"Actually, you're enjoying it too, aren't you?"
After hearing Crocodile's complaint-like words, Cyrus instead asked him that question.
"Chairman, it's exhausting, all right? I haven't had proper rest for half a month."
Crocodile seemed not to have expected Cyrus to say that.
After a long while, he finally answered slowly, though his tone was no longer as firm as before.
"I know it's exhausting, but I think you definitely enjoy the feeling of holding great power in your hands."
Cyrus naturally understood Crocodile.
Or rather, on this sea, anyone with even a little ambition thirsted for power.
Crocodile was no exception.
Although the Hunter Guild was not an extremely strict organization, Crocodile, as the person in charge after Cyrus had thrown everything aside, naturally held enormous authority.
This was something the previous Crocodile could never have imagined.
So while this guy seemed to be complaining, he was actually enjoying himself.
"All right, Chairman Cyrus, now isn't the time to talk about that."
Crocodile stiffly changed the subject.
Clearly, being seen through by Cyrus did not feel very pleasant.
"The situation you mentioned earlier has indeed appeared. I also used your name to issue orders for each Guild branch to investigate itself.
Fortunately, not much time has passed yet, so those hidden inside the Guild haven't caused any major incidents."
Crocodile's tone turned serious.
"This kind of situation is unavoidable. No matter what kind of force it is, once it grows large enough, some small fry will always slip in."
From the moment the Hunter Guild was first established, Cyrus had already anticipated something like this.
However, compared with the emergence of the Hunter Guild itself, this kind of drawback was not a major issue.
"Chairman, according to my investigation, aside from pirates disguising themselves and sneaking into the Guild to cause trouble, there are also some other people. Their identities are still unclear."
Cyrus smiled when he heard that.
"What's unclear about it? They're either from the World Government or the Marines."
There was no need to investigate that.
Because of Cyrus's existence, the Hunter Guild could not be directly targeted, but those people certainly would not simply leave it alone either.
Sending people into the Guild to pretend to be Hunters and cause destruction was perfectly normal.
"I've already found quite a few of those people. Chairman, should we pretend not to know for now and deal with them after the exam is over?"
Crocodile gave his suggestion.
The Hunter Exam was about to be held.
If they cleared these people out now, it was hard to guarantee that the World Government and the Marines would not send people to sabotage the exam.
Moreover, with these undercover agents present, the World Government and the Marines might try to use them to cause trouble.
That was much better than having several Marine Admirals come directly.
"Clear out whoever you've found."
Cyrus waved his hand.
"Understood."
Crocodile's voice was very calm.
His suggestion was only a suggestion. The one making the decision was still Cyrus.
"There's another matter. However, this matter was suppressed by the World Government, so the news hasn't spread."
Crocodile seemed to have suddenly remembered something and spoke abruptly.
"The Holy Land, Mary Geoise, was attacked. Of course, this attack wasn't nearly as big as the commotion you caused, but quite a few Celestial Dragons died or were injured this time."
As Crocodile spoke, there was a trace of schadenfreude in his tone.
"Oh? Has it started?"
Cyrus raised an eyebrow.
Where there was a first time, there would be a second. And where there was a second, there would be a third.
There would only be more incidents like this in the future.
"Started?"
Crocodile's voice sounded somewhat surprised.
"Chairman, you can definitely guess who attacked Mary Geoise this time."
"Doflamingo, right?"
"That's right. It was him. I didn't expect him to be that bold, and he really succeeded."
"He's a little late."
Cyrus's expression remained calm.
He had previously spared Doflamingo and his group.
As the price for that, they had to exchange Celestial Dragon lives for their own.
Although Cyrus knew that this matter would be very difficult, especially after his own attack on Mary Geoise, the Holy Land's defenses must have become extremely strict.
Since there had been no movement for so long, Cyrus had thought Doflamingo had given up and gone into hiding.
But now it seemed that everything before this had been spent planning the attack.
"How did you find out?" Cyrus suddenly became somewhat curious.
