Marines Academy – Zephyr's Decision
On the other side, former Admiral Zephyr, also known as Z, sat in deep thought, his brows furrowed.
If the man who kidnapped Hina truly became one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea... then I'll have no choice but to break away and form my own faction.
His eyes hardened with resolve.
"Binz! Find out where Hina is!"
"Yes, Teacher!" Binz responded without hesitation.
...
Alabasta – Baroque Works Conference
At the same time, in a grand conference hall somewhere in Alabasta's capital...
A massive table sat at the center, surrounded by the highest-ranking agents of Baroque Works, all seated according to their designated numbers.
At the head of the table, two seats stood out—the main seat and the deputy seat.
Nico Robin, the vice president, occupied the deputy seat, observing everyone with interest.
Unlike before, she no longer carried the same stagnant mindset. Hikaru had continuously infused her life with excitement, keeping her from falling into despair.
Seated on the left were:
Mr. 1 – Daz Bonez
Mr. 2 – Bentham
Mr. 3 – Galdino
Mr. 4 – Babe
Mr. 5 – Gem
On the right sat the female operatives:
Miss Doublefinger – Zala
Miss Goldenweek – Marianne
Miss Merry Christmas – Drophy
Miss Valentine – Mikita
They had all gathered here for one purpose—to follow the vice president's orders and meet the elusive leader of their organization.
That's right. None of them knew who their true boss was.
All of Crocodile's orders had always been relayed through Robin. This arrangement made it far easier for Hikaru to take control of Baroque Works.
[Even Mr. 1, Daz Bones, had never seen the boss in person. If you don't believe me, go check the official records.]
"Hahahaha! Vice President, why do I feel like you've become even more beautiful since the last time we met~"
The one speaking was Mikita. Tall, with short blonde hair and captivating green eyes, she always carried a charming smile.
"You're such a flatterer," Robin chuckled, covering her mouth. Of course, she knew exactly why she had changed.
Her once slightly tanned complexion—darkened from living under Alabasta's scorching sun—had been completely restored. Thanks to Hikaru, her skin was now flawless and fair, just like it had been two years after the Battle of Marineford.
"I'm only speaking the truth, Vice President! Don't hide good things from us—share your secrets!"
Mikita leaned in playfully, determined to uncover the mystery.
"If you want to become prettier, I can draw you~"
A soft, expressionless voice chimed in. It was Marianne, the quiet little girl known as Miss Goldenweek. Always detached from the world around her, she remained in her own rhythm, focused only on her own work.
"Ah~ No way!"
Robin eyed her up and down before speaking in a cryptic tone.
"Don't worry. I'll share it with you all… just not yet. Soon enough, you'll have the chance to enjoy it yourselves."
"Really? Hahaha~" Satisfied with her answer, Mikita dropped the subject and instead asked,
"By the way, Vice President, what kind of person is our president?"
Robin hesitated slightly. He shouldn't be here yet, right?
"He's… a very domineering person. When you meet him, just go along with whatever he says. Otherwise, if he gets upset, someone might die."
Before anyone could react—
"Hey now, Robin, badmouthing me behind my back isn't very professional for a secretary~"
A blinding flash of lightning illuminated the room. In the next instant, a tall and imposing figure appeared at the head of the table. Without hesitation, he reached out and pulled Robin into his arms as she smiled knowingly.
"President!?"
The entire room fell into stunned silence.
They weren't fools. The moment Hikaru appeared, they instantly recognized his power—the abilities of the Thunder-Thunder Fruit.
Hikaru raised his hand, gesturing for everyone to remain calm.
"Yes," Robin spoke at the perfect moment, "this man is the true mastermind behind Baroque Works—Mr. 0."
Hikaru casually glanced around the room, inwardly sighing at Crocodile's mismanagement.
Tch. He was seriously broke… not even a single Devil Fruit worth collecting.
Even the senior officers before him lacked impressive abilities.
"Wow! Our president is the Thunder-Thunder Fruit user?! My backer is way too powerful~!"
Bon Clay practically exploded with excitement, leaping up and twirling into his signature Angel Dance.
Robin gracefully freed herself from Hikaru's embrace and addressed the room with confidence.
"The president has decided to reveal his identity—so that from now on, everyone knows who the true leader is."
She swept her gaze across the group before adding,
"Of course, that's not the only reason for this meeting. The real purpose is to ensure you all recognize each other. In the future, when carrying out missions, we can't have the Dragon King Temple flooded by its own waters."
Baroque Works – A New Order
"Now," Robin began, her tone commanding yet composed, "let me lay out the future course of action for Baroque Works."
The room remained silent as all eyes focused on her.
"First, we need to delegate responsibilities. Mikita and Marianne will follow me and the president directly, carrying out our orders."
She then turned to the rest of the agents.
"As for the rest of you, your task is to gather wealth and collect Devil Fruits in the first half of the Grand Line."
A ripple of interest spread through the room.
"In the near future," Robin continued, her lips curling into a knowing smile, "the Kingdom of God will extend its influence into the New World, where the president intends to seize territories from the Four Emperors themselves."
"Kingdom of God?"
Mr. 3, Galdino, frowned in confusion.
Hikaru leaned forward, his voice deep and absolute.
"I am the emperor and god of the Kingdom of God. In due time, you will all come to understand."
Mr. 1, Daz Bonez, gave a small nod. As always, he was a man of few words, one who simply followed orders.
Robin went on to explain their respective duties, addressing any lingering doubts. By the time she finished, everyone had a clear understanding of their roles.
Bon Clay suddenly leaped up, his enthusiasm infectious.
"Then let's turn the world upside down!"
A slow, satisfied grin spread across Hikaru's face.
Baroque Works and Alabasta were just the beginning.
His ambitions stretched far beyond ruling the Sky Islands or controlling a single kingdom.
He wanted to claim more territories, amass greater power, and ultimately—become the god of the entire world.
Whether it meant replacing or marrying Imu, he would ascend to the pinnacle of existence, attain eternal life, and indulge in his desires forever.
The Concubine Ship's Dilemma
Now that matters in Alabasta had been settled, it was time for Hikaru to resume his journey—his quest to capture the world's goddesses.
However, there was one small problem.
The Proverb, his personal airship, was still too small.
It was roughly the same size as the Going Merry, the Straw Hat Pirates' first ship.
Built by his God's Guard, the vessel lacked the craftsmanship of expert shipwrights like those from Water 7's Galley-La Company.
With six concubines now on board, the ship was starting to feel cramped.
Aside from necessary rooms like the meeting hall, kitchen, bathroom, helm, and storage, the cabin only had two bedrooms.
With seven people aboard, space was already tight. Adding more would only make things worse.
Hikaru pondered for a moment before coming up with a brilliantly efficient solution.
They could all just sleep on the deck together.
And if the deck ever got too crowded?
Simple. The extra concubines could take turns resting inside the cabin.
The deck itself had a retractable sliding cover, complete with built-in lighting. When shut, it became an enclosed indoor space, perfect for sleeping under the stars without any disturbances.
After all, Proverb soared through the skies, far above the reach of ordinary people.
Safe, secure, and perfectly suited for an emperor's needs.
[Damn capitalist Hikaru! Instead of expanding the ship, he makes his lovely concubines share the deck with him. Smh.]
Character NotesMikita (Miss Valentine) – Tall, short blonde hair, alluring beauty, always smiling. Has a unique laugh: "Yahahaha!"
Marianne (Miss Goldenweek) – Wise, always munching on senbei with a blank expression. A hypnotist Lolita.
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