Chapter 44: The Meeting King is Holding a Meeting

"Them?"

"Those four are like time bombs now, causing havoc wherever they go. To avoid harming innocent civilians, this captain has no choice but to bear the burden alone."

"Take some time to imprison them on Skypiea."

As the only surviving Ohara scholars, not only do the World Government and the Marines want to capture them, but all pirates aspiring to find the Great Treasure will not let them go either.

They are simply a delicacy.

Saint Saint Saiwen stood up and smiled: "To celebrate our impending fame across the seas, let's hold a banquet!"

After the Buster Call on Ohara, the bounties of every crew member of the Morning Star Pirates are estimated to rise. If the Marines want to suppress the bounties? They must pass Sakazuki first.

Sakazuki: Giving Barzab a bounty of one billion? Do you look down on him, or do you look down on me?!

Isshu's face broke into a smile.

"I heard from Mr. Mihawk that the captain's cooking is exquisite. Today, I will truly taste it."

For the justice the crew upholds, the captain did not hesitate to face the Marine fleet of the Ohara Buster Call, making Isshu completely determined: to accompany the captain all the way.

Until the end of the voyage.

"Rest assured, there will be enough to fill your stomachs!"

As the only chef currently in the Morning Star Pirates, Saint Saint Saiwen became the main force of the banquet, with three stoves running simultaneously, chopping vegetables with his left hand and tossing the wok with his right.

"Little Black... Robin, come serve the dishes."

Eight-year-old Nico Robin, perhaps because the sun in Ohara was too strong, or because she couldn't get enough to eat at her uncle's house, looked dark and tanned.

There was not even a hint of the stunning snow-white appearance she would have in the future.

Although she experienced the despair of the Ohara Buster Call, she was saved by Saint Saint Saiwen; even her mother, Nico Olvia, who had already been sentenced to death by Kuzan, was rescued.

Nick Robin quickly integrated into the pirate crew's atmosphere.

For an eight-year-old child, as long as their mother is by their side, there are no real troubles.

Deck of the Donghai Dihuang, an open-air banquet hall.

The huge dining table was filled with all kinds of food, but Chef Saint Saint Saiwen had not stopped cooking; he even took a moment to knock out several large fish with his Conqueror's Haki.

"Mi-san, hurry and pull the fish up. The ingredients are a bit insufficient."

The three crew members had just experienced a great battle, and with Saint Saint Saiwen, a big eater, present, at least forty portions of food needed to be prepared so that no one would go hungry.

Clang, clang, clang, clang, the sound of chopping never ceased.

It made Saint Saint Saiwen feel as if he had returned to the days of being a chef on the Golden Jackson, carefree, cooking for the crew every day according to his mood.

Whenever danger arose, he only needed to hide behind the ship's doctor, Uncle Crocus, along with Buggy.

Why not hide behind the captain?

Beside the three main forces of Gold, Silver, and Bronze, whether in war or peace, is always the most dangerous place.

Finally, after serving the last dish: grilled large yellow croaker to the table, Saint Saint Saiwen raised a cup filled with fruit juice.

"Let's eat, let's eat."

The little dark-skinned girl rubbed her hands: "Thank you, Captain."

Marine Headquarters, Marineford.

After receiving the order from the World Government to adjust the bounties, the Marine Headquarters convened a meeting again.

Meeting King Brannew took a deep breath.

"Colleagues, this meeting is hosted by Lieutenant Brannew of the Marine Headquarters, aiming to discuss the bounties of the Morning Star Pirates crew."

"Attendees include Fleet Admiral Sengoku, Vice Admiral Garp, Admiral Kizaru, Vice Admiral Tsuru..."

"Vice Admiral Sakazuki, Vice Admiral Kuzan, Vice Admiral Mole, and other officers are participating remotely via Den Den Mushi."

"Please look at the big screen."

The projection Den Den Mushi was projecting onto the big screen.

