Zoro vs. T Bone, the Cross Guild Exposed
Somewhere in the Grand Line, aboard the Thousand Sunny.
"Hey! The first Jianying video is actually about us? We're doomed!" Staring at the last lines of text that had appeared on the screen, the cowardly trio of Nami, Usopp, and Chopper clung to one another in terror. "The World Government will definitely have its eyes on us! Ah! Wait, we're already wanted criminals!"
"The meaning of a crewmate, huh? Hehe, what a fitting title!" A trace of emotion appeared in Robin's eyes as she smiled.
"Yohohoho! I finally get to see some of Luffy-san and the others' earlier adventures!" Brook said excitedly.
"The first Jianying video is about us? That's super cool!" Franky struck a pose and said proudly, "We're sure to look great on camera."
"On camera? Then even more ladies will see my charming figure and fall in love with me!" Hearts appeared in Sanji's eyes as he fantasized.
"Enies Lobby, huh?" Zoro touched Shusui at his waist, a trace of reminiscence flashing in his eyes.
"Shishishi, Enies Lobby, huh? I wonder how the monster granny from Water 7, Uncle Iceburg, and the others have been lately?" Luffy said, sitting on the lion seat with a nostalgic look.
Under the gaze of the world, the screen above the sky flickered, and then a rumbling "clack-clack, clack-clack..." rang out.
A fearsome-looking Sea Train was racing forward at tremendous speed.
On the sea around it, Sea Kings sliced in half drifted past from time to time.
Zoro, a green bandanna tied around his head, stood at the very front of the Sea Train, staring warily at the dark sea ahead as though something were waiting for him there.
The next moment, a tall, gaunt-faced man with a greatsword on his back appeared on the tracks in the Sea Train's path.
An introduction appeared beneath him: Marine Headquarters Colonel, Ship Cutter—T Bone.
"I'll only say this once. Get out of the way!" Zoro shouted at him.
T Bone did not listen. Instead, he reached back and drew the greatsword from his back, shouting, "This is the road to justice! I'm a Marine Headquarters Colonel, and I can't bring shame on the Marines. I'll stop you here and chop you in half!"
"No can do. Our destination is behind you." Zoro drew the three swords at his waist and held Wado Ichimonji between his teeth.
"Then come on!" T Bone roared, gripping his greatsword tightly as he charged straight at the Sea Train.
Seeing this, Zoro bent forward slightly and said in a low voice, "Three-Sword Style: Ox Demon..."
Swish!
The next second, he leaped down from the front of the train to meet T Bone.
T Bone immediately swung his greatsword and slashed. "I hate crooked sword techniques more than anything! Right-Angle Bird: Penn Big Bird!"
Boom!
A bird-head-shaped slash flew from his greatsword toward Zoro.
The slash repeatedly changed direction in midair, trying to throw off Zoro's judgment.
But Zoro saw through it at a glance. He sidestepped the bird-head slash at the front and cut the rest of the attack in half across the middle.
"Oh no, he saw through it!" A trace of panic flashed across T Bone's face. Even so, he did not retreat a single step, swinging his greatsword at Zoro, who had already reached him.
But he was a step too late. Zoro knocked the greatsword aside with one blade, then thrust another sword at him, murmuring, "Brave Claw."
Boom!
Zoro's sword pierced T Bone, and the greatsword in his hand was cut in two as well.
T Bone immediately flew backward like a kite with its string cut, grazing the side of the Sea Train before falling into the sea.
The Sea Train continued racing forward along the track he had blocked, while thunderous cheers erupted from inside.
Before the Sea Train could hit him, Zoro jumped sideways onto it, gripping its side with one hand and pulling the green bandanna from his head with the other. He turned to look at T Bone, who had been left behind, lying on the surface of the sea. "Although the justice you carry is a heavy burden, we have beliefs we stand by too."
