I, Uchiha Hikaru, have joined the chat group.

Chapter 333 Aokiji's Movements

"Cough cough..."

Faced with Hancock's question, Bulma waved her hand somewhat embarrassedly: "I am Bulma, that's true, but you misunderstood. I didn't do those two things... Hikari killed the Celestial Dragon, and Aiolia defeated Kizaru. I'm just an ordinary pirate captain and a part-time scientist."

"Huh?"

Hancock paused, somewhat puzzled: "Wasn't it said that a blue-haired female pirate did these things...?"

"Forehead……"

Uchiha Hikaru, Erii, and the others standing nearby all turned to look at Esdeath.

Yes, blue hair, female pirate.

indeed.

Even without looking at their faces and only describing them using vague features, Bulma and Esdeath actually look quite alike, even their heights are similar...

Considering that Amazon Lily is located in the Calm Belt, most ships and newsbirds cannot reach it and can only transmit information through methods such as Den Den Mushi, making it impossible to see the wanted posters of the "Dimensional Pirates." Therefore, it is reasonable for a misunderstanding to arise under these circumstances.

present.

Xia Qi began by introducing the identities of Uchiha Hikaru and his group.

Mainly Bulma, Hikaru Uchiha, and Esdeath.

As for Erii and Naruto, they were just mentioned casually. After all, they had been just bystanders for a while and hadn't done anything noteworthy.

Esdeath was slightly unhappy about joining the "Dimensional Pirates" and becoming the "third-in-command" of the crew without her knowledge, but she didn't say anything out of respect for Uchiha Hikaru.

the other side.

After listening to Shakky's account, Hancock matched the faces and names of Uchiha Hikaru and his group one by one, and her expression changed slightly.

Well...

She seemed to have shifted her gaze from Bulma to Uchiha Hikaru, her eyes filled with surprise, curiosity, and perhaps a hint of...

Admiration?

"?"

Uchiha Hikaru paused for a moment, somewhat doubting his own judgment.

Hancock slowly withdrew her gaze and then explained her actions: "I apologize, this is the first time I've heard of someone daring to openly kill a Celestial Dragon in the Sabaody Archipelago, so I have great respect for you for this feat. Please forgive me if I have offended you."

Seeing her say that.

Esdeath and the others, along with the Amazon Lily soldiers around them, didn't seem to notice anything amiss.

However, Uchiha Hikaru and Bulma, along with Rayleigh and Shakky who knew some of the inside story, were all quite perceptive—

Hancock's hatred for the Celestial Dragons goes beyond ordinary.

This seemingly arrogant and aloof empress was kidnapped by human traffickers along with her two younger sisters in her childhood and became slaves of the Celestial Dragons, bearing the mark of slavery on her back. It wasn't until Fisher Tiger caused chaos in Mary Geoise that she was able to escape and return to Amazon Lily to become its queen.

Hancock didn't tell anyone about this experience, not even the female soldiers on Amazon Lily. Her current haughty and ruthless tyrannical demeanor is actually a deliberate disguise to conceal her history as a slave.

Therefore.

and so……

She only showed these unusual expressions when facing Uchiha Hikaru, who killed a Celestial Dragon.

"Please come in."

Hancock turned to the side and gestured invitingly: "I have already ordered a dinner to be prepared, please follow me."

……

At the same time.

Thousands of miles away in the Sabaody Archipelago, at the port of a member state of a certain world government.

A naval fleet consisting of six or seven warships, which looks unremarkable, is anchored here.

"Lord Aokiji, this is a coded telegram from headquarters. Please take a look!"

The bow of the ship.

A man wearing a dark blue shirt and with naturally curly black hair, sleeping on a recliner with an eye mask, reached out and casually took the note handed to him by the vice admiral next to him, but did not get up. His soft snoring paused briefly before resuming.

half an hour.

The man yawned, lifted a corner of his blindfold, and began to read the contents of the coded telegram:

"Celestial Dragon Sidrakh was killed; a blue-haired female pirate with an ice-ice fruit ability defeated Borsalino; the gates of Mary Geoise were blasted open by a user suspected of having eaten the 'Light-Light Fruit'..."

So much has happened while we were away from headquarters?

"Yes."

The Vice Admiral nodded: "This is a serious incident that hasn't happened in a long time since the Fisher Tiger incident. The World Government is furious and has issued a death order to headquarters. Fleet Admiral Sengoku is urging you to return as soon as possible to meet with Lord Akainu and discuss the operation to subdue the 'Dimensional Pirates'..."

"...That sounds like a troublesome job."

Aokiji sighed and sat up from the recliner.

Both he and Akainu had missions to perform, which is why they were not in Mary Geoise during this time.

Akainu's mission is to escort the son of a certain Pirate King to Impel Down—that is, "Fire Fist" Ace, who was recently handed over to the World Government by Blackbeard.

His task was to escort this year's "heavenly gold" back to Mary Geoise.

Both of these matters were extremely important and should not be leaked to outsiders. Therefore, their plans were carried out in secrecy, with only the Navy's high command and the Five Elders knowing their exact locations.

Aokiji originally intended to take this opportunity to slack off and take a vacation.

but……

"Since it's an order from the Warring States Marshal, there's nothing we can do about it."

Aokiji looked at the Vice Admiral beside him: "How's the 'Heavenly Gold' shipment going?"

"The collection is complete, and it will all be loaded onto the ship by tomorrow morning at the latest," the vice admiral replied earnestly.

"yes……"

After hearing his subordinate's report, Aokiji thought for a moment and said, "Then let's set sail back tomorrow afternoon. Remember to notify the naval branches along the way to send people to clear the route, in case any audacious individuals come and do anything irrational."

"yes!"

The vice admiral nodded in agreement, then turned and left to begin making arrangements.

Aokiji glanced at the intelligence report again, then crossed his arms behind his head and looked up at the sky.

suddenly.

He seemed to sense something, turned his head to look in a certain direction, and frowned slightly.

"...Is it just my imagination?"

"..."

At this moment.

Brand, who had entered stealth mode using "Possessed by Evil," quietly withdrew his gaze and then stealthily made his way towards the cabin...

(End of this chapter)