Chapter 71: Gion Becomes a Criminal!

The CP0 ship departed, leaving behind an air of tension and unresolved questions. Momousagi, still struggling to process the events, returned to the Hive on a separate warship, her mind in turmoil.

The Buster Call fleet had been annihilated, the Fleet Admiral slain in battle, and she herself had been captured. And now, instead of avenging these losses, her superiors were attempting to win over Edie by offering him the status of a Celestial Dragon. It was unthinkable.

As soon as the warship neared the dock, she couldn't contain herself any longer. Launching into the air with Moonwalk, she raced towards the research institute, her thoughts a chaotic whirl of anger and confusion.

Momousagi burst into the room where Edie was seated. "You made me go on that ship to see CP0 just for this?" she demanded, her voice tinged with frustration.

"I didn't say anything, and I didn't do anything," Edie responded with a calm smile, as if enjoying her irritation.

Momousagi let out a deep sigh. "The treatment I've received here is far too lenient for a prisoner. Their first reaction was to think I was a traitor and they wanted to kill me!"

Although it had been a misunderstanding, the thought still stung. She had been enduring humiliation, even willing to sacrifice her dignity, all to gather intelligence. Yet now she felt colder than ever, as if everything she had endured had been in vain.

"Who's the traitor? How did you know the Buster Call fleet's route?" Momousagi demanded, her voice edged with desperation as she asked the question directly.

"Are you giving up already?" Edie replied, his smile never wavering. He leaned back on the sofa, spreading his arms as if inviting her closer. "Come into my arms."

Gritting her teeth, Momousagi glared at him, her eyes blazing with fury. She wanted to surrender, to admit defeat, but the sight of Edie's smug expression only fueled her resolve.

"Hmph, I'll find the answers myself!" she declared, turning her back on him.

Edie chuckled but said nothing.

After a moment's pause, Momousagi asked, "The Five Elders offered you the status of a Celestial Dragon. Why did you reject them and drive them away?"

"It's just a temporary ploy," Edie replied with a dismissive shake of his head. "Do you really think those inherently wicked old men want me to genuinely become a Celestial Dragon?"

"What good would it do me to be one of them?" He continued, his voice laced with disdain. "Everything I desire, I can obtain with my own strength. As for wealth, I'm already richer than most Celestial Dragons. I don't need to become their pawn, a dog for the Five Elders."

Momousagi listened, trying to understand his reasoning. Edie's ambitions were far greater than she had imagined.

"And besides," Edie added, leaning forward slightly, "you don't know this, but there's someone far more dangerous hidden within the Holy Land of Mariejois—a being that even the Five Elders kneel to. Nerona Imu, one of the 20 kings who founded the World Government 800 years ago. He is the true ruler behind the scenes."

Momousagi's eyes widened in shock. The existence of such a person was beyond her comprehension.

"Even if I were born a Celestial Dragon," Edie continued, his voice calm yet resolute, "I would still aim to overthrow him someday."

He glanced out the window, his expression thoughtful. "I don't know this Imu's gender, nor their true strength. But a wise man doesn't stand under a crumbling wall. Why would I walk into the Holy Land of Mariejois, into their lair?"

He turned his gaze back to Momousagi, his eyes cold and calculating. "Those old men think everyone else is a fool."

"They have two goals," he continued. "First, to mitigate the impact of their defeat. Second, to get their hands on my cloning technology."

Momousagi was silent, absorbing his words. After a moment, she realized he was right. The Five Elders were not offering him the status of a Celestial Dragon out of kindness. It was a strategic move to control him, to harness his power for their own purposes.

She looked at Edie, her mind still spinning. He was a dangerous man, far more dangerous than she had ever imagined. But perhaps, she thought, he was also the only one who could truly shake the foundations of this world.

She sighed and sat down across from him, reaching for the coffee on the table. Without hesitation, she drank it in one gulp.

Edie was silent for a moment before gently reminding her, "That was mine..."

