"For a ten-million-Berry bonus?"
Atmos and the other pirates froze.
Whatever respect they'd just begun to feel for Luoyu as a powerful opponent evaporated instantly.
He'd risked his life to meet Whitebeard—for ten million?
Didn't he realize that bounties across the sea were worth far more?
Even if he'd taken Atmos's head just now, it would've been worth several hundred million.
And yet… it still didn't compare to a performance bonus?
Still, Atmos quickly pushed those thoughts aside. He'd lost in a fair fight and owed Luoyu his life.
All he could do now was escort him to Whitebeard.
Whether Luoyu lived or died after that was up to fate.
"Alright, men! Let's move. We can't keep Pops waiting," Atmos barked.
The pirates glanced uneasily at Luoyu, clearly uncomfortable.
But this was their turf. They weren't worried he could cause any real trouble.
Hundreds of pirates sprang into action.
As the ship set sail, Gion and Chaton watched with bitter expressions.
They could guess what was going through the pirates' minds.
And they shared the same helpless frustration at Luoyu's pathological obsession with pay and performance.
But with Luoyu dead set on meeting Whitebeard, they had no choice but to follow.
Twenty nautical miles away—
The massive Moby Dick floated on the open sea.
Beside it, a much smaller pirate ship approached, looking like a child next to a giant.
If anyone else had witnessed this scene, they would've been shaken to their core.
This was a meeting of the Four Emperors.
A summit between the old and new generations.
If word got out, the entire New World would quake.
"Clear the way, everyone. That guy's Conqueror's Haki is no joke. If you're not strong enough, back off," Marco warned from the bow.
"There's no shame in stepping aside when two Emperors are involved."
He watched as a lone figure climbed aboard the Moby Dick—carrying a massive sake gourd on his back.
Some of the newer pirates who didn't heed the warning were knocked out cold on the spot.
The pressure from his Haki cracked the deck of nearby ships like spiderwebs.
"Hmph. Still showing off, huh, Red-Haired brat?" Whitebeard grunted from his throne-like chair.
"If you've got something to say, spit it out. Don't waste my time."
"Thanks to your little stunt, Linlin and Kaido's lackeys have snuck into my territory. Even the Navy's poking around."
"I'm not in the mood for a reunion. And you've got no right to ask for one."
To Whitebeard, he might be old and wounded, but among the Emperors, only Roger had ever been his equal.
As for Shanks—he was still just the apprentice who once served drinks on Roger's ship.
"Still as grumpy as ever, huh?" Shanks chuckled dryly, pointing to the claw scar over his eye.
"I'm not here for nostalgia. I came for a reason. Blackbeard is far more dangerous than you think."
"This scar? He gave it to me. It still aches."
"If you don't call Ace back soon, I fear he'll lose. And that could shake the balance of the entire sea."
Ace can't beat Teach?
Marco and the others stiffened.
They knew Whitebeard had placed his hopes on Ace.
Letting him chase down Blackbeard was a vote of confidence in his judgment.
Now Shanks was saying Ace wasn't strong enough?
Was he questioning the entire Whitebeard crew's judgment?
Tension crackled across the deck.
Two Emperors stared each other down.
Everyone held their breath.
Would they clash?
No one wanted that outcome.
"Sorry to interrupt. I know speaking during a Yonko summit is usually a death sentence…"
"…but I think Red-Haired is right. Ace really isn't a match for Blackbeard."
The calm voice cut through the tension like a blade.
Everyone's nerves nearly snapped.
This was a conversation between Emperors.
Most people wouldn't even dare breathe too loudly.
And someone had just… interrupted?
Was this a death wish?
All eyes turned toward the voice.
And when they saw the figure standing on the deck—when he'd even gotten there, no one knew—their pupils shrank.
"A Marine? What the hell is a Marine doing here?" Diamond Jozu shouted, stunned.
This was their territory.
With two Emperors present.
No outsider would dare approach, let alone a Marine.
Especially not now, when everyone was bracing for a possible clash.
"That kid looks familiar… He's the new Navy Admiral, Glutton Luoyu. He was in the papers recently," Flower Sword Vista said.
"Wasn't he spotted in the outer waters earlier? We sent Atmos to drive him off. How'd he end up here?"
"Did Atmos capture him?"