Pledge Your Loyalty to Me

Rocks had never expected that one day, he would need to rely on someone else.

"Those bastards are immortal and have bizarre abilities. They're not something you can handle!"

As he spoke, he entrusted his wife and child to Yale, who was ready for a fight, then said something that left Yale dumbfounded.

"'I'm entrusting my most important things to you! If you fail to protect them, I won't let you off even as a ghost!' Pass those words on to Annus! Understand, Yale?"

"As for these bastards... I'll settle this myself!"

"If killing them once won't work, then I'll kill that moon-headed bastard and that woman a hundred times!"

Yale's arrival left Rocks with no worries holding him back, allowing him to speak such murderous words.

"And! You'd better find yourself a pair of pants right now!"

After a pause, Rocks added.

At the center of God Valley, the First Prize Storage Warehouse.

"What a massive brawl!"

"Yeah! I never thought we'd really get an opportunity like this!"

Ivankov and Kuma climbed in through a window and slipped into the warehouse.

With the massive battle raging across the island, no one was guarding the warehouse.

They were about to search for the two Devil Fruits that could help them escape when a flash of lightning suddenly lit up outside.

"Rumble..."

After the low roll of thunder, a man entered the warehouse. He held a golden scepter, bore white wings on his back, and had golden hair and a face as sculpted as a statue.

"Who are you? You're not Navy?"

The guards outside seemed to have already been taken down. Otherwise, there was no way this man could have walked in so openly.

"So this is where they are..."

The man surveyed the warehouse but did not immediately answer Ivankov and Kuma. Instead, he strolled leisurely through the room, lightly brushing his fingers over the surfaces of the precious treasures within before finally opening a treasure chest placed high up.

"Found it."

Inside was a Devil Fruit whose skin was patterned like snake scales and gleamed with a metallic luster.

Beside the chest containing that Devil Fruit sat two more identical chests.

Seeing the man intend to take all three chests containing Devil Fruits for himself, Ivankov hurriedly lunged forward to seize them.

But the man casually kicked Ivankov away. Ivankov tried to struggle back to his feet, but in the next second, Haki crashed down upon him like a mountain, leaving him unable to rise.

Kuma hurried over and helped Ivankov up.

Ivankov laboriously raised his head, his expression savage as he clutched Kuma's hand tightly. "Go take them! As long as we get even one, we'll still have hope of leaving this island alive!"

Having finally made it here, Ivankov refused to give up no matter what!

Kuma hesitated, gritted his teeth, and knelt before the man. "Please give me a Devil Fruit!"

"Don't say something so foolish. Though I appreciate you leading the way, and as thanks, I'll take you off this island alive...

But these Devil Fruits are already my spoils of war. Why should I share my own spoils with you?" the man said.

Ivankov froze. What? This man intended to save them?

Yeah... why?

Kuma pondered that question in his heart. A moment later, he had an answer.

"One of them has the power to send people flying, right? If I obtain it, I'll be able to save more people! Everyone wants to escape this island!"

As if afraid the man would refuse, Kuma immediately slammed his forehead heavily against the floor, shut his eyes tightly, and awaited fate's judgment.

He remembered his days in Mary Geoise, when he had knelt and bowed like this before his Celestial Dragon masters, begging for mercy and awaiting judgment.

Because he had been weak, he could do nothing. Before power he could not resist, all he could do was beg humbly.

But would that really work? Kuma did not know, but he had no other choice. Fighting was impossible; far more keenly than Ivankov, he could sense the strength of the man before him.

"Stand up," fate suddenly said.

Kuma looked up in surprise and saw the man extending a hand toward him.

"Stand up," the man repeated. "From now on, you need not kneel before anyone. Though you're a fool, your sincerity has moved me...

I've decided to grant you this power, on the condition that... you pledge your loyalty to me.

Of course, you may refuse. In consideration of your help, I'll still take you safely off this island.

But this power will have nothing to do with you. I'll grant it to one of my subordinates instead...

So, what is your answer?"

Kuma listened in a daze, then jolted and answered firmly, "I'm willing!"

He had nearly thought he had misheard. Afraid the man would change his mind, he hurriedly agreed.

In Kuma's eyes, even if the man deceived him, the worst that could happen was continuing to be a slave. But if he agreed, he could gain the power to save more people!

Power, power... Kuma did not particularly crave power, but he had once watched his parents die before his eyes. He did not want to see more people die.

As long as I can save everyone, I'll do anything!

"Very good." The man smiled. "I haven't introduced myself yet... My name is Annus."

Before Ivankov could figure out what was happening, the warehouse wall suddenly exploded, and a giantess wearing a pirate hat burst inside.

"Annus! You got here before me!"

"Linlin." Annus smiled. "If you came for the Devil Fruits as well, then I can only regretfully tell you that you're too late."

"Damn it!!"

Charlotte Linlin swept her gaze over the three treasure chests in Annus's possession.

"You're being too greedy, Annus! Finders share! Give me one!"

"I refuse."

"You damned bastard! You want to fight?!"

"Fine, but do you think you can beat me? If I were you, I'd immediately search elsewhere. You might still find something."

"You damned bastard!" Charlotte Linlin cursed furiously.

She had originally wanted to use the time those idiots spent scrambling to save Shakuyaku to get a few Devil Fruits for her children. She had not expected an oddity like Annus, who was unaffected by Shakuyaku's charm, to beat her to it!

At that moment, she was viciously wondering whether Annus simply had no interest in women. Otherwise, how could he ignore Shakuyaku's charm and repeatedly refuse her invitations to have children?

If not for Lilith so often carrying Annus's scent on her...

Faced with the furious Linlin, who could attack at any moment, Annus remained calm and quietly waited for her answer.

About two minutes passed. The atmosphere was so oppressive it felt capable of drowning someone. After weighing the pros and cons, Linlin finally stormed out amid a string of curses.

"Remember this, Annus! Don't ever expect to get any more information about the Lunarians from me!"

Annus silently watched Linlin depart. Only after her figure disappeared from sight did he toss one of the three treasure chests to Kuma.

"This is the Devil Fruit you wanted. Eat it, then go do what you must do...

And send that big-headed guy away while you're at it. This island is about to be destroyed. I'll find you before then.

For now, I need to leave for a while..."