New World, the sea area of the Pirate Alliance.
The dark sky broods with a somber atmosphere, swamps sprawl across the terrain, and mosquitoes abound. The entire island resembles an undeveloped no-man's land. The dense tropical rainforest and confined spaces make people feel bored.
"Hey! Francis , why do you always favor such gloomy locations? Can't you pick a more conventional place?" complained a tall, dark-skinned man, standing at five meters. The horizontal muscles of his face continually quivered with the movements of his jaw, resembling a mobile fortress.
"Yeah, you're such a simpleton. If I had my way, I'd have chosen a sunny beach. We could soak up the sun and gaze at the beauties in bikinis. That's the true enjoyment of life!"
A man dressed as a gentleman on the side chimed in. What's rather amusing is that this fellow sports a completely bald head with sinister eyebrows, yet his compact facial features are placed on a large visage. The tie around his neck is also unremarkable, creating a comedic impression.
"Hmph hahaha! Yermak! Klaus! You two have plenty of work to do! I just enjoy the sensation of sucking blood..."
A man with a sinister countenance and a long, hooked nose said grumpily. He extended his scarlet tongue to lick his chapped lips in a repulsive manner.
"Alright, enough bickering. Let's focus on the purpose of this meeting! Lackham!"
Observing the ongoing quarrels among the individuals, Francis couldn't help but express his annoyance. He had no interest in listening to their complaints; it was a waste of his time, especially considering that he had a mission to fulfill.
"Alright, let's get straight to the point. Have any of you read the newspapers from the past few days?"
Lackham inquired in a deep voice.
"Are you telling me about the news that Oven from the Big Mom Pirates met his end at the hands of the Marine Supernova a few days ago? Even their top-notch member, Katakuri, couldn't handle that Marine?"
"Hehehehe! Naturally, didn't you discern something from this incident?"
"Our opportunity has arrived! Perhaps by defeating a New World overlord, we can firmly establish our presence and become the unrivaled pirate overlords!"
Lackham stood up with excitement, his voice filled with passion, and his expression akin to that of a fervent church devotee.
Francis, on the side, wore a peculiar expression, harboring a bit of skepticism about whether this guy shared the same objectives as himself.
"Lackham, you must understand that we four pirate groups have united to stand a chance against Whitebeard and the others, but we're still barely hanging on, existing in a corner of the New World!"
Yermak, dressed as a gentleman, questioned.
"It's utterly foolish. Can't you see Marine's intention clearly? First, the Whitebeard Pirates, and now the Big Mom Pirates. Marine has set its sights on dealing with these so-called pirate overlords. The New World simply cannot tolerate so many overlords, leaving us with no way out!"
"You need to understand that the Whitebeard Pirates are a crew that survived countless encirclements and suppressions by Marine in the previous era. Whitebeard himself is hailed as the strongest man in the world. How can we, mere lions, challenge this entrenched pirate?"
Although Klaus presents himself with bulging muscles and well-developed limbs, it doesn't imply that his intellect is lacking. He is acutely aware of the strength disparity between himself and the other three overlords.
"And?"
Yermak asked with playful eyes. At this stage, dealing with any pirate overlord individually is impossible, leaving them no choice but to advance and retreat together.
"Based on my information, the old woman from Big Mom is still pregnant and hasn't given birth yet. This likely puts a significant constraint on her strength. Additionally, her eldest child, Oven, was executed by Marine, and most of the others are still too young and not strong enough," Klaus explained.
"So, this is the moment when the Big Mom Pirates are at their weakest. Similar to the Whitebeard Pirates, even though they have had the most clashes with Marine, there haven't been reports of any major combatants falling to Marine. As for Kaido of the Beasts, his subordinates occupy Wano Country, a location that's easy to defend but challenging to attack, making it too formidable for us," Francis elaborated.
"When we defeat the Big Mom Pirates, we can take their position and become the true overlords of the New World! Besides, it's rumored that Big Mom possesses a red Poneglyph, and it's not impossible that we might uncover the great secret treasure of One Piece by then!"
Francis analyzed the current situation in the New World with sound reasoning, and simultaneously, the future blueprint he outlined sparked excitement among everyone present.
The other three lowered their heads in contemplation, their eyes flickering as they silently assessed the risks and benefits in their hearts. Yermak sneered, "So, we'd then be taken down by Marine and spend eternity alone in Impel Down?"
"Don't worry, Marine is likely fully engaged with the Whitebeard Pirates at the moment and doesn't give a damn about us. Moreover, we are pirates who thrive on the edge of a sword, tasting blood. When did we become so timid? This is our final opportunity, and I believe you all understand it well!"
Indeed, Francis is correct. Pirates are akin to gamblers, except that gamblers wager money on the betting table, while these pirates are staking... their lives!
While the risks are high, the potential rewards are also quite promising. If successful, they will undoubtedly secure a place for themselves in the New World.
"Hehehehe! I agree!"
The always energetic Lackham was the first to express agreement with Francis' plan, further fueling Francis' suspicion about his identity.
"Fuck! I'm all in on this gamble!"
"...I don't have any issues with it either..."
"Excellent. Let's delve into the details of our next battle plan!"
...
On a massive three-masted sailing ship, a fearsome pirate flag fluttered from the thick mast. The central figure was an ordinary skeleton, but it wasn't a human skull; it resembled more of a bear skull. The entire skull bore a massive scar, adding to its sinister appearance!
If you're a pirate in the New World, you'd surely recognize this as the flagship of the Francis Pirates within the Pirate Alliance - Barbarian Bear!
At this moment, aboard the Barbarian Bear.
Francis sat in a plush office chair with no one around. Half of his body remained concealed in the darkness. In his hands, he held a regular Den Den Mushi and a white anti-tapping Den Den Mushi.
... Pere Pere Pere Pere...Click
"Hey! Francis, how's everything going? The all-star spot has been reserved for you!" The phone bug's appearance gradually transformed into a peculiar visage with two horns as the call connected.
"Don't worry, things are progressing smoothly, Kaido-sama!"
Francis replied calmly.
"That's good..."
With a click, the phone was hung up directly. Francis remained unfazed, continuing his hand movements, and the phone bug rang again.
... Pere Pere Pere Pere...Click
"What is the status?"
"Sir, things are going very well. Thanks to that Marine star, I can seamlessly integrate into the Beasts Pirates once it's over..."
"Very good, don't disappoint us with the Ancient Zoan Bear-Bear Fruit Model: Brutal Bear we provided you. After the undercover operation concludes, you can directly join CP0. Avoid exposure. You know the consequences of failure..."
"Yes!"
Bang... the sound of the phone hanging up echoed once more.
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This chapter is to thank jasss22 for his support.
Read 35 chapters in advance in Patr*on: patr*on.com/Cosmic_Kaminari.