One Piece: Blue Scale Admiral

"They are looking for the One Piece that Roger mentioned, and they are collecting the four red Poneglyphs that point to the final island, Laugh Tale."

"The Poneglyphs?" Rorschach raised an eyebrow and looked up. "I remember the Big Mom Pirates had a red Poneglyph monument, didn't they? Where is it now?"

"In Kaido's place."

"What? Big Mom's Poneglyph has also ended up in Kaido's hands? Doesn't that mean he now has two?" Rorschach was somewhat surprised.

Law shifted his gaze from the news about the abolition of the Seven Warlords system projected on the Den Den Mushi, glancing at Rorschach. "You forgot, after Big Mom died, Doflamingo profited, becoming one of the Four Emperors for a month and occupying Whole Cake Island. To seek Kaido's protection, he not only gave Kaido most of the rich islands within Whole Cake Island, but also couldn't keep valuable items like the Red Poneglyphs. Hmm? Wait a minute…"

Law finally realized something, frowning as he looked at Rorschach. "You mean, Kaido now has two red Poneglyphs? How did you know?"

"I... I'm guessing. He's like Big Mom, one of the Four Emperors of the New World. Big Mom has one, so I think Kaido should have one too," Rorschach chuckled.

Luo Xia clearly didn't believe his explanation, but he didn't press him for details.

He knew that Rorschach possessed some secrets that even he himself was unaware of.

For example, when they met in Beihai, Rorschach immediately called him by name and knew about his past.

At the time, Law assumed that Sengoku had learned all this through Rosinante and then told Rorschach. But later, after joining the Navy with Rorschach, Law realized that Rorschach, like him, was a greenhorn who had just joined the Navy, and that he had been brought in by Akainu, not Sengoku.

There's no reason for Sengoku to discuss those matters with a mere recruit who has just joined the navy.

So how did Rorschach know so much about his past?

In fact, it's not just these things; in many other areas, Rorschach has demonstrated remarkably advanced knowledge and a deep understanding of certain people, as if he knows their past and even their future.

Those who have spent a lot of time with Luo Xia can sense this.

As for why Rorschach knew these things, perhaps only Lark, who was closest to him, knew.

Perhaps it is precisely because of his omniscient ability that Rorschach appears even more mysterious, and coupled with his current immense power, he inspires even greater awe in people.

"What is Kaido doing?" Rorschach asked again.

Luo thought for a moment, "Kaido is suppressing a samurai rebellion in Wano Country. I heard he's fallen out with Orochi and plans to use bloody methods to completely purge Wano Country. Both the remnants of the Kurozumi and Kozuki families are on the Beasts Pirates' purge list. Many samurai and ninjas have already died recently. By the way, Yamato has told me about this many times. She's worried about the safety of ordinary people in Wano Country and wants us to send troops to help Wano Country resist Kaido and the tyranny of the Beasts Pirates."

"To deal with Kaido?" Rorschach put down the documents, leaned back in his chair, and fell into deep thought.

Luo didn't disturb his thoughts and turned off the World News Agency's live news broadcast.

After a long pause, Rorschach exhaled and nodded slightly. "I think it's time to start taking action against the Beasts Pirates. Big Mom's crew is gone, Kaido has lost his alliance with the Four Emperors, and the remnants of the Charlotte Family, led by Katakuri, are basically all dead. Kaido's previously expanded strength has been significantly reduced. Shanks is busy searching for the One Piece and has no time to spare, so now is indeed a good opportunity to take action against Kaido. However, before that, I need to know Bullet's whereabouts. That guy is also an unstable factor."

“Barrett?” Ross pondered for a moment and said, “We’ve been looking for him recently, but we haven’t found him. However, there have been several cases of people with special abilities going missing in the New World recently. Our intelligence personnel at headquarters followed the clues all the way and finally found that all the clues were lost on Manbo Island in the New World.”

"Wanbo Island?" Luo Xia's eyes lit up.

"Yes, Expo Island. It's the territory of Buenafesta, the most famous festival organizer in the New World. It's said that he plans to move the Expo, originally scheduled for next year, to a few days later. It will definitely attract a lot of people, including pirates and criminals from all over the world. Headquarters also plans to target pirates at that time. The escaped prisoners from Impel Down are the primary targets of the operation. Magellan has already applied to participate in this operation."

Luo's explanation made Luo Xia 100% certain that Barrett was on Manbetx Island!

The thought of Barrett holding the Expo on Expo Island completely dispelled any lingering hesitation in Luo Xia's mind.

He took a deep breath, stood up, and said in a deep voice, "Luo, recall all our fleets overseas and tell Yamato that I have agreed to her request!"