As Zoro finished speaking, text appeared on the screen: "Marine Headquarters Colonel, Ship Cutter—T Bone vs. Straw Hat Pirates crew member, Pirate Hunter—Roronoa Zoro."
"Winner: Roronoa Zoro."
"Question: Colonel T Bone did not die in this battle, but in the future, he will die at the hands of the Cross Guild, an organization founded by one of the Four Emperors. Which of the Four Emperors founded this organization?"
"During the question period, this system will temporarily make the comment mode available for free to collect everyone's answers. (Note: Each person may send only one comment. This system will charge the usual comment fee for any additional comments.) Duration: two minutes."
"After two minutes, this system will reveal some information about the Cross Guild and give a mysterious reward to those who answer correctly. Begin."
{Emperor Kaido.}
{Emperor Big Mom.}
{Emperor Whitebeard.}
{Emperor Red-Haired Shanks.}
{Senior Straw Hat Luffy.}
{Emperor Whitebeard.}
{...}
{...}
As the last of the system's text disappeared, the entire screen was instantly flooded with the names of the current Four Emperors, along with a scattering of other famous pirates' names.
As a result, the content shown in the Jianying video went unnoticed for a time.
Meanwhile, Luffy and the others had arrived safely at Enies Lobby.
At the same time, the system's words also drew the attention of various powers around the world.
The Holy Land, Mary Geoise, inside the Fleet Admiral's Office.
"The Cross Guild? An organization founded by one of the Four Emperors, no less. That's certainly appealing enough! It will surely become a serious threat to the Marines in the future. I just don't know which Emperor founded it."
Sengoku sat in the head seat, clutching his head with a pained expression. Ever since this so-called God from Beyond the Domain had appeared, he had not had a moment's peace.
Now the Cross Guild had been revealed as well, and he became even more tense. After all, judging by the little information about the Cross Guild disclosed in the system's words, this organization would undoubtedly be one of those the Marines needed to pay particular attention to in the future.
It was not that he did not care about T Bone's future death, but that was a secondary matter. Besides, Marines frequently died at pirates' hands, and as a veteran of countless battles, he had long since grown accustomed to it.
Not to mention, this would happen in the future. Now that it had been revealed in advance, it might even be a good thing for T Bone, since he could find a way to avoid it.
"Which Emperor founded it isn't the main issue right now. What I'm afraid of is that several of the Four Emperors founded this organization together. If that's really the case, it could become quite troublesome, like a certain pirate crew from many years ago!" Tsuru said worriedly from across the table.
"You mean... like the Rocks Pirates? Or rather, that the Rocks Pirates will be revived by two or three of Kaido, Whitebeard, and Big Mom," Sengoku said, following Tsuru's train of thought.
"Hahaha, don't be ridiculous, Tsuru, Sengoku!" Garp laughed from the sofa as he ate the rice crackers he had swiped from Sengoku. "It's not like you don't know how bad the relationship is between Whitebeard and the other remnants of the Rocks Pirates. How could the Rocks Pirates possibly be revived by them?"
"The Rocks Pirates could appear in the past, but they definitely won't appear in the present or the future. Besides, what are you two worrying yourselves sick over? Cross Guild, Hundred-Cross Guild, whatever it is, as long as we Marines make sufficient preparations, won't we be able to deal with it?"
"Now that the so-called God from Beyond the Domain has revealed it, isn't that a good thing for us?"
Garp's words were like a revelation, instantly bringing Sengoku to his senses. If he had not been Fleet Admiral and burdened by such a heavy sense of responsibility, he would have realized all this long ago.
A faint smile appeared on Sengoku's face as he said to Garp, "Garp, you bastard. You're usually unreliable, but what you say when it counts makes a lot of sense. That's right! No matter who founded this pirate guild, as long as we make sufficient preparations, we'll be able to deal with it."
At that, Sengoku felt considerably more at ease. He looked up at the giant screen above the sky, and for a moment, he felt differently about it. "It seems the appearance of this God from Beyond the Domain may not be entirely a bad thing for us after all!"