Death

Rhode was drinking, his face flushed red, guzzling bottle after bottle of fine wine.

"What? You're back?"

Beside him, a man sat down. It was his First Mate, Baro. "Is there a problem with that kid Mario?"

"He went to train."

Baro picked up a piece of meat from the table and began stuffing it into his mouth. "He's just a brat, but he trains with an intensity that's unbelievable."

"Right?"

Rhode laughed heartily. "I told you long ago, that kid was born to be a Pirate. And that's not quite right, partner. It's precisely because he's a kid that he has to work so hard. What is a strong person if not forged this way? That guy, Mario, it feels like something is always chasing him from behind. I think it's precisely this sense of anxiety, this will to surge forward, haha, he'll definitely become an amazing Pirate."

"So that's why the captain recruited him onto the ship?"

Baro asked.

"Hahaha, I've told you several times, of course it's not for that reason. You're as suspicious as ever,"

Rhode laughed heartily. "It's because I feel a connection with that kid. Isn't that enough? For a Pirate, there's nothing more exciting than that!"

"Heh."

Baro chuckled and started pouring himself a drink.

"Alright, let's go. The banquet is over, and it's time to go see Admiral Golden Lion."

Rhode stood up and yawned.

"En."

Baro followed closely behind.

A large number of Pirates had already collapsed on the platform. The banquet had reached its end, and only the captains who needed to meet with Golden Lion and a few selected executives were still awake.

Baro followed Rhode down from the platform and proceeded along the road. Numerous Pirate captains merged into a torrent, heading towards the island's center, towards the towering Tenshukaku.

"Yo, Captain Rhode, you only brought Baro?"

It was Flog, followed by several tough-looking men. He looked at Rhode with a mocking gaze. "Looks like the Blood Hand Pirates are in a bit of a tight spot, huh?"

"I think it's the opposite,"

Baro sneered. "Flog, you know me, and many others know me. But none of us know the names of these guys following you. You, hanging out with some random cats and dogs, should I say you truly live up to being just a toad?"

"..."

Flog's eyes bulged, veins throbbing on his forehead. He had heard it. The surrounding Pirate captains were already laughing unrestrainedly. Indeed, just as Baro said, Baro, as Rhode's second-in-command, was quite famous among these people. But Flog was different. He had no second-in-command, and his subordinates were all idiots with little fame.

"Pfft~ Hey, Baro,"

Rhode suppressed a laugh. "Even if it's true, don't say it so directly."

"Sorry, sorry, Captain Flog,"

Baro grinned. "I was too direct. Should I have been more tactful? For example, should toads with tadpoles be careful when they come out to parade, lest they get stepped on? Like that?"

"..."

"Gala la!"

Flog gritted his teeth, then burst into laughter. "Good, very good, you're very good, Mr. Baro. I finally understand where that kid learned it from."

Flog grinned and strode forward quickly.

"Beautiful! Partner!"

Rhode gave him a thumbs-up.

"..."

Baro just smiled.

Entering the Tenshukaku, into the main hall, Golden Lion was already sitting cross-legged at the head seat. "Je hahahaha, let's begin now. That guy Roger is not easy to deal with!"

Then the meeting began. When a lion hunts, it never attacks blindly. It must have a plan, preparation, and organization. For a big prey like Roger, of course, more thorough preparation was needed. The more arrogant and wild a man was, the more cautious he would be when it truly came to battle.

With over fifty subordinate Pirate crews, the number of elite Pirates alone approached ten thousand. Including the outer cannon fodder from each subordinate Pirate crew, tens of thousands of Pirates were not a problem. There were well over a hundred Pirate ships in total. This was indeed a terrifying force, but these were all Pirates without rules or order. Mobilizing these guys reasonably and appropriately was not a simple matter.

Golden Lion had made detailed plans. Five Pirate crews would be grouped together to act jointly, maximizing their advantage in numbers and ship firepower. No matter how powerful the monsters of the Roger Pirates were, they ultimately only had one ship and couldn't fly. The firepower of the Golden Lion Grand Fleet would be enough to sink the entire Roger Pirates with just one volley.

Golden Lion's plan was simple, and he didn't intend to hide his forces for a surprise attack. In the face of Roger and Rayleigh's Observation Haki, such tactics would be completely useless. It was better to charge head-on. Once within range, a volley would suffice.

Of course, the crushing power of the top experts against the cannon fodder would be the responsibility of the Golden Lion Pirates to withstand. King against king, general against general. Cannon fodder like the Blood Hand Pirates was the greatest advantage of the Golden Lion Pirates.

Therefore, the focus of the meeting was on how to coordinate the warships, surround the Roger Pirates completely, maintain the advantage of the barrage, and simultaneously rehearse possible counterattacks from the Roger Pirates and how to turn the tables if they fell into a disadvantage. In Golden Lion's eyes, Roger was a lifelong nemesis.

The meeting lasted for more than half the night. By the time Rhode and Baro returned, the moon had already begun to set in the west.

"Ahhh, I'm so sleepy,"

Rhode yawned. "I'm going to sleep. I need to be full of energy before the big battle."

"I'll go check on Mario,"

Baro licked his lips. "I'm still a bit worried."

"Hey! Baro!"

Captain Rhode watched Baro's retreating back, utterly speechless. "Seriously, can't he give his partner a little trust? Oh well, let him go."

"Ah! Captain!"

Just as he finished sighing and shaking his head, preparing to go to bed, Louis's voice came from the side. "Is the meeting over?"

He was covered in sweat and still a little breathless, his upper body bare and flushed red, looking like he had trained for a long time.

"Mario? You're back?"

Captain Rhode couldn't hold back his laughter. "Haha, Baro just said he was going to find you."

"Is that so? Looks like I missed him,"

Louis scratched his hair. "The First Mate cares about me a lot."

"Hahaha, of course, of course,"

Rhode laughed. "We're all partners."

"Then Captain, I'm going back to take a shower and sleep,"

Louis said, "I'm very tired."

"En, I'm going to sleep too. Ugh, so sleepy, so sleepy."

Rhode yawned.

"Goodnight, Mario."

Rhode waved and went to sleep.

"Hoo"

Louis let out a long sigh, clutching his chest. It really hurt, but it wasn't time to rest yet. Watching Rhode's retreating back, he whispered, "Next, it's time for another actor, isn't it?"

The next day, Baro's body was discovered.