To witness a battle between Vice Admiral Gion of the Marine Headquarters and Bacardi Maude here...
This was something Crocodile had not anticipated.
Originally, he had intended to return to Alabasta as soon as possible to continue his "Plundering the Kingdom" plan. However, the unfolding scene before him had piqued his interest.
After all, Maude was this year's most talked-about rookie and the newest member of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
He might as well observe for a while.
This was Crocodile's true thought.
Standing beside him, Robin, dressed in her usual concealing attire, wore a faint smile, yet deep within her eyes was a trace of regret.
Crocodile's arrival meant she had lost the opportunity to question Maude and seek her "answer."
Sighing inwardly, Robin silently watched the two figures locked in battle from a distance.
The fierce clash between Maude and Gion not only drew countless gazes but also disturbed the residents within the nearby structures.
Although they were accustomed to pirates causing trouble on the island, they had never experienced something like this—a colossal Yarukiman Mangrove being sliced apart in a single strike, collapsing with a thunderous roar, followed by an ear-shattering explosion that left their eardrums ringing.
Who is it this time?
Despite their reluctance to be caught in a disaster, the townsfolk couldn't help but speculate.
And the first name that surfaced in their minds was almost unanimously Bacardi Maude.
After all, every major disturbance on the island in recent days had been caused by him.
Most people, gripped by fear, hurriedly distanced themselves from the epicenter of chaos, hoping to avoid being caught in the storm.
However, many daring onlookers, hearing the massive crash of the collapsing mangrove, couldn't resist their curiosity and rushed to the scene. From afar, they caught a glimpse of the recent clash.
The sheer magnitude of the destruction left them breathless, their faces filled with shock and awe.
"Maude again?!"
"And the other one is... Vice Admiral Gion of the Marines!"
"These two monsters!"
"Wait... look over there!"
"Hmm?"
"Isn't that Crocodile, one of the Seven Warlords? What's he doing here?"
The mere presence of a Warlord was like a beacon in the dark, quickly drawing attention from the spectators.
They were astonished by Crocodile's presence.
But what stunned them even more...
"W-wait, it's not just Crocodile... it's also...!"
One person, as if witnessing something beyond belief, trembled as he spoke, unable to finish his sentence.
"Also who? Spit it out—"
Just as another spectator was about to mock his companion's stammering, his gaze locked onto a towering figure near the battlefield, and his own words caught in his throat.
"...Jinbe, the First Son of the Sea!"
"Tch, look at you losing your nerve. It's just a fish-man."
An old, seasoned slave trader scoffed upon recognizing Jinbe, showing a blatant sense of disdain.
"Just a fish-man? He's one of the Seven Warlords!"
"Oh? So what? At the end of the day, he's still just a filthy fish-man."
"..."
Jinbe, however, did not hear these derogatory remarks.
Even if he had, he likely would have ignored them.
Standing at the edge of the battlefield, Jinbe calmly observed Maude.
With both Crocodile and Jinbe present, the spectacle had become even more extraordinary in the eyes of the spectators.
To them, this was a once-in-a-lifetime scene.
Yet, the Warlords present were not just limited to two.
"Fufufu... Engaging in battle with Gion so soon after your appointment? What a unique way to celebrate, Bacardi Maude..."
Draped in his iconic pink feathered coat, hands tucked into his pockets, Donquixote Doflamingo sauntered toward the battlefield with an air of arrogance, his piercing gaze locked onto the ongoing battle between Maude and Gion.
As his gaze lingered on Maude, his fingers twitched involuntarily inside his pockets, and a chilling killing intent seeped forth.
This... was a perfect opportunity to eliminate Maude in the shadows.
Doflamingo felt the temptation rise, and his intent to kill became more apparent.
Suddenly—
Thud. Thud.
Heavy footsteps echoed behind him.
Until that moment, there had been no prior signs of movement, as if the person had appeared out of thin air.
Just from the sound of the footsteps, it was clear the newcomer was a massive individual.
For Doflamingo, however, the identity of the arrival was already evident the moment he heard the steps.
"Bartholomew Kuma..."
Tilting his head back, Doflamingo turned to look at the towering figure approaching from behind.
