https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-578-The-King-s-Mercy-is-Also-Oppression/13080748/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-580-From-the-East-Blue-Windmill-Village-to-the-New-World-s-Hive-Island/13080750/
Chapter 579: The Cross Guild! The New Four Emperors!
Chapter 579: The Cross Guild! The New Four Emperors!
As Lily cleansed Wano, several major events also occurred in the vast ocean.
First and foremost, the aftermath of the Shichibukai's abolition.
Kalai Bali Island.
The headquarters of the former Shichibukai, 'Thousand-Pound Clown' Buggy, was now surrounded by the Navy.
"Why are the Navy here? We're supposed to be allies!" Buggy shouted towards the sea from the second floor of a tent-like structure, completely unaware of the situation.
"That's no longer the case!"
From one of the warships, Navy Vice Admiral Styris held a megaphone and yelled, "After a lengthy meeting at the World Conference, it has been decided to abolish the Shichibukai system entirely. Therefore, the Shichibukai have automatically been stripped of all their authority, which means..."
"Buggy! You're now just an ordinary pirate!" Styris shouted.
"Hey! You guys are so despicable!" Buggy's temples bulged with anger, "How can they just abolish it without consulting us? Don't they have any sense of honor?"
"We're pirates, Captain Buggy."
From behind, Mr. 3 whispered, "If we're talking about despicable, we're probably the more despicable ones."
"Shut up!"
Buggy glared at Mr. 3, then turned to look at the Navy ships surrounding half of the coastline. He took a deep breath, turned around, and opened the massive cloak draped over him. His figure towered over half the sky, causing the gathered pirates to instinctively look up.
"You little ones are just a bunch of Navy soldiers. I am a Shichibukai, feared by the World Government and personally invited by them! They've broken their alliance, and now they think they can push me around? They underestimate me!"
Buggy spread his hands and roared, "It's impossible for us to surrender just because of the Navy. Let me see your determination!"
"Oh!! Buggy-sama!!"
The pirates raised their weapons and shouted, each of them rushing out with excitement to challenge the Navy.
However...
"We can't hold them back, Buggy!"
Mr. 3 returned after a few minutes, shouting, "Their firepower is too strong, and they outnumber us!"
The cannons on the warships weren't for show. Even though they could withstand a small portion of the attack, the enemy had more soldiers. Initially, they managed to hold on, but as time passed, a breach was created, and they couldn't hold out any longer.
"Damn it! We're too few! Most of our men are out on missions!" Buggy clenched his teeth.
His pirate crew was quite capable and not the kind that would crumble at the first sign of trouble. They were willing to risk their lives in battle.
But their firepower and numbers couldn't match the enemy's.
"Retreat!"
Buggy had already planned to retreat and had nothing to hide from his men. "Go get Alvida and the others; let's get out of here."
"We can't leave."
Mr. 3 said, "Our men are surrounding the outside as well. They're counting on you to lead the charge and bring them victory."
Buggy pointed at himself, glanced at the numerous warships outside unleashing a barrage of attacks, and blinked. Mucus dripped from his red nose, "Me?"
What could he do?
He was skilled in treasure hunting.
While he was somewhat capable in combat, defeating such a large number of warships was completely out of the question.
But now, they couldn't escape.
Boom!
A cannonball exploded into the second-floor building, and the intense blast and shockwave ruffled their hair and clothes.
"Never mind!"
"Escaping with our lives is the priority! We'll deal with the rest later!" Buggy shouted.
He leaped out of the building, intending to change direction, but at that moment, the surrounding warships stirred up a sandstorm, enveloping the entire fleet and blowing them away.
Amidst the sandstorm, a man with a golden hook on his left hand, wearing a checkered shirt and a stylish overcoat, with an elegant pompadour, stood tall and proud, smoking a cigar.
"Crocodile!"
"It's Crocodile!"
"As I thought! I heard Crocodile and Buggy-sama were close. He must have come to join us!"
The pirates' eyes lit up with excitement.
"Croc, Crocodile..." Buggy was startled, and his face immediately turned grim.
"Buggy."
Crocodile glanced around, gesturing for him to re-enter the building, and then his entire body turned into a cloud of sand and drifted into the building.
Behind him was the hastily arriving Mr. 1, Daz Bonez.
"Where's my money, Buggy?"
As soon as Crocodile entered the second floor, he solidified his body and said, "It's time to pay up."
Sure enough, his arrival meant trouble.
"Where's the money now? We expanded too quickly, and all the funds were spent on weapons and recruiting. Even the food expenses are sky-high. You know, the Giant Tribe has also joined Sage, and it's a critical time," Buggy hurriedly explained.
