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The entire deck of the Tempest was filled with an atmosphere of tension in an instant.
Daiki stood still, his entire body already prepared for an attack.
Fortunately, Anos, who was beside him, patted his shoulder and shook his head slightly to hold him back.
"Ouch, what a scary group of people!~" Kizaru looked at Anos without expression, his attention turning to the others on the deck.
'Is he high or something?'Daiki thought prepared to attack at any movement.
The ship continued to sail, and Kizaru had no intention of stepping down from the bow.
"Admiral Kizaru, could it be you had somewhere to go and got tired before deciding to land on our ship?" Anos reclined casually, shaking his body on a chair and looking at the admiral with amusement.
"King of the Tru Kingdom, there's been an incident on Mariejois. Certain items have gone missing. I wonder if I might board your ship for a look around?"
Kizaru finally smiled, though his words carried a thinly veiled threat.
Even with Anos standing before him, some might fail to recognize him. He had altered his appearance and showed no sign of fear, even facing a Marine admiral.
For everyone else, however, the mood was more relaxed and comfortable.
Anos was lounging in his chair, clearly unfazed, while others seemed unaware of the situation.
Though Daiki had appeared on the ship unexpectedly the previous day, no one found it suspicious after all, the King himself knew him well.
As Kizaru approached, Anos remained indifferent, though he looked quite lazy.
Only Suzu stepped forward, greeting Kizaru with a friendly smile. "Mr. Kizaru, why not come down and have a drink?"
"~What a troublesome group~," Kizaru muttered, feigning reluctance but accepting Suzu's invitation.
"Admiral Kizaru, might I ask what exactly was taken from Mariejois? Is it worth travelling this far to chase us down?" Anos inquired, still reclining.
"Well~, just some small things. You all happened to depart recently, so they sent me to have a look. Just a formality. I'm sure the King of Tru won't mind."
Kizaru sat down, smiling faintly.
Suzu served him a drink before stepping aside to listen to their conversation.
"Of course, I don't mind. After all, I've had the honour of meeting two out of the three admirals of the Marines. Should I consider myself lucky?"
"You don't seem to feel honoured!" Kizaru said, noting Anos's relaxed demeanour.
"By the way, King of Tru, I heard you went to Mariejois, but in the end, you didn't join the World Government?" Kizaru added.
"Are you suggesting you're unaware of why I refused? Admiral Aokiji was with me then, and he knows exactly what transpired," Anos replied.
"So why the sudden departure?"
Anos straightened and looked at Kizaru calmly.
"Admiral Kizaru, don't throw around baseless accusations. We left Mariejois at our own pace. After being treated poorly by the World Government, would you have us linger, paying homage to the Celestial Dragons grovelling with every step?"
Anos's words not only revealed his stance but also mocked Kizaru.
"Are young people today always so bold? Don't they offer any respect when they speak?" Kizaru sighed, feigning exasperation.
"Admiral, we adhere to a principle of peace. We'd rather not stir up unnecessary trouble. You're well aware of the situation in Mariejois."
"After being insulted there, His Majesty chose not to join the World Government, and so we set sail."
"We left Mariejois early yesterday, unaware of anything going missing. So, tell me when exactly did this theft occur?"
Daiki stepped forward, frowning as he questioned Kizaru, who momentarily found himself at a loss.
The stolen items had disappeared late at night, meaning they were well beyond Mariejois by then, hundreds of kilometres away, making it impossible for them to be involved.
"And who might this be?" Kizaru redirected, looking at Anos.
"That's Groot, our royal swordsman of the Tru Kingdom. Is he of interest to you, Admiral?" Anos asked.
"I am Groot. Anything you need to know, Admiral Kizaru?" Daiki replied, following Anos's lead.
"Nothing at all. I'm simply here to take a look around. No other motives. I'm sure the King doesn't mind."
Kizaru's smile returned, knowing well what was missing from Mariejois.
If they had the stolen items, it would be blatantly obvious; there was no way they'd fit within the ship's confines without raising suspicion.
Before setting out, Admiral Aokiji had cautioned Kizaru that the Tru Kingdom's people were far from ordinary.
Yet, without solid evidence, taking action against a sovereign nation would devastate the Marine and World Government's reputation.
Kizaru, fully aware of these consequences, aimed to keep matters diplomatic, refraining from escalating the situation without cause.
Seeing Kizaru's resigned look, Anos added, "Since you're here, please take a proper rest. It's a pity we've already eaten, or we'd invite you to lunch."
He wore a look of mock disappointment, letting out a small 'tsk' as he spoke.
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