Join the Shichibukai, Austin

"Captain Roger...

...held a very grand funeral for himself."

The three walked down the street. Their pirate attire caused many citizens to avoid them.

However, Loguetown was already in a state of extreme congestion. No matter how much people tried to move aside, it was inevitable that someone would bump into them.

"Ouch!"

Austin, walking at the front, suddenly felt something bump into his leg.

He looked down and saw it was a child.

A kid with white hair.

He looked a bit familiar...

Austin squinted and stroked his chin.

Meanwhile, the kid who had bumped into Austin was sitting on the ground, clutching his head, tears welling up in his eyes.

A large, red bump had formed on his forehead, looking painful just to see.

He felt like he hadn't just bumped into a person, but a wall made of steel!

"Hey, kid, what's your name?"

Austin slowly bent down, looking at the clumsy little fellow.

"Who wants to tell you, pirate!"

Unexpectedly, this guy was stubborn. With a bump on his head, he dared to talk tough to such a tall figure.

"He's just a kid, let's go, Austin!" Buggy felt it was too time-consuming to talk to such an unlikeable child and urged him on.

"Okay, okay~" Austin replied softly.

Then, he smiled and, looking at the kid who was on high alert, gritting his teeth and glaring at him, extended a hand...

and slowly tapped the large bump on his forehead.

"Ah!!! It hurts, it hurts!!!"

The little guy instantly cried out in pain, clutching his head and rolling on the ground.

Austin's smile widened instantly as he walked forward with the other two.

"Well then, see you around, Smoker."

"You... how do you know my name...

Damn it, that hurts!!!!"

Seeing Austin's malicious behavior and the young Smoker with a large bump on his head, Shanks adjusted his straw hat.

There was a strange glint in his eyes. For a moment, he felt as if he were seeing himself from years ago.

"Austin, you haven't changed at all after all these years..."

"Just a joke."

Austin chuckled mischievously.

Meanwhile, at the execution plaza in Loguetown, people from all corners of the world had gathered. Whether they were rising pirate stars famous in the New World, budding revolutionaries, or local residents drawn by the fame, everyone formed a large circle, all facing the giant platform in the center of the plaza, waiting for a historic moment to arrive.

At this moment, in a corner of the plaza, "Brr, brr, brr..."

"Report, just as you predicted, traces of [Black Gun] have been found in Loguetown, and accompanying them are..."

The man in the suit holding the Den Den Mushi suddenly paused, his expression stiffening.

This made the person on the other end confused.

"And who else?"

The Den Den Mushi displayed a very serious face and questioned him.

However, the man in the suit no longer had the capacity to reply. He had just noticed that a very tall figure had cast a shadow over him on the wall in front of him, and cold sweat instantly covered his entire body.

"Um, were you just calling me?"

He turned around to see a handsome, smiling face bending down to look at him.

Although the smile was gentle, the man felt a chill run through his entire body, as if he couldn't feel the surrounding temperature.

"Sorry about that, my Observation Haki might be a bit too sensitive. If you call my name, I'll sense it~"

With a casual kick, he forcefully struck the man in the stomach. The man in the suit, who had been trying to pull out a weapon, went white, coughed up bile, and fainted.

Austin ignored him and instead picked up the Den Den Mushi he had dropped.

"Hello, hello, may I ask why you were investigating me?"

Looking at the obvious characteristic of the scarred forehead on the big man simulated by the Den Den Mushi, Austin's mouth curved up, forming an angle of great interest.

"...Five Elders--Lord Warcury."

Red Line, Holy Land--Mary Geoise, Chamber of Power.

Within this room symbolizing the highest authority of the World Government, five figures sat or stood.

All with serious expressions, they gazed at the Den Den Mushi in the center of the table.

Suddenly, the respectful and nervous expression that the Den Den Mushi had been mimicking abruptly changed.

The Den Den Mushi's eyes flashed with red light, replaced by a playful, cynical smiling face.

"[Black Gun] Dotol Austin... How did you learn our identities?"

Saint Warcury was the first to ask, his surprise evident.

"Well... perhaps I foresaw the future and heard your self-introduction," Austin fabricated casually.

It's always best to blame it on Observation Haki if I can't explain it.

Hearing this, after a brief moment of surprise, the five exchanged glances.

"Observation Haki... What a distant future!

So, get straight to the point. Our time is also very precious.

The World Government has been investigating your whereabouts and originally intended to recruit you as one of the [Shichibukai]. What are your thoughts on this?"

Shichibukai?

Holding the Den Den Mushi, Austin was taken aback by the words.

He had originally thought the World Government wanted to hunt him down, perhaps with traps and such.

He hadn't expected that he, one of the culprits behind the destruction of Marineford, would receive such an invitation?

Austin found the thought amusing.

"Oh... is it really okay? I only recently invaded Marineford and am currently a mortal enemy of the Marines.

If you incorporate me into the World Government's system, then the Marines' face..."

"The Marines' face is worth shit."

Before Austin could finish, Saint Saturn interrupted him. The Den Den Mushi immediately transformed into the image of an elder wearing a flat cap.

He looked serious.

"We have conducted thorough investigations and analyses on you, Black Gun.

Your abilities and talents are a tremendous threat to the World Government. Your Devil Fruit ability, which makes you virtually impossible to capture, and your monstrous Haki talent. The World Government cannot afford to create such a threat out of thin air just for the sake of the Marines' pride."

There was no other choice.

When they first heard Austin's name and deeds, the Five Elders had considered sending CP0 for assassination and pursuit.

But after analyzing all of Austin's information and combat records, they were powerless to find that it was almost an impossible task.

And as his age and strength grew, this possibility would only approach zero even more infinitely.

Furthermore, if they provoked him, even with just his Warp ability, he could launch continuous attacks on affiliated nations and Marine branches, dealing a devastating blow to the World Government's rule.

Therefore, despite their indignation and reluctance, they had to appease this monster they were incapable of dealing with.

Even if they were to let bygones be bygones, and even extend an olive branch.