his subordinates do all kinds of bad things…"
"Then I really am going to punch Uncle Ozz into the sky!"
Then Luffy started shouting into empty air as if Ozz might be hiding in some corner.
"Hey!!! Uncle Ozz!!! Are you here?! Can you hear me?!"
Nami and the others nearly had heart attacks. They rushed to cover his mouth.
"Stop yelling!!! Even if you're reckless, there's a limit to how stupid you can be!!!"
Nami did not know exactly how strong Ozz was, but Zoro and Sanji saying he was stronger than Hawk Eyes from the Baratie was already enough to make her despair.
"But aren't we getting stronger too?!"
For once, Luffy did not back down in front of Nami.
He looked so serious that everyone froze.
He continued, voice steady.
"If I can't even surpass Uncle Ozz, how am I supposed to become Pirate King?!"
"And what about Zoro?"
"Does he really plan to let Uncle Ozz's right hand man, that Hawk Eyes, step on him for the rest of his life?!"
Those words hit like a cannonball.
Everyone was too shocked to speak.
Zoro and Sanji sat there in silence.
Nami and Usopp looked heavy, weighed down by the sheer audacity of that vow.
Only Chopper, the clueless country bumpkin of the sea, understood none of it and supported Luffy wholeheartedly.
After a long while, the Straw Hat Pirates finally let it go.
Because Luffy was right.
If they wanted to chase their dreams, they could not keep fearing the obstacles ahead, no matter how strong those obstacles were.
"Well… we probably won't run into my father that soon anyway."
Everyone forced down the anxiety in their chests.
Yeah.
No need to worry too early…
They probably would not meet him that soon.
…
"Fufufufufufu…"
A sinister, suppressed laugh crackled through the Den Den Mushi in Ozz's hand.
On the other end, Donquixote Doflamingo sat on a flamingo shaped ship, one leg crossed over the other as he reported.
"Yeah, Mr. Ozz. The World Government's nose is sharper than a dog's. I've already been keeping things as low key as I can."
Veins bulged across his forehead. Clearly, Doflamingo's mood was not as calm as that smile of his.
Especially after hearing that the companion who suited him best, Crocodile, had gone in again.
It made his mood even worse.
But in front of Ozz, he still maintained his poise.
"So they found something?"
Hearing Doflamingo's update, it did not sound good.
Yet Ozz was not the least bit flustered. His expression stayed flat.
So what if they found out?
At worst, it only meant tearing off the mask early.
He had been ready for that.
The forces guarding Old Gick were the sharpest blade under Ozz's command. CP could never hope to kidnap him.
And the Five Elders, and Imu, would not dare attempt it either.
If they refused to kill the old man and chose kidnapping instead, then in front of Ozz's Devil Fruit ability, that "kidnapping" would be a joke.
If they killed him…
Then Ozz would stop playing.
He would fast forward everything straight to the finale. No need to wait for Laugh Tale. No need to stir up some grand war.
He would show them what it meant to clear the One Piece dungeon in a single day.
So the only thing Ozz actually worried about was one simple detail.
If the World Government stopped cooperating, the fun would be reduced.
Fortunately, things were not that bad yet.
"No… they only figured out that we're conducting experiments related to biological weapons. The specific details and capabilities are still secure."
"After Mihawk arrived, he cut down several CP0 rats on the spot. The World Government's definitely going to get suspicious. So there'll be trouble later."
It could not be helped.
At first, the World Government only sent CP0 to investigate out of caution, to see what Ozz was secretly doing.
They would have been satisfied with a surface check.
But now, you had even deployed a Warlord to block them.
That alone proved this was not something simple.
And because of this incident, the relationship between the World Government and Ozz developed deeper cracks.
It was also one of the reasons Crocodile was ultimately imprisoned successfully.
"You've worked hard, Doffy."
"Fufufufufufu… it's nothing. It's what I should do."
"I just happened to be in Paradise recently for something, so I figured I'd report in."
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