G-5 Branch, the highest-ranking officers' office.
As always, it was quiet here, quiet to the point of luxury.
Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the blinds, casting mottled patterns across the floor. Even the dust in the air seemed to drift unusually slowly.
Renzo was reclining on his expensive sofa, specially custom-made for naps, eyes closed as he rested, savoring this rare afternoon free of any paperwork.
To him, the ideal state of G-5 was simple: automatic operation.
Knock, knock, knock.
A series of extremely light, almost cautious, knocks sounded at the door.
Renzo's brow furrowed imperceptibly.
"Come...in." His voice carried the lazy tone of someone just disturbed from rest, but there was no irritation in it.
The door opened.
Potts walked in, but his posture was stiff and constrained.
Uncharacteristically, he wasn't carrying any documents at all. Instead… he was holding something in his arms.
"Lord Renzo."
Potts snapped to attention, lowering his voice. "My apologies for disturbing your rest. However… during routine training, this subordinate discovered an… urgent situation."
"Hm?" Renzo slowly opened his eyes, his gaze settling on what Potts was holding.
There, a small pink dragon peeked out half its head. Its big, round eyes curiously, yet timidly, surveyed the unfamiliar room.
When it met Renzo's deep, indifferent eyes, the tiny body jolted. With a soft whimper, it shrank back into Potts' arms, leaving only the tip of its thin tail trembling outside.
Potts looked even more awkward. "It's this… Lord Renzo. It appears to be a Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit user. It was drifting in the waters outside the branch, and your subordinate… took the liberty of bringing it back."
He tried to describe it as concisely as possible, the results of Rehn's special training.
"Shipwreck survivor. Child. Identity unknown, but… a Devil Fruit user."
Renzo watched in silence.
He didn't get up, nor did he show any sign of surprise. He simply looked on quietly.
Yet in that instant, a flood of information flashed through his mind.
'Pink dragon.'
'Defective product.'
'Wano Country.'
'Kozuki.'
'Momonosuke.'
Renzo's eyes narrowed slightly.
Of course, he knew this little thing.
Even if it turned to ashes, no, even before it turned into a dragon, Renzo would still recognize him.
The young lord of the Kozuki Clan of Wano. The future shogun. Kozuki Momonosuke.
Renzo's first thought wasn't "Why is he here?" but instead-
"Where's Caesar?" he suddenly asked, an apparently unrelated question.
Potts froze for a moment, confused, but answered immediately.
"Reporting, sir! Caesar Clown is currently imprisoned in the deepest section of G-5, in a specially reinforced seastone cell, personally guarded by a base lieutenant commander. There is absolutely no possibility of escape!"
"Is that so…"
A playful glint appeared in Renzo's eyes.
Now this was interesting.
A few months ago, because G-5 was too noisy, he had taken a detour to Punk Hazard and captured Caesar, the one producing "noise" and "pollution" on his turf.
He had assumed that once Caesar was caught, all the troublesome affairs surrounding Punk Hazard, the remnants of MADS, artificial Devil Fruits, the SMILE factory, and even the Straw Hat–Law alliance, all those sources of "trouble" would vanish along with him.
But he had never expected this.
'Even with Caesar already captured, this Momonosuke… had still ended up eating an artificial Devil Fruit by some twist of fate?!'
'Was this the inertia of fate?'
'Or had Momonosuke already eaten the fruit before Caesar was captured?'
Renzo leaned toward the latter.
Otherwise, it would be hard to explain why, at this point in time, the boy would be drifting from the direction of Punk Hazard toward G-5.
"Lord Renzo… how should this child be handled?" Potts asked cautiously.
He could feel it.
Since earlier, the pressure in the office had subtly dropped.
Renzo hadn't done anything at all, yet that invisible oppression felt even more terrifying than facing Instructor Rehn's "hell training."
The little dragon in his arms was trembling violently, not even daring to whimper anymore.
'How to handle him?'
Renzo's index finger lightly tapped the armrest of the sofa.
Momonosuke must die.
That sentence surfaced unbidden in his mind.
This wasn't just a joke; fans from his previous life used to vent their frustrations.
For Renzo, someone who pursued "peace" and "efficiency", those words were practically gospel.
He disliked Momonosuke in the original story. Very much so.
The lecherous, cowardly personality, coupled with that habit of shamelessly taking advantage of others, perfectly combined every trait Renzo despised.
Of course, if it were merely a matter of personality, Renzo wouldn't even bother.
The real issue was-
The level of "trouble" this little thing represented was simply too high.
The son of Kozuki Oden. The legitimate heir of Wano Country.
What did that mean?
It meant that keeping him alive would be equivalent to luring the Nine Red Scabbards, the restorationists of Wano, straight to G-5.
It meant drawing the attention of "Beasts" Kaido, and even "BIG MOM" Charlotte Linlin, directly here!
Renzo just wanted to sleep peacefully in G-5 and live a quiet life.
He had no interest in clashing head-on with two Yonko over some brat.
That would completely violate his principles.
Renzo looked at the trembling little dragon in Potts' arms.
Right now, he was just an eight-year-old child, weak, helpless, unable even to control his own power.
With a single thought, Potts, or even without Potts, just one glance from Renzo could make him completely "disappear" from this world.
No one would ever know.
All "trouble" would be strangled in its cradle.
This… seemed like the most efficient, most permanent solution.
The air in the office felt as though it had frozen.
Potts was so nervous that sweat beaded on his forehead; even breathing had become difficult.
'Lord Renzo's killing intent-'
'No. It wasn't killing intent.'
'It was something purer, colder than that… a decision.'
As if he were weighing an object, whether it should be kept, or discarded.
"How about…"
Renzo finally spoke again, his voice so light it was almost a sigh.
"…we just kill him now?"