At the mention of Sage's name, Crocodile's eyes twitched.
He raised his golden hook, "If there's no money, then I'll sell you. Your reputation should be worth a few hundred million Belly."
"We were partners in escaping prison, don't say such scary things. Give me some more time, I'll definitely pay you back once I get the money." Baggy said.
"That's exactly why I lent you the money. Do you know that I still owe money in Sag? Anyway, I need that money to start a new company. If you don't pay me back, let's settle this now!" Crocodile's face turned grim.
He still owed money to Sage!
This was already embarrassing enough. Most of that money was invested in Baggy, and he thought he could make a fortune when Baggy's business was booming.
If he couldn't get the money back from Baggy, and Sage found out, he could imagine the ridicule he would face.
Baggy not paying him back would be a humiliation!
"Start a new company?"
Baggy's eyes lit up, and his wide cloak immediately stood up. He spread his arms and said, "Then count me in! Let me be your servant! I can work off the debt. Our Baggy Express can be used for the new company!"
He exclaimed, "Transportation! Warehousing! Mercenaries! Printing! Advertising! Housekeeping! Cleaning! Greenery! We can do it all, and we have all kinds of talented people!"
The saying goes, there are no born pirates, only those who switch careers from various industries.
Perfect for settling the debt!
Anyway, he didn't have the money to pay back.
"Baggy Express?"
Crocodile thought for a moment and nodded, "Alright, in that case, we won't need to look for additional manpower for the new company. Let's do it this way."
As for the debt to Sage...
He would figure it out later.
...
In the Grand Line, on an island with a gloomy castle, there were remnants of warships everywhere, and the island was littered with sliced Navy corpses.
"It's been a while since I've felt this tense."
Inside the castle, Mihawk packed his belongings and laughed as he was about to leave.
"Bururu bururu bururu..."
At that moment, the Den Den Mushi rang, and he picked up the receiver and placed it on the table. The Den Den Mushi displayed an arrogant face with a cigar in its mouth.
"Ha, ha, ha, ha."
The rhythmic laughter caused Mihawk to glance at the Den Den Mushi. "Crocodile, what's the matter? I don't have time for small talk. The Navy has surrounded my island, and they'll probably send reinforcements soon."
"Only in times like these is the Navy the fastest to act."
The Den Den Mushi laughed and said, "Then I'll be direct. Do you want to come to my side?"
"Hmm?"
Mihawk paused.
"I plan to start a new company, and I'm inviting you to join. After all, you were once known as the 'Navy Hunter'. With our names together, the Navy wouldn't dare to deploy easily. Most importantly, we share the same distrust in people. The team is already organized; we just need someone famous like you."
"Oh?"
Mihawk thought for a moment and said, "If I remember correctly, aren't you a partner of Calamity? If I join, it won't be enough for you to invite me to join the Calamity Pirates. With your invitation alone, it won't be enough."
Recently, there had been too many major events. Apart from the Seven Warlords, the news of Sage defeating Kaido had also spread across the world. In this situation, Mihawk couldn't help but consider his future plans.
There was no longer a choice to stay in one place; he had no interest in relying on others.
Unless necessary, he didn't want to get involved with Calamity.
"I don't have that intention. I have my own path. That Sage guy can't control me. It's just some business dealings."
The Den Den Mushi spoke in a deep voice, "My new business is connected to the underground world. Are you interested?"
Don't miss out!
"Interesting."
A smile appeared on Mihawk's lips, "Alright, I'm free anyway, so I'll go and take a look."
"Ha, ha, ha, ha, I'll be waiting for you then."
Crocodile hung up the phone and leaned back on the sofa, exhaling smoke, "With this, everything is conditional."
"That's fantastic!"
Baggy, like a servant, rubbed his hands and flattered, "With the addition of that guy Hawk-Eye, our organization... no, your organization, will surely shine! What's this? I heard from the phone call that you have business dealings with my good brother?"
"Good brother?"
Crocodile gave him a sideways glance, "Your good brother didn't show any mercy last time. Also, it's not that I have business dealings, it's you. The weapons I gave you were all obtained from him. But now, I have a new idea. This business can continue, but more importantly, we need investors."
"Continue your business, but for the headquarters, remember to relocate at any time. We can't stay here; we need to go to the New World's second half."
"Huh? Why go to the second half?" Baggy asked in confusion, "With you and Hawk-Eye, the Navy won't dare to come easily. If we withdraw directly, it will affect the morale of our subordinates."
Crocodile glanced at him and exhaled smoke. He took out a bounty poster and a stack of newspapers.
