Ryan's body soared over the railing toward the sea, seemingly about to plunge into the waves when he abruptly twisted his waist. His right foot stepped on empty air, adjusting his descent. His feet grazed the shore's gravel, sparking as they landed, then slid back three steps before he steadied himself.
His clothes bore several slashes from the "Three Thousand Worlds," but no blood seeped through—not even clear wounds, just faint white marks on his skin that faded almost instantly as he turned.
"That green-haired bastard's got some skills," Ryan mused, watching the Thousand Sunny sail away from the shore. A glint of amusement flashed in his eyes. Instead of giving chase, he pulled a cigar from his pocket, lit it, and exhaled a leisurely smoke ring.
"Captain!" Daz Bones, BABE, Zala, Mikita, and Porche rushed over.
Ryan raised a hand, accepting the baseball bat BABE handed him, then jerked his chin at Rasu. "Spit it out."
Rasu sneezed, and a baseball shot from his mouth. Without hesitation, Ryan swung the bat—a perfect home run. The baseball tore through the air with a sharp whistle, a mere blur as it rocketed toward the Thousand Sunny.
"Take this!" Luffy reacted instantly, puffing up his belly—"Gomu Gomu Balloon!"
The baseball struck the Straw Hat Kid's round stomach with a dull thud, rebounding skyward. But before it could hit the water, two faint tick-tock sounds preceded a blinding explosion, sending a towering spray into the air.
"That baseball was a bomb?!" Zoro frowned, gripping his sword.
Before anyone could respond, five more baseballs followed in rapid succession, slicing through the air.
"Leave it to me!" Zoro crossed his blades, slashing three baseballs to pieces while Sanji's spinning kicks launched the remaining two skyward, where they burst into fireworks.
On the shore, Ryan only grew more enthusiastic, swinging faster and faster, pelting the deck with a relentless barrage—until Usopp arrived.
Ah, this was Usopp's second time boarding the ship.
Ryan smirked but didn't slow his swings, baseballs continuing to skim the waves.
What followed was just as he remembered—Luffy stretched his rubber arm, yanking Usopp aboard, the two crashing into a heap on the deck.
Franky yanked a lever, and the Thousand Sunny's stern erupted with a dazzling burst of energy, rocketing into the sky with a piercing shriek. In an instant, the ship shrank into the distance, leaving Water 7's coastline far behind.
"Whoa… the ship can fly?" Mikita gaped, voice brimming with disbelief.
"Alright, let's head back."
Ryan watched the shrinking ship, tossing the bat back to BABE. He plucked the cigar from his lips, exhaling a smoke ring. "Send a message to the World Government. Tell them… the Straw Hat crew got lucky and escaped."
"Just like that?" Porche blinked. "Will they even believe it?"
"Whether they do or not isn't our problem." Ryan turned away, tone indifferent. "We put on the show. The rest… doesn't matter."
With that, he strode off. Daz Bones and Zala fell in step first, BABE trailing behind with the bat and Rasu slung over his shoulder. Mikita tugged Porche along, the two murmuring and giggling.
Back at their Water 7 inn, Ryan had barely settled onto the sofa when Zala approached.
She wore a loose white shirt, the top two buttons undone, revealing delicate collarbones. Her light khaki pants and navy-blue headscarf framed a slender figure, while thin-framed glasses perched on her nose, lending her an air of intellect—though it did little to hide her curves. Her hips swayed lazily as she moved, exuding effortless allure.
"Captain, the World Government's Den Den Mushi." She handed him the receiver.
Ryan took it, his gaze lingering on Zala before he suddenly grabbed her wrist.
Still warmed up from the earlier scuffle with the Straw Hats, his blood was running hot.
Caught off guard, Zala stumbled, nearly falling onto the sofa. Realization dawned, but she complied, kneeling gracefully. She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear, revealing the soft curve of her profile.
Ryan exhaled sharply, suppressing the heat coiling in his chest before speaking into the receiver, voice flat. "What is it?"
"Sir Ryan!" The Den Den Mushi mimicked a shrill male voice, thick with accusation. "Why didn't you capture the Straw Hat crew? Reports say they've already fled Water 7 by ship!"
"Couldn't be helped. Who knew their ship could fly?" Ryan's fingers idly combed through Zala's hair beneath her headscarf, savoring its softness. "That thing blasted off like a rocket. No catching up."
"You can't be serious!" The voice screeched higher. "With your strength, even a flying ship shouldn't escape so easily! This is blatant negligence!"
The World Government had long since documented Ryan's capabilities. Even if the Straw Hats' ship could fly, escape was impossible.
The undisputed ruler of land, sea, and air—did they think that was a joke?
"Who the hell are you to question me?" Ryan scoffed into the receiver. "Let's get one thing straight—I'm the World Government's partner, not some lackey you can order around."
The line went silent for a beat before erupting in fury. "You're challenging the World Government's authority! If you refuse to uphold your duties as a Warlord, we'll revoke your title!"
"Oh?" Ryan chuckled lowly, dripping with disdain. "Like I give a damn."
He hung up, tossing the Den Den Mushi onto the table. It puffed its cheeks, mimicking his cold expression before curling into a sulking ball.
Zala looked up at him, hesitation flickering behind her glasses. "Captain… just like that? Giving up the Warlord title?"
"What's it matter?" Ryan released her hair, fingertips trailing to her chin, tilting it up. His voice was laced with mockery. "Bunch of cowards barking through a snail. They think they can dictate terms to me?"
The Warlord title was just a convenient tool for his journey. If not for the sake of simplicity, he wouldn't have bothered with it in the first place.
With enough strength, so-called "privileges" were just optional decorations.
"Forgive my overthinking," Zala murmured.
Ryan smirked at her obedience, thumb brushing her chin. "Enough about that nuisance. We've got better things to do."
Zala caught his meaning instantly, lowering her head and leaning in.
"Tch…"
Ryan exhaled, reclining into the sofa, fingers threading lazily through Zala's hair as he indulged in the moment.
As for the World Government… it could go to hell.
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