After defeating Gaspardi, Bai Yu sheathed his blade with a clean motion and turned calmly.
His gaze locked onto Foxy.
"Don't... don't do it!"
"I'll do it myself!"
Under Bai Yu's intimidating stare, Foxy panicked and whimpered. Then, in a bizarre display of self-preservation, he slammed his head into the deck—knocking himself unconscious just to avoid further torment.
Clatter…
With the Slow-Slow Fruit's effect lifted, Gaspardi's pirate ship abruptly regained full speed.
Boom...!
Moments later, the vessel burst through the finish line and rammed into a massive rock formation, halting with a violent jolt.
Bai Yu leapt off the ship with ease and landed atop the boulder. From this high vantage point, he scanned Hannabar Island.
Smoke rose in columns across the battlefield.
Chaos reigned below—pirates fleeing in all directions like frightened rats. But escape was no longer an option. The full naval blockade had been activated. With exits sealed and reinforcements pouring in, there was nowhere left to run.
Screams echoed as waves of pirates were overwhelmed and arrested by the encroaching navy forces. The tide had fully turned.
The naval strategy, spearheaded by Branch 188, had worked flawlessly. Within hours, the situation was under control.
Frankly, the pirates never stood a chance. Not only did the navy have superior numbers and organization, but the more formidable pirate crews—those who might have posed a threat—had already been dealt with by Bai Yu.
The remnants were nothing but disorganized stragglers. Leaderless, scattered, and panicked.
Bai Yu didn't bother getting involved further. He left the cleanup to the regular navy.
Instead, his eyes shifted toward a depression nestled between two rocky hills. There, glittering in the sunlight, were several towering mounds of Gold Berries—piled high like miniature golden mountains.
At the very center sat a special wooden box, clearly marked.
"That must be the Devil Fruit reward," Bai Yu muttered.
With a few effortless leaps, he reached the stash and knelt by the ornate box. For all the shine of the gold, only the fruit inside piqued his curiosity.
He opened the lid slowly.
Inside lay a taupe-colored Devil Fruit, its surface marked with elegant, wing-like patterns.
It radiated mystery.
Without a Devil Fruit encyclopedia on hand, Bai Yu couldn't identify it by sight. But he didn't need to.
The system answered his thoughts.
[Ding! Detected Devil Fruit: Dragon-Dragon Fruit, Ancient Zoan Type – Pterosaur Form]
Dragon-Dragon Fruit?
Ancient Zoan?
Pterosaur?
Bai Yu's eyes narrowed, surprised.
Zoan-type fruits were common, but Ancient Zoan types—especially the Dragon-Dragon series—were in a league of their own. Though not quite as rare as Mythical Zoans, they were still immensely coveted. Even among elite pirates, Ancient Zoans were seen as game-changers.
And this one?
The pterosaur, a flying prehistoric beast—majestic and swift.
"Cool-looking, I'll give it that," Bai Yu murmured. "But…"
"With my current abilities, I don't need it."
Bai Yu already mastered the Geppo (Moonwalk) technique, rendering flight redundant. And more importantly, he wasn't keen on gaining a Devil Fruit's curse—vulnerability to seawater and the loss of swimming ability.
In the world of pirates, that weakness could be fatal.
"Store it in the system."
The fruit vanished into his inventory. Bai Yu already had plans for it—far better than using it himself.
Meanwhile, the siege of Hannabar Island entered its final stages.
As predicted, the pirates offered desperate resistance early on, but crumbled as high-ranking navy officers arrived.
By midafternoon, the last holdouts were rounded up.
When the sun finally dipped toward the horizon, it was over.
The Death Sea Race had ended.
Without exception, every pirate involved was shackled and held aboard naval warships. Those with special abilities were handcuffed with Kairoseki (Seastone) to nullify their powers.
Due to the massive number of prisoners, the navy began arranging staggered transport to Impel Down, the Grand Line's infamous underwater prison.
"Colonel Bai Yu!"
A navy lieutenant colonel from Branch 188 approached the shore, saluting sharply.
"All pirates involved in the race have been apprehended. Transport vessels are en route to Impel Down. We'll begin escort operations in shifts."
Thousands of pirates had been captured. Over a hundred had bounties exceeding ten million. Most notably, Gaspardi—whose bounty neared one hundred million—was now in chains.
This successful mission would undoubtedly stun Marine Headquarters.
Many branches had tried to corner Gaspardi over the years, only to fail repeatedly.
Now, thanks to Bai Yu, he was in custody.
"Understood," Bai Yu nodded.
"As for the 300 million Berry prize, don't send it to HQ. Bring it back to Branch 188 and allocate a portion to the men who contributed."
That bounty—sponsored by underground financiers betting on the race—was originally meant to lure in high-profile criminals.
Now, it served as a generous bonus.
As the mission's commanding officer and primary contributor, Bai Yu had full discretion.
But instead of hoarding the reward, he shared it.
The remaining funds, he planned to reinvest into upgrading Branch 188's gear and weapons—strengthening the unit further.
The lieutenant colonel was stunned.
A commanding officer who didn't hoard money? Who rewarded loyalty and invested in his men?
He looked at Bai Yu with newfound reverence.
What Bai Yu didn't realize was that this single gesture solidified his leadership status in Branch 188—making him not just feared or respected, but trusted.
That night, the navy encamped on Hannabar Island while waiting for transport rotation.
Under a starlit sky, Bai Yu sat with Kebi and Bellumebo around a glowing bonfire.
"Man, I think we're going to get promoted for sure after this one!" Bellumebo chuckled.
Other than Bai Yu, Kebi and Bellumebo had been instrumental in capturing enemy ships and coordinating the pincer attacks. Their efforts hadn't gone unnoticed.
"In the navy, accomplishments like these speak louder than words," Kebi added.
"You follow Colonel Bai Yu," Bellumebo grinned, raising a tin cup. "You won't need to worry about the future!"
"To Colonel Bai Yu!"
The three clinked cups and downed their drinks.
Bai Yu smirked, enjoying the brief camaraderie.
Then, almost casually, he added:
"Oh, and I came across a rare Devil Fruit today. If either of you is interested, I'm willing to part with it."
Kebi and Bellumebo froze mid-drink.
Their eyes widened at once.
A rare Devil Fruit? From Bai Yu?
This night just got a lot more interesting.