Aboard the enormous warship, Kong looked helplessly at the current Admiral lounging in a chair and grumbling, though he had to admit the old man had a point.
White Wolf Moger wasn't weak, but Admiral Rona had told him that their strength was at most evenly matched. If she hadn't been worried about Giant King Harald's presence, and had kept fighting, it would've been hard to say who would have won.
While he was still a Rear Admiral, Kong had proposed that since the pirates couldn't be wiped out completely, Sphinx should be allowed to serve as their fixed trading post. The Navy would send in a large number of intelligence agents to gather information on them.
The plan had proved remarkably effective. Taking advantage of the pirates' carelessness, they set ambushes along their routes and wiped out several Great Pirates who had once visited Sphinx to fence their loot.
It was on the strength of this achievement that Kong had risen from Rear Admiral to Admiral candidate.
And as an Admiral candidate, he was already prepared to take over from Kizaru and become the next Marine Admiral once Kizaru stepped down.
In other words, there was no doubt his strength had already reached Admiral-level.
Even if Admiral Kizaru had grown weaker with age, he could still bring out Admiral-level strength for a short time.
Two against one. Kong couldn't imagine how they'd lose.
The only problem was—
They couldn't find the White Wolf Pirates at all!
Ever since the White Wolf Pirates had seized the Celestial Gold, they'd seemed to vanish. The Navy had spent over a month at sea without finding a single lead.
Then the Den Den Mushi aboard the warship suddenly rang.
"What, Sphinx?!"
The message from Marine Headquarters made Kong sit up straight.
"Admiral Kizaru, we've found the White Wolf Pirates. A day ago, White Wolf Moger appeared in Sphinx, a non-Affiliated Nation, and defeated three Great Pirates with bounties over a hundred million in a one-against-three fight!"
"Headquarters suspects the White Wolf Pirates intend to take over Sphinx and turn the country into their own territory!"
Sphinx was a place where pirates fenced their loot. The Navy had known about it for a long time, but even so, taking the island wasn't easy.
The pirates would simply leave.
They had no sense of belonging to Sphinx. As soon as the Navy showed up, they ran, leaving behind an island inhabited only by ordinary people from a non-Affiliated Nation. There was no value in that for the Navy.
That was why Kong, back when he was still a Rear Admiral, had proposed letting Sphinx become the pirates' permanent trading post. The Navy could send in a large number of intelligence agents to gather information on them.
The plan had proved remarkably effective. Taking advantage of the pirates' carelessness, they set ambushes along their routes and wiped out several Great Pirates who had once visited Sphinx to fence their loot.
It was on the strength of this achievement that Kong had risen from Rear Admiral to Admiral candidate.
And to avoid draining the pond to catch the fish, the Navy only targeted pirate crews that posed a serious threat and were particularly vicious.
The small fry were temporarily left alone.
So even today, pirates still came and went through Sphinx in droves. Over time, the convenience had outweighed the risks.
Though the pirates had grown more cautious, there were always more solutions than problems.
Ever heard of Devil Fruit abilities?
But when Kong heard that Moger had defeated the three pirate crews that had occupied Sphinx and taken control of the island, something felt wrong.
Who had first suggested that he leave Sphinx alone?
"Hmph. Just a rabble of pirates. Moger's fallen pretty far if he thinks he can use them to oppose us."
Kizaru snorted. After all these days, he finally wasn't lounging in a chair or resting in a slave girl's tender embrace.
For the first time, he issued an order of his own.
"All hands, head for Sphinx, a non-Affiliated Nation! Notify the Marine Branches in the surrounding area and have them send warships to reinforce us!"
Kizaru might have been old and lecherous, but he hadn't lost his wits. He could afford to look down on the enemy strategically, but he wouldn't underestimate Moger tactically.
If Moger had really been that weak, he'd have been locked up in Impel Down long ago.
He wouldn't still be roaming free.
Besides, if Moger really had Admiral-level strength, and his veteran crewmates fought alongside him, their force might not be enough to stop Moger from escaping.
So Kizaru wanted several extra layers of insurance.
From start to finish, Kizaru had never believed Moger would do anything but run away.
Stand and fight?
Don't make me laugh.
They had the equivalent of two Marine Admirals here!
March arrived.
The news that White Wolf Moger had appeared in Sphinx gradually spread.
At first, the pirates in Sphinx had cheered when Moger brazenly seized the Celestial Gold. But once the heat of the moment had passed, they began to realize something was wrong.
Why hadn't the White Wolf Pirates left yet?!
The pirates had never expected the White Wolf Pirates to stay in Sphinx. The crew had always operated this way: even when they planted their flag somewhere, they never stayed for long.
Not to mention that the White Wolf Pirates had stolen Celestial Gold from the Celestial Dragons. They were now a thorn in the World Government's side, a target it desperately wanted to eliminate.
If the White Wolf Pirates stayed in one place too long under these circumstances, they'd draw a massive Navy force down on them.
What was he even after?
Moger had been asking himself the same thing these past few days. What was he after?
If he wanted to build a force, then once Rocks and Newgate grew stronger, the three of them would be Admiral Emperors aboard a single ship. The World Government wouldn't be able to do a thing to them.
But how long would he have to wait?
Ten years? Twenty?
If he, the captain, needed to rely on his crew to dare face the Navy and the World Government, how would he be any different from the future Buggy the Clown?
The strength of Conqueror's Haki reflected the strength of its wielder's ambition.
If he needed his crew to rule the seas, did he really deserve to be a king?
"You don't want to back down anymore either, do you?"
Listening to his heartbeat, which had grown livelier and livelier over the past year, Moger smiled.
Whether he could win or not, he'd only know once he fought!
"Who's coming this time? Sengoku definitely won't. Rona? Has she recovered from her injuries? Tch, don't tell me it's Kizaru. If that old bastard comes, I'll cut him down in a few strokes. Kong? That brat should be Admiral-level by now too..."
Moger murmured under his breath. As he said each name, his presence grew more and more overwhelming. Even the villa Black Merchant Duke Men had lent them for their temporary stay began to shake.
"Hahaha! The future Emperors of this era may not have grown up yet, but no era is ever short of strong fighters!"
Moger had been lamenting that it would take a long time for Rocks and Newgate to grow stronger, let alone the future Marine Admirals.
But while the future Admiral Emperors had yet to come into their own, the current Marine Admirals were all still at their peak.
Soon, he'd learn who the Navy had sent this time.
[Marine Era 1481, March. You encountered a large Navy force led by the current Marine Admiral Steel Lion Kong on the lawless island of Sphinx. As an ordinary pirate, your only goal is to escape this major Navy operation alive.] [After this operation, you will receive a pirate bounty. The higher your bounty, the richer your reward when the operation ends.] [May your pirate's journey not end here!]
Before you continue