Inside Orsto Castle in Elbaf.
Although Harald didn't want anything to do with the Rocks Pirates.
However, under the persuasion and mediation of Ida, Loki, and Elder Yaruru, Harald reluctantly invited the Rocks Pirates into the royal palace.
"worororo! Harald, your castle is truly massive. It's much more comfortable than that old fogey's place in Mary Geoise."
Rocks hopped onto the table carelessly and laughed at Harald.
"Harald, as long as we cooperate, you won't need to grovel to those Celestial Dragons at all!"
"Once we overthrow them, Elbaf can establish diplomatic relations with whichever country it wants."
Rocks once again spoke of his plans with great ambition.
"Hmph! What I need is peaceful diplomacy, not threats and intimidation."
Harald sat on his throne and took a large gulp of wine, his face still showing a hint of dissatisfaction, filled with a sense of rejection and alienation toward Rocks.
Loki and Hajrudin quickly recounted all of Fang Huo's prophecies once more.
They were filled with worry over the death prophecies for Harald and Ida.
Loki, in particular, urgently told Harald about the Human Clearing Contest he had just learned of.
At this, not only did Harald and Yaruru's eyes widen, but even some of the Rocks Pirates' Executives were extremely shocked.
"The Celestial Dragons' triennial Human Clearing Contest?"
"Fang Huo, is this true?"
Fang Huo had hardly mentioned these things before, so many Executives were still unaware of such a cruel contest.
"Such a cruel tradition does indeed exist within the Celestial Dragons."
"The Celestial Dragons' trampling on life and their indifference are far beyond your imagination."
"They treat the natives of their target islands as game and points for their contest."
"Whether they be the elderly or children, they can slaughter them amidst laughter and joy."
As Fang Huo slowly recounted the Celestial Dragons' brutal contest, even heartless Great Pirates like Rocks and Shiki, who valued strength above all and looked down on the weak, slightly changed their expressions.
"Are the Celestial Dragons truly that brutal?"
Harald found it hard to believe; on the surface, the World Government was an organization of order that united one or two hundred nations.
How could those Celestial Dragons commit such cruel acts?
And if it's triennial, how could it have gone undiscovered for all these years?
"Perhaps everyone will have the chance to witness the Celestial Dragons' brutality firsthand."
"In two years, the Celestial Dragons will hold another Human Clearing Contest, and the location is very likely to be Red Line Island in the West Blue."
"Rocks, I was just about to tell you. Patrick Redfield has fought his way to Paradise Island. He has already contacted me and wants to join the Rocks Pirates."
"At the same time, he wants us to help him protect Red Line Island so that it isn't wiped out by the Celestial Dragons."
Fang Huo slowly laid out his various deductions and intelligence.
"Harald, I can take you to see the Celestial Dragons' demonic contest for yourself then. You can reconsider whether you want to continue trying to join the World Government after that."
After speaking with Rocks, Fang Huo turned to look at the shocked giant king.
---"Redfield? That guy really isn't dead? He even fought his way from the West Blue to the New World?"
Rocks was overjoyed. Although he felt a bit of guilt for screwing over the Barlorick Family, they could settle those messy grievances slowly after they overthrew the World Government.
He believed that Redfield's current hatred for the Celestial Dragons and the World Government was even greater than that of Fang Huo and the Rocks Pirates.
In fact, after hearing about the tragedy of the Barlorick Family from those two CP0 Agents, some of the Rocks Pirates' Executives felt more or less guilty.
Newgate had even thought that if Redfield came for revenge, he would let Redfield go a few times.
But he hadn't expected that Redfield would now join the Rocks Pirates.
"I want to see just how strong this guy is."
Golden Lion Shiki snorted coldly; he wanted to see if this Redfield really had the potential of a King Executives.
"first mate, will this really not be a problem?"
To be honest, Babel and Sanbel would rather kill Redfield than have such a time bomb on board.
"Don't worry, I've already reached an agreement with him."
Fang Huo had this confidence; his rate of growth and potential ceiling were even higher than Redfield's.
He would give Redfield time to catch up and a chance for revenge.
Moreover, Redfield was an upright and proud man; there was no need to worry about him resorting to petty schemes.
---After hearing about the Celestial Dragons' Human Clearing Contest, Ida's understanding of them was once again completely shattered.
She didn't know if the path of having Harald seek to join the World Government in pursuit of peace could truly be sustained.
Whether it was Elbaf being an enemy of the World Government eight hundred years ago or the Celestial Dragons' cruel contest, both were problems standing in their way.
"If the Celestial Dragons' Human Clearing Contest truly exists, I..."
Harald's fists were tightly clenched; at this moment, his determination to join the World Government was truly wavering.
If it were just the leftover issues from a war eight hundred years ago, perhaps a solution could still be sought.
But that kind of cruel slaughter contest touched the very bottom line of being human.
How could anyone be so cruel as to treat the massacre of civilians as a contest!
He would never forgive such behavior.
"Harald, you must have seen the halle divine codex mural!"
"Whether it's the Giant Race, the Fish-Man Race, or the Mink Tribe, you are all enemies of the World Government."
"You are all waiting for the sun god nika to lead you forward."
"But in this era, Rocks and I will lead you to strike at those inhuman scumbags who call themselves gods."
Fang Huo opened his arms and spoke with a passionate tone.
The World Government would not easily allow the Fish-Man Race of Fish-Man Island, the Giant Race of Elbaf, the Mink Tribe of Zou Island, and the samurai of Wano Country—all of whom supported the sun god nika eight hundred years ago—to become member nations.
Even if the World Government allowed Fish-Man Island to participate in the World Conference again to ease relations.
But those Celestial Dragons would still feel free to lay hands on the Mermaid Princess, continuing to disregard the Fish-Man Race.
"worororo! Fang Huo is right. Harald, stop dilly-dallying."
"In the eyes of the Celestial Dragons, the Giant Race will always be the defeated and the best slaves. Coexisting as equals is impossible."
Rocks felt that he was just one step away from successfully recruiting Harald!
"Hmph, everything depends on proving whether the Celestial Dragons' Native Purge Competition is truly a fact!"
"Until then, we in Elbaf do not want to be associated with your Rocks Pirates."
"If you have no further business, do not linger in Elbaf."
Harald still didn't want to deal with these fierce pirates of the Rocks Pirates.
What if everything Fang Huo said was a lie?
Then wouldn't Elbaf be completely tied to the most evil pirate crew that destroyed Enies Lobby, losing any chance of joining the World Government?
Looking at the stubborn Harald, Fang Huo fell somewhat silent.
This brute's reputation for shaving his own head, breaking his own horns, and taking the initiative to become one of the Divine Blade to do dirty work was only slightly better than that of the fool Kozuki Oden, who danced naked for five years.
It was also a stroke of luck that his death at Loki's hands appeared heroic.
Otherwise, if he had died as pathetically as Kozuki Oden, he would still be cursed as he deserved!
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