Ren shrugged. Even with the pressure of Conqueror's Haki surging straight toward him, his expression remained indifferent.
"Roger turned himself in because he was suffering from an incurable disease.
"But after parting ways with all of you, and before surrendering himself, he met a beautiful woman on Baterilla in South Blue.
"Portgas D. Rouge. After being married to her for a year, Roger went to the Marines and turned himself in.
"Afterward, because someone reported it, the Marines launched an operation on Baterilla to search for the Pirate King's bloodline.
"They slaughtered women who were of the right age and pregnant at the time, trying to strangle the Pirate King's bloodline in the cradle.
"But they failed. Or rather, they never imagined that the woman named Portgas D. Rouge would delay her delivery for twenty months before giving birth to a boy named Ace.
"What they imagined even less was that, after turning himself in and entering prison, Roger entrusted his bloodline to Garp, the man who had chased him his entire life.
"After that, Lady Rouge died because she forcibly delayed the birth, and Ace was taken away by Garp to be raised."
At this point, Ren did not continue.
He merely kept smiling as he looked at Rayleigh.
"Rayleigh, what comes next is paid content."
"Is this supposed to be a story?"
"What meaning is there in it?"
"Deceiving an old man will bring down heavenly punishment."
Rayleigh's expression was still dissatisfied, but inside, stormy waves were already surging.
Very few people knew that Roger had turned himself in.
Because the World Government had always claimed that the Pirate King had been captured by the Marines.
There had been very few people involved at the time. Someone of this age should not have known something like that.
But the other party had said it.
And the information that followed was so explosive that Rayleigh could not bring himself to believe it.
Roger had a child?
When?
Even I didn't know about this. How do you know it so clearly? Which one of us was the Pirate King's crewmate!?
And how did this guy know the specific details?
Why the hell would Roger entrust Garp with his child? Wasn't he afraid… no, Garp really might have agreed.
Roger was indeed that kind of man.
The entire chain of events sounded absurd. But precisely because Rayleigh understood both Garp and Roger, he instead felt that it did have some credibility.
Still, these were words coming from an enemy, so Rayleigh remained doubtful.
"The mouth is on your face, not mine."
Ren pointed out the key point.
"This agreement has no notarization, nor does it have any actual binding force.
"When it comes to an incident involving the Celestial Dragons, even I, a Warlord of the Sea, would be suspected if there were even the slightest hint of doubt, wouldn't I?
"After all, the previous two Warlords were both audacious fellows."
Mm.
He was talking about Crocodile and Doflamingo, the two bastards who had ruined the reputation of the Warlords of the Sea!
"…"
Rayleigh's expression did not change, but inside, his mind was already in turmoil.
He was not stupid. After his opponent had voluntarily handed him a whole string of information, he could instead see through a portion of the other party's intentions.
This auction house incident had absolutely been planned by the other party, and it was a grand plan aimed at multiple targets at once.
Aside from Luffy's group, everyone else was probably within Ren's hunting range.
Law, Kid, Killer, and even Rayleigh himself.
Only their levels of importance differed. Law was likely useful to him. Kid and Killer were people he had killed off in passing.
As for Rayleigh himself, he was simply the main target.
After denying that he intended to take action, Ren had even proposed an agreement to restrain Rayleigh and preserve the secret.
Was his goal to throw the blame onto Luffy and the others?
So that was why he let them go—no.
Not entirely. Something like that would reveal problems after just a little investigation.
Was he trying to buy time in the short term?
In other words, the other party did not want to fight. He wanted to use this incident to accomplish something major.
This matter was related to the Celestial Dragons, and the timing was extremely tight.
And he needed to use Rayleigh to achieve some kind of goal. Yet the topic he brought up just happened to be this…
"The Marines' movements around Sabaody Archipelago have been abnormal lately. Their forces have been weakened by a great deal. That has something to do with this Ace you mentioned, doesn't it?"
Rayleigh suddenly spoke.
"…Living a long life really does have its advantages."
Ren shrugged.
"Do you want to confirm the agreement?"
"If you want to do something, then you must ensure that my side acts according to your plan.
"Thinking about it that way, perhaps Ace's existence really is true."
Rayleigh did not answer the question directly.
"What a cunning old man."
Ren chuckled lightly.
"The moment you hear what comes next, the agreement is signed, old man.
"That son of the Pirate King survived to adulthood because of Garp, and he knows his own background. For the sake of certain things, he went out to sea and became a pirate.
"If you have paid attention to the news, then around five years ago should have been the time when he began to shine.
"As for what happened afterward… he joined the Whitebeard Pirates and confessed his origins to Whitebeard.
"But in the end, Whitebeard merely gained another son. Right, his full name is Portgas D. Ace.
"The military movements on Sabaody Archipelago are indeed related to him. After all, the Marines are preparing to fight a large-scale war.
"It isn't just their troops. Elite soldiers from the Four Blues' branches, including the three Admirals, Garp, and others, have all been summoned to Headquarters.
"For the sake of… exterminating the most wicked bloodline.
"If nothing unexpected happens, you should be able to see the newspaper today."
As he spoke, Kuma began to move.
He opened a hole above the auction house.
Then, one after another, he packaged Saint Charlos and Saint Shalria and sent them off by express delivery.
But he left behind their father, Saint Rosward.
