High in the sky, Morgans flapped his wings, his entire body trembling with manic excitement. "Haha, I've secured the exclusive scoop this time! This news will undoubtedly shake the entire sea," he declared. As an aspiring news king, Morgans thrived on major events and always risked his life to be at the center of the action, much like he had done at Big Mom's tea party. With the story of this battle, the World Economic News Agency would surely produce the most captivating headline in the world.
Kizaru, still in a foul mood, issued a faint warning: "Hey, Morgans, tread carefully with this report, or Akainu might treat you to a cup of tea". Morgans simply replied that he would not report on the Marines or the World Government this time and flew off into the distance.
On the surface, only the warship and the wreckage of the sunken island remained. Kizaru and Fujitora stood in silence, both aware that the consequences of their mission's failure would be severe.
"Issho, how do you plan to explain this when we return?" Kizaru asked.
Fujitora smiled and replied, "That is your concern, Admiral Kizaru. I will be stationed in Dressrosa for the time being, not at Naval Headquarters".
Kizaru was stunned. He had not expected the blind Admiral to be so cunning in avoiding the impending reprimand.
Meanwhile, the Straw Hats had already made their escape, and the Heart Pirates' submarine, along with the fleets of A Cai and Eddie, had caught up with them. Leo and his Tontatta warriors, having no ship of their own, were safely traveling aboard Eddie's vessel.
Luffy lay on the deck, panting heavily; he was too exhausted to even keep his eyes open. Chopper carefully bandaged him until he looked like a mummy, a necessity given the intensity of the battle that had left Luffy's muscles convulsing from strain. Everyone assumed Bullet had fared no better.
"Hey, I won, everyone!" Luffy cheered, clearly happy that his strength had been verified. Strictly speaking, the battle had been a tie, but considering Bullet's strength was comparable to Roger's, Luffy knew he had officially entered the top tier of the New World. With this victory, the path to Laugh Tale and becoming the Pirate King felt within reach.
"Sanji, meat!" Luffy demanded.
The crew couldn't help but laugh; no matter how powerful he became, Luffy remained the same gluttonous captain. Sanji didn't hesitate, preparing a large pile of Sea King meat from their stores. Luffy's fatigue seemed to vanish as he stuffed his face, completely abandoning any pretense of captainly dignity. The rest of the crew joined in, finally feeling the hunger they had ignored during the hours of watching the battle.
Mid-meal, the lookout shouted in alarm. Expecting the Marines, they were shocked to see Hawkeye Mihawk pulling up alongside them.
"Hawkeye, I should thank you for chopping those ships," Carl said, though his eyes remained guarded.
"Even if I hadn't moved, those ships would have been destroyed by Trafalgar," Hawkeye replied coolly. He admitted that he had done it on purpose to create an excuse to follow them.
"What is your purpose, then?" Carl asked.
"To fight," Hawkeye stated simply. He explained that watching the duel between Luffy and Bullet had left him itching for a challenge, and with the Admirals unavailable, Carl was his only viable opponent.
Carl didn't particularly want to fight, but he had an idea. "Fine, come aboard. We'll head to a deserted island to discuss swordsmanship properly".
Hawkeye jumped onto the Thousand Sunny without a second thought, while Usopp was tasked with hauling Hawkeye's coffin boat alongside. Carl invited the swordsman to eat and drink, gathering Zoro, Law, Tashigi, Brook, and Kaku to join the discussion.
Hawkeye didn't mind, but soon realized he had been tricked. The crew kept asking him questions, and before he knew it, he had taken on the role of a teacher. Seeing Carl's triumphant smirk, Hawkeye realized he had been manipulated, but he didn't mind—the crew showed a genuine, impressive understanding of swordsmanship.
Zoro and Law exchanged looks of admiration for Carl; he wasn't just a teacher himself, he constantly sought out the world's best to train them, having previously brought in Kizaru, Ghost Spider, and even Kaido.
Half a day later, Nami found a deserted island, and the dinner and kendo meeting concluded. Carl clapped his hands, telling his crew to remember the lessons Hawkeye had provided. Although Hawkeye was momentarily speechless at being addressed as "Mr. Hawkeye," the sincere gratitude from the younger fighters left him feeling satisfied with his day.
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