An Invitation to Become a New Seven Warlord of the Sea!

Ian sat in a corner, watching the burly man stride toward him. The corners of his mouth curled up involuntarily. This was actually interesting... To think he would run into something like this.

How rare...

It was one thing that he had not gone looking for trouble, but someone actually had the nerve to provoke him?

"Were you talking to me?" Ian held a glass of red wine, leisurely savoring it as he casually glanced at the burly man.

Yet for some reason, that single look made the burly man shudder. He stopped in his tracks, not daring to move any closer...

The next moment, realizing that he had been frightened by a mere look from this brat and had embarrassed himself before his underlings, his pride turned to shame and fury. He glared viciously at Ian and snorted. "Who else could I be talking to? Don't make me say it again. I've got my eye on your seat, so get the hell out of here!"

"Oh, I was just making sure. What if I killed the wrong person?" Ian shrugged. The next instant, Hyorinmaru at his waist suddenly left its sheath. A sharp flash of blade light streaked out, followed by a soft shhk. A head soared into the air alongside a fountain of blood, then hit the ground with a thud and slowly rolled away...

That vicious expression still remained on the rolling head's face...

The sudden change directly stunned the burly man's underlings, as well as everyone nearby!

What had just happened?

Almost no one saw Ian make a move. They only saw a flash of blade light, and the head of that ferocious-looking man had been severed...

"B-Boss?"

"He's dead? Boss is dead?"

"H-How did this happen?!"

"How could Boss die so easily? He was a major figure who had never met an opponent since coming from the West Blue!"

"Am I dreaming?"

Seeing their boss dead, the lackeys immediately panicked and began shouting noisily. They looked at Ian as if he were a demon!

"Quiet!" Ian glanced at them, and Conqueror's Haki suddenly erupted from him. With a hum, the Conqueror's Haki, confined within a certain range, descended upon those noisy people.

The instant Ian's Conqueror's Haki fell upon them, not a single one was spared. They all foamed at the mouth and collapsed unconscious...

"Gulp..." Many of the surrounding onlookers swallowed hard. What kind of ability was that? They had not seen Ian do anything. He had merely spoken to those people, and they had fainted?

Could he be a Devil Fruit user?

There were quite a few knowledgeable people in the bar. Seeing Ian knock those noisy people unconscious with nothing but a glare, their pupils contracted sharply. One of them murmured in a trembling voice, "C-Conqueror's Haki..."

"What kind of big shot has come to this island? He actually possesses Conqueror's Haki?" Another somewhat knowledgeable pirate wiped away his sweat and cautiously looked in Ian's direction.

This was Conqueror's Haki, the kind of Haki that only one person in a million was born with!

And they had actually encountered it here!

Just who was this young-looking man?

Many people around them stared at Ian in horror, but not one dared to go up and question him...

Moreover, after that little incident, the atmosphere in the bar suddenly changed. Many people had already slipped out through the back door, and even those who dared to remain no longer dared to speak loudly. The entire place became incomparably oppressive...

Ian ignored them and looked toward the entrance. Narrowing his eyes, he murmured, "Hm? Such a strong presence? There's actually someone this strong on this island?"

"Coming for me? This is getting interesting..." Through his Observation Haki, Ian sensed a powerful presence approaching this place. He was somewhat curious about who it was. The aura it gave off was no weaker than Hawk-Eye's!

He was definitely an expert!

Just as the room fell silent, a long leg stepped through the doorway. Then a tall man wearing a Marine coat of justice and a yellow suit entered.

The moment he came in, he swept his gaze around the room. Seeing the people lying on the ground, he pursed his lips, then looked toward a corner of the bar. His eyes flashed. Is that him?

The person who had entered was none other than Marine Admiral Yellow Monkey!

Ian also saw the man who had entered. From his attire and appearance, he recognized his identity—Marine Admiral Yellow Monkey, Borsalino!

"Y-Yellow Monkey?"

"Why is Marine Admiral Yellow Monkey here?"

"Damn it, run!!"

The people who had not yet left the bar turned pale in fright when they saw Yellow Monkey enter!

No one who had spent time on the seas in the first half of the Grand Line could possibly fail to recognize Yellow Monkey's great name!

And this was the chaotic district of Maple Island. No one who appeared here was a decent person; they were all pirates and scoundrels, so naturally they knew who Yellow Monkey was!

Now that a Marine Admiral had appeared, how could they dare remain here?

They fled in all directions. In an instant, clattering sounds filled the bar as chaos erupted!

Even merchants without bounties and nobles seeking thrills no longer dared to stay...

What did a Marine Admiral's appearance mean? It meant... something major was about to happen here!

They did not dare linger any longer!

Yellow Monkey ignored the chaos around him and fixed his gaze on Ian. Then he pulled his lips into a smile. "Sir, you must be the great figure who killed Donquixote Doflamingo and fought Hawk-Eye, correct?"

Boom!

Yellow Monkey's words made the hearts of those who had not escaped yet tremble as one. It was like a bomb had been dropped into a tranquil lake, stirring up towering waves!

They could not help turning to look at Ian, their eyes filled with horror!

The great figure who killed Donquixote Doflamingo and sparred with Hawk-Eye?

His background was actually this terrifying?

They had already heard about both incidents before, but they had not known that the same person had done both?

This was simply too shocking!

Just who was this young-looking fellow?

After hearing Yellow Monkey's words, Ian could not help curling his lips. "Marine Admiral Yellow Monkey? May I ask what brings you to me?"

Ian did not explain anything. His tone remained utterly calm.

But anyone who was not an idiot could hear from Ian's words that he had not denied it!

Hearing that, Yellow Monkey understood. The person behind those two incidents truly was the same person...

Though thinking about it, that made sense. This was not the New World. How could so many powerful people suddenly appear in the first half of the Grand Line?

Yellow Monkey pursed his lips and said, "Sir, you've caused our Marines an enormous mess. A Seven Warlord of the Sea has been killed. That is no small matter."

Ian narrowed his eyes, a dangerous gleam appearing within them. His aura also began to emerge faintly as he looked at Yellow Monkey and said calmly, "So, Admiral Yellow Monkey has come to hold me accountable this time?"

Yellow Monkey was not intimidated by Ian's aura and continued pursing his lips. "Of course not. This time... I have come to invite you to become the new Seven Warlord of the Sea!"