As expected, the person who arrived was none other than Kuma, the Tyrant.
Doflamingo slightly reined in his killing intent. His grin slowly faded, his expression growing colder.
"You're not the type to show up just to watch, Kuma."
Kuma stepped forward, his immense shadow casting over Doflamingo's signature sunglasses.
"Doflamingo, the thought you just had... is not an outcome the World Government desires."
Kuma's words were brief but pointed—he was referring to Doflamingo's murderous intent from moments ago.
"Fufufu..."
Just that one sentence was enough for Doflamingo to understand.
The higher-ups, eager to smooth over the Moria incident as quickly as possible, had even sent Kuma to keep an eye on the situation.
It was a testament to how seriously those old geezers were taking this matter.
Doflamingo chuckled coldly and sneered, "You really are a loyal lapdog, Bartholomew Kuma."
"..."
Kuma, having delivered his message, ignored Doflamingo's insult and silently turned his attention to the battlefield.
Meanwhile, the spectators who had gathered to watch, upon seeing not just one, but several of the Seven Warlords assembled, reacted as if they had just seen ghosts.
"Is this just a coincidence...?"
Someone muttered in disbelief.
No one could answer him.
But they all understood one thing—every Warlord present had their eyes set on the battle between Maude and Gion.
Why?
"Do these guys have nothing better to do? The meeting ended just yesterday, and now they're all here?"
Vice Admiral Chaton, having just finished neutralizing the threat posed by the collapsing Yarukiman Mangrove, rushed to the scene, only to immediately notice the Warlords gathered outside the battlefield.
Half of the Seven Warlords gathered in one place without a summons?
This realization caused Chaton to furrow his brows as he shifted his gaze back to Maude and Gion.
In the battle, Maude had met Gion's fierce strike head-on.
Unlike before, he was no longer completely suppressed by her overwhelming strength. Instead, he withdrew, disengaging from the clash.
"This ends here."
Though still within Gion's attack range, Maude showed no fear as he calmly sheathed his blade.
Just as Gion was about to press forward, the sudden sound of flapping wings echoed from above.
A small black bat swooped down and dropped an envelope toward Maude.
A messenger bat…
Gion's expression darkened.
Catching the envelope between his fingers, Maude didn't even need to open it to know its contents.
Gion likely understood as well.
Maude held the envelope between his fingers, lifting it to eye level as he said coolly,
"This was your last chance to take me down, but you failed to seize it."
As soon as he finished speaking, as if orchestrated by fate, newspapers rained down from the sky.
Bystanders, who had been mere spectators to the unfolding events, instinctively looked up at the fluttering sheets descending from above.
Curious, they picked up the newspapers that had landed on the ground.
The moment they unfolded them, their eyes were immediately drawn to the bold, striking headline printed in massive characters.
"The New Warlord of the Sea... Bacardi Maude?!"
The people reading the newspaper stared in wide-eyed shock.
Although they had already been awed by Maude's overwhelming strength, they never would have imagined that a mere rookie like him could claim the title of Warlord of the Sea!
Just days ago, he had only just solidified his reputation as the dark horse among the Supernovas—
And today, he had already ascended to the ranks of the Seven Warlords?
What kind of monster was this man?!
At that moment, they finally began to understand why all the Warlords had gathered here in the first place.
The newspapers announcing Maude's appointment as a Warlord continued to drift down like falling leaves.
Gion only needed a single glance at the falling pages to see the massive headline—one that, to her, was nothing short of a cruel irony.
But she refused to accept this!
Boom!
She stepped forward with force, launching herself at Maude once again, unwavering in her intent to strike.
Yet, Maude remained motionless, as if he were a lone rock standing firm against the raging tide.
Despite the fury and killing intent infused into Gion's attack, her sword, Konpira, never came within three meters of Maude.
Because someone had stepped in at the last moment to stop her reckless charge.
That person was Chaton.
With an imposing presence, he intercepted her with ease—stopping her blade with a single hand.
"That's enough," he said.
Chaton gripped Gion's sword arm firmly, restraining her.
The man who was usually all smiles now wore an expression of rare seriousness as he locked eyes with Maude.
And the words he had just spoken—
It was unclear whether they were meant for Gion or for Maude.
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