The First Core Crew Member

As the place where the sheriff worked, it was naturally located in the center of the island. This was also one of the ways the World Government displayed its authority.

Upon arriving at the center of Lightall Island, Nangong Yan concealed himself and began searching for Lafitte among the government and Marine personnel coming and going.

About fifteen minutes later, a familiar face appeared in Nangong Yan's sight. Although the man was dressed differently from when he had infiltrated Marine Headquarters, there was no doubt that it was Lafitte.

Nangong Yan did not reveal himself in a hurry. This area was too close to the island's government offices. Although Nangong Yan was confident that if a fight broke out, they would all be no match for him, his purpose here was to recruit Lafitte. It was best to avoid trouble where possible.

He tailed Lafitte from a distance. With Lafitte's current strength, there was no way he could detect Nangong Yan, especially with Nangong Yan possessing this special Mangekyo Sharingan.

Nangong Yan followed Lafitte to an area filled with dazzling lights and revelry. It looked like a place with taverns, bars, and red-light establishments.

This area was perfect. All sorts of people were gathered here, so it was time to make a move. He could not be bothered to waste any more time.

Nangong Yan picked up a pebble from the ground and flicked it toward Lafitte's back. A piercing whistle rang out as the pebble, propelled by Nangong Yan's powerful physique, shot forward like a bullet fired from a pistol.

Lafitte's face remained cold and expressionless. He blocked behind his back with his narrow cane sword, then twisted his wrist and knocked the pebble away in one strike.

"Lafitte, right? Come with me!" Nangong Yan's voice entered Lafitte's ears. He revealed himself, then leaped away, leaving behind only a faint silhouette.

Lafitte was bold and skilled. Relying on his formidable strength and his flying Devil Fruit, he showed no fear of an ambush and followed behind Nangong Yan.

On a secluded beach at the edge of Lightall Island, the two arrived one after the other.

"Who are you, sir? Why have you led me here?" Lafitte planted his cane sword on the ground, his face puzzled but his tone cold.

Nangong Yan turned around and revealed his true appearance. Smiling, he said, "My name is Nangong Yan. My purpose here is simple: I invite you to join my Demon Emperor Pirates!"

Lafitte froze, then said in surprise, "I did not expect someone who had only recently become famous across the seas to appear in the West Blue to invite me."

"I am originally from the West Blue, and I have heard of you here as well. You have quite a few flaws, but there is no denying that you are talented."

"Give me a straight answer. Are you joining my Demon Emperor Pirates or not?" Nangong Yan wore a gentle smile, looking like a sunny young man.

"What if I join? What if I don't?" Lafitte tilted his head, his pale face still calm and composed.

"If you join, you become my companion. Your business becomes my business. If you refuse, there is only one road left: death. Your strength is decent enough, but that is all there is to it."

"How direct. But I like that style. Joining your pirate crew is not impossible. After all, most people here do not welcome me."

"As long as you agree to two conditions, I, Lafitte, will sell you my life for the rest of my days and serve you wholeheartedly from now on!" Lafitte's expression turned serious, as though he had made up his mind.

"Let's hear them."

"First, my captain must be strong. If you cannot defeat me within fifteen minutes, then you are unworthy of being my captain, and there is no need to discuss joining your pirate crew."

"Next."

"I have a mortal enemy who has taken refuge with Dracula Piero, a Funeral Society big shot in the underworld of the New World. With my strength alone, I cannot take revenge against countless desperadoes and bloodthirsty executioners. Once the Demon Emperor Pirates become powerful, I hope you can help me take revenge—preferably let me personally kill my last enemy!" At this point, Lafitte's pale yet rather handsome face twisted with hatred, his eyes filled with resentment.

"There is no need to wait until the Demon Emperor Pirates grow stronger. As soon as we return to the New World and find your enemy's whereabouts, I can take you to get your revenge immediately."

"A Funeral Society big shot? His strength may be quite impressive, but there is no person or force in this world that I dare not provoke, as long as it is necessary!"

"I agree to both of your conditions!"

"Thank you. Then, Mr. Nangong, please enlighten me!" After bowing like a Western gentleman, Lafitte leveled his cane sword at Nangong Yan.

