Villains of the East Blue

The sky gradually darkened.

Beneath the night curtain, undercurrents stirred.

The Three-Headed Pirates had anchored near an Uninhabited Island. They flew different flags, belonging to three separate pirate crews.

"Hey, are you really pirates?" one pirate sneered with a grin. "Just look at you. A circus? That's hilarious!"

"Hahaha! Want to try our deadly magic tricks, you cat-eared freaks?" the pirates on the neighboring ship laughed.

"A bunch of idiots, shut up!" A pirate aboard the third ship silently sharpened his blade. Cold light flashed across his face. "I really don't get why the captain agreed to an invitation from small fry like them."

"You wanna die, bastard!"

"You wanna fight? Don't piss your pants!"

The three pirate crews traded threats.

At that moment, the captains and principal officers of all three crews were meeting on that Uninhabited Island for a certain purpose!

Meanwhile.

On that remote Uninhabited Island stood a long-abandoned Marine outpost.

Inside one of the outpost's rooms.

The Marine flag on the wall had been ravaged by time and was already tattered beyond recognition.

And before that ragged Marine flag stood a group of uninvited guests.

They stood in three separate groups, each wary of the others.

Krieg Pirates: Captain Commodore Krieg, bounty of 17 million Beli; Demon Hachi, bounty of 12 million Beli!

Black Cat Pirates: Captain Hundred Plans Kuro, bounty of 16 million Beli; hypnotist Jango, bounty of 9 million Beli!

And—

Buggy Pirates: Captain Buggy the Clown, bounty of 15 million Beli!

The villains of the East Blue had gathered here.

The combined bounties of the three great pirate crews totaled 69 million Beli!

"Hehehehe, as expected of a devil fruit user. You actually dared to come here alone to meet us."

Commodore Krieg, with pale purple hair and heavy armor, looked at Buggy and grinned. "The Chop-Chop Fruit? It suits your ridiculous appearance perfectly!"

"Huh? You got a problem with me?" Buggy sneered. "That armor must be heavy. Want me to help you take a few pieces off?"

In an instant, the stalemate in the room broke, and the atmosphere between Krieg and Buggy became razor-sharp.

Buggy was alone, drawing the dagger he carried with him.

Meanwhile, Demon Hachi at Krieg's side revealed his twin tonfas and prepared for battle!

"Gentlemen, please calm down." Kuro pushed up his glasses with his palm and smiled. "Didn't we come here for the same purpose?"

"Hahahaha! Come to think of it, you were the one who invited us here, Kuro." Krieg turned around and warned Kuro, "If what you have to say bores me, you know what the consequences will be, right?"

"If you want me to lend a hand, the price won't be cheap!" Buggy licked the dagger in his hand. "Kuro, where's that great treasure you promised?"

"And my Grand Line Navigational Chart!" Krieg added.

Kuro pushed up his glasses again and explained, "Please don't rush. We still need to wait for one more guest."

At those words, both Krieg and Buggy looked confused.

"Who is it?" Krieg asked.

Kuro did not answer. Instead, he smiled and said, "A few days ago, I contacted the World Government."

Whoosh!

Before his words had even faded, Buggy turned around and strode toward the door.

Kuro looked somewhat surprised. "You're leaving already?"

Buggy nodded, frowning. "Sorry, but if the World Government is involved, I'm not sticking around!"

Before Kuro could question him further, Buggy had already left the room and hurried all the way back to his pirate ship.

"Captain Buggy!"

The Buggy Pirates hurried forward when they saw their captain return. "What exactly did that Kuro invite you there for?"

But Buggy had no time to answer. He was busy ordering his ship to leave the island as quickly as possible.

After all, he had once been a crewmate of Pirate King Gol D. Roger. He had followed that man through the entire Grand Line, so his outlook far surpassed Kuro's and Krieg's.

That was precisely why, the instant he heard the words "World Government," Buggy made up his mind to stay as far away from this matter as possible.

The farther, the better!

Cooperation? What a joke!

Before the colossal World Government, pirates with bounties in the tens of millions were no different from ants.

You can go get yourselves killed. I'm not joining you!

"Men, set sail! Full speed ahead!"

Buggy left, but Krieg remained.

Kuro's words had piqued his interest.

Wait for another guest?

Contacted the World Government?

Just as Krieg was wondering about it, footsteps sounded outside the door.

Tap, tap, tap...

A strange man pushed open the door and entered.

He was tall and thin, dressed in a white suit with a cape draped over him, and wore an exaggerated red mask over his face.

A complete freak.

"Is everyone here?" The strange man's voice was low and muffled. He seemed to be a man.

Upon hearing that, Krieg immediately wanted to put the stranger in his place. But Kuro's next words left both him and Hachi behind him frozen.

"Yes, everyone is here." Kuro nodded slightly. "Allow me to introduce this gentleman. He comes from CP5, the intelligence agency directly under the World Government!"

If Lynn himself had been there, he would have recognized at a glance that the strange man's attire could not possibly belong to the widely known CP5. He had to be a high-ranking figure from CP0, the supreme intelligence agency above CP1 through CP9!

But the pirates present could never have known that. They only caught those few words—

An intelligence agency directly under the World Government.

In an instant, Krieg was ready to flee.

He snapped angrily, "Kuro, are you trying to have the Marines wipe us all out?"

But Kuro shook his head. "Calm down, Commodore. The World Government and the Marines are not the same. As far as they're concerned, as long as someone has value, even pirates can cooperate with them!"

Krieg frowned. He had always found Kuro unpleasant, and now he found him even more so.

A mere pirate actually dared to discuss cooperation with the World Government?

Krieg thought for a moment, then asked, "What exactly are you plotting?"

"Kuro, didn't you explain things to them?" The strange man's voice carried a trace of displeasure.

"My apologies, sir. I was just about to."

Kuro nodded slightly in apology, then said to Krieg, "I invited you here because I want to combine our strength and kill someone."

"Hm?" Krieg was even more baffled.

What kind of person required pirates and the World Government to work together?

At that moment, the strange man took a Bounty Poster from his clothes and slowly said:

"BOSS Lynn Barek, the instigator of the Sabaody Arena Riot Incident, bounty of 100 Million Beli."

"He is a world-class criminal. Whoever helps us deal with him will receive a very generous reward."

After speaking, the strange man took out another list and placed it on the table.

"These are only the basic rewards. If things go smoothly, I believe the person paying will be more than happy to give you an additional gratuity."

Krieg stared at the list the strange man had produced and suddenly found it hard to breathe.

It was too generous.

He could not imagine what kind of person could afford such a price!

But...

Kuro continued, "And I happen to know Lynn Barek's whereabouts."

"Are you insane?!"

Krieg suddenly retorted, "I heard about that incident. He's a monster who escaped through layers of Marine encirclement, with a bounty as high as 100 Million Beli. How dare you set your sights on him?!"

"Calm down, Commodore." Kuro pushed up his glasses. "Don't forget who is standing before us."

Krieg's gaze shifted to the strange man beside him.

More precisely, to a great figure from the World Government!

The expression on Krieg's face slowly shifted from shock to a smile.

Holding the reward list, he found what he wanted to see on it.

Grand Line Navigational Chart.

"You actually dare to target a monster with a bounty of 100 Million Beli, Hundred Plans Kuro. You're a truly crazy man!"

Krieg sighed, then looked toward Kuro.

"Hey, hey, looks like we really are forming a Pirate Alliance!"