[Elysia]: “Hey, hey, Kevin!
Is that really you?
Are you working at the company right now?” Since she had unexpectedly encountered the name of another resident of the Golden Courtyard, Elysia decided to ask whether he was the Kevin she knew.
[Kevin]: “…I don’t think I’m the person you know.” Kevin was momentarily stunned.
The concept of going to work felt extremely unfamiliar to him.
After all, he had joined MOTH before even receiving his high school diploma.
From that point onward, he had lived as a warrior fighting against the Honkai.
Strictly speaking, Kevin had never held a regular job.
His time with MOTH did not count.
From this exchange, he concluded that the Elysia in the chat group was not the Elysia from his world—whether from the Previous Era or the Elysian Realm.
A peaceful world where she could hold a stable job sounded rather pleasant.
Perhaps it was better that way.
[Elysia]: “So you’re not the Kevin I know.” Inside the Golden Courtyard, Elysia rubbed her nose.
She could put her upcoming livestream on hold for a little while.
After all, she had just joined such an interesting chat group.
[Rocks]: “Can the Group Leader come out and explain this now?” As a native of the pirate world, Rocks could not accept something so strange as quickly as the others.
[Saku Hayashi (Group Leader)]: “People from different worlds can join this chat group and communicate with one another.
It also has Sign-In and Store functions.
You can examine those yourselves later.” [Saku Hayashi (Group Leader)]: “Members of the group cannot harm one another.
Sparring is permitted, but remember this rule.
Otherwise, you will be punished.” Saku Hayashi had waited more than ten years for new members to appear, so he had naturally studied the chat group thoroughly.
It was a relatively simple chat group designed primarily for communication.
It did not issue missions or anything of that nature.
[Rocks]: “I think I understand.
This is the first time I’ve ever seen anything like it.” Unlike the others, Rocks came from the world of One Piece, where long-distance communication still relied on Transponder Snails and letters.
Worlds beyond his own…
The very thought filled him with longing.
However, his current priority was assembling his own forces.
[Natsuki Minamiya]: “Group Leader, did you create this group?” [Saku Hayashi (Group Leader)]: “No.
I was simply the first person to join, so I naturally became the Group Leader.” [Natsuki Minamiya]: “I see.
However, you called me ‘Natsuki-chan’ earlier.
That isn’t something a complete stranger would call me.” After accepting the chat group’s existence, Natsuki calmly analyzed what had happened.
Only a tiny handful of acquaintances called her Natsuki-chan, and none of them were named Saku Hayashi.
Judging by his name, he appeared to come from that ancient eastern nation.
[Saku Hayashi (Group Leader)]: “I know certain things about all of you.” Saku Hayashi had no intention of pretending to be an all-knowing charlatan and deceiving everyone in the group.
Besides, not every group member was an idiot who would suddenly lose all intelligence and allow him to lead them around by the nose.
[Saku Hayashi (Group Leader)]: “Rocks, who soloed a deskbound admiral; Natsuki Minamiya, the legal loli; Kevin the philosopher; and Elysia, whose weight rounds up to fifty-five kilograms.” [Natsuki Minamiya]: “Is the Group Leader a lolicon?” Natsuki was speechless.
Why had he specifically emphasized that she was a legal loli?
He was clearly harboring those kinds of thoughts.
[Rocks]: “Wahahaha!
A deskbound admiral?” Rocks laughed as he remembered the admiral he had defeated by himself.
Calling that man a deskbound admiral did seem appropriate.
The next time Rocks encountered the Marines, he could use that title to mock them.
An admiral of that caliber was only qualified to serve as a speed bump in his path.
[Kevin]: “A philosopher…” The corner of Kevin’s eye twitched slightly.
When had he become a philosopher?
That description, together with his previous nickname…
Could it be referring to his question about why birds flew?
If so, he had nothing to say.
That question had merely originated from the realizations he had gained over his long life.
[Elysia]: “You’re not allowed to round a girl’s weight!” Elysia’s hair practically stood on end like that of a startled kitten.
How could they discuss a girl’s weight so openly?
She was about to get angry!
Provoking her was like kicking a ball of cotton.
The consequences would be extremely serious.
Although her weight was perfectly healthy by normal standards, any girl would prefer to be a little lighter.
She certainly did not want anyone rounding the number up even further.
[Saku Hayashi (Group Leader)]: “I don’t think there was anything wrong with my summary.” [Rocks]: “Wahahaha!
No problem at all.
I did gravely wound some deskbound admiral.
I doubt they managed to save him.” [Rocks]: “The World Government hid it well.
I didn’t even know they had a position called ‘deskbound admiral.'” [Rocks]: “Group Leader, you must also know about the person I encountered, right?” [Saku Hayashi (Group Leader)]: “Imu.
Most people believe no one sits upon the Empty Throne, but Imu is the one occupying it.
Imu stands above the Five Elders and is an ancient monster who has survived since Joy Boy’s era.” Cobra had been explaining to the Five Elders that no one had ever sat upon the Empty Throne, only to be proven wrong in the very next moment.
Imu had brazenly taken a seat upon it right in front of him.
[Rocks]: “That’s right.
That person is far from simple.
I’m currently incapable of dealing with them.” Although Rocks had not fought Imu, his instincts as a powerful fighter had warned him that the time was not yet right.
That monster would be extraordinarily difficult to kill, and Rocks had sensed an immense danger from them.
[Saku Hayashi (Group Leader)]: “Aside from certain special Devil Fruits, Haki cultivated to its absolute pinnacle should also be effective against Imu.” Joy Boy’s Haki had remained sealed inside the ancient robot for countless years, yet its release had still forced the Five Elders back into their original forms.
The four who had been summoned were blasted all the way back to the Holy Land.
Even Imu, who was far away in the Room of Flowers, had trembled in fear.
It had practically triggered Imu’s PTSD.
[Rocks]: “Haki, huh?
My Haki truly isn’t strong enough yet.” Rocks calmly admitted that a gap still existed.
If his Haki had been sufficient, he would not have fled after meeting Imu.
He would have killed them on the spot.
As for Devil Fruits, he did have several ideas of his own.
[Natsuki Minamiya]: “You’re surprisingly forthright.” [Rocks]: “Only petty cowards hide their shortcomings.
I may not be a good man, but I would never behave like one of them.” If he was not strong enough, then he was not strong enough.
What was so difficult about admitting it?
If a person could not even face himself honestly, how could someone with such limited courage expect others to respect him?
[Saku Hayashi (Group Leader)]: “Rocks, you’re more like the true protagonist of the pirate world.
Unfortunately, you were born in the wrong era.
Sometimes, fate is extremely difficult to defy.” [Saku Hayashi (Group Leader)]: “By the way, after you send your wife and son to God Valley, the World Government will eventually hold a hunt there.
That island will also become the place where you meet your end.” Rocks was extremely powerful, but he lacked sufficient preparation time.
God Valley had simply come far too early for him.
[Rocks]: “?!” Rocks’s pupils contracted violently upon hearing this news, and his large hand tightened around the hilt of his sword.
He understood exactly what Saku Hayashi meant.
The World Government would never choose God Valley without reason.
They had probably discovered the Davy Clan there, though some other motive was also possible.
Rocks had indeed planned to send his wife and son to God Valley.
He feared that his actions might place them in danger, but now it appeared that sending them there was an even worse decision.
It might lead them directly into disaster.
Rocks did not care what happened to him.
No matter what enemy stood in his way, he could simply cut them down.
However, he had no desire to drag his wife and son into his battles.