Luo Xin was startled and stood up as well. "Are you planning to take advantage of the Expo in Buena Vista, which has attracted the world's attention, to launch a surprise attack on the Beasts Pirates? Could it be... that you suspect Barrett is on Expo Island?"

"It's not a doubt, it's a certainty. Don't forget, he swallowed Blackbeard. The disappearance of a Devil Fruit user can only be related to Blackbeard's Dark-Dark Fruit ability and Barrett's Fusion Fruit ability, and both of these are on Barrett alone."

Luo thought about it and felt that Luo Xia's statement was most likely correct.

However, Luo Xia's tone was so certain that Luo couldn't help but wonder if Luo Xia knew something else.

Just then, the Den Den Mushi on the table in front of Rorschach suddenly rang.

After Rorschach pressed the answer button, Bepo's voice came through, sounding somewhat urgent.

"Admiral Rorschach, this is patrol ship G5014. I am Bepo. We are currently patrolling the edge of the Totto Land waters and have encountered a request for help from the Mink Principality. A Mink named Carrot says that their kingdom is being attacked by the Beast Pirates' drought. Carrot hopes that I can go and help them for the sake of our people. I would like to ask the Admiral if we are allowed to go to Zou to provide assistance?"

Rorschach was taken aback. "Drought? Wasn't Jack dead?"

"It's a new drought, a burly Bakania named Chavez. His ability is the Paramecia-type Bounce-Bounce Fruit, very similar to Bartholomew Kuma's, and they're the same race. He's much stronger than the previous Drought Jack. He's a prisoner who escaped from Infinite Hell; you should know him," Law explained from the side.

“Chavez? A member of the Bakania tribe?” Rorschach recalled that there was indeed such a person in Infinite Hell, but he had kept a low profile there and always cooperated whenever Rorschach caused trouble.

"General Rorschach, please give your instructions!" Bepo asked again, sounding quite anxious.

Rorschach thought for a moment and decided to have Bepo agree to Carrot's request to go to Zou to support the Mink Tribe.

Anyway, he's planning to take action against the Beasts Pirates.

He was just a little worried about Bepo going alone.

So Rorschach asked, "Bepo, who else is with you?"

Bepo knew what Rorschach was asking and immediately replied, "I also have Palmer here, and... and Kirin."

"What? Qilin is with you? Isn't he in G5?" Luo Xia asked in astonishment.

Bepo chuckled twice and said weakly, "When we went out on patrol, he wanted to come along, and I couldn't refuse. Admiral Rorschach, I'm sorry, it was my fault. I... I'll have someone send him back right away."

"Well, it's good that he's with you. He should be able to help. Bepo, you and Palmer go and support the Mink Tribe. If you encounter any problems that you can't solve, contact Enel immediately. He should be in Totto Land right now."

"Yes! I'll set off right away!"

Chapter 787 Zou

"Why did that pirate named Chavez attack your country?"

On the warship heading to Zou, Bepo bandaged Carrot's wounds while asking her questions.

Carrot endured the pain and, upon hearing Bepo's question, pursed her lips, seemingly reluctant to reveal the reason.

Seeing this, Bepo didn't press the matter, but instead whispered, "Then can you tell me about that Drought Chavez of the Beasts Pirates? So much time has passed, are you sure the two kings you mentioned could have held out against his attacks until now? What if..."

“No problem!” Carrot said confidently. “Neko Viper and Duke Inuarashi are very strong! And tonight is the night of the full moon, so we Minks can transform into our Sulong form. If it weren’t for that big guy’s peculiar abilities, the two kings could definitely defeat him.”

"Abilities?" Bepo frowned.

Carrot said, "Yeah, that big guy can release bubbles that cover his whole body, deflecting all our attacks and even reflecting the damage we inflict back onto us. I was ejected from Zou by his bubbles and fell off the elephant's back onto the sea."

Palmer thought for a moment, then said in a muffled voice, "I remember that guy. Last time on Soft Island, it was him who used that weird bubble shield to protect Kaido's pirate ship, the Azure Dragon. Otherwise, we could definitely have taken down Queen the Plague of the Beasts Pirates. Jack the Drought of the Beasts Pirates was killed by Admiral Rorschach. He's the new Drought, and he's also an escaped convict from Impel Down."

"So powerful? Great, let me deal with him!" Qilin's eyes lit up, looking every bit the warmonger.

Carrot looked at the Kirin waving its little fist in astonishment, then looked at Bepo and said, "Vice Admiral White Bear, are you planning to take him with you?"

"Hmm, what's wrong?" Bepo finished bandaging Carrot's chest wound, thoughtfully took off his cloak and wrapped it around her, then nodded.

Bepo's cloak was far too big for Carrot; wrapped around her, it looked like a giant blanket.