"Pfft! Ahem..." Momousagi almost choked on the realization, coughing and sputtering as she glared at him. "Why didn't you tell me earlier? You enjoy seeing me embarrassed, don't you? It makes you happy, doesn't it?"

She suspected he had deliberately waited for her to finish drinking before speaking.

Edie shook his head helplessly, his tone ominous. "I'd be a lot more worried about other things later."

Despite being a 25-year-old woman, sharp and quick in battle, her thoughts were still slow to catch up with the situation at hand. Even now, she hadn't grasped the full extent of the problem.

"What do I have to worry about?" Momousagi put down the empty coffee cup and let out another sigh, forcing a smile onto her face. "I'm free here. I think I could stay forever. And when I've collected enough information, I'll just sneak away!"

Her casual attitude belied the gravity of the situation, but she soon realized what Edie had meant by his warning. Later that night, news that shook the world spread like wildfire.

While wandering around Beehive Island, Momousagi noticed a newspaper falling from the sky. She reached out and caught it. Before she even opened it, she could feel the eyes of those around her, and the whispering grew louder.

"Oh! So that's what happened!"

"No wonder the Fleet Admiral died in battle. After she was captured, she's been moving around freely here, without any torture."

"Even Master Weiyang treats her with respect. Turns out she was one of our own from the beginning."

"Tsk, tsk, they let a spy infiltrate the Marines, and she even became an Admiral candidate!"

"As expected of the Hive Emperor. When did he start planning this? It's brilliant!"

Momousagi's heart sank as she looked around at the people reading newspapers, gathering in groups, and discussing animatedly. The bad feeling in her gut intensified. Taking a deep breath, she lowered her eyes to the newspaper in her hands.

With each word she read, her body trembled, anger swelling in her chest like a roaring fire.

"The real reason behind the collapse of the Buster Call fleet? Marine traitor, Momousagi Gion!"

The article claimed that Edie, referred to as "the Hive Emperor," had recruited her years ago. According to the story, she had joined the Marines early in her life, rising through the ranks to Vice Admiral and even becoming an Admiral candidate. She had been a sleeper agent all along, biding her time until the World Government decided to launch the Buster Call against the Hive.

The article accused her of betraying the fleet's intelligence, leading the Marine forces into a well-laid trap in the waters of Edd War. The Hive ambushed them, resulting in devastating losses, including the death of Fleet Admiral Kong. The article painted her as the primary culprit for the Buster Call's failure, branding her as a traitor of the highest order.

Her eyes moved to the accompanying bounty poster.

"Momousagi" Gion.

Former Naval Headquarters Vice Admiral, Admiral candidate.

Only to be captured alive.

Bounty: 823 million Berries.

She felt as if the ground had been pulled out from under her. Stumbling back a step, she almost dropped the newspaper. Her mind reeled, struggling to comprehend how everything had spiraled out of control so quickly. The accusation was absurd, yet there it was, printed for the whole world to see.

Momousagi moved like a ghost, her body numb, her thoughts a muddled haze as she made her way back to the Hive Research Institute. She had never imagined that she would one day be labeled a criminal, a bounty on her head.

Why?

Even if the CP0 operatives suspected her, were the Five Elders really that gullible? To believe such a claim without any proof and issue a bounty that same night?

The CP0 ship hadn't even returned to Mariejois yet. And what about the people at Marine Headquarters? Vice Admiral Garp, Vice Admiral Aokiji, Vice Admiral Kizaru, and her suitor, Chaton—why hadn't anyone spoken up for her? Did they all believe she was a traitor?

She felt betrayed by everyone she had once called comrades. It was ludicrous. She and Vice Admiral Tsuru were like sisters. She had practically grown up in the Marines! Edie had only appeared in the seas two years ago. How could she have been his spy for all these years? It didn't make any sense, but it seemed like no one cared to find the truth.

Why? Why? Why!

Momousagi was crushed, disheartened, even feeling a bitter laugh bubble up inside her throat. What was the point of gathering information now? What was the point of anything?

