Three-Year Pact, a Rough Start

The warship's engines roared at full power.

Before long, they reached the waters near Syrup Village.

Two relatively small warships were anchored on the sea.

Roya and Kalifa used Geppo to land aboard the warships.

Countless Marine soldiers lay fallen in pools of blood across the decks.

Among them, the one who drew Roya's attention most was a man with a shattered jaw and one arm modified into an axe.

This man was named Morgan. Before long, he would become a Marine officer of colonel rank.

Morgan lay in the pool of blood, staring blankly at the sky with wide-open eyes, looking rather horrifying.

But Roya knew that he had likely been hypnotized.

After searching both small warships, Kalifa came to Roya's side and said softly, "Other than him, no one else on the ships survived."

[ Ding, sign-in mission issued: Syrup Village. Reward: Peak Medical Skills. Time limit: 1 day. ]

One day seemed like very little time.

But considering the speed of an admiral-class warship, it was enough.

"Looks like Kuro escaped. If nothing unexpected happened, he should have gone to Syrup Village."

Roya looked at Morgan, who lay in the pool of blood, and said softly, "But before we go after Kuro, let's heal Morgan first. After all, he's still a very good Marine soldier right now!"

Indeed, Morgan had originally been a highly promising Marine soldier. But after being hypnotized by Jango, his personality had changed drastically, which was why he would become so violent in the future.

Roya did not want to see that future unfold.

"But how are we supposed to help him? We don't know anything about hypnosis!"

"I may not know hypnosis, but as long as it affects the mind, I'm confident I can undo it!"

With that thought, Roya looked into Morgan's eyes.

His Fruit ability activated!

Roya directly cast the illusion he had woven in his mind into Morgan's consciousness through his eyes.

This was one of the advanced applications of the Illusion-Illusion Fruit.

It was a technique Roya had developed only after researching for a long time.

For now, though, it could only be used on people with weak mental strength.

Still, this proved that the Illusion-Illusion Fruit held limitless possibilities!

About five minutes later, the dullness in Morgan's eyes gradually faded.

He looked at Roya and Kalifa, his eyes filled with deep confusion.

Then he saw the pools of blood on the warship.

Countless soldiers had died miserably aboard the ship.

Morgan's heart immediately clenched.

"What happened here?! Why are they all dead?!"

Morgan rose from the pool of blood. The sight before him made his pupils suddenly constrict.

"This isn't your fault. If anyone is to blame, it's Kuro!"

Hearing Roya's words, Morgan suddenly remembered.

They had been pursuing Kuro, but it seemed they had fallen into a trap.

Then, after seeing a white-haired man wearing a hat, he completely forgot everything that happened afterward.

"Kalifa, you and Morgan each take one warship and head to the nearest Marine branch to wait. Leave Kuro to me. Once I deal with them, I'll come pick you up!"

The last sentence was directed at Kalifa.

"Mm, I understand."

Kalifa trusted Roya's strength completely.

So she and Morgan immediately each took command of a warship and sailed toward the Marine branch.

Meanwhile, Roya used his Fruit ability to pilot the admiral-class warship swiftly toward Syrup Village.

At this time, the Black Cat Pirates formed by Kuro had already arrived at the shore of Syrup Village.

They lowered their pirate flag and did not attract anyone's attention.

Jango looked at Kuro and said, "Captain, have you really decided not to sail the seas anymore?"

"I'm tired of this life. I only want to blend into the peaceful life of an island."

Kuro looked at Jango and said, "Three years from now, once I've integrated into island life under my new identity, come find me then. Understand?"

Kuro was known as Kuro of a Hundred Plans.

That title represented his extraordinary intelligence.

The moment he decided to live peacefully, he had already planned out the next few years of his life.

Seeing Kuro's determination, Jango sighed. "I understand, Captain. I'll come find you in three years."

Kuro nodded, then disembarked and headed toward the center of the island.

Only after Captain Kuro disappeared from their sight did Jango say to the other pirates, "Let's go. We should prepare to set sail as well. From today onward, I'm the captain of the Black Cat Pirates!"

"Yes, Captain!"

However, not long after they left Syrup Village, an extremely imposing warship appeared in their field of vision.

"Captain, th-there's a warship ahead! Such a huge warship!"

Although Jango wore glasses, his eyesight was still quite good.

He had clearly seen that incomparably enormous warship as well.

They had seen plenty of warships before, but this was the first time they had seen one this large.

Suddenly, Jango realized something.

Recently, he had read in the newspapers that White Dove, an admiral from Marineford headquarters, had appeared in the Four Blues.

Along the way, pirates burdened with grave crimes had been slaughtered, while those who had only recently gone to sea were sent directly to prison.

He had practically killed his way through the seas and back.

That iron-fisted style had terrified many people.

Thinking of this, Jango did not hesitate at all. He immediately raised both hands and shouted at the crew around him, "Quick! Raise your hands! We surrender!"

Jango felt that they had truly gotten off to a terrible start.

He had only just become captain of the Black Cat Pirates, and they had not even been at sea for long.

Yet they had already encountered Admiral White Dove's warship. It left him utterly depressed.

But as long as they could survive, that was enough!

Roya stood on the deck, watching every crew member aboard the Black Cat Pirates' ship raise both hands and repeatedly shout, "We surrender!"

Even Roya could not help finding the scene rather amusing.

As the warship slowly came to a stop, Roya looked down at everyone aboard the Black Cat Pirates' ship.

At this moment, the atmosphere in the air was extremely tense.

Jango's forehead was covered in cold sweat.

This world was one where the weak were prey to the strong.

Roya was stronger than them, so he could decide whether they lived or died.

Everyone's hearts were already in their throats.

Then Roya's voice drifted over from afar: "..."