When they left Fish-Man Island, it was Hina at the helm.
Blu was still lost in a daze, immersed in his beautiful fantasies about mermaids. He was already planning his retirement on the island, dreaming of "interacting" with various mermaid ladies every single day! Of course, the rest of the crew ignored the sailor's daydreaming—or rather, they privately thought it wasn't a half-bad idea.
As the ship ascended faster and faster, everyone grabbed onto the hull for dear life.
Pop!
The ship burst through the ocean surface, and the coating bubble shattered instantly. But before anyone could cheer, they were startled by a massive fireball hurtling toward them.
"Hey, hey, hey! Why are fireballs falling from the sky?!" Krillin's mouth twitched. He was about to draw his blade, but Ren moved faster!
"Cero!"
BOOM!
The white beam of light shot out, instantly vaporizing the massive fireball in the sky. Ren pulled back his hand and mused, "Man, this thing really is handy!"
But now wasn't the time for leisure. Falling fireballs were a freak weather occurrence in the New World. Having dealt with one, they looked up to see countless more raining down toward the sea. Gale-force winds and tsunamis joined the fray, and the ship was blown off course. Fortunately, they had purchased a Permanent Pointer for Dressrosa at Sabaody, so they didn't lose their way.
Once they broke through the extreme weather, Blu and Grus checked the ship for damage while Ren pulled out his chair and began sunbathing leisurely. Law went back to tinkering with his medicines, and Krillin guarded Momousagi. Ignoring her suggestive glances, Krillin asked, "Do you think the World Government will actually trade the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia for you?"
"Of course not!" Momousagi replied without a second thought. "That book is part of how the World Government rules the world. Why would they hand it over for a single Admiral candidate?"
Hearing her answer, Krillin didn't know what to say. He also felt the government wouldn't agree, and he was certain Ren knew that too. Ren's insistence on the trade baffled him. "Forget it. The Captain has his own plans. Instead of worrying about it, I should just train." He then began exercising right in front of her.
Momousagi watched the masculine, sweat-glistening physique before her and instinctively swallowed. Her eyes grew soft and sultry. "Is this your way of seducing me?"
"Certainly not. I have no interest in women like you."
Momousagi's face twitched. She huffed and turned away to look at the ocean.
Five days later.
Purupurupuru~Purupurupuru~
On the table, the Den Den Mushi rang incessantly. Ren's crew stared at the snail, their expressions deadly serious.
"Do we answer?" Hina looked at Ren, waiting for his call.
"Just answer it. It's not like it's a big deal," Bonney said, sounding bored. She was thoroughly unimpressed by the tension in the room.
"No, no, no! This is definitely a big deal! An incredibly, incredibly serious deal!" Krillin's eyes were wide, looking almost frantic. "The whole world is watching us right now! The whole world! If word gets out about this, we'll be the laughingstock of the globe!"
"Maybe... we just don't go?"
"That's an option! We're pirates, after all. It's perfectly normal for us to go back on our word!"
"Mhm! Let's change course! We'll wait a while and then pick a different spot for the trade!"
"Approved!"
Just as they were about to turn the ship around, Momousagi—who they had been ignoring—finally lost it. She screamed at them, "YOU GUYS! JUST HURRY UP AND GO TO DRESSROSA!"
The crew turned to look at her, making the beauty feel a bit self-conscious, but for the sake of her freedom, she pushed on. "You're only a day and a half late! No one is going to care about one day!"
She gestured toward Dressrosa, which was already visible on the horizon. "Look, the island is surrounded by warships. That means they're ready for the trade. The Encyclopedia you've been obsessing over is right there. Are you really going to give up now?"
"Yes! I will not allow a stain like 'being late' to appear on the record of my life!" Ren said with total solemnity.
Momousagi felt her vision go dark. After days of living with them, she knew Ren wasn't normal, but this reasoning was a bridge too far. "You're a pirate! Your life is already covered in stains! One more won't matter!"
"NO! Precisely because I have so many stains, I cannot afford another one!" "No! No one cares about this one!" "No, no, no! I care!" "They don't!" "I DO!"
They argued for a long time until, finally, Ren was persuaded. Mostly, he really wanted to know the ability of Bonney's fruit.
The ship docked at Dressrosa. Ignoring the tense Marines surrounding the area, the crew sauntered into the island's interior. The residents had already been evacuated by the Navy. When Ren saw the person waiting for him, even he was surprised.
"I didn't expect to meet a legendary figure here. How lucky."
Ren looked at the thin, elderly man holding a long blade. The man wore a white kimono and looked shriveled, yet upon closer inspection, he appeared incredibly powerful. He was bald and held a distinctive sword. His identity was unmistakable: one of the Five Elders, Saint Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro.
"I expected Fleet Admiral Sengoku, but to think a single Encyclopedia would stir a member of the Five Elders," Ren mused.
Nusjuro spoke slowly, "Since you made this old man wait for a day and a half, you pirates truly deserve ten thousand deaths!"
"Hahaha! Wasn't that just testing the World Government's sincerity?" Ren laughed awkwardly before shifting his tone. "Did you bring the book?"
"What do you think?" Nusjuro's gaze was like a blade, falling on Ren as if to shred him.
Ren smiled, unfazed. "Since you're here, you must be prepared. Momousagi is right here. Where's the Encyclopedia?"
The response he received was the edge of Nusjuro's blade!
"I told you, the fact that I have come here personally already explains the situation!" Nusjuro roared. "Strike!"
Nusjuro transformed instantly. Eerie green hellfire enveloped his body. The next moment, a tall, skeletal horse radiating green flames stood before Ren. It was a terrifying sight—pure bone, no flesh.
Roar!
The skeletal horse spat a massive green fireball, instantly engulfing Ren and his crew! But Nusjuro didn't dare lower his guard; he knew Ren was immensely powerful. A single blast wouldn't end him. He prepared to move, a dark aura flickering beneath his hooves.
But then, Ren's voice drifted out from the green flames: "Five Elders? Is that all? Try my move on for size! Gran Rey Cero!"
The showdown with the Five Elders has begun! Would you like to see Ren use his Hollow powers to contest the Elder's "Hell-beast" form, or should the rest of the crew take on the surrounding Marine reinforcements?