The air in the office seemed to freeze solid after Renzo casually said, "kill."
Cold sweat instantly streamed down Potts's back.
He had no doubt that if Lord Renzo so much as nodded, he would carry out the order immediately.
Even though the creature in his arms looked like nothing more than a harmless child, in G-5, "efficiency" and "obedience" had long since taken priority over conventional morality.
"Whimper…"
Perhaps sensing that ice-cold resolve, the little pink dragon in Potts' arms began trembling even more violently. Its eyes squeezed shut as its tiny claws clutched desperately at the front of Potts' uniform, letting out a pitiful cry.
That cry made Potts' heart tighten as well.
"…"
Renzo's index finger stopped tapping.
The suffocating pressure slowly dissipated.
He let out an irritated sigh, shifted slightly upright on the sofa, then slumped back into a more comfortable position.
"Forget it."
Renzo waved his hand, clearly bored.
"Why… forget it?" Potts blurted out instinctively, then immediately realized he'd spoken out of turn.
Renzo shot him a glance, the kind that said How do you not understand this?, and lazily explained:
"Killing him is easy. Dealing with the 'corpse' is troublesome."
"Huh?" Potts froze.
"He's a Devil Fruit user, Mythical Zoan, at that. Who knows where the fruit would respawn after he dies? What if it gets picked up by something more 'troublesome'. Too noisy."
Renzo was blatantly talking nonsense.
"…"
Potts couldn't refute it.
"And besides," Renzo continued, "handling a 'living thing' is always easier than handling a 'dead thing.' At least he can move on his own; I don't have to send someone to carry him."
'What kind of logic is that…'
Potts complained internally, but on the surface, he put on an expression of As expected of Lord Renzo, such profound foresight.
"Most importantly…"
Renzo yawned. "Killing kids affects sleep quality. I'd probably sleep poorly tonight."
'So that's the real reason!'
"Then… Lord Renzo, how should we 'handle' this living thing?" Potts finally relaxed a little.
Renzo's gaze returned to the little pink dragon.
At the moment, it was cautiously poking its head out of Potts' arms, secretly peeking at him with watery, frightened eyes.
Renzo's expression remained indifferent, but another image instantly flashed through his mind,
The original story version of this little brat shamelessly using his childlike appearance to take advantage of Nami and Robin's arms.
Renzo's brow immediately furrowed.
G-5 might not have many women, but it wasn't completely devoid of them.
For example, the nurses in the infirmary, and some of the clerical staff in logistics…
"Hmph."
Renzo let out an ambiguous snort.
"Potts."
"Yes, sir!"
"I'm assigning you an S-rank special mission."
Renzo's expression suddenly turned serious. "The confidentiality level of this mission is of the highest importance to G-5 base."
Potts' expression instantly turned solemn.
'Highest importance.'
'Such serious wording!'
"Please give the order!"
Renzo sat up straight and, in an unprecedentedly serious tone, issued his commands:
"First: immediately prepare a separate, secure room for him in the most remote area of the base."
"Yes!"
"Second: select at least four, no, at least eight! Eight of the most burly, muscular, and fierce-looking men in all of G-5!"
"…Huh?" Potts froze again. 'Eight burly men? For what?'
"Have them form a 'Special Childcare Squad.' Four per shift, rotating 24 hours a day, staying with him at all times to 'take care' of him." Renzo emphasized the words take care.
"Childcare… squad?"
Potts' worldview was shaken.
"Third, and this is the most important rule. It must be strictly enforced."
Renzo's eyes sharpened, like a hawk locking onto the pink little dragon.
"From now on, this 'piece of driftage' is strictly forbidden from coming into contact with any… female lifeform within G-5."
"…What?"
"What I mean is," Renzo said slowly and clearly, "including but not limited to: female marines, female clerks, female cooks, female nurses. Even female cats, female dogs, or female seagulls that accidentally wander into the base must maintain an absolute safety distance of more than ten meters from him!"
"Anyone who violates this order, regardless of rank, will be confined for one month and subjected to 'efficiency re-education' by Rehn."
Potts was completely petrified.
He looked down at the harmless, even slightly cute little pink dragon in his arms, then looked back up at Lord Renzo, whose face clearly said I'm doing this for everyone's good.
His mind was filled with question marks.
'Why?'
'Is this little thing… some kind of walking hormone bomb?'
'Or does he carry some sort of super virus specifically targeting women?'
'Eight burly men for close protection?'
'No contact with females?'
'Is this raising a pet?'
'Or guarding some kind of peerless ferocious beast?!'
"Do you understand?" Renzo asked.
"Y-Yes, sir!"
Potts snapped to attention. "Mission understood! I will immediately select G-5's strongest 'buff childcare men'!"
"Mhm, go." Renzo waved his hand. "Tell Sanji, no, tell the kitchen, to send him food on time every day. Don't let him starve. And keep him far away from my office."