Since Crocodile said Mary Geoise had sealed off the news, how had he learned of it?
"Wait, don't answer yet."
After asking, Cyrus added another sentence. Then he blinked.
"Doflamingo came to you?"
"As expected, nothing gets past you, Chairman."
There was a smile in Crocodile's voice.
"That flamingo is indeed in Sabaody Archipelago right now, under the Guild's control. He wants to bring the entire Donquixote Family into the Guild. According to him, the whole sea only has one place left where he can survive now."
"So? What do you think?"
Cyrus looked at the Den Den Mushi in his hand and asked, seemingly wanting to hear Crocodile's opinion.
"That is naturally for you to decide, Chairman. But Doflamingo and his group are not weak, and that man does have some methods. Most importantly, he and the Celestial Dragons are now irreconcilable enemies."
Crocodile thought for a moment before speaking.
Judging from his words, he agreed with accepting the Donquixote Family.
"Then handle it according to your judgment."
After thinking briefly, Cyrus nodded.
But when it came to that flamingo, Cyrus had never trusted him.
It was even possible that this attack on the Holy Land, Mary Geoise, had been a show staged by Doflamingo and the World Government together.
Of course, that was only a possibility.
Regardless of the truth, it would not have much impact on Cyrus.
The foundation of the Hunter Guild was still the overwhelming strength of its chairman.
"Understood. There is also the matter of the Sky Island."
Crocodile brought up the Sky Island again, clearly intending to report on the examination site.
"Chairman, construction of the examination site on the Sky Island is basically complete. Only some finishing work remains. The main structure was built using that so-called Upper Yard on the Sky Island.
"That island, the only one there with actual land, is where the exam site is located. It also contains quite a few ancient buildings.
"Also, about your previous order to capture giant beasts and send them to the examination grounds, that has been somewhat troublesome."
Crocodile sounded hesitant.
"Too few of them?" Cyrus asked directly.
"Yes. For one thing, those giant beasts are few in number. For another, capturing them is difficult. Even after issuing a bounty within the Hunter Guild, it remains the same.
"Of course, if the bounty were for corpses, it would be much easier. But corpses aren't very useful."
Cyrus nodded slightly and sat down, thinking for a moment.
"Contact Caesar Clown and Vinsmoke Judge. Tell them the problem and leave the rest to them."
"Hm? Chairman, are you planning to…"
Cyrus had told him to contact Caesar Clown and Vinsmoke Judge, those two scientific madmen. What did he intend to have them do?
That was already very obvious.
He planned to use the technology in their hands to create a batch of monsters.
"Just do as I said."
"Yes. I know what to do."
"Mm. That's it for now."
Hearing this, Cyrus hung up the Den Den Mushi in his hand and placed it on the table beside him.
After staring at it for a moment, he picked it up again and dialed another number.
"Who is this?"
The Den Den Mushi connected quickly.
The expression it imitated was extremely arrogant, and one of its eyes even narrowed slightly.
"Vice Admiral Garp, long time no see."
Hearing that voice, Cyrus chuckled before speaking.
Then the Den Den Mushi in Cyrus's hand visibly became more energetic.
"Wait, Cyrus? Why are you contacting this old man all of a sudden?"
Garp was clearly very surprised by Cyrus's call, and his voice rose several degrees.
"Naturally, there's something to discuss. I caught a few pirates on my side and plan to send them to Impel Down."
Cyrus said this with a smile.
"You caught a few pirates? Does that really need you to ask personally? Just have someone send them to a Marine base and—wait. Impel Down?"
Garp instinctively started speaking, but then immediately sensed something was wrong.
"Wait. You're saying you caught a few pirates and want to send them to Impel Down? Don't tell this old man you're talking about Whitebeard, Big Mom, Golden Lion, and those people?"
"Congratulations, Vice Admiral Garp. You guessed correctly."
Cyrus smiled.
"Unfortunately, there's no reward. But I'll set out in three days and personally escort them to Impel Down. You Marines can send someone to receive them."