In any era, under any circumstances, and with any faction, there are three unavoidable aspects when forming a League.
First, a unified goal.
Second, the necessity of forming a League.
Third, a comparison of strengths among the League factions.
These three points are applicable in any situation, even when two ordinary people join forces for business. Lafitte, naturally, is no exception.
"Everyone has experienced difficulties under the pressure from Yonko and the Marines. If we continue to fight individually, being picked off one by one by them is the inevitable outcome..."
As Lafitte began his speech to lay the groundwork for establishing regulations for the League, at the rear of the large square, Dante silently tapped the hilt of his sword.
"Killing to establish authority is indeed a powerful method!"
He thought the newcomer was just a crew member, not a Captain, who might cause trouble and allow Dante to take advantage of the chaos. Unexpectedly, Lafitte's display of strength and authority had dispelled any potential issues.
"Champion" Burgess was once the reigning champion of the Underground World's fighting arena and was considered a notable figure in the New World. However, it was impossible for him to win everyone over on his own. Every pirate present was a renowned figure on the seas. How could they fear him?
The reason the Pirate Captains accepted this situation was because of "Blackbeard" Teach, who managed to recruit Burgess. Many had tried to recruit Burgess, knowing his strength and temperament, which unintentionally built up Teach's powerful and mysterious image.
With the added influence of the show of strength and this incident, the Monkey-like Pirate Captains wouldn't recklessly challenge the situation until they clarified Teach's background.
Lafitte's control over human psychology was perfect. He seemed to dance on the edge of a knife, but in reality, he was as steady as an old dog, stabilizing the situation.
"Indeed, not a good sign!"
Thinking about losing his wallet yesterday, Dante sighed silently. He couldn't believe that, with all his fame, he lost his wallet just before setting out on a quest. How was he supposed to complete the quest now?
"Captain..."
At that moment, a pirate ran over, pulling Dante's sleeve and whispered, "A distinguished guest has arrived."
A guest's arrival meant they had found some useful information that needed Dante's attention.
"A guest has arrived..."
"Let's go, back to the ship!"
Dante slung his sword over his shoulder and turned away. On the way, he encountered several pirates heading to the main square. He simply barged through them.
"Hey, kid, got no eyes?!"
The pirate, knocked off balance by the collision, was furious, pulling out a large cleaver, ready to attack.
"Get lost!"
Killing Intent flickered in Dante's eyes, a substantial cold killing qi licking the pirate's neck. The latter was instantly frightened and stood still.
When he snapped out of it, Dante was already gone.
"What the hell!"
The pirate touched his neck, still feeling the sensation of being beheaded just now. He even felt the pain, but now, there was no wound.
Turning to look at his companions, he found them similarly stunned, nervously touching their necks.
Back on the pirate ship, Dante closed the doors and windows, activated the interference device, and then opened a cage-like structure similar to the Birdcage, taking out a small Den Den Mushi.
"Hey, Dante, how does it feel to be a pirate?"
A frivolous voice came from the Den Den Mushi. Dante curled his lips and resisted the urge to curse.
"Hehe!"
"You truly had your wings grown? Try giving me another 'hehe.' Want to get beaten, asshole?"
Rowen, with a smirk, issued a threat.
"Cut the crap. I got this position by owing a favor to CP0. Don't act like you've found nothing."
Dante said with a helpless expression.
"Do you want to thank me, asshole?!"
"Speaking of reason, Vice Admiral, do you think I'm the kind of person who can do well in undercover quests? Killing quests don't even make me blink, but infiltrating [The Drifter] to uncover the true conspiracy of the Blackbeard Pirates? This obvious government spy quest is beyond my reach as a mere swordsman."
Moreover, with so many pirates gathering at [The Drifter] now, being discovered would lead to predictable consequences.
"Oh? Didn't you say staying at the base was boring? I'm doing this for your own good, giving you an interesting quest!"
So... is this the main point?!
Isn't this pure retaliation for a hit?!
