"Hey Boss Chinjao! Look! The Marines released that monster Ares' new bounty poster!!"
Thud thud thud
A pirate hurried over to Chinjao, shoving Ares' latest wanted poster into his hands.
"Hm!?" Chinjao lifted the poster. "War God!? That brat Ares' bounty jumped this much!?"
Without meaning to, his mind flashed back to the scene where he'd been instantly defeated one move, one breath.
And to make it worse, Ares had even used the Hasshoken that only the Happo Navy could master Eight-Impact Fist!
Chinjao muttered, "That guy's too much of a freak… In less than three years, he's grown into something this terrifying…"
All of a sudden
A shadow swallowed them.
Chinjao blinked. "Why did it get dark?"
The pirate beside him looked up and his eyeballs nearly popped out.
"H-Hey, hey Marine warships!!! In the sky!!"
"What!?" Chinjao's expression changed instantly. He snapped his head up and sure enough, several massive warships were floating overhead.
Panic flickered across his face. "Marine warships… Why are they floating in the air!?"
"Sashiburidana "
"Who!?"
Chinjao's muscles tensed. He clenched both fists, nerves stretched tight.
The flying warships descended toward the sea.
And in the very first instant, Chinjao saw several hulking figures broad-backed, thick-waisted "giants."
But the one standing dead center
That devil-like man made Chinjao's blood run cold.
"Ares!? Y-You… why are you here!?"
Ares leapt down and landed on the deck of the Happo Navy's ship.
The moment he touched down, everyone felt like a blade had been pressed to their throats.
Sweat poured out uncontrollably.
Even Chinjao had cold sweat bead at his temples.
"Hey relax. I'm not here to cause trouble," Ares said with a wide grin.
No one dared loosen their guard.
Ares spoke bluntly. "Chinjao, I've founded my own pirate crew. I want to invite you to join my crew!"
"Y-You…" Chinjao stared, shocked. "You built your own crew… and you're inviting me!?"
He never imagined Ares would leave the strongest pirate group on the sea the Rocks Pirates.
Form his own crew?
Was he planning to contend with the Rocks Pirates and seize dominance!?
Chinjao's first instinct was to refuse.
But when he remembered Ares' terrifying strength strength that could crush him effortlessly
He swallowed those words back down.
"That's right." Ares' gaze was steady, his presence overwhelming. "I admire your strength. Join me. I, Ares, will defeat Rocks and become the King of the New World!"
Boom
A hint of Conqueror's Haki leaked out.
Black-and-crimson lightning burst from his body, crackling violently.
It sent chills straight into the bones.
Chinjao's expression trembled. Through Ares, he could see Kaido and Sladar standing behind him.
Chinjao had crossed hands with Kaido before.
That bastard was another gifted monster.
Chinjao hesitated.
If he refused…
He was terrified Ares would simply wipe out the entire Happo Navy.
But if he accepted…
He would be dragged into the whirlpool Ares versus Rocks, and the war for the sea itself.
He couldn't decide without thinking it through.
Kaido grinned. "Wororororo Chinjao, what's there to hesitate about? This sea is going to enter Big Brother Ares' era!"
Sladar spoke calmly. "See those Marine warships? There are tens of thousands of people on them. The War God Pirates will become the strongest pirate crew on the sea!"
Tens of thousands!?
Chinjao jolted. Only now did he properly study the massive warships crowded so densely with people it looked like swarming ants.
His heart shook.
"Ares… where did he even get this many men!?"
"Tens of thousands this is practically the full military strength of some small nations. And if you add Ares and Kaido…"
A force no one could afford to underestimate.
After a moment of silence, Chinjao finally spoke.
"I… I'm willing to join the War God Pirates."
Given the situation, he couldn't find a reason to refuse
Unless he was prepared to drag the Happo Navy into a heroic death.
But…
These men had followed him for over a decade. Their bonds were deep.
He couldn't bear to have them die alongside him.
When Chinjao agreed, Ares' grin widened.
"Chinjao, you won't regret joining my crew!"
He shouted toward Kaido, "Kaido bring the booze!"
"Let's celebrate Chinjao joining!!"
For pirates, a drinking feast was the fastest way to close the distance.
On the warships, slaves threw their arms up and roared.
"Welcome Chinjao!!"
"Welcome Chinjao!!"
"..."
The shouts shook the heavens.
Even Chinjao was stunned.
Ares had built a force like this… already.
And this was only the beginning!
Holding a bowl the size of a basin, Ares thrust it toward Chinjao with a booming laugh.
"Haha Chinjao, drink this bowl. From now on, we're family!"
Chinjao took it and downed it in one go, forced to accept the reality he was now under Ares.
Still…
Ares believed that sooner or later, he would truly win Chinjao over.
Ares drank his own bowl dry and said with a smile, "Chinjao, I know you're the Happo Navy's leader from the Kano Country. To avoid dragging Kano Country into this…"
"I think you should contact the king and have them announce that you've withdrawn from Kano Country."
"Withdraw from Kano Country!?" Chinjao gasped.
But Ares was right.
Now that he had joined the War God Pirates…
The best solution was to sever ties cleanly, so Kano Country wouldn't be implicated.
So thoughtful?
Did Ares plan to recruit me from the start!?
Chinjao couldn't help thinking that.
He immediately called the king of Kano Country through a Den Den Mushi, and formally withdrew from Kano Country.
Then Ares reached into a chest and pulled out a Devil Fruit.
"Chinjao, this Devil Fruit I have… is a Mythical Zoan Yamata no Orochi."
"I think it suits you perfectly!"
The moment the Happo Navy saw that Devil Fruit, they were struck dumb.
"A Mythical Zoan… That's rarer than a Logia!"
"Ares is just giving it to the boss!?"
"This is a priceless Devil Fruit! If Boss eats it, his strength will skyrocket!!"
"Wait Ares isn't he already a Mythical Zoan user!? How does he still have another Mythical Zoan fruit!?"
"T-This is way too generous! That's a ridiculously rare treasure!!"
"..."
Everyone's eyes burned as they stared at the fruit.
Some looked so greedy they practically wanted to replace Chinjao and swallow it themselves.
Chinjao's face was full of disbelief as he stared at Ares.
"Y-You… you're really giving me a Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit worth a fortune…?"
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