"Ah, sorry, Makino! I totally forgot you know Luo Lan!"
Ace scratched his head, looking a bit embarrassed.
Luo Lan, on the other hand, was just speechless.
So just because you don't know someone, you get to blurt out my name in front of strangers?
"Anyway, Makino, you're coming with us."
"That's that. Hanging up!"
---
Rhodes Island, Branch 157 Headquarters.
Luo Lan sat in his office, expressionless.
I told Ace to sneak in and quietly bring Luffy back. Now the whole world knows?
What a pain.
Just like Garp, running his mouth everywhere.
He'd definitely have to remember to keep his mask on around Luffy—no way could he let that kid see his face.
As for Makino...
She could stay on as a cook.
There was no way he'd let her return home anytime soon—not for at least a year or two.
Now that Luffy was settled, it was time to focus on Robin's side of things...
Knock knock knock.
"Come in."
The office door opened, and a figure stepped inside.
Luo Lan looked up.
Speak of the devil...
It was Robin.
"What's up?"
"There's news about Golden Lion."
"Where?" Luo Lan's eyes lit up instantly.
"The East Blue. Viola spotted him by chance. But..."
"But what?"
"According to her, Golden Lion seems to have flown an island toward the North Blue. Eventually, he moved out of her observational range and was lost."
The North Blue...?
What the hell was that guy doing there?
Luo Lan frowned. Just when they had a lead, it slipped through their fingers again.
And he couldn't exactly head to the North Blue to track him down.
In terms of the Four Seas, he could move freely around the East and South Blue. But getting to the West and North Blue...
To enter those seas, he'd need to pass through the Calm Belt, travel the Grand Line, cross Fishman Island into the New World, then exit back through the Calm Belt again.
Way too complicated.
Especially since he couldn't take the Danaan to Sabaody Archipelago for coating.
That place... is way too close to Marine Headquarters.
He wouldn't even finish the coating before a wave of HQ elites—or maybe even an admiral—would show up.
So for now, the North Blue...
Was just out of the question.
"Forget it. Tell Viola to keep an eye out. If Golden Lion returns to the East Blue, I want to know immediately."
"Got it. Anything else?"
"Yeah. Get ready. We're leaving for Skypiea in five days."
"Skypiea? But we haven't found Golden Lion."
"Don't worry. I have my ways." Luo Lan replied with a mysterious smile.
---
Five days passed in a blink.
With Ace and the others arriving, the trip to Skypiea was finally about to begin.
This time, Luo Lan wasn't planning on using the Danaan. Instead, he had a different idea—one that involved local resources.
Why?
Because none of the branch's ships—whether the Danaan or the four new surface battleships—were suitable.
They were too heavy.
And none of them had sails.
To ride the Knock-Up Stream to Skypiea, the ship needed to be lightweight and have full sails. Otherwise, it couldn't hold steady on the powerful current.
So what did Luo Lan need?
A small sailing ship.
But the branch didn't have any.
The only one that came close was Hina's mid-sized naval vessel—and even that was too large and heavy.
So Luo Lan came up with a new plan:
Take the Danaan to Jaya Island, clean out Mock Town while they were at it, and then—among the dozens, if not hundreds, of pirate crews lounging around the town—find a suitable ship.
Surely there had to be at least one small sailboat that caught his eye, right?
Aside from the Danaan's crew, the group heading out this time included Luo Lan, Hina, Robin, Ace, and Zoro—plus 50 marines.
But not just any marines.
They had to be ones who had mastered Geppo (Moonwalk).
Nowadays, a combat power level of 500 or more wasn't unusual within Branch 157—there were easily hundreds at that level.
And once someone reached the superhuman threshold, Luo Lan made sure they started learning Rokushiki.
So finding 50 marines proficient in Geppo? Not hard at all.
That way, even if the ship were to break apart during the Knock-Up Stream ascent, everyone would still be able to survive the fall.
With only a few hours left before departure...
Luo Lan put down his paperwork and walked to the tall window, gazing out.
His brow furrowed.
On the training grounds, a crowd of several hundred soldiers in uniform had gathered. In the middle of it all...
Was a guy in red, wearing a straw hat, fighting a marine.
Who else but Luffy?
As for the marine? Luo Lan didn't recognize him—he was probably just a regular soldier.
But Luffy was clearly getting beaten down.
He had no chance.
Luo Lan also spotted Ian in the crowd, along with Baby 5 shouting excitedly on the sidelines.
Both were wearing masks.
Right. I ordered that anyone important must wear a mask while Luffy's here.
Luo Lan quickly took out a Den Den Mushi.
Brrrr... Brrrr...
"This is Ian."
"Ian. What the hell's going on out there?"
"Ah! Captain. Well, it's like this..."
Ian quickly explained everything.
Apparently, Luffy had been going around telling everyone how cool pirates were and how he was going to be the Pirate King.
That rubbed a lot of marines the wrong way, and someone said even the weakest soldier here could beat him up.
Luffy, not one to back down, challenged them.
And here they were now...
Seriously? The guy just runs his mouth anywhere, huh?
If not for his protagonist aura, he'd probably have died a hundred times by now.
"Tell them: as long as they don't kill him, they can beat him however they like."
"Yes, Captain!"
Ian had expected Luo Lan to stop the fight—after all, Luffy was someone he specifically had Ace bring back, and supposedly important to the Skypiea mission.
But to his surprise, Luo Lan had said:
"As long as he doesn't die."
Ian wasn't exactly fond of Luffy either, but had held back out of respect.
Now?
"Everyone listen up! Captain says: as long as he survives, beat him as hard as you want! Show this kid some reality!"
"YES, SIR!" the marines roared.
The marine fighting Luffy—who'd been holding back—now went all in.
And right at that moment, Ace and Makino came running up, both looking panicked.
---
Currently at chapter 415 on Ko-Fi
https:// ko-fi.com/sami27