Dante once again suppressed the urge to curse and reluctantly said, "Okay, I'm sorry. I was wrong!"
"Well, that's about right. Tell me, what have you found?"
Taking a deep breath, Dante recounted everything he had discovered yesterday and today without omitting a single detail.
Finally, he solemnly reminded, "Vice Admiral, the enemy is very cunning. Even now, I can't be sure if Teach is on [The Drifter]. I believe other scouts feel the same way."
"Understood."
Chapter 396: Without Going Through Storms, How Can You See a Rainbow? (33)
On the other end of the Den Den Mushi, Rowen rubbed his chin and suddenly said, "Have others reinforce their defenses, be cautious and vigilant!"
"At least... we can't let someone steal my wallet again."
Pfft!
Dante spat out three mouthfuls of blood and instinctively asked, "How did you know?!"
"Naturally because I was behind you, you little fool!"
Dante: "???"
Whoosh!
Swiftly turning his head to look... but there was nothing to see.
"..."
At this moment, Rowen's exaggerated laughter echoed from the Den Den Mushi. "Haha, after a three-second pause, you didn't really turn around, did you?!"
"I...!!"
Hiss... I really want to kill this asshole!
Dante sighed frustratingly.
Now that he thought about it, did Rowen find it strange that his wallet was stolen?
Not at all!
With the Pirate League being such a big event, a large group of spies and government agents had infiltrated [The Drifter] long before Dante arrived. And his identity, obtained by Rowen from CP0, must have attracted CP0's attention from the moment he set foot on land.
So, it's not surprising at all that Rowen knew about him sneaking out at midnight to vent his frustration by killing someone after losing his wallet.
"Hehe!"
When in doubt about what expression to use, just smile!
"But I really came over."
At this point, Rowen's voice, full of Killing Intent, came from the Den Den Mushi. Dante's expression froze, listening attentively.
"Pirate League is sure to be tangled in various interests. It will take a few days to finalize the specific terms of cooperation. Be prepared on your end; I expect to arrive in three days."
"Yes!"
Dante was excited.
Facing so many Sea pirates on his own would surely result in a complete wipeout, but with Rowen, it was a different story.
Now, everyone knew that in the face of Admiral Sengoku, the number of people in the Marine meant little.
With Rowen's words, Dante felt less restrained and could start making some bold moves!
Dante was eager to try, Dante felt he had a great advantage, and Dante charged forward...
...
After hanging up the phone, Vegapunk gave Rowen, who looked like a salted fish, a strange look and hesitated, "Vice Admiral Sengoku, with the speed of Ark, shouldn't it take more than three days to reach [The Drifter]?"
This was the control room of the government's war weapon, Ark.
Although Ark incorporated the design philosophy of Ark Maxim, along with Vegapunk's own researched black technology, its speed was more than twice that of ordinary aircraft.
But to reach [The Drifter] from Punk Hazard in three days was still an impossible quest.
"Yeah, so I don't intend to go there!"
Rowen said casually, picking up a tea cake and taking a bite.
Vegapunk looked horrified and exclaimed, "Then what about Rear Admiral Dante? He is in the pirates' den now!"
"Without experiencing storms, how can one see a rainbow? It's good for young people to suffer a bit; it's conducive to their growth."
Rowen explained with an air of righteousness, earning him a disdainful look from Vegapunk.
"Besides, with the trump card I left him, escaping should not be a problem."
Rowen waved his hand to reassure Vegapunk, then continued, "My main quest is to protect the establishment of G-5. The purpose of bringing Ark over is the same! In the face of major decisions, we must make choices."
So, you're selling out Dante?
Vegapunk couldn't help but shiver, silently offering blessings to Dante, who might encounter "storms."
A moment of silence.
May you rest in peace.
Judging from Rowen's current attitude, Vegapunk, on a personal level, was sure that Dante had no idea what kind of trump card Rowen had left for him.
(End of this chapter)
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