Carrot's head popped out from under the cloak, her two rabbit ears perked up and she shook her head like a rattle-drum. "No, it's too dangerous. I know you're very strong, but taking a child into battle is just too dangerous."

"Hey, little rabbit, are you underestimating me?" Qilin immediately became unhappy and glared at Carrot.

“I…I’m sorry, but you’re just too young,” Carrot hurriedly explained.

"Hmph, no sense of propriety." Qilin crossed his arms, gave a triumphant thumbs-up, and pointed at Bepo and Palmer. "Let me tell you, actually, I'm the most powerful one on this warship. You can ask Uncle Bepo and Uncle Palmer if you don't believe me."

“Qilin is right. Don’t underestimate him because of his small size. In fact, he is the strongest among us.” Bepo and Pamel nodded in unison, confirming his statement.

"Huh?" Carrot opened her mouth wide, looking incredulous.

"I know you don't believe me, but that's okay. I'll prove it to you later. Don't worry, I'll save your country!"

The Qilin raised its chin and spoke with great confidence.

However, he soon began to press Carrot about Zou.

"Is your country really built on the back of a giant elephant? How big is that elephant?"

"What do such a huge elephant eat? Is it ever full?"

"Its feet are always in the seawater, won't it get bitten by the fish?"

"Isn't its poop as big as a mountain? If our warships were hit by it, they'd be flattened, wouldn't they?"

Time passed as the Qilin asked all sorts of questions.

Several hours later, the warship left the Tottoland waters and circled several small islands on the sea. Bepo and the others finally saw the giant elephant Zou that Carrot had mentioned.

Bepo stared wide-eyed, muttering in a daze, "Carrot, is this Zou the giant elephant...?"

"Yes, this is the giant elephant Zou. Our furry duchy is located on its back."

Upon finally seeing the giant elephant, Carrot felt a little relieved, but she became even more worried about the people of the Woolly Duchy.

"This...this is huge! It's like seeing the Red Line!" Pamel stared in shock, craning his neck to look at the colossal creature towering into the clouds.

"This elephant is huge! Uncle Palmer, hurry up and bring the warship closer, I want to see it up close!" Qilin was also staring wide-eyed, but it was just the boy's excitement. He exclaimed in surprise, "Is it my imagination? I feel like we are getting farther away from it, even though the warship is clearly getting closer."

Gallo nodded: "You read that right, it really is far away from us. Zou is always moving across the sea, it never stops. When I fell into the sea before, I didn't meet you as far away as I came back, because Zou is far away. Although it moves very slowly, it is so big that it can cross dozens of kilometers in just a few steps."

“Several... tens of kilometers?” Bepo didn’t know what to say.

His heart was filled with nothing but shock.

The sheer size of the creature before me left me speechless with awe.

Garrot said, "The elders of the Wool Principality said that Zou is 35,000 meters high, with more than 10,000 meters above sea level and another 25,000 meters below sea level. It can easily reach the apples on the sky islands and the wakame seaweed in the deep sea."

"Hurry up and catch up, otherwise if it takes another step, we'll have to chase it for a long time again," Bepo quickly reminded him.

Palmer immediately started the warship's steam engines and accelerated toward the towering behemoth ahead.

As the warship drew closer, Zou appeared increasingly enormous in their eyes, truly as if they had arrived at the foot of the Red Line, making them feel incredibly small.

When they reached the foot of one of Zou's hind legs, all they could see was a huge wall covered with wrinkles and ravines. It was like looking at a leopard through a tube; they couldn't see the whole giant creature at all.

"How do we get up there?" Bepo stared blankly at the seemingly endless, almost vertical cliff, muttering to himself.

“There’s no other way to get to Zou except by flying or climbing.” Carrot said, and with a simple leap, he jumped directly from the warship onto the rough stone wall.

The elephant's legs in Zou are very rough, with wrinkles on the skin resembling steps, but they are not without footholds.

However, Zou's back is more than 10,000 meters above the sea. It would be impossible for an ordinary person to climb up from there. Even for Bepo and his group, it would probably take a lot of effort.

Bepo shook his head. "No, let's fly up!"

"Fly up? How?" Carrot asked in astonishment.

"Leave it to me."

After Bepo finished speaking, to Carrot's astonishment, he bowed, and his already enormous body expanded as if inflated. In the blink of an eye, his body lengthened and thickened, and pink dragon scales appeared on his surface. His hands and feet transformed into thick dragon claws, and his head became a huge dragon head. He reached out from the warship, opened his mouth full of fangs, gently grabbed the stunned Carrot, and tossed her onto his back.

"Pamel, Qilin! Come on up! I'll fly you up!"