"Yes, sir!"
Cradling the little pink dragon, Potts exited the office with stiff steps.
Even after stepping outside, he was still wondering how exactly he was supposed to explain this "S-rank mission" to the eight chosen "buff men"…
Inside the office, Renzo reclined back on the sofa.
"Hmph. Little pervert."
He closed his eyes, the corner of his mouth curling into a cold smile.
"Want to take advantage of people? Get through G-5's 'Buff Men Childcare Idol Group' first. Hope you enjoy this 'G-5 exclusive paradise of muscle-bound men' deluxe package."
…....
Two months later.
Renzo's peaceful days were once again interrupted, this time by a very distinctive knock, lazy yet faintly sleazy.
"Come~ in~ oh~"
Before Renzo could speak, the person outside had already drawn out the words and pushed the door open.
A glittering striped suit.
Perpetually unchanged brown-tinted sunglasses.
And a face that made you want to yawn just by looking at it.
Marine Headquarters Admiral, "Kizaru" Borsalino.
"Yo~~~ Renzo-kun been a few days and the air here is still so perfect for sleeping..."
Like a boneless creature, Kizaru flashed over to the sofa opposite Renzo and sank into it in an equally lazy posture.
"Kizaru."
Renzo opened one eye. "If you're here to freeload a meal…"
"Oh my~ bingo~!"
Kizaru clapped exaggeratedly. "That's exactly why I'm here~! I already made a reservation with your chef~ for today's 'Marine Admiral Luxury Vacation Set Meal'~."
Renzo: "..."
He knew it.
"Aren't you supposed to be handling official business at Marineford?"
"Naaaaahh too tiring work never ends~."
Kizaru pulled out a crumpled leave slip from his pocket. "I applied for vacation, old man Sengoku already approved it~."
Renzo glanced at the slip, then at Kizaru's face, which practically screamed Please punch me.
He strongly suspected this guy forged the leave slip himself and then teleported away.
"So you take a vacation and come to my G-5?"
"Because it's the quietest here~"
"And the food's great~."
Kizaru said shamelessly. "At Marineford Akainu's always scowling~ trying to drag me out to catch pirates."
"Too scary~."
Renzo couldn't even be bothered to complain.
Akainu is the Marines' model worker.
You, Kizaru, are the Marines' professional salary thief.
"But Renzo-kun~."
Kizaru took a sip of the hot tea he brought and said leisurely, "I also came this time to invite you to a nice place~."
"Not going," Renzo replied instantly.
"Awww don't reject me so fast~."
Kizaru smiled. "I heard, it's a world-famous paradise one of a kind in the New World~~."
"Not interested."
Renzo closed his eyes.
"At the bottom of the sea, ten thousand meters down~."
"..."
"An island surrounded by bubbles~."
"..."
"Called Fish-Man Island~."
Renzo's eyes snapped open.
He moved so fast it stirred a faint breeze. The body that had been slumped on the sofa instantly sat upright.
"Where?"
"Oh~?" A glint flashed behind Kizaru's lenses.
"Fish-Man Island~."
'Fish-Man Island!'
Renzo's breathing hitched.
Three huge words instantly filled his mind:
Mermaids!
Mermaids!
Mermaids!
One of the greatest highlights of the One Piece world!
One of mankind's ultimate romantic fantasies!
Pappag's "Crimin" brand shop!
Camie's takoyaki!
The Mermaid Café!
And those… those real, tail-swaying, living, breathing mermaids!
Who wouldn't want to see that?!
"Ahem…"
Realizing he'd gotten a bit carried away, Renzo cleared his throat and resumed his indifferent expression, forcibly suppressing the upward curl of his lips.
"Fish-Man Island… yes, I've heard of it."
He spoke in a formal, official tone:
"As G-5's supreme commander, I indeed… have the responsibility and obligation to 'inspect' its defenses and local conditions."
"Oh~ an 'inspection,' huh~."
Kizaru drawled, grinning like an old fox.
"I thought you just wanted to see mermaids~."
"…Am I that kind of person?" Renzo replied calmly.
"You-are~."
"..."
"Then let's call it an 'inspection'~."
Kizaru made the final call. "My warship's already docked at the port, the coating's ready too~."
"Renzo-kun, get prepared, we'll depart in three days~. How about it?"
'Three days?'
Renzo glanced out the window.
G-5's daily operations were handled by Ain.
The newly acquired "trouble" was watched over by Potts' "buff men squad."
As commander, he seemed to have… absolutely no reason he had to stay here.
"Fine."
Renzo nodded, a rare expression close to anticipation appearing on his face.
"It's settled. In three days, I'll go 'inspect' Fish-Man Island."
"Then, tonight's 'luxury set meal'~?"
"…My treat."
"Oh my, Renzo-kun is so generous~!"