"Ian!"
Crocodile stared at him with a serious expression. "Before we agree to cooperate, I have one question!"
His gaze sharpened. "How did you know we were here?"
This huge ship had been drifting all over the West Blue, never staying within any fixed territory.
Even the World Government should've had a hard time locating them, yet somehow Ian had shown up right at their doorstep.
"Oh? That?" Ian chuckled. "Someone simply told me where you were."
"Hahaha, I should apologize first."
Behind Crocodile, a man slowly walked forward until he stopped right in front of Ian.
"Lord Ian! I've been waiting far too long for you!"
The man dropped to one knee before Ian.
"Good work, Shiryu," Ian said with a gentle smile. "You really helped a lot this time."
Strictly speaking, Ian and Shiryu had only interacted once before—during the battle over the Vampire Fruit.
But when Ian recently contacted the deployed Shiryu through Stussy and CP0, the man swore allegiance to him without the slightest hesitation.
"To be able to serve you is my greatest honor," Shiryu said passionately.
Crocodile took a deep breath.
"Shiryu??"
Moria's face twisted with rage, the muscles on his cheeks trembling as flames nearly burst from his eyes. "You bastard—did you betray us?"
"Betrayal?" Shiryu looked back at him with a calm smile.
His face showed amusement, yet his eyes were icy cold. "What are you talking about? Didn't we agree from the very beginning? We were just a group of people huddling together for warmth."
"If we were only together to keep warm, then isn't it natural for me to leave once I found a warmer place?"
What a joke.
Compared to the Beasts Pirates, what was the Cross Guild worth?
Only by following behind Lord Ian could he face the world's most terrifying enemies—only then could he witness the highest level of battle!
Redfield remained silent, his expression unreadable.
He actually quite liked the Cross Guild, and even considered some members of the organization as comrades.
But Shiryu was definitely not one of them.
He was simply curious—when did Ian get involved with someone like Shiryu?
Was it during that fight over the Vampire Fruit?
They should have only met that one time.
Chinjao held back a laugh, a bit gloating.
Serves you right for being so arrogant. Now Ian's here to teach you a lesson!
"Exactly."
Ian smiled. "Shiryu has already set an example for everyone. So, please make your choice."
Crocodile clenched his teeth slightly.
Things were becoming seriously troublesome now.
"Enemy!!"
The wall beside them suddenly burst apart, and a figure charged straight toward Ian.
"World!!"
Crocodile shouted in shock.
World always had some mental issues—he spent every waking moment thinking about taking revenge on the World Government, and had no interest in anything else.
But this time he was actually the first to attack?
The result, however…
"Byrnndi World."
Ian's lips curved upward.
Buzz!
In the next instant, the charging giant's body softened, collapsing to the floor and bowing before Ian.
"What?"
Redfield's eyes widened, completely baffled by what had just happened.
Conqueror's Haki—was that Conqueror's Haki?
A Conqueror's Haki strong enough to instantly strip someone like World of all fighting power?
Redfield's eyes lit up.
Someone that strong actually existed?
"If your power were to die here now, that would be far too wasteful."
Ian smiled as he looked down at World, who lay prostrate before him.
"So? Will you accept my invitation? Rampage freely against the World Government. Return everything they did to you tenfold—no, a hundredfold. I can even take you to bomb New Mariejois. Isn't that exactly what you've always wanted?"
World's body trembled violently. He suddenly lifted his head. "You're not lying to me?"
"I came here specifically to recruit all of you to help me fight the World Government."
Ian chuckled softly.
"I agree!"
World practically shouted, unable to hold back. "When do we start the war against the Government?!"
Back then, the World Government infiltrated and turned his own comrades against him, then threw him into Impel Down's freezing depths for decades.
His hatred for the World Government was the only thing keeping him alive now.
"Very soon."
Ian nodded lightly.
If this guy's More-More Fruit were paired with the Pluton, would it create some kind of strange chemical reaction?
Even without the Pluton, pairing it with Dyna Stone and Kuma would still make for a spectacular sight.
"Hahaha! World, you've made the right choice!"
At this moment, Shiryu looked a bit smug, like a man enjoying his small triumph.
He gazed proudly at Redfield, Crocodile, and Moria.
"It's about time you all made your choice too, isn't it?"
"I'll never choose you!!"
Moria roared.
His power had already activated, and the castle trembled slightly.
Heavy footsteps echoed from all directions.
Zombies!
Like a tidal wave, they poured in through the doors and windows.
Moria glared at Ian with pure malice.
"Kid! Pay back for my comrades with your life!!"
"Is that so?"
Ian nodded lightly.
"Back when Kaido-sensei and I defeated you, he once said to leave you to me."
He looked somewhat nostalgic.
"So many years have passed in the blink of an eye. Since you've made your choice, let me fulfill the promise from back then."
"Moria-sama!!"
The little pink twin-tailed girl cried out in fear.
Do we really have to fight this monster?
He's a Pirate Emperor!
"Perona! This isn't your concern!"
Moria shouted.
"I hereby declare that you are fired!"
"Scatter, Bats!!"
The shadow beneath him transformed into countless bats, lunging toward Ian to tear him apart.
"How gentle."
Ian murmured in admiration.
Even though he was the enemy, there was no denying that Moria treated the comrades he valued with a certain care.
It could only be said that back then, he had chosen the wrong opponent—and even now, he still hadn't found the right one.
"Truly reckless."
Uta commented.
Ian simply raised his right hand and flicked his index finger lightly.
"Flying Finger Gun."
The burst of air from his fingertip was infused with dual-colored Haki, turning the invisible air pitch black, as if it had truly become a bullet.
"Ugh!!"
Moria's body shook violently, his eyes bulging, and he staggered backward before collapsing onto the ground with a thud.
He stared blankly at his chest.
A fist-sized hole pierced through his chest, straight through to his back.
Blood gushed out like a fountain.
He looked up, dazed, staring at Ian.
Crocodile remained silent.
He just… moved his finger?
"Moria!"
Redfield's expression changed sharply.
**********
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