In the Bounty Hunter Guild of Laye Town, a figure sitting at the bar stared at the wanted posters in his hands, a bloodthirsty grin spreading across his face. The posters he held were all members of the Silver Pirates.
"Once I kill them, the guild master's seat will be mine."
This man had been eyeing the position of Bounty Hunter Guild Master for a long time, but without any noteworthy achievements, he'd always been stuck in second place. He was already a vice-guild master now, but he still wasn't satisfied.
"Guild Master, it looks like the vice-guild master plans to move against the Silver Pirates." Inside the Bounty Hunter Guild's office, a subordinate spoke to the brawny man sitting in the boss's chair.
"Hmph. Idiot." This man was the Guild Master of the Bounty Hunter Guild.
"Guild Master, aren't you worried at all? If he really does take down the Silver Pirates, the members will definitely back him to become guild master."
"You think the Silver Pirates are that easy to deal with? I was planning to take care of that bastard myself, but now it looks like I won't have to lift a finger. He's walking right into his own grave."
Every single member of the Silver Pirates was someone who could go toe-to-toe with a Navy Rear Admiral. Small-timers like them could hand-deliver their own heads and the Silver Pirates probably wouldn't even bother to collect.
This vice-guild master had gotten far too used to throwing his weight around in the North Blue, blinded by his own achievements and strength.
"When that idiot makes his move against the Silver Pirates, announce to the public that he's been expelled from our Bounty Hunter Guild and is no longer a member. That way, when the Silver Pirates come looking for trouble later, it won't land on us."
"Guild Master, is that really necessary? The captain of the Silver Pirates has a five hundred million bounty, sure, but he looks like a young man barely twenty or so. Do we really need to be this afraid of them?"
"You'll understand one day. Never let someone's appearance fool you when measuring their strength."
The Guild Master spoke these words with deep significance. He had once ventured into the Grand Line himself, but he had failed, suffered a crushing blow, and returned to the North Blue.
He'd been forced back to the North Blue, but he believed that Shirakawa and his crew had not come here for the same reason.
"Tell our members not to provoke those people under any circumstances. We are absolutely no match for them."
"Understood, Guild Master."
After the man left the room, silence returned. The Guild Master of the Bounty Hunter Guild took a long drag of his cigarette, gazed out at the bustling streets, and sighed quietly to himself. "The North Blue is going to be turned upside down again."
Even though the Silver Pirates were incredibly powerful, the many established forces of the North Blue weren't to be trifled with either. They wouldn't want an outside power coming in and sticking a foot into their territory.
If nothing unexpected happened, a massive chaotic battle would likely erupt in the waters of the North Blue before long, completely reshuffling all the factions in the region.
Thinking of this, he pulled a Den Den Mushi from his drawer and dialed. It turned out that after failing to make it in the Grand Line, he had joined a certain pirate crew and become one of their members.
Everything he did here was to funnel funds to that pirate crew. Otherwise, relying solely on his own strength, he would never have been able to keep such a motley Bounty Hunter Guild under control.
The Den Den Mushi rang a few times before connecting, and a voice came through from the other end. "What is it?"
"Captain, the Silver Pirates have come to the North Blue. I think you should send some reinforcements. I'm afraid something unexpected might happen."
"Silver Pirates?" Upon hearing those two words, a series of crashing and shattering sounds erupted from the other end, like wine glasses and bottles breaking.
"Are you sure?"
"Absolutely certain. Their crew is on Laye Island right now."
"Good. We're heading to the North Blue immediately."
"Captain? You're coming too?" Hearing his captain's words, the Guild Master spoke with some surprise.
"That's right. It's because of those Silver Pirates that we lost so many brothers. This time, I'm going to have my revenge."
After saying this, the other side immediately hung up the Den Den Mushi.
"I should've known better than to make that call." He suddenly felt a wave of regret, because his captain's bounty wasn't even as high as Shirakawa's. So now he was very worried.
As for why this mysterious pirate crew harbored such a grudge against the Silver Pirates, it all began with a battle not long ago.
When the Navy received intelligence that Shirakawa was heading toward the Four Blues, they issued orders to the three Navy Vice Admirals to carry out a purge of the Sabaody Archipelago. At that time, this pirate crew had been anchored at the Sabaody Archipelago.
So they too suffered a brutal and merciless assault.
Later, they heard through the grapevine that the Navy had been setting an ambush for the Silver Pirates. But the Silver Pirates changed course, ruining the Navy's plans, so the Navy took out their fury on the pirates still on the island.
As a result, every pirate who managed to survive now held a bitter grudge against the Silver Pirates. If not for them, these pirate crews would never have been attacked so suddenly.
The captain of the Bounty Hunter Guild Master's crew was one of those who barely escaped with his life, but he had been severely wounded. His body was wrapped in bandages, yet his wounds still bled ceaselessly.
If the Navy officer attacking him hadn't suddenly received other orders and disappeared, he would probably be keeping the other captured pirates company right now, riding a battleship straight to Impel Down.
"Captain, our losses are catastrophic. What do we do now?" One of the pirates knelt beside him, weeping.
"We return to the North Blue. I just received word that the Silver Pirates have appeared there. We are going to find them and have our revenge."
The Navy was someone they couldn't afford to mess with. So if they wanted revenge, they could only target the Silver Pirates.
But he seemed to have forgotten that the Silver Pirates were also not people they could afford to provoke.
"What? They're in the North Blue? Damn them! When we find them, we'll tear them to pieces!" his crewman spat bitterly.
"By the way, can we still get in touch with the other pirate crews that escaped with us?"
"Don't worry, Captain. They've been regrouping in the nearby waters too. After all, we weren't the only ones to suffer heavy losses."
"Good. Spread the word to their captains that the Silver Pirates have surfaced in the North Blue. See how many are willing to return there with me."
"Aye, Captain."
Even though the captain was furious, he wasn't stupid. His bounty was only a little over two hundred million, while that Shirakawa's was five hundred million. He needed to unite the remaining pirate crews if he wanted to defeat the Silver Pirates and avenge his men.
Before long, his subordinate came back with a response.
"Captain, they're all willing to return to the North Blue with us and get revenge on the Silver Pirates."
"Good, excellent! Then tell the other captains we'll form a pirate alliance. We'll call it the Avengers, a pirate alliance dedicated to hunting down the Silver Pirates."
"Aye, Captain!"
Hearing the name "Avengers," he wasn't sure why, but he felt the name was incredibly domineering and perfectly suited for them.
/-\
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