Koala, with her astute mind, held her chin in thought for a few seconds. "If Alucard-sama can return at the fastest possible speed, suppressing this should be quite easy..."
Sandersonia shook her head. "The Kuja are already using a ship built with the best current shipbuilding technology, and it still takes more than ten days. Let alone any other ship."
"That's not necessarily true."
A slight smile played on Koala's lips. "Even if the ship's motive power is limited, combining it with Alucard-sama's ability might make it possible."
The Hancock sisters—Hancock, Sandersonia, and Marigold—immediately recalled Alucard's method of navigating when they first escaped from Mariejois, using shadows to control the ship's movement.
They vaguely remembered that this method could indeed be used to accelerate travel.
"Can our ship withstand it?" Hancock turned to look at Alucard.
Alucard glanced at the Kuja's ship. It was primarily made of wood, a vast difference from the steel ship built by Tom in the past. Given his current increase in strength, if he were to forcibly control it using Hidden Shadow, the ship would likely collapse before reaching its destination.
If he were to use that method, he would need a much sturdier and more robust vessel.
Although Alucard could fly, vampires cannot fly over the sea for extended periods; even he could only fly briefly.
Alucard's gaze swept over the surrounding gold, and he suddenly grinned. "Bring Tesoro over."
"Master?" Hancock hadn't quite understood the meaning of Alucard's words.
"We'll have to use slightly crude measures."
Alucard's hair fluttered in the light breeze, and the fangs visible beneath his smile sent a shiver down their spines.
…
"Can your monsters be deployed, Dr. Indigo?" Urdaha asked, frowning at Dr. Indigo in the underground laboratory of the Arderay Kingdom ruins.
Although the group of discontented rebels led by Exdeath couldn't yet be called enemies, the vast disparity in combat strength meant Urdaha wanted to try deploying the Blacklight Infectees to aid in the suppression.
"They are still too difficult to control. They are surprising against outside enemies, but once they're put into the battle, they will bring irreparable damage to both sides," Dr. Indigo said, rubbing his palms.
"Damn it." Urdaha gritted his teeth.
"Boss Urdaha!"
Suddenly, a subordinate rushed in through the laboratory door, his expression one of alarm.
"What's wrong? Have Exdeath and his group started attacking?" Urdaha voiced his greatest concern.
"The Sea Kings guarding Amazon Lily have begun to retreat, and Exdeath's group is indeed preparing to land on the island, but... the ones who launched the initial attack were not Exdeath's crew, it was the Golden Hair Pirates!"
The subordinate's surprising report stunned everyone present. Ivalis and Beckman? After being missing for so long, they suddenly appeared and were even more decisive than Exdeath's group, launching a direct attack.
"Ivalis made a move?" Urdaha asked, knitting his brows.
"We didn't see him, but we saw Beckman," the subordinate replied.
"These traitors! I knew they weren't trustworthy!"
Matthew stormed out, furious. "I'll go kill them first!"
"Hey, don't be rash!" Urdaha shouted urgently, but he couldn't stop him from leaving.
Stragus also spoke up. "I'll go too. We still don't know how the situation will develop; we need to prepare for the worst."
With that, he also quickly departed.
"Damn it..."
…
About a week before this moment, when the rumors were not yet so severe...
On the sea hundreds of nautical miles away from the Immortal Pirates' territory, the Golden Hair Pirates' ships, bearing the flags of both the Immortal Pirates and the Golden Hair Pirates, were led by Ivalis and Beckman. They encountered the 17th Division of the Whitebeard Pirates, whose ships bore the Whitebeard Pirates' flag.
The 17th Division consisted of their former crewmates and partners: Lucky Roux, Yasopp, and others.
"Long time no see, Ivalis, Yasopp, and everyone else..."
Lucky Roux, the Captain of the 17th Division, was, as always, gnawing on a ham bone as he greeted his two old friends. At the same time, his gaze swept over the comrades who had once been in the Red Hair Pirates with him but were now with Ivalis, affiliated with the Immortal Pirates.
"Mmm... Long time no see."
Even Beckman, known for his composure, couldn't help but look away slightly when meeting Lucky Roux's eyes.
"Indeed, it's been a few years; I can't quite keep track."
Compared to Beckman's avoidance, Ivalis appeared much more casual. After a warm greeting, he added, "If you've come to catch up and drink, we'd be happy to join you. But if you've come to fight..."
Ivalis drew out the last word, the welcoming tone replaced by a hint of threat. "...then there's nothing more to say."
Ivalis had been a top-tier executive in the former Red Hair Pirates and possessed great skill, or he wouldn't have been so quickly appointed as an executive of the Immortal Pirates by Alucard, along with the permission to form his own pirate crew.
Hearing him speak, many of those who were once his comrades and subordinates showed complex expressions.
'Have you completely sided with Alucard, Ivalis...?'
Lucky Roux blinked his small eyes behind his sunglasses, recalled Dragon's words, and said, "Let's sit down for a drink first. There's a small island over there. How about we have a banquet like old times?"
Following the direction of Lucky Roux's finger, a solitary island stood there.
Ivalis withdrew his fighting spirit and nodded. "Alright."
The two sides poured wine and drank together, but the atmosphere lacked the joy of the past, replaced by a mutual wariness.
Ivalis poured a drink for each of the former Red Hair Pirates executives, and then one for Beckman.
"The world is truly unpredictable. I only recently heard that you formed the 17th Division under Whitebeard." Ivalis drank a large gulp of wine in one go. "So what is it? You wouldn't suddenly show up here just to reminisce, would you? This place might even be under Viola's surveillance, posing a constant danger."
At this time, Ivalis was unaware that Viola was frantic with worry over her sister's situation and had no time to spare for surveillance duties.
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