Translator: PapaSmurf0700
Sanji took a drag on his cigarette, casting a weary glance at Aokiji who lounged casually on the ice. The admiral had just muttered, "You guys are really annoying." Adjusting the blindfold on his forehead, he stretched lazily and added, "Ah la la, it was quite the effort just now, and honestly, I'm really tired."
Zoro's frustration was evident as veins popped on his forehead. Unable to hold back, he snapped at Aokiji, "Isn't it you who started this whole mess?" The urge to give Aokiji a few more slashes was almost irresistible.
Aokiji, seemingly unbothered, stood up and dusted the ice off his uniform. He glanced at Luffy and Bai Ye, declaring, "Well, forget it, my goal has been achieved anyway." Zoro muttered under his breath, irritated, "You bastard, are you ignoring me on purpose?"
The admiral continued, "Let's call it a draw this time. This settles the business with Crocodile and the old man." His statement suggested that since the Straw Hats had defeated Crocodile and considering Luffy's grandfather's influence, he was inclined to let them continue their journey without further naval interference. This was Aokiji's way of providing an excuse for the apparent stalemate.
"One last thing," Aokiji added, "no matter how much you try to protect Nico Robin, it's a fact that her presence brings disaster to those around her."
But before he could continue, Luffy cut him off sharply, "Stop rambling. The past is the past; the present is now. Robin is my friend. If you try to take her again, I'll beat you to the ground!" Luffy clenched his fist, ready to charge, but luckily, Sanji and Zoro were quick to hold him back.
They knew their success in the earlier fight hinged on Bai Ye's strategic use of his formations. Without that advantage, a direct confrontation could be disastrous. Luffy, with his straightforward thinking, didn't grasp this nuanced situation. So, Zoro and Sanji exchanged looks, resigning themselves to the necessity of restraining him physically.
Even Aokiji couldn't help but let his mouth twitch at the sight of Luffy being restrained by his crewmates. In the midst of this, Bai Ye spoke up, his voice calm and deliberate: "The future will reveal all in time." He looked squarely at Aokiji and added, "You might find, perhaps sooner than you think, that we pose a greater threat than Robin ever could."
Aokiji paused, taking in Bai Ye's words with a serious gaze, then responded solemnly, "Goodbye, then, Straw Hats. I hope when next we meet, it won't be to see you ruined by her presence." With that, he turned and made his way to the shore where his bicycle was waiting, pedaling away from the island.
Watching Aokiji's departure, Sanji couldn't hold back his bewilderment. "Is that guy really an admiral? What a weirdo." Bai Ye, overhearing, thought to himself, 'Out of the three admirals, he's actually the most normal one.'
Just then, Luffy complained with his typical lack of timing, rubbing his belly, "Sanji, I'm starving!!"
Sanji, exasperated, scanned the ice-covered surroundings. "Great, this whole place is frozen. Looks like it's back to the ship before I can whip up anything."
Luffy, ever impatient, suggested quickly, "Then let's have Nami and the others sail back fast to pick us up!"
But Bai Ye interrupted with a reassuring grin, "No need for that. I've got a faster way to get us back to the ship."
Zoro, recognizing Bai Ye's grin, grimaced slightly, "I've got a bad feeling about this..." He knew well that whenever Bai Ye wore such a smile, something unpredictable was about to unfold. As the ship's veteran, Zoro was well accustomed to the antics of both Luffy and Bai Ye. While Luffy's ideas often bordered on reckless, Bai Ye's plans, especially with that kind of smile, hinted at the unconventional, if not outright bizarre.
Formation – Activate! Bai Ye whispered, and suddenly, a burst of golden light enveloped Luffy and the others.
"What's this?" Sanji asked, eyes wide as he stared at Bai Ye.
"Awesome!" Luffy exclaimed, marveling at the shimmering light cloaking his body, his face lit up with excitement.
"We're heading back to the Golden Merry," Bai Ye announced with a smile, watching his friends' reactions.
In an instant, the golden light intensified, swallowing them whole, and then, just as quickly, they vanished.
Back on the Golden Merry, four glowing magic circles appeared on the deck. The same brilliant golden light pulsated within them. "Are they coming back?" someone whispered, squinting at the emerging figures.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Three loud thuds echoed as the light faded.
Bai Ye landed gracefully on the deck, upright and composed. In stark contrast, the others were sprawled across the deck in various awkward poses.
Luffy lay flat on his stomach, his face against the wood and his voice muffled, "Ugh, I'm so dizzy... feels awful."
Sanji was on his knees, gripping the deck, his face green, "I think I'm gonna be sick..." and he retched.
Zoro was spread-eagled, staring up at the sky as if betrayed by the universe, mumbling, "One day, I swear... I'm gonna get back at Bai Ye for this..."
Seeing the chaotic scene, Chopper panicked, "Oh no, Luffy, Sanji, Zoro, are you okay? Wait, I need to find a doctor—oh wait, I am the doctor!" His small hooves scurried across the deck as he rushed to check on his friends.
Bai Ye folded his arms, looking a bit smug as he addressed Chopper's concerns: "Don't worry, Chopper. They're just not used to teleporting. They'll be fine after a bit of rest." He glanced over at his groaning crewmates with a barely suppressed grin. "See, these guys need to toughen up. Look at me—first time teleporting and I'm perfectly fine. We definitely need to step up their training."
"Oh, and Chopper, could you check on me too?" Bai Ye suddenly asked, his voice a notch weaker.
"What's wrong, Bai Ye?" Chopper responded, rushing over to him.
"My legs... they feel like jelly. I can't seem to stand..." Bai Ye confessed, trying to mask his discomfort.
The teleportation formation was something Bai Ye had put together after their adventure in Alabasta. The idea came up during a planning session when Bai Ye thought about the need for a quick escape if they ever found themselves outmatched.
Facing Aokiji was a sort of test run for the teleportation strategy, which was part of the larger emergency plan Bai Ye had devised for dealing with world-class threats. This plan required that fighters like Luffy stay on the front lines while non-combatants like Nami and Robin retreated to the safety of the Golden Merry, ready to facilitate an emergency teleport if needed.
So far, the results were mixed.
"Hey! Come take a look! Sanji's still throwing up, Zoro's passed out cold, and Luffy... well, Luffy's actually fallen asleep," Merry called out from across the deck.
Bai Ye, still trying to stand firm on his wobbly legs, sighed and murmured to himself, "It's not a big problem, right? Just a small hiccup..."