Everyone knew that the word "but" was the real hook, yet a collective sigh of relief swept across the pirate deck. To survive an encounter with the Kuja Pirates was a miracle in itself; they were willing to accept almost any terms Leo set.
"We will not only spare your lives, but we will also guide you out of the Calm Belt," Leo said, his voice steady. "However..."
Here it comes, the pirates thought, bracing themselves.
"There is only one simple condition."
Leo looked over the crowd of ragged men. "Before we leave these waters, I want you to listen to my words. You will follow my directives and obey my orders. For the duration of our time in the Calm Belt, I am your temporary Captain. In exchange, I—representing the Kuja Pirates—guarantee your safety and your exit from this graveyard."
The pirates exchanged bewildered looks. That's it? Even the Kuja warriors seemed confused. Given the circumstances, this wasn't a trade; it was a mercy. They were already defeated; Leo was simply asking them to acknowledge it formally.
But Leo was serious. He was establishing the concept of a Covenant.
"Do you agree?" he asked.
"W-we agree..." the pirates stammered. They had no choice. Without the Kuja's snakes, they were just monster bait.
"Excellent." Leo let go of Hancock's hand and walked toward the railing where the two ships were lashed together. He looked up at the giant captain. "And you... what do I call you?"
"I am 'Great Scimitar' William," the five-meter giant replied. He looked down at Leo with a mix of confusion and newfound respect. In the Grand Line, polite men were usually victims, but a polite man backed by a Warlord was a dragon in disguise.
William knew the math. Bounties were deceptive. Hancock or Jinbe might have bounties under 100 million because they joined the Warlords early, but their true combat power was easily triple that. If this "weak" looking man was the one leading them, William reasoned he must be a hidden powerhouse or a terrifying Devil Fruit user.
"William," Leo said, snapping the giant out of his thoughts. "Show me the Devil Fruit. Also, have you eaten one yourself?"
Leo signaled to Ran, the ship's navigator and one of the few truly reliable managers on the crew. While Hancock handled the "Empress" duties, Ran and Rindo kept the gears turning.
"N-no, I'm not a user," William stammered, his humility surprising even Leo. He hurried to the back of his deck and returned with a small, ornate chest.
When he clicked the latch open, Leo froze.
Inside sat a fruit covered in swirling, flame-like patterns. Even though Leo's memory of specific fruit shapes was fading, he recognized this one instantly. It was the Mera Mera no Mi—the Flame-Flame Fruit.
Ace's fruit? Why is it here?
Leo's mind went into overdrive. According to the timeline, the World Government was currently filling the vacancies in the Seven Warlords. Ace and his Spade Pirates were active and powerful; normally, a Logia user like him would be a prime candidate for recruitment.
Then it clicked. The Warlord system wasn't filled all at once. While Doflamingo, Crocodile, and Hancock were established, "loners" like Mihawk and Kuma were harder to pin down. The Government likely kept "backups" in mind.
If the Mera Mera no Mi was here, in the hands of a nobody like William, it meant Ace hadn't found it yet. The "Fire Fist" legend hadn't even begun.
Leo stared at the orange fruit. If he played his cards right, he wouldn't just be guiding a group of pirates out of the Calm Belt. He might be about to intercept the destiny of one of the most powerful men in the world.
If I'm not mistaken, Leo thought, the moment we leave the Calm Belt, we're going to run right into a young man named Portgas D. Ace.