After that, he recovered the dying Kid and Killer, as well as Law, who had fallen unconscious.
Packaged. Delivered.
The former two were sent to Kuja. The latter was sent to Punk Hazard.
Finally came the auction house guards and slaves. Whether they were giants, peerless dancers, maids, or Law's crewmates, all of them were packaged and delivered away.
The former destination was Kuja. The latter was Revolutionary Army territory.
"You're a smart man, Rayleigh. I have my purpose, but the importance of Roger's son… hehe.
"Even if you're being used, you'll have no choice but to grit your teeth and accept it, won't you?"
Ren spoke as if victory was already in his grasp, certain of the future Rayleigh would inevitably choose.
"Next, I still have to pay Whitebeard a visit, so I won't keep you company any longer."
As soon as the words fell, his figure vanished.
Like a gust of wind, his arrival had gone unnoticed, and his departure left no trace.
Immediately after, Kuma also left the auction house.
He still had one last thing to do.
"…Hah."
Rayleigh froze there for quite a while, his heart already in utter turmoil.
Just who in the world was this guy?
Why did he know so much?
Demon Ren…
"Forget it. First, I'll go find Luffy and the others, and let that straw hat be passed on."
Rayleigh did not remain conflicted for too long before he began to move.
As for that agreement, he had no intention of violating it.
If the matter with Ace was false, that would be one thing. Violating it could be considered a warning blow from him.
But… if it was true, that would be another matter entirely.
No matter what the other party wanted to do, Marine Headquarters' stance would not change. It was impossible for them to allow Roger's bloodline to survive.
In that case, the existence of an enemy capable of targeting the World Government was also a good thing for Rayleigh.
At least regarding the disappearance of the Celestial Dragons, the World Government would inevitably have a massive amount of its energy tied up.
The only thing Rayleigh had not expected was this.
The moment he stepped out of the auction house, he saw that newspaper.
[Public Execution of Ace, Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates!]
At that moment, pirates and civilians throughout Sabaody Archipelago were in an uproar over it. Most people were in a state of panic and unease.
Rayleigh obtained a newspaper. After reading its contents, he instantly realized the problem.
'It's very likely true!'
If there were not some factor that made this absolutely necessary, the Marines would never deal with Whitebeard at a time like this.
As a wise strategist, Sengoku could not possibly fail to understand.
Edward Newgate might be old and declining, but the other three Emperors were all in their prime!
Compared to the risk of the Four Emperors banding together, the fame gained from cutting down one Emperor was nothing.
The best choice would have been to act after Whitebeard died of old age.
The Marines' grand strategy had already been spread all the way into the New World. The Four Emperors had existed for decades. They did not lack this little bit of time.
But if Ace's lineage was added into the equation, everything changed.
If Ace were allowed to leave alive without triggering a great war, then after Whitebeard died…
As Roger's son, as long as Ace could prove his background and origins, then if he raised his arm and called out, the remaining forces of the Four Emperors would instantly swell to a terrifying degree.
This was not some fantasy. It was an inevitability brought about by the Pirate King's prestige!
If Rayleigh were Sengoku… then he really would not be able to sleep peacefully.
The other Emperors would not be willing to see that scene appear either…
"Damn it!"
Rayleigh rarely lost his composure enough to curse. He felt as if someone had thrown an extremely troublesome bomb into his hands.
And it was impossible for him to ignore it. If Ace really was Roger's son, then even if he had to throw away his old life, he would have to go!
As for how to confirm it, if nothing unexpected happened, the Marines themselves would announce it.
Otherwise, there would be no need for a public execution!
He had to gather those old fellows!
Boom—!
A dazzling laser swept across the town. Then, a great explosion erupted at the harbor, its thunderous roar raising the curtain on the great battle of Sabaody Archipelago.
During the brief delay earlier, Saint Rosward had been rescued by the Marines who rushed over.
However, with the other two Celestial Dragons missing, Kizaru, who had come over, appeared on Sabaody Archipelago ahead of schedule.
With merely one kick, the laser released from his foot blasted apart a mangrove tree so massive that hundreds of people could not have encircled it hand in hand.
The mangrove tree marked Number 27 snapped from the middle and toppled. To the people below, it seemed as if the sky itself was collapsing.
Under this double blow, more than half of the pirates in this area were directly wiped out.
"Hey, can you hear me?"
Kizaru held a Black Den Den Mushi Wristwatch. From within the wristwatch, there came no reply at all.
He withdrew his foot with a puzzled look, his eyes glancing to the side.
"How strange. Why isn't anyone answering?"
"Because that is a wiretapping Den Den Mushi."
Someone answered like that.
"I see. This old man really is getting more and more muddled. Otherwise… how could I be seeing you here?"
Kizaru lowered his hand, his gaze falling on the man who walked out from the corner.
"Monkey D. Dragon. Why are you here?
"The attack on the Celestial Dragons, and the kidnapping of two of them—was that the work of your Revolutionary Army?"
"If we want to overthrow you people, how can we do nothing at all?"
Dragon smiled coldly.
"Borsalino, stop here. I won't let you advance any farther."
"How truly… arrogant."
Kizaru pulled both hands apart, and a long laser sword grew into existence.
"Then let me see just how much progress you've made over the years!"
(End of Chapter)