Dimensional Chat Group: Speed-o'-Light

"That Blood-Blood Fruit user, what's their name… Blood Demon Rock? Are they useless to you?"

Hancock pouted slightly, looking a bit disappointed—almost like a little girl. If the warriors of Amazon Lily who admired and revered her saw this scene, they would probably think they were having a nightmare.

The proud and aloof Empress Hancock, acting like a spoiled girl toward someone else? Impossible.

"Hmm, keep them for now. Have Sandersonia and Marigold teach them how to develop their Devil Fruit abilities. They're too weak right now…"

Kizaru rubbed his chin as he spoke. If he had outright said that they were useless, Hancock would probably throw them into the sea to feed the sea serpents.

Even if Blood Demon Rock wasn't particularly valuable at the moment, they were still a Blood-Blood Fruit user. Killing them off would be a bit of a waste—after all, they had helped block a disaster for him once.

He figured he could train them up a little and, once they were strong enough, send them after Ivankov. That way, he wouldn't have to personally deal with that troublesome okama.

"Mmm-hmm! You better come back soon, Kizaru-sama! I have a big surprise for you~"

Hancock spoke expectantly. If the Marine headquarters hadn't repeatedly emphasized that the Seven Warlords of the Sea needed to gather in Marineford only in the final days before the war, she would have followed Kizaru straight there and waited until the Summit War began.

"Alright, I'm looking forward to it."

Kizaru chuckled, but chatting through a transponder snail just wasn't the same as talking in person.

Even so, Hancock spent over an hour talking sweetly with Kizaru through the snail. In the end, the only reason the call ended was that the poor snail was exhausted.

But just as Kizaru set the receiver down, before even a full minute had passed—it rang again.

"Ugh… Alright, I'll be quick this time. Just hang in there a little longer."

Seeing the transponder snail looking pitiful, Kizaru could only comfort it with kind words and promise it an extra meal. The little snail, which had been on the verge of striking, perked up just enough to connect the next call.

The moment the line opened, the snail's face immediately straightened, and a tiny Marine seagull hat appeared on its head.

"Kizaru, what's the situation at Impel Down?"

On the other end of the line was Fleet Admiral Sengoku. Though Marineford had reestablished communication with the underwater prison, Sengoku still needed Kizaru's direct assessment—he trusted firsthand accounts far more than secondhand reports.

"It's fine. Magellan tried to commit suicide to take responsibility, but I talked him out of it. All of Level 6's inmates attempted a mass escape, but I stopped them. Also, Strawberry was badly injured, so I left him at Impel Down to recover."

Kizaru's report was brief and to the point, yet concise enough to send Sengoku into a cold sweat.

"The prisoners of Level 6 staged a mass breakout?!"

Sengoku was both shocked and furious. If the upper-level prisoners had escaped, it would have been troublesome but manageable—they could simply recapture them over time.

But Level 6? If those monsters got out, even a full-force deployment of the Marines might not be enough to round them up again.

"It's not a big deal. I stopped all of them. The Revolutionary Army didn't take too many prisoners—most were from the upper levels. Only Crocodile managed to leave with them from Level 6…"

Kizaru replied casually. Then, as if remembering something, he added:

"Oh, right. Jinbe, who was being escorted by Strawberry, is missing too. It's unclear whether he escaped on his own or left with the Revolutionary Army."

"The Revolutionary Army… Kizaru, do you think this mass breakout was just a coincidence, or was it orchestrated by them?"

Sengoku, though furious, forced himself to remain calm as he asked the question.

"You're asking me? There's probably some element of coincidence, but overall, it doesn't seem random. It's got Dragon's style written all over it."

Kizaru answered bluntly.

Dragon had gone out of his way to free the prisoners of Impel Down, even without telling Kizaru. If it were someone else, he might have assumed it was out of personal attachment—but not Dragon. That man would sacrifice even his own life for the Revolutionary cause. Why would he hesitate over a sworn brother of Luffy?

"So it really was Dragon's doing… That damn Garp! He's always causing me trouble!"

Sengoku gritted his teeth and cursed.

If not for his long-standing friendship with Garp, he would have seriously doubted the old man's loyalty.

His son was the most dangerous criminal in the world, leader of the Revolutionary Army.

His grandson was the son of Roger, a Whitebeard Commander.