"Don't you read the news? Sage defeated Kaido."
"I know, my good brother is so powerful!" Bakey gave a thumbs-up, "He even beat Kaido!"
"The next step is to sweep through all the pirates in his territory. Even if this island has nothing, he won't let anyone stay. I know him, and those who disrupt his plans never end well."
Crocodile said, "Moreover, we need to relocate because the upcoming events will definitely pose a threat to the Navy. In the underground world, there are many who resent the World Government. In that case, the Navy can offer bounties on us, and we can do the same to them!"
The most important thing is to find someone to fund us.
Sage's money will be repaid!
"Then, the name of the new organization is..."
...
"Cross Guild?"
Ohara.
After a busy period, Sage finally returned to his loyal territory. After his daily training and imprinting a few newly acquired ordinary historical texts, he took a shower and was enjoying a drink when Lily came to report.
He looked at a colorful magazine, which depicted two crossed swords, dividing the page into three sections with three familiar figures.
Leading the group was Bakey, with Mr. 3 on the left and Hawkeye on the right. Below them was a string of text that Sage couldn't understand.
"Yes, led by Crocodile, 'Hawkeye' Mihawk has joined, along with Bakey's subordinates, forming a new force that has become renowned across the seas during our cleanup of Wano."
Lily took out four bounty posters, "These are their new bounties, and this guy here."
Sage didn't recognize the writing, but he knew the names and could read the numbers.
On the bounty posters, Crocodile's bounty was 1,965,000,000 Belly.
Mihawk's bounty was 3,590,000,000 Belly.
Bakey's bounty was 3,189,000,000 Belly.
And another one.
Sage's gaze fell on the photo of a man with hair as white as flames, covering his eyes with a strange laugh.
Monkey D. Luffy, with a bounty of 3,000,000,000 Belly.
"I wonder what's the reason for Straw Hat Luffy's increased bounty, perhaps it's related to his encounter with you."
Lily furrowed her brows, "I'm not surprised by his bounty, but I'm curious about the 'New Four Emperors' title."
Big Mom's defeat led to Teach becoming one of the Four Emperors.
And with Kaido's death, naturally, another great pirate would take the position.
"Bakey."
Lily asked in confusion, "I can't quite understand."
The New Four Emperors.
'Catastrophe' Norton Sage.
'Red-Haired' Shanks.
'Blackbeard' Marshall D. Teach.
'Thousand-Pound Clown' Bakey.
Bakey
When Lily received this news, she was also in a daze for a long time.
Bakey was indeed powerful, a fact acknowledged by the Calamity Pirates' executives, as he could lure Sage into a trap.
But how did he become one of the Four Emperors right under Crocodile and Mihawk's noses?
Did he just apologize and make jokes?
Sage fought tooth and nail, relying on his undefeated record against three of the Four Emperors to achieve the greatness of a Sea Emperor.
"Oh? It's not Straw Hat?"
Sage held up Luffy's bounty poster and laughed, "Didn't he meet the bounty requirement?"
"Straw Hat Luffy? He's the top contender, inheriting the 'Fifth Emperor' title you and Teach once held."
Lily explained, "But he doesn't have a territory or enough crew members; he might not yet qualify to be a Yonko."
Two years ago, when they were establishing their territories, Sage was known as the 'Fifth Emperor'. After he became a Yonko, Teach inherited the title, and now it's Straw Hat Luffy.
They all had the reputation, but they lacked that final piece to seal the deal.
Territory, crew, and strength—a single standout factor isn't enough.
"Bakey, he's actually a Yonko, how interesting! He's so lucky. What are Mr. 3 and Hawkeye thinking? Are they humiliated? Haha, he's my good brother; I should congratulate him. When can we invite him over to fish again?"
Sage tossed the bounty poster aside, took out a cigar, and leaned back in his throne, exhaling smoke contentedly. "Does Mr. 3 still owe me money? What about our business dealings?"
"No, they're still importing from us."
Lily added, "However, their headquarters happen to be located right in the middle of the first half of the New World, not far from Totto Land and Wano. What should we do? Should we go to war and drive them out?"
Sage's plan was to unify the first half, and he had just resolved the Wano issue. There were still many matters to attend to, and now there was a new obstacle in their path.
Bakey wasn't a concern, but Crocodile was tricky, and Hawkeye was even more so!
The World's Greatest Swordsman's reputation wasn't an empty boast.
"Get me on the phone; I'll ask them what they're up to."
Sage chuckled, "Cross Guild, not a bad bridgehead."
(End of Chapter)
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