"Oh?"
Issho paused in surprise upon hearing El's words. "Do you speak truly, Lord El?"
"Ha ha ha… Of course!" El nodded without hesitation. To win over such a powerful fighter, he knew concessions had to be made.
After all, if Issho had joined the Marines instead, he would have risen all the way to the rank of Admiral.
This trip to Sabaody Archipelago had proven to be a resounding success for El. Shutting down the auction house was but a minor matter; gaining Issho's allegiance and bringing him into the crew was a far greater reward.
The El Pirates already had no shortage of skilled fighters, but there was no such thing as having too many warriors of the highest caliber.
Donquixote Doflamingo could not help but let out a faint, bitter smile.
Though he had known from the start that the captain intended to recruit Issho, it still stung a little to see someone far stronger than himself brought into the crew.
With Issho now on board, it would only become more difficult for Doflamingo to advance his own standing within the organization.
"Congratulations!" Doflamingo stepped forward. "Mr. Issho, from now on, we are all comrades!"
Doflamingo was nothing if not adaptable—able to speak one way to one person and another way to someone else.
Only moments earlier, he had been fighting Issho with the intent to kill; now, with Issho accepted into the crew, he moved immediately to smooth things over and build rapport.
After all, aside from Captain El himself, Doflamingo would likely be the one working most closely with Issho in the days ahead.
Sometimes misfortune could turn into opportunity, and sometimes conflict could forge bonds.
As the saying went: you only truly get to know someone after crossing swords with them.
Regardless of how it happened, Issho was now officially part of the El Pirates.
While this might affect his own position within the crew, Doflamingo could not show any dissatisfaction—after all, the crew had grown stronger, and their captain was clearly pleased.
Issho, however, did not look favorably upon Doflamingo—a former warlord and already a senior figure in the organization. This was entirely due to Issho's unyielding sense of justice.
He believed the crimes committed by Doflamingo and the old Donquixote Family were far too many to be forgotten. Even their status as former Warlords of the Sea could not erase their misdeeds.
Though Issho had never served in the government or military himself, he was well aware of the Donquixote Family's reputation across the Grand Line.
Such powerful pirates, even when granted immunity through the Warlord system, rarely changed their ways.
Having once burned, looted, and killed freely, they only grew bolder once their actions became "legal."
The entire system of the Seven Warlords was nothing more than a tool used by the World Government and the Marines to pit pirates against one another.
Back in the early days of the Great Pirate Era, powerful pirate crews had cast a long shadow over the Grand Line.
In remote regions, their influence often outweighed that of the World Government and Marines themselves.
For a long time, Issho had hoped to change this state of affairs, with one of his main goals being the abolition of the corrupt Warlord system.
But now it seemed unlikely that he could achieve this through the existing authorities.
Instead, he had found himself aboard the flagship of the El Pirates—and getting off this ship would not be so easy.
To be honest, once he had realized who he was fighting, Issho had already begun to consider how best to move forward. Joining the El Pirates was actually a promising turn of events.
The crew's reputation in the New World already rivaled that of the Four Emperors, and in some respects, it even surpassed them.
Achieving his ideals through such a powerful organization might not be impossible. If handled well, it could even prove faster and more effective than relying on the World Government or Marines.
"Come along then—now that you have joined us, we are all comrades!"
Having settled the matter of the auction house, El planned to first give Issho a proper welcome.
This man was destined to become a pillar of the crew, and few within the El Pirates could claim to be clearly stronger than him. Such a valuable asset needed to be properly won over.
Though El himself stood far above everyone else in terms of power, he could not possibly handle every single matter, great or small, personally—even a man with three heads and six arms would be overwhelmed.
Having strong and capable allies was therefore essential. And Issho was a perfect example.
El, Issho, Doflamingo, and the Pirate Empress Boa Hancock made their way to Shakky's Bar to rest and relax.
Bringing another top-tier fighter into their ranks was certainly something worth celebrating.
Doflamingo, having fought Issho only recently, knew exactly how formidable he was. With few in the crew stronger than Issho, it would not be long before this blind swordsman rose to a position higher than his own.
Hancock, on the other hand, paid him little special attention. After all, he was not a woman—and besides, he could not even see her.
"Here we are! As they say, there is no better way to get acquainted than through a fight!" El announced cheerfully. "From now on, Mr. Issho is one of us!"
This was a personal invitation from El himself—an honor very few in the entire crew ever received.
"I am unworthy of such kindness," Issho replied humbly.
In truth, the terms and conditions El had offered him were more than satisfactory. There were no strict rules or oppressive demands; instead, he had been given considerable authority right from the start.
And this was exactly what Issho needed to carry out his own plans. With the vast territories under the El Pirates' control, he finally had the space to put his ideals into practice.
It was a true win-win arrangement. Furthermore, unlike the Kuja Pirates, who remained only allies, Issho had joined the crew fully—bringing a level of strength and commitment that went far beyond a mere partnership.
As the group sat drinking and discussing matters to get to know one another better, the atmosphere was pleasant and relaxed. But then, a commotion erupted from the other side of the bar.
This was, after all, a tavern on the Sabaody Archipelago—a place where all kinds of people gathered, from the noble to the criminal.
Such disturbances were only to be expected. And now, it seemed, El and his companions had found themselves right in the middle of one.
The Sabaody Archipelago was a bustling and prosperous port city, after all.
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