At this, Moria's eyes widened in surprise. "He's a Shichibukai too?"
Onigumo merely shot him a cold glance and ignored him, as though Gecko Moria were nothing more than an annoying fly.
In fact, Moria's image in his mind was hardly any better than that of a fly.
If Moria had not formally requested Marine aid as a Shichibukai, Onigumo would never have come to save scum like him.
But since this "ally" had formally requested help, Onigumo had to fulfill his duty as a Marine officer.
After a moment of thought, Onigumo said to Garen with a grave expression:
"Gecko Moria is a Shichibukai recognized by the World Government. I hope you will spare his life."
Garen merely found it amusing and asked Onigumo:
"Moria's crimes over the past few days can be found just by flipping through the newspapers. Are you really going to protect pirate scum like him?"
"Yes."
Onigumo answered without changing expression.
Though he despised Gecko Moria, Onigumo still spoke without hesitation from the World Government's perspective:
"As long as they do not harm the interests of the World Government and its allied nations, the Shichibukai may exercise their legal right to plunder."
"The same applies to you."
"Hmph!"
Garen snorted coldly and said disdainfully:
"I am not a pirate. Please do not lump me together with that kind of trash drifting on the sea."
"A legal right to plunder? Is that absurd notion something Marines who represent justice can accept?"
Onigumo's pupils contracted slightly, and there was a hint of surprise in his gaze toward Garen:
Before coming here, Onigumo had heard that this newly appointed Shichibukai was different from the others—a righteous man even Marine hero Garp thought highly of.
Now that he heard Garen disdain even the legal right to plunder, the