His other grandson had a 300-million bounty, having defeated two Warlords of the Sea in under a year.

And that wasn't even counting Sabo—because Sengoku didn't yet know that the Revolutionary Army's No. 2 was also Luffy's sworn brother.

If he ever found out…

He might just cough up blood on the spot.

"Ah… well, this is awkward…"

Kizaru's mouth twitched, but considering how much pressure Sengoku was under, he decided not to comment.

Sure, Garp was Dragon's biological father—but wasn't it Sengoku and Vice Admiral Tsuru who personally trained him?

Back then, Sengoku had practically groomed Dragon as his successor, and even Zephyr had once been his instructor.

After all, with Garp's personality, there was no way he could've raised a tactical genius like Dragon.

Of course, Kizaru wasn't denying that he had played a small role himself—maybe planted a few 'dangerous' ideas in Dragon's head.

Unfortunately, Kizaru's memory wasn't that great, so he couldn't recall exactly what he had taught Dragon. More than anything, it was Dragon observing his actions that allowed him to grasp the things Kizaru had once learned.

"Return as soon as possible. I'll report this Revolutionary Army matter to the Gorosei immediately…"

After venting for a while, Sengoku finally calmed down. Since the situation had changed, he needed to adjust his strategy accordingly.

Dragon wanted to fish in troubled waters—but Sengoku wasn't going to let him off easily. This might be the perfect chance to crush the Revolutionary Army in one go!

"Understood. I'm on my way back."

Kizaru chuckled as he hung up the transponder snail.

The process had been a little messy, but the outcome was exactly as he had planned.

Now, all he had to do was wait and see how many cards the World Government and the Gorosei were willing to reveal.

If they couldn't satisfy him… well, they'd better not blame him for taking everything for himself.

—-—

[Random Passerby Wanting to Cling to Luo Feng's Leg]: @Kizaru, are you there? How's Orochimaru's summoned snake working out for you?

[Haibara Ai]: What do you mean? Summoned snake?

[Random Passerby Wanting to Cling to Luo Feng's Leg]: Scroll up in the chat—Kizaru hired one of Orochimaru's summoned beasts. I wanna know if it's any good…

[Kobayashi]: Too bad Orochimaru-san's snakes are too expensive. Otherwise, I'd love to see just how big the ones Tony mentioned really are…

[Kizaru]: It's useful, but a bit too gluttonous. If your strength isn't high enough, I'd think twice before summoning one. Maybe go for something more docile—a feathered serpent would be a better choice.

[Random Passerby Wanting to Cling to Luo Feng's Leg]: Uh… if I summon it as a weakling, will it just eat me?

[Orochimaru]: Heh, Manda's temperament is extremely nasty. I've never really liked it myself. If you're not strong enough, there's a good chance it will eat you.

[Random Passerby Wanting to Cling to Luo Feng's Leg]: Yeah, nope—guess I'll ask Tony for a few rocket launchers instead…

[Haibara Ai]: Idiot dog, what did you do that requires rocket launchers?

[Random Passerby Wanting to Cling to Luo Feng's Leg]: Ugh… I think I pissed off someone I shouldn't have. Hopefully, I'm just being paranoid—but better safe than sorry.

[Kizaru]: If you need help, let me know in advance.

[Random Passerby Wanting to Cling to Luo Feng's Leg]: Sobbing… Kizaru-sama, you're so good to me…

[Kizaru]: Cough—Mainly just a reminder. Don't forget you owe me three trips to your world. If you die, I'll be the one losing out.

[Random Passerby Wanting to Cling to Luo Feng's Leg]: Weeping noises… I'm so tired of life…

[Tony Stark]: @Esdeath, your weapons and ammo order is ready. Should I send it over directly?

[Esdeath]: Send it over. I can't wait to let the northern barbarians experience my new toys!

[Tony Stark]: OK. After use, consider leaving a product review. I offer 5–50 Dimensional Credits for each review, depending on quality.

[Kobayashi]: W-Wait… Product review?

[Tony Stark]: Of course! Stark Industries values customer feedback.

Whether you think the firepower isn't strong enough, or you have maintenance issues, you can always submit complaints and feedback to Stark Industries.

[Tony Stark]: Of course, price complaints are off the table. Our products are always worth the cost. High prices are totally justified, aren't they?