"Fine. Focus with everything you have. If you are careless, you could die!" Nangong Yan slowly closed his eyes, then abruptly opened them. A spatial vortex appeared, and the Eastern Emperor Supreme Great Blade emerged from it into Nangong Yan's hand.

That move alone shocked Lafitte. Spatial abilities were incredibly rare!

Clang... The Eastern Emperor left its sheath with a crisp, pleasant sound. Its silver-white cold gleam appeared even chillier beneath the bright moonlight. The blade flashed, and three silver-white sword energies tore through the air toward Lafitte, their trajectories strange and constantly shifting.

Lafitte's expression grew solemn. A pair of wings as white as snow unfurled from his back. With a flap of those wings, his figure became elusive, and he nimbly avoided two of Nangong Yan's sword energies.

Unable to evade the last one, he thrust out his sword. The air boomed, as though all the air within dozens of meters had been pierced through by that strike. A sharp spiral of force collided with Nangong Yan's sword energy.

Boom... The violent explosion sent sand and soil flying in every direction. The waves were forced backward, water pillars shot into the air, and fierce winds howled, making people unable to help but close their eyes.

Nangong Yan looked at Lafitte's wings with great interest as he wildly mocked himself inwardly. I was blinded by one leaf and failed to see the mountain... In simple terms, I was an idiot... Why did I insist on copying Marco and turning my arms into wings? Wouldn't wings growing from the ribs like Lafitte's be much better? So convenient.

"Are you ready? I am going to get serious now!" Nangong Yan gave a slight warning. A pair of golden wings unfurled from his back, faint Solar True Flame burning upon them. As the wings flapped, waves of heat rolled forth, making it feel as though they were standing in a desert.

Whoosh... The moment he finished speaking, without waiting for Lafitte to respond, Nangong Yan turned into an afterimage and charged toward him.

Lafitte was full of courage. Rather than retreat, he advanced. His white wings flapped as he charged at Nangong Yan as well. His cane sword seemed to swing wildly through the air, but in truth, a strange invisible wave was invading Nangong Yan's mind.

Before the two even collided, Nangong Yan's brow twitched and a cold smile curled across his lips. His eye power surged, driving that strange force away.

A flash of surprise passed across Lafitte's face.

Clang... Nangong Yan swung down with both hands, colliding with Lafitte's cane sword. A burst of air erupted, sending sand surging skyward like waves. Lafitte's arms trembled, and his body staggered back three steps.

Lafitte could have fought by maneuvering around him, but he had chosen to clash head-on in order to personally test Nangong Yan's strength.

Nangong Yan slightly raised his head, and his eyes met Lafitte's. A force carrying the same kind of wave Lafitte had released earlier invaded Lafitte's mind.

Although the two forces possessed similar fluctuations, the power Nangong Yan unleashed with his eye power driven without restraint was far stronger than Lafitte's.

Lafitte froze, closed his eyes, and fell to the ground, immediately snoring away. He completely ignored the setting around him.

Nangong Yan walked over and lifted Lafitte up. He pulled open Lafitte's tightly shut eyes and released the hypnosis.

When Lafitte woke up, he only felt a chill against his neck. Glancing sideways, he discovered an incomparably sharp treasured blade resting against his throat.

"Captain, I am completely convinced!" Lafitte took a deep breath and said with determination.

Hearing Lafitte call him captain meant that he had submitted. Nangong Yan withdrew the Eastern Emperor and reassured him, "Do not be discouraged. My Mangekyo Sharingan is the natural enemy of your hypnosis ability. Once your physique becomes stronger and you learn Observation Haki, it will not be so easy for me to hypnotize you in return."

Lafitte nodded and picked his weapon up from the ground.

"Is there anything you need to take care of? If there is, I can wait a while longer. If not, come with me to the New World tomorrow!"

"No. There is nothing here worth lingering over. I can serve you at any time, Captain!"

"Good. Let's go eat something nice in town. We are leaving tomorrow. You know this place, so you are treating and paying. Consider it doing the honors as the local host, haha!"

"No problem, Captain," Lafitte said with a faint smile, feeling somewhat happy inside.

Nangong Yan was also very happy. This was the first core crew member of the Demon Emperor Pirates, and it was worth celebrating.

What? Pike? That had been an accident. He was not on Nangong Yan's list of crew members he wanted to recruit. Only if Pike continued to excel in the future would he qualify to become a core crew member.