"Tomorrow morning, I will send a false report to Vice Admiral Doberman, claiming that we've spotted your tracks in the southern sea and are currently engaged in battle. I'll request his support and provide a possible escape route."
"This will prompt Vice Admiral Onigumo to lead a unit to intercept your escape route. Your job is to lure him to a designated location, ensuring he ends up alone. I will be lying in wait…"
"If the plan succeeds, not only will you recover your lost assets, but you'll also earn the five billion Beli I promised you, and you'll be able to rescue your captured subordinates." Rosen outlined the plan in brief.
If he called Onigumo, the one to move first would be Onigumo. If he contacted Doberman instead, then Doberman would be the one to respond first.
To prevent unexpected complications, they could create minor disturbances on the island to delay Onigumo's departure. It wouldn't take much effort—perhaps a broken ship blocking his path, causing a slight delay.
If everything went smoothly, even better.
This way, they could stagger the two vice admirals' departures, ensuring they would be separated. Once that happened, luring Onigumo into the trap would be easy.
There was no denying that Rosen's plan was tempting. With a Warlord of the Sea acting as an inside agent, the chances of success were incredibly high. The reward? Regaining lost funds and rescuing his crew.
However, one lingering doubt held Moris back—was this another trap? After all, he had already suffered a significant loss at Rosen's hands.
"Why do you want to kill Vice Admiral Onigumo? Given your position, targeting a vice admiral is extremely risky. If this goes wrong, your fate might be worse than mine. What is worth that risk?" Moris couldn't understand why Crocodile was so determined to eliminate this particular vice admiral.
From his perspective, there were plenty of benefits for himself, but for a Warlord of the Sea? There didn't seem to be any real advantage.
"He took one of my arms and put me in a difficult position. If I don't retaliate appropriately, what happens when Marine Headquarters or the World Government begins to see me as weak? Do you think I'll be able to hold on to my title as a Warlord?"
"Warlords gain their status through strength, not through submission or retreat. However, this must be done covertly. If I act openly, it will be seen as a direct provocation. That's why I need you—someone already drowning in Marine debts—to take part. Besides, blood must be repaid with blood."
"If we succeed, yes, you will face relentless Marine pursuit, but is that any different from your current situation? On the other hand, you'll make a name for yourself worldwide. Most importantly… I don't have a good temper." Rosen stated plainly.
Moriah was purged from the Warlord ranks because he was deemed too weak—one of many possible reasons.
Onigumo's actions had struck a nerve. If this was just personal, it would be one thing. But if Marine Headquarters was behind it, then this was more than speculation—it was a test of his strength.
If he did nothing after losing an arm, would the Marines and the World Government not push even further next time? He had to eliminate the risk before it escalated.
And part of it was for Daz Bones—Rosen made no excuses for avenging his own men. He always knew where to draw the line between friend and foe.
But if he didn't dispel Moris's concerns, their partnership would never take shape, no matter how tempting the plan was.
"Seems like being a Warlord isn't as easy as it sounds. But if that's the case, then I don't see any harm in it for me. The only problem is… how do I know you're not working with the Marines to set me up?" Moris voiced his final concern, his expression grave.
If they followed through with this plan, it would be a major operation—one that couldn't afford any mistakes.
"I can't prove it. This is a gamble. The question is, are you willing to take the bet? I could ask you the same—how do I know you won't sell me out to the Marines and turn this into a trap for me?" Rosen was indifferent. Every plan carried risks. No move was ever entirely foolproof.
That said, even if Moris did go to the Marines, it wouldn't help him much. The Marines wouldn't trust him. Still, Rosen acknowledged that Moris had every reason to be cautious.
"You're not just crazy—you're a gambler too. I like it. Fine, I'm in. But you do know what happens if you betray me, right?" Moris grinned, his expression laced with menace.
"Let's hope you understand the same," Rosen replied without hesitation.
Their alliance was fragile, but that was enough. Both were gambling—placing faith in the idea that the other wasn't planning a betrayal.
Rosen wasn't particularly worried about Moris snitching to the Marines, and Moris wasn't afraid of facing both a Warlord and Marine forces combined. After all, he planned to leave behind only a small portion of his crew, ensuring that if things went south, he could still escape.
"Now, let's finalize the details…"
That night, in the midst of the storm, an alliance to assassinate Vice Admiral Onigumo was formed.
On the way back, Rosen noticed Robin's peculiar gaze.
"Something on your mind?" he asked.
"Is this really worth it? If things go wrong, you'll lose your status as a Warlord," Robin said, unable to comprehend Rosen's reasoning. Directly opposing a Marine vice admiral? It was beyond reckless.
"You think the Marines truly see the Warlords as allies? Maybe you believe I'm just doing this to avenge Daz Bones. I won't deny that—I'm furious."
"But what concerns me more is the Marine response. If this was a test, then ignoring it would only make my future more difficult."
"Besides, don't ever rely on a title given by others. This system may not exist in a few years. Don't be shackled by it. What we need to focus on now is getting stronger. Strong enough that even if the Warlord system is abolished, we can still roam the seas freely."
Rosen wanted to make full use of his Warlord status for as long as possible.
But he also knew that, in a few years, the system would be abolished. When that day came, all former Warlords would face renewed Marine pursuit.
So, it wasn't worth placing too much faith in it. He had two years—two years to grow stronger. Strong enough that even the admirals wouldn't intimidate him.
So if he wanted to do something, he'd do it. No need to overthink.
"If I were the one injured today, would you do the same?" Robin suddenly asked, curious about how Rosen truly viewed them.
"I can't answer that," Rosen said, shaking his head. It would all depend on the situation.
Robin didn't ask any further, but oddly, she felt reassured. If Rosen had simply said "yes" or "no," she would have taken it as either a lie or an empty promise.
But his uncertainty meant he had at least considered the question.
For some reason, that made her feel at ease.
Back on the ship, Rosen looked at the mountain of newspapers Robin had collected. He called over the maids and a few meticulous female crew members.
He needed them to search for any news related to Trafalgar Law.
Robin also started looking. With her skills, she was practically an entire research team by herself—thorough and precise, unlikely to miss anything.
But she couldn't understand why Crocodile was looking for a pirate from the North Blue.
Did he know him?
From his uncertain tone and expression, it didn't seem like it. But if they weren't acquainted, why was he so sure there would be news about him?
She found it odd but continued searching diligently.
Rosen hadn't explained, because he wasn't sure himself. He wasn't certain Law was even in the Grand Line yet, let alone making headlines.
Still, it was worth trying. It wouldn't take much effort.
"Is this it? Trafalgar Law, from the North Blue. Currently in the Grand Line. There's a detailed report on him—he fought against a Marine base on Lantis Island and was issued a bounty. One hundred million."
That was good news.
But he already had a bounty of one hundred million?
By the time he reached Sabaody, it would be two hundred million.
(End of Chapter)
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