[Kobayashi]: …I think I finally understand that feeling when Passerby-san says he doesn't even know how to roast something anymore…

[Tony Stark]: NONONO, you don't understand yet because you haven't realized the importance of protecting yourself! If you want to protect yourself, you need weapons! For all your weapon needs, consult Stark Industries!

[Kizaru]: That's kinda scary…

[Tony Stark]: Heh, the irony when the guy who casually destroys underground bases calls someone else scary?

[Haibara Ai]: @Orochimaru, the blood sample results you asked me to analyze are in. Based on molecular biology trace analysis, all four blood samples likely share a common ancestor from about 1,200 years ago.

[Orochimaru]: Heh, I see. Researchers from another world do have a unique perspective. As per our agreement, I'd like you to help me set up a large-scale lab.

[Haibara Ai]: That's possible, but according to your requirements, setting up such a high-end lab will be very expensive. Plus, it's unlikely to generate much revenue or attract outside funding.

[Haibara Ai]: If you need to recruit staff, this will be a downside—your lab's budget might end up higher than a standard one.

[Orochimaru]: Heh, research has never been cheap. How much do you need?

[Haibara Ai]: Based on Kizaru's gold exchange rates, setting up a lab of this level will cost about 3,500–4,000 Dimensional Credits, with an annual maintenance cost of 1,000–1,500 Dimensional Credits.

[Random Passerby Wanting to Cling to Luo Feng's Leg]: WHOA! That's insanely expensive!

[Haibara Ai]: Heh.

[Random Passerby Wanting to Cling to Luo Feng's Leg]: Ugh, damn venom-tongued girl!!!

[Haibara Ai]: Heh.

[Orochimaru]: No problem. I'll prepare the funds as soon as possible.

[Random Passerby Wanting to Cling to Luo Feng's Leg]: So jealous… I wanna be under someone's wing too…

[Tony Stark]: @Orochimaru @Haibara Ai—if your lab is willing to share research results with Stark Industries and accept Stark Industries research projects, I can cover at least 75% of the funding, no upper limit!

[Haibara Ai]: …As long as the funds are secured, I have no objections.

[Orochimaru]: Interesting. Let's go with your proposal. I'll send you the remaining funds, research materials, and projects later. @Haibara Ai

[Kobayashi]: That's great, Haibara-san! But are you sure your identity is safe? Won't those black-clad guys come after you?

[Fubuki]: Hmph, as long as I'm here, if those bastards dare show up, I'll wipe them all out immediately! I won't let them lay a single finger on Ai-chan!

[Random Passerby Wanting to Cling to Luo Feng's Leg]: Terrifying… let's take a moment of silence for Gin…

[Kizaru]: Hmm… if things really get out of hand, you can always call me. We're in the same group—no need to hold back.

[Random Passerby Wanting to Cling to Luo Feng's Leg]: I can't hold it in anymore! What did the Black Organization do to deserve Kizaru himself coming after them?! That's a straight-up one-sided massacre!

[Kobayashi]: Well, being careful isn't a bad thing. And didn't you always say Haibara-san's world is super dangerous?

[Random Passerby Wanting to Cling to Luo Feng's Leg]: Yeah, but only for normal people! If Kizaru goes over there, he's walking all over them! The Five Elders might even have to set up a special seat for him at the Black Org's table.

[Kizaru]: Don't exaggerate—I'm not a monster~

[Random Passerby Wanting to Cling to Luo Feng's Leg]: Uh—right! Kizaru-sama is absolutely correct!

[Tony Stark]: @Kizaru The Jurassic Park project design is complete. We're about to start construction—wanna come take a look?

[Kizaru]: Already? I haven't even sent anyone to catch the dinosaurs yet. Oh well, after Fire Fist Ace's execution, I'll personally head to Little Garden and catch some dinosaurs for you.

[Random Passerby Wanting to Cling to Luo Feng's Leg]: Oh, right! Marineford War! Kizaru-sama, don't forget to livestream it! I've been looking forward to this for so long!

[Tony Stark]: Heh, that's capitalism for you—as long as you have money, you can buy anything you want, including a blueprint for a dinosaur park.

[Haibara Ai]: Heh, filthy capitalist!

[Tony Stark]: No, no, no—it's the charming and handsome Tony Stark, thank you very much!

[Meanwhile, in Kizaru's Reality…]

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