Brannew pointed at the three figures on the screen and introduced them one by one—

"Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen, Great Swordsman, Rumble-Rumble Fruit user, former member of the Roger Pirates, current captain of the Morning Star Pirates, possessing the qualities of a King."

"Dracule Mihawk, Great Swordsman, vice captain of the Morning Star Pirates, possessing the Black Blade Yoru, one of the twelve Supreme Grade Blades. Folklore claims Mihawk is the world's greatest swordsman."

"Master Tenghu Isshu, Great Swordsman, Gravity-Gravity Fruit user, possessing the Gambler's Flame, one of the twelve Supreme Grade Blades, former captain of the Blue Country Guard."

Having spoken, Brannew cleared his throat lightly.

"These three utterly vicious criminals actually attempted to obstruct the Buster Call personally signed by Fleet Admiral Sengoku and executed by Vice Admiral Sakazuki and Vice Admiral Kuzan..."

"Fortunately, under the command of Fleet Admiral Sengoku and the perfect execution of the Buster Call by Vice Admiral Sakazuki and Vice Admiral Kuzan, only Nico Robin was taken away by the Morning Star Pirates."

In the meeting room, Garp picked his ear.

Before Garp could speak, the Den Den Mushi placed on the table spoke first.

"Brannew, put the flowery words aside for now."

"Yes, Vice Admiral Sakazuki."

The Den Den Mushi continued: "The Conqueror's Haki of that brat Barzab possesses the ability to block Observation Haki. During my battle with him, Observation Haki was almost useless."

As the words fell, a buzzing sound immediately filled the meeting room, and the crowd became a chaotic mess.

"What kind of joke is this, blocking Observation Haki?"

"How can we fight him then?"

For the officers of the Headquarters, Armament Haki and Observation Haki are almost essential for everyone; everyone knows how good Observation Haki is.

But now someone can actually block Observation Haki?

Kizaru Borsalino, who had just been promoted to Admiral, gently tapped the table with his hand: "Sakazuki, please describe it in more detail."

Kizaru originally thought he had detailedly revealed Barzab's strength, but he never expected to still have underestimated him.

Blocking Observation Haki is terrifying!

Fortunately, I didn't fight to the death back then.

The Den Den Mushi pondered for a moment before continuing.

"In a one-on-one, it is completely impossible to perceive his existence or track his attack trajectories using Observation Haki..."

"The ability of his Devil Fruit is unknown. That purple-bladed longsword is no less strong than a Supreme Grade Great Blade, and during our battle, a strange situation occurred once."

"Normally, the longer the battle lasts, the more Haki and stamina are consumed, so they should be on a downward trend,

yet that brat isn't even of age, but just before he was about to exhaust his strength, he suddenly returned to peak condition in an instant."

"This situation happened once; it is uncertain if it can happen again. That is all the information I have regarding that brat."

"Master Tenghu's life... Mole, you speak."

The Den Den Mushi's accent changed.

"Colleagues, I am Vice Admiral Mole of the Headquarters. Master Tenghu... can summon meteors using gravity, two or more at once; it is a rather troublesome ability."

"Regarding Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen, let me add one more point."

"His Conqueror's Haki, in just a single encounter, left ten warships with over ten thousand Marines; only the five of us Vice Admirals could still stand, while the rest all fainted."

"The three of us... are no match for Mihawk."

At this moment, the sound of gasps from the Marine officers in the conference room rose up one after another.

They had thought that blocking Observation Haki was already sufficiently godlike, but then there was Master Tenghu summoning meteors and Conqueror's Haki knocking out over ten thousand Headquarters Marines.

How terrifying!

"Ahem." Brannew coughed lightly to regain control of the room.

"Everyone, the Morning Star Pirates possess three Great Swordsmen and three Supreme Grade Great Blades of the Twelve Craftsmen."

"It is obvious that we must formulate new bounties for Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen and the others based on these newly discovered circumstances."

"Now, please, colleagues, speak your minds."