Lost in her thoughts, she found herself at the entrance to the underground laboratory, her heart heavy and her mind in turmoil. The world she knew was crumbling around her, and she felt powerless to stop it.

Shenhou stood at the entrance, his demeanor respectful as he greeted her. "Miss Gion."

"Where's Edie?" she asked, her voice tight with barely concealed frustration.

"My Lord Heavenly Father is in the research institute below," Shenhou replied, stepping aside without hesitation.

"I want to see him."

He didn't try to stop her, merely gesturing toward the entrance.

Taking a deep breath, Momousagi gripped the crumpled newspaper in her hand, her knuckles white from the force. She pushed open the iron gate and made her way down the dimly lit staircase, each step feeling heavier than the last. When she finally reached the laboratory, she found Edie busy with his back to her, operating some sort of intricate equipment with the ease of a man accustomed to delicate work.

"You're here?" he said without turning around, his tone casual. He was wearing rubber gloves, his focus seemingly absorbed in his task.

Momousagi's expression hardened. "Did you know it would turn out like this? Did you deliberately put me in front of CP0 to set me up?"

Edie paused, then turned slowly, removing his gloves with a thoughtful smile. "Oh, are those tears in your eyes?"

"Answer me, you bastard!" she snapped, her voice trembling with anger.

"I had an idea things might go this way, yes," he admitted, his tone almost apologetic. "But even I didn't expect the Five Elders to act so hastily."

He shrugged, as if to say it was beyond his control. "Just as I won't set foot in the Holy Land Mariejois, the Five Elders won't dare step onto Beehive Island."

He continued, his voice calm and measured, "So, they won't try to win me over again. But they still need to address the Marines' defeat and manage the fallout. Fleet Admiral Kong is dead, the biggest scapegoat they had. And since you were captured, you're the natural choice to bear the blame."

Edie sighed, looking genuinely regretful. "I only let the CP0 agents see you to speed up the inevitable. But I didn't think the Five Elders would act so swiftly, using you that same night to deflect responsibility for the defeat. For that, I'm sorry."

Momousagi stood there, staring at him, her emotions a tangled mess. His words were sincere, but they didn't change the fact that her life, her honor, everything she had worked for, was now in ruins. Her belief in the system, in the justice she had sworn to uphold, felt like a cruel joke.

"It's okay," she said finally, her voice soft, almost a whisper. A strange, serene smile spread across her lips, beautiful and heart-wrenching all at once. "I always knew Marine justice wasn't true justice. We can't even save three innocent girls from being auctioned as slaves in the Sabaody Archipelago, just an hour away from our headquarters."

She paused, a bitter laugh escaping her. "That girl Hancock was right. We're trash. Just dogs for the Celestial Dragons. Even a Vice Admiral is expendable when they're no longer needed."

Her words hung heavy in the air, a painful truth neither could deny.

"But the Marines don't have to be the dogs of the Celestial Dragons forever," Edie said, his voice steady, an ambitious smile playing on his lips. "When I overthrow the World Government, the Marines will have new and improved leadership."

Momousagi looked at him, something softening in her gaze. "Edie... do you like me?"

A coquettish smile touched her lips as she let the cloak of justice fall from her shoulders. Stepping closer, she opened her arms to him. "Let me be your woman."

Edie's eyes gleamed with interest. When a beautiful woman extended such an invitation, he wasn't the type to refuse.

He pulled her into his arms, his voice teasing yet sincere. "Don't get me wrong, I like you, not love you. If you want me to love you, you'll have to try a lot harder, Ms. Gion."

"Shut up, you bastard," Momousagi murmured, her hands framing his face before she pressed her lips to his.

The rest was a blur of discarded clothing and heated breaths. Soon, the laboratory meant for scientific research was filled with a different kind of energy altogether, the kind that defied reason and logic, the kind that consumed them both.

Two peaceful years passed in the blink of an eye on Beehive Island, and the world outside kept turning.