PIRATES: I WORK IN NAVY FROM NINE TO FIVE

The reverse surge of Haki came crashing in like a tsunami.

Atmos, still airborne with his blades raised for a downward strike, froze for a moment—then scoffed with disdain.

"You brat... do you not even know what Conqueror's Haki is? That's just stupid and naïve!"

BOOM!

Before the words even finished leaving his mouth, Atmos felt as though he had slammed into an invisible wall of steel.

His twin broadswords hadn't even come down yet—But the overwhelming wave of Haki hit him like a ten-thousand-ton battering ram.

It was like being slapped aside by an unseen giant hand.

In full view of both crews, he was sent flying.

So fast he might as well have been fired from a cannon.

On the pirate ship a hundred meters away, those standing on the deck watched with expressions like they'd seen a ghost.

Was this really the Conqueror's Haki they knew?

But before they could even react, that same wave of Haki crashed into their ship—Overturning it completely.

By the time they regained their footing and composure, they saw Atmos crash down into the distant sea with a massive splash.

Had this been on land, such a blow might not have meant much for a seasoned commander like Atmos.

But this was the ocean. And for a Devil Fruit user?

A complete nightmare.

Watching Atmos sink into the sea, the pirates' nerves stretched to their breaking point.

Nearby, his trusted officer, Hale, turned pale and shouted,

"Quick! Get to Captain Atmos now! I'll hold off the Marine admiral!"

On deck, the stunned pirates finally snapped out of it.

Everything that had just happened—from the clash to the devastating impact—had taken no more than a minute or two.

And in that short time, the admiral they had dismissed as a mere paper tiger—

Had sent their captain flying with a single counter.

The result was utterly beyond their comprehension.

Captain Atmos, whom they deeply respected and trusted, had been knocked out of the fight in a single blow.

Had they not seen it themselves, they would never have believed it.

But more shocking than that was the Haki—

Haki that generated a tangible, crushing force.

Was this really Conqueror's Haki as they understood it?

Was this still the so-called "paper tiger"?

"You guys should stop staring and go rescue him," Luo Yu said as he let the surging aura around his body fade. He took a swig of liquor and added casually,"If he drowns, who's going to take me to see Whitebeard?"

The gathered pirates blinked in disbelief.

They'd thought Luo Yu was joking before.

Now they realized—he'd meant it literally.

Was he insane?

But with Atmos thrashing helplessly in the sea, there was no time to hesitate.

Luo Yu's lack of pursuit gave them the breathing room they needed to mount a rescue.

A hundred men dove into the water in a coordinated effort.

After a minute or two, the waterlogged and unconscious Atmos—no longer in his hybrid form—was pulled back aboard.

Soaked head to toe, completely drained, the once-fearsome commander collapsed on the deck, gasping for breath like a dying fish.

The feeling of helplessness while submerged in the sea had been pure nightmare fuel.

Looking up at Luo Yu, still standing calmly at the bow, sipping liquor with an indifferent expression, never once having truly attacked...

Atmos's expression shifted several times before he gritted his teeth and spoke.

"Very well... You're something else, Admiral. I listened to rumors and underestimated you. That's on me. Getting knocked into the sea like that... I deserved it."

"I am Atmos of the Whitebeard Pirates. I bear Pops' name with pride."

"I don't know why you're so determined to meet him—but since you won, I'll break the rules and take you there."

"But let me make this clear... I'll only escort you. Your life is your own responsibility. If Pops decides to take you down, I won't hesitate to help him do it."

"Your warship can go no further than one nautical mile from our territory. You still have the choice to leave."

"But if you really insist on meeting a Yonko... and offend his pride, then you're walking into certain death."

Gion and Cha Jin panicked instantly.

But before they could speak, Luo Yu adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses and smiled.

"Relax. Since I'm asking to see Whitebeard, of course I've mentally prepared for it."

"As for offending a Yonko... it wouldn't be the first time. I have some experience in that area."

Not the first time?

Atmos blinked.

At his side, Hale nervously poked him and stammered,

"Captain... l-look behind their warship... there's another smaller pirate ship."

"It's flying a pirate flag... and I think... I think it's the Beasts Pirates emblem!"

"This new admiral... you don't think his first outing ended with him stirring up a Yonko's hornet nest already?!"

Atmos turned to look—and sure enough, tied up on the deck was none other than Sheepshead, bound like a sack of rice.

Atmos's pupils contracted sharply.

In that moment, he understood.

Why Luo Yu had spoken with such arrogance from the very beginning.

Why he had demanded to see Whitebeard without blinking.

Because this lunatic had already captured someone from Kaido's crew.

Forget asking to meet a Yonko—He'd already slapped one of them in the face.

Thinking back on everything that had happened...

A single absurd idea crept into Atmos's mind:

If I had refused… would I have ended up tied up next to Sheepshead?

Looking at Luo Yu, smiling harmlessly as he sipped from his bottle—Atmos shuddered.

"All right, it's getting late," Luo Yu said, putting away his bottle and glancing at the sky. "I've got to clock out soon. I'll ride on your ship."

"Gion, keep your warship one nautical mile behind us. If anything happens, at least you'll have a chance to escape."

With that, Luo Yu leapt smoothly through the air, landing lightly on Atmos's ship.

The motion triggered every single pirate and Marine into high alert.

But Luo Yu simply strolled across the deck, taking another sip of liquor, completely at ease.

Seeing him walk so casually, not even raising a hand, both sides slowly relaxed.

"Now that's an admiral worthy of respect," Atmos muttered, regaining his composure.

In this world of survival of the fittest—strength deserved reverence.

Still, after a moment's pause, Atmos couldn't help but ask,

"But I'm really curious... why are you so hell-bent on meeting Pops, even at the risk of your life?"

"Is this some mission the Navy forced on you?"

To Atmos, Marines and pirates were sworn enemies—

But both bore their own honor.

It was precisely because Luo Yu had risked his life to meet Whitebeard that Atmos felt a trace of admiration.

"Nope," Luo Yu said, sipping again. "If this was some boring mission, I wouldn't waste my time."

"This